The Cairo bulletin., 1909-09-22
KILLING BUSINESS
ON THE RIVERS
HOW ST. LOUIS AND OTHER
SHIPPERS CONTRIBUTED To
THE PASSING OF THE GREAT
STEAMBOAT LINES.
Waterways Journal).


In the good Old palmy Anchor Line
days there was no such thing as car
shortage with the railroads; in fact
they were hungry and begging for bus.
mess, and the steamboats, plying the
Mississippi river between st, Louis
and New Orleans practically fed the
entire valley, not only on the river
but within a radius of hundred miles
on both sides of the river.
The railroads looked on this terri
tory with greedy eyes and started a
systematic way of taking the business
away from the boats, knowing If they
once secured control of the business
the boats would be forced to quit,
and then the railroads would be well
repaid for any loss they might sus.
tain in the struggle.
They flirted with the merchants by
making rates that the steamboats,
could not live on.
The Anchor Line inaugurated the
rebate system from their tariff rates
| in order to compete with the railroads.
The consequence was the Anchor
| Line was in its last struggle, when
the cyclone came along in 1896 which
completed what the railroads had not
finished. Their boats We're wrecked
all but three--the City of Providence
the only one left now, the City OF
! Monroe, afterwards the Hill City,
and the City of St Louis.
| Capt. Thorwegan purchased the City
of Providence, and started her in
the New Orleans trade, intending t.
keep her in the trade if encouraged.
On her arrival here after the first
round trip, the writer happened to be
in the office when a Mr.. Abrams. traf
fic manager of the f-Bernheimel
Grocery Company, at that time prob
ably the largest shippers on the river
called to pay freight bills for suga
that the Providence had brought W
Here is the conversation that follow
led:
Mr.. Abrams, addressing Capt
IThorwegan) BY the way, Captain
how about our rebate on this sugar
Capt. Thorwegan-"Our rates ar
the same to everybody. We give II
lrebates"
| Abrams--"Well, the Anchor Lin
gave us a rebate.
Captain-"Oh, but you see the wa
the Anchor Line went. We don't PR
pose to go the same way.
s Abrams-"W Well, I'm very sorr
e but we will have to find another wa
to get our sugar"
? Captain--"You can go to --- wit
= your sugar | can put this boat in til
| excursion business, and am not stuC
on the New Orleans trade anyway.
just wanted to find out if the me
chants of st. Louis wanted New o
Exit Mr., Abrams, Enter City of Pro
idence in the excursion business
where she still is. And the me
chants are not receiving rebates eithe
RI Another case The Hill City, Cap
I. B. Sims, master, brought up SON
Is or 100 barrels of sugar for bi
Wholesale house. Next day clerk {
that house brought bill for 16 pound
of sugar shortage, at cents a pount
50 cents Just think of it! Sixtee
pounds of sugar short in 100 barrel
That's splitting hair pretty fine. IL
was paid.
The Kansas City, Pittsburg an
Gulf Port Arthur Routel killed th
Valley Barge Line by diverting all tn
= newspaper man, who during the pas
Gulf instead of by way of st. Loui
And now the railroads are reaping tn
harvest of whatever losses they su
tanned in the battle for transport;
zion supremacy,
|