The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1892-07-22
Tolnl. 49,. las 4N,7o2 IN 3

Note.-TRe totals are increased by
the omitted froctions.
While this table shows decrease in
the tonnage OF the VESSELS enrolled,
there has been large increase IN the
average tonnage Of the craft. 1t has
been optional in recent years with the
owners OF unrigged craft to register
them or not, and the number, tonnage
and value have largely increased. The
whole number OF craft employed on the
Mississippi and its tributaries is givon
at 7,45S, made up as follows: liza
steamers, having tonnage OF 2l0,77l
and value of $l0,5Ss, Isl; $3.50 unrig-
ged craft, with tonnage OF 3,lS2,6OS
and a value OF $685. 54. The figures
OF total tonnage appear enormous when
placed in comparison with those OF
other sections OF the country, but it
will be observed that 0S.79 per cent OF
the valley total is tonnage of low grade.
Dividing this valley total intosystem to-
tails, itisfound that in 1889, on the Upper
Mississippi and its tributaries, iuclud-
ing the Red River OF the North, there
we're 269 steamers, with tonnage OF
81, 1898, and value OF Sl,s95, 2B9; $3.50
unrigged, with tonnage OF l9l 800, and
value OF $266, 023; IN aggregate Of 62S
craft. with tonnage Of 224, 953, and a
value Of s., 1902, 1872. On the Ohio river
and its tributaries there were 537
steamers, OF a tonnage OF 107, 1876, and
value OF IS, l02, ITO; {, T08 unrigged craft,
Of tonnage of 2, Sl3,273, and value OF
S., sos, 631; making q total of &, 245 craft,
OF tonnage Of 2 1920, 46S and value OF
S, $780, 81. On the Lower Mississippi
there. were sos steamers, with ton
mage OF 20, III, and value of s., 451 ,272;
275 unrgged craft, OF tonnage of W.
$50, and value of 81, or, POO; making
an aggregate OF $50 craft, Of tonnage
Of 247, S57, and value Of S4,476,472.
There were reyiatered In the ports oil
the Mississippi Valley in 1880 1888
steamers, which had a tonnage of 251,-
1902 and value OF $4,000, 400, while in
1889 the registered steamers numbered
lila, with q tonnage OF 2l0,7n and a
value of $l0,539,25l, a decrease OF "a
steamers OF Al, 900 tonnage and OF 81 40.
l49 in value. On the other hand, it will
be found from the figures quoted from
the census report that while in 1880 the
unrigged craft of the Mississippi Valley
numbered 1854 with tonnage Of $780,
1874, the unrigged in 1889 had risen to
$3.50 in number, with tonnage OF
8, 1872, sos, an increase in numbers
OF 2,485 and in tonnage Of 2,272, 1888.
The decrease in the number OF the
Mississippi Valley steamers must not
be taken as IN indication OF
waning industry. Tho explanation
lies in the new method OF transportation
as indicated in the increased number
and value OF unriggod vessels. Tho eX-
ceedingly large barge tonnage OF tho
Ohio has already been referred to, and
in addition to this, it may be said that
at Pittsburgh itself there are owned no
fewer than 1851 barges, having a ton
mage Of 1852, 407 and value OF q, l45,-
7G5, or an average OF nearly $500. Some
OF the barges rise III value, however, to
$1,000, while there are others, employ.
ed by the wood sellers on the small
streams, for which $50 would be gen
erous estimate. Wood OF course ls the
material most generally used, but iron
is also freely employed, and steel APP
pears to be coming into favor as q ma-
terial OF construction.
The character and quantities Of the
commodities transported on the Missis.
sippi river and its tributaries during
the year 1890 will appear in tho follow
ing table: