The evening times. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1895-1902, 1901-06-22
RIVER COMMERCE RBFIVES
The Mississippi May Regain Its
Lost Prestige for Traffic.

Se-vfcc-A Description of Freight
and Passenger Steamers Used.
states and Territories Affected.
Many circumstances would seem to in
dicate that new era has lately dawned
for the Mississippi River as a highway Of
commerce. There was a time within the
memory of many men now living when
the worlds most wonderful river was.
from every consideration, the nations
most important artery Of commerce, but
its carriers were long ago displaced in
their position OF pre-eminence by more
modern methods of transportation y
number Of conditions combined to bring
this about In the first place. the Conse-
Quences of the civil war had a bughting
effect upon commerce and industry gener-
ally throughout j considerable portion of
the territory ccntributory to the traffic OF
the Mississippi; secondly, the marvellous
extension and development of the rail
WAYS enabled the steam roads to handle
many of the commodities which formerly
sought the water route; and finally, the
river traffic has been allowed to practi-
caHy stand still for nigh half q century
lost that portion Of the trade which
might have been retained had larger and
speedier boats and other improved facili-
ties been introduced
The predictions which have been lately
made, however, to the effect that some
measure of restoration is in store for the
commerce Of the Mississippi are quite in
keeping with the tendency now every
where manifest for a return to water
transport The sailing ships long since
RELOCATED 20 the coasting trade are being
again brought into service by many of
the worlds shrewdest shippers; the prin-
cipal canals all but discarded a few years
since have assumed q new Importance
that has justified heavy appropriations
for their Improvement, and it VIII be quite
in keeping with this general revolution if
the neglected Mississippi and its tributa-
rfes are found to hold the key to an eco
nomic victory fer American merchants
and manufacturers
Accordingly everything would point TO
the immediate future as an oDpoTUune
time for the restoration Of the traffic OF
the great river The project to transform
the Chicago Drainage Canal into q ship
canal viii, If carried out, open through
line Of communication between tie Great
Lakes and the Gulf Of Mexico, whereas q
glance on the map at the location OF the
proposed Nicaragua Canal should demon
strate to any person the possibilities il
the line of all-water traffic which its con-
stTuction would open to ports on the low
er Mississippi Moreover, the past few
years have brought the first evidence Of
the beneficial effect to be derived ulti-
mately from the millions Of dollars which
the National Government has expended in
improvements on the Ohio and Mississippi
rivers during the past decade At Pitts
burg, for instance, this fostering influence
has so stimulated the water-borne com
merce that the river traffic now amounts
TO upward of eight million tons annually,
OF little short Of one-4ifth Of the traffic by
rail.
The great river, with its tributaries,
constitutes the most remarkable system
of inland waterways in the world From
the mouth of the Mississippi steamers
may be navigated to twenty-one States
and Territories, and 10 make the entire
circuit would require several months con-
tinuaI steaming- The navigation Of the
river from St Louis to New Orleans, a
distance Of I,2o0 miles, is practicable at all
seasons Of the year for the largest steam
ers; but above St. Louis and on the Olio
River, the latter being 1000 miles IN
length. the heavier craft may ply with
safety only during intervals Of high va
ter. Some conception Of the force Of the
current Of the Mississippi may be gained
from the fact that It has an outflow Of
100000 cubic feet an hour, discharge
only exceeded by that Of the Amazon and
La Plata rivers.
The vessels in service on this vast in
land waterway are quite as distinctive as
the conditions which have regulated their
construction. They are, indeed, unique
among the commercial navies Of the
world The steamers are Of either the
side paddIe-WheeI or stern-wheeI type and
draw from one TO two feet, nine inches to
four feet Of water. They are built so as
to embOuy the greatest possible strength
with the saving in weights necessary to
secure slight Immersion. Power for pro-
pelling the vessels is furnished by what is
commonly known as the Mississippi River
type OF engine To persons IN any degree
conVerSant with engineering practice the
distinctive design OF the machinery will
be perhaps best indicated By the state
ment that the engines range from sixteen
10 twenty-four inches in diInater Of cyIin-
der and from seven TO nine feet stroke
The boilers are three or four feet IN di-
8meter and in some cases have z length
Of twenty-cight feet.
The transportation Of coal from Pitts
burg and other points on the upper rivers
to New Orleans and other ports prob
ably constitutes today the most irnpor-
tant branch of the commerce Of the Mis-
sissippi and connecting waterways, as IL
easily takes precedence as the most pic
turesque- The coal IS moved in immense
fat-bOttOmed barges, great numbers of
which are Ia:hed together and pushed
down the -.f-e- ny a steam tug denominat-
ed .-tOwboat" The Characterization is
IN sense misnomer, since the vast ex-
Danse Of barges IS propelled from the rear
rather than pulled towed. In reality
however, the steamers sole task is to
steer the barges around the numerous
bends in the rivers, the current carrying
the floating mass forward at fair rate OF
speed
As has been explained the Ohio River
is narisable for the larger boats only at
certain stages Of the water, and the az
gregaJe Of the irregular intervals when
coal "tows' may safely attempt the pas
sage does not exceed six months each
year Low water is almost certain to pre-
vail during the months Of July August
September, and October, and at this time
: . coOoo,io0oI t