Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1891-07-31
STEAMBOAT TRADE.
ran OHIO RIVlR PACKETS DOING A RUSHING
BUSINESS.
Interesting Talk With Captain Hlis'n, Of tho
Hudson wharfmastsr 0rockard SiVs
visws on Various Matters

1 years. Lie lluo VI o.o
tween those points, SIX In mum oei'
are carrying all the freight tney can
| handle, and in addition have iun hss
of passengers on each trip. a rouno
trip to Cincinnati on one Of the elegant
steamers which run In that trade, is al
WAYS very enjoyable, and that pleasure
seekers appreciate that fact, Is evloenc-
ed by the number of ladies and gentle
men who spend their summer vacations
in that manner. Few persons nave any
| idea of the traffic business done oy
these boats-but let the steamboatmen
talk for themselves. A REGISTER re-
porter boarded the Hudson yesterday,
and had an interesting CHAT Win
CAPT. ]. F. ELLISON,
| one of the youngest masters on the
Western rivers, and courteous and ac-
commodating gentleman.
s'The Western steamboat interests
are In better condition than ever be-
fore" said Capt. Ellison, land trade is
constantly increasing, owing 10 the fact
that we have had so far good stage OF
water. The business has been good for
the past three years, but is pro badly
better this year in comparison with the
general business of the country, which
is dull. We have all the freight traffic
we can attend to, and more. The Gin
cinnati railroad interests have extended
to US the hand of fellowship, and given
a defereutial rate, by which we are
recognized as factor in the traffic busi-
ness of the country. Our territory Is
practically unlimited, as we handle
freight for all parts of the country. In
the matter Of time freights, the rail-
roads cannot compete with US, nor In
traffic rates."
SHOW about the passenger business?"
queried the scribe.
ut Is better than ever before. The
Cincinnati and .Pittsburg packets usual
ly have accommodations for about 125
and they sometimes have to refuse to
carry parties desiring to make the
round trip. We have 100 round trip
passengers on this trip from Pittsburg
and Wheeling. The pleasure travel is
increasing, but we do not do much in
legitimate business travel. We carry
passengers 1000 miles from Pittsburg)
through the finest scenery on the Ohio
river, and feed them six days, for S12,
so the popularity Of these trips is not
surprising"
"How does trade on the upper Ohio
compare with lower river trader" was
asked.
''There are more packets running be-
tween Pittsburg and Cincinnati, dis
lance of about 500 miles, than between
St. Louis and New Orleans, distance
of 1,2OO miles. All the packets are
making money-in fact, 1 have never
known In my experience OF single
packet, which was properly and econom-
ically operated, that was not profitable.
Wheeling is the best point between Gin
cinnati and Pittsburg for business, and
in the number Of tons Of freight handled,
1t exceeds even the latter city. The
general merchandise and manufactured
articles shipped from Wheeling to
Southern points by water, In the aggre-
gate, would amount to sum that would
astonish you. Yes, the packet business
is good, and l have great faith in the
future"
CAPT. BOOTH
of the steamer Liberty, which makes
daily trips between this city and Clar-
ington, was also seen by the REGISTER
man.
"How is the packet business, Capt.
Booth?" was the question propounded
by the newspaper man.
swell, you see the Liberty is local
packet, and depends entirely upon the
farming trade. Business this year is
good so far, as it has been for the past
few years, thanks to the favorable stage
of the water. We have not missed a
single trip in eleven months, which is
quite remarkable record on the upper
Ohio. Judging by the amount OF pro-
duce we have already handled, and the
prospects for more, this year will be an
exceptional one with the farmers OF the
Ohio Valley. We have not handled as
many potatoes as last year at this time,
and not as much wheat, but it is little
early yet. Berries are plentier, and
other farm products are coming In In
great quantities.
CAPT. JOHN CRoCKARD,
who has been wharfmaster for a number
of years, and who knows more about the
river than any man in Wheeling, was
also seen.
"How does the stage OF water this
year compare with former years?" was
asked.
sit has been an exceptionally good
one for the steamboat interests. The
big Cincinnati and Pittsburg packets
have been making their trips without
first Of the year. with the exception Of
about two weeks the latter part of May.
The summer OF 's7 was disastrous one
for river men, and most Of the packets
were laid up for the greater part OF the
season. On September sth the river
was down to l foot, On October 5th to
13 inches; and it remained low until De-
cember 29th, when the river closed with
two feet of water in the channel. In SO
the stage OF water was good throughout
the year. On September 1st, 80, the
lowest point for that year was reached,
with inches Of water In the channel.
|, Last year was good one throughout.
The lowest stage this year was 2 feet l
inch, in the latter part OF May, when
the big packets were compelled TO 20 to
bank"
How about the packet business for
this year?"
at surpasses anything 1 have ever
seen-both In freight and passenger
traffic. 1t is common thing for the
big packets to refuse freight for lower
points. Farm products have been COM
ing In lively. One packet, on its last
trip, had 1,5O0 buckets of blackberries
alone, besides other stuff. The supply
Of blackberries this year has beer re-
markable, and it seems that the demand
is fully equal to the supply. / think
would be safe in saying that the aver
age number Of buckets of berries
lo-o - %Ha mast fbroo ruoako