The Anaconda standard., 1898-02-13

stored aha the export OF grain by way
of the Gulf of Mexico increased At
present there is larger export busi-
ness than usual from the gulf, but it
originates at points west of ST. Louis
and reaches the gulf cities of Texas
by rail direct. At one time the ship
ments to the South went chiefly to
New Orleans by way of ST. Louis and
the Mississippi river But of late years
the river trade has been falling off
steadily, until it Is no longer of much
Importance except as a possible COM
petitor which keeps the railroads from
charging exorbitant rates or freight.
In 1871 there We're 2, 29S,3 ,321 tons of
freight received 659,SS2 tons shipped
by rail. By river the receipts were
Ss4, 40l tons; shipments, 316, 492. Total
freight handled by rail, 3,25S, ,203 tons:
by river, 1850, 1913 tons
In 1886 the rail receipts were 10, 763,-
JIG tons; shipments. 5,400, 72S tons. The
river receipts were 6'1, 765 tons; ship
ments, 5l2.410 tons. Total freight han
died by rail, It, l63, S44 tons; by river
/ l,244. 1I5 tons.
In % years the railroad business in
creased Il, 905, Gal TONS the river bust
ness decreased 41671S tons
The figures showing the business of
1871 nave not been made up yet but
Secretary Morgan of the Merchants
Exchange, says they will show a still
greater decrease, because in the period
OF nigh water last summer the river
business was almost at standstin
And so the great Mississippi, the arb-
ter of trade in the fertile valley be-
tween St Paul and New Orleans
grows, year by year, a less consider
able factor in the business of the West.
The breaking up of the river trade is
chiefly due to the multiplication of
railroad lines and the eheanening and
greater rapidity of railroad service. 1T
is said of one of st. Louis eminent
merchants that he remarked at pub
lie dinner what a wise dispensation of
providence 1t was that great rivers
always flowed by great citiesi" But
In all seriousness. location near wat
erway was essential to the develop
ment OF great city at any time before
the war After 1865. however, railroad
building received such an impetus that
interior towns were built up, competi-
tton between cities became keen, and
soon the river route was found too
slow for most purposes. Hence the
falling off in river trade.
No great steamboats, have been built
for the lower river trade in recent
Years. One by one the old boats are
burning or sinking, and they are not
renlaced. Not many wears ago. the
trip between New Orleans and St
Louis was an attraction which took
many hundreds OF people on a weeks
launt every snring and summer. The
drowsy summer journey is no less pic
tnresaue and attractive TODAY. but
few take 1t. The American traveller
wants to be shot from one point to an
other at the hi@hest possible sneed.
The Mississippi river steamboat be-
fore the war was the chief means Of
communication between the planta-
tions and the centers of supplies Tho
coming Of the steamboat was the one
saf Ia Of oil 81
little settlements throush the South
At nirht the g1eam of the pine knots
burning In iron hraziers at the bow
lit up the long line of half-eiad negro
r9us,a bouts; trailing over the gang
plank with bars and boxes to be land
I'D. and heaNing aboard the cotton
which Law niled on the bank The can
tain. monarch of all he SURVEYED af.oat
the mate, nicturesauely profane: the |
penial, tough pilot whom Mark Twain
has described so we'll: the gambler !
who sat in tire cabin and nlaved for .
big stakes with the returning planters i
all these are fast disappearing. The |
wav trade IL MOSTLY given to the small i
boats of light draurht. and the through /
traffic In grain and -four is coming un- |
der control of the harge-owners
There are no steel barres In the New /
Orleans trade to-day. A line of wood /
en- harres hns heen in aneratian for % /
years, These now nuraher 70 with a |
EsARdffA@ OF y .tW 10 ] hho tons each. /
They are guided on their way down 1
stream on the northern trim against /
the current bv nine steamers The |
owners have hecoree OF late wears /
heavy eynorters Of Grain Just rs the /
owners ~ ~reir elevators in ST Louis /
and CHICAGO have been heavy hnvers
for the nurnase ~ hrlnring rrafn To
fhetr elevators Ssawtfrs~ % vaars yo
With sht~ryHent Of corn to TfvarnonT
via Naw Orleans Intended n show tha
nra"t'eahHit~ ~ the route thav have
AnrreaSe1 their hustuaSs putil thew are
10 furnish most Of the