The Paducah sun. [volume] (Paducah, Ky.) 1898-1906, 1905-07-24
MOUND CITY Dixie
TO BE- STARTED SOON
Capt. Oscar Barrett. Who Has
Contract, Here Today.
Is Preparing Ia Get stone for Com
tract Low Water Is All He
is Now Waiting for.
WORK TO TAKE 4 MONTHS

Capt Oscar NJ. Barrett of Gin
cinnati. of the Barrett line of steam
boats, arrived in Paducah this morn
ing to make preliminary arrange
ments to build the two bikes at
Mound City. ILL.,, a government con
tract for which he secured thirty
days ago. The advertising OF the con-
tract by the government was gone
about quietly and little II anything
has been in the papers about the let
ting of II. The news that II has been
let will come as a pleasant surprise
ton many here and at Cairo.
Capt. Barrett, accompanied by
his St Louis agent, Capt. w. j. Lew
is, arrived today in Paducah on the
steamer Beaver. which has just re-
ceived a new hull. They are en- route
up Tennessee river to look after
stone to be used in constructing the
bikes and will be gone several days.
Capt. Barrett was seen by Sun re-
porter this morning and gave out
facts relative to his contract and
the completion of the work
THE government originally in
tended to build three bikes in the
lower Ohio, one at Ogden's Landing
and two at Mound City. he said, but
after the appropriation had been
whitfield down, twas found that
only $4,000 could be allowed this
improvement which cut ont the dixie
a. Ogden's."
The work was advertised in the
st. Louis papers and few persons
knew what It was for besides CON
tractors. which is the reason little
was said on the outside. These bikes
will mean a great deal TO the people
at Paducah and Cairo. II will mean a
good stage of water between Padu-
cab and Cairo. always a good stage
at Cairo. OF course the Ogden dixie
would better the situation but this
will follow later. possibly next year,
when the rivers and harbor appro-
priation is made.
81 expect to start work within
thirty days. when the river reaches
a Is foot stage at Cairo. and will
complete my contract within four
months | have made some prelimi-
nary arrangements and am now en-
route up the Tennessee river to
stone quarries to see about getting
the stone"
Capt. Barrett and Capt. Lewis are
both of the opinion that the marine
people generally should repeatedly
and persistently demand larger
and continuous river and harbor APP
preparation and state that this is
the only way the rivers will ever get
any appropriation.
"The annual appropriation has
been too small and after il has been
shaved down by the government"
Capt. Lewis explained, "the interior
rivers get little or nothing. This
small appropriation for the Ohio will
do a world of good, but there yet
remains a great deal to do in the
way of Improvements and the peo-
pie should demand that the gov
eminent make a large appropriation
for the interior rivers. This can not
be made too strong by the press, be-
cause II is going to be taken up all
over the country and worked to the
bone.
THE greater portion of the APP
goes to the harbors in
the east, west and south. and also
on the lakes. and when the govern
ment gets through splitting it up.
the interior rivers get but little !
What the interior men intend to do
Is TO get after the government good |
and strong and make it see that the /
inland rivers are just as important |
10 the commercial success of the |
country as the outside harbors,"
The only reason that Capt. Bar
'ett has not begun work on the bikes |
before now is that the river has been
unusually high for this season of
he year. and he has had TO wait for
ow water. He is an expera in theline
md needless to say will give the gov
'rnment as good and quick job as
{ could possibly get.
The bikes will practically enable
,oats to run between Paducah and
cairo the year round. Frequently the
liver gets so low between here and
Iairo that even the smallest boats
annot run. completely suspending
Iayigatlon from here to Cairo. When
he bikes are completed this will
likely be thing of the past, and
'oats can run the year around.
In another year or two dixie
viii likely be built at Ogden's Land
ng also which will further benefit
he Ohio between Paducah and Cal
o.