The Cairo bulletin. (Cairo, Ill.) 1???-1928, 1909-06-15
RIVERS DEFENDED.
CAPT. ELLISON POINTS OUT ER-
RORS OF WIN. e. CURTIS RE
GARDING WATERWAYS.
Improvement Needed To Restore
Traffic--Amercan Built Boats
Sert to Europe--Not Out
OF Date.


congress. now and for the past thirty
years an operator and owner OF
steamboats, on the Mississippi river
and its tributaries, does not agree
iwth William f. Curtis, newspaper
writer of note in his conclusions
based on the report of the inland
waterway commission regarding the
decreasing tonnage of various Amer
lean rivers. Capt. Ellison comment
ing on Al article recently published
by Mr.. Curtis in several metropolitan
newspapers said
THE report of the inland waterway
commission, as it applies to the MIS-
sissppi river and the remarks there
on by Mr. Curtis are in the main
correct. There is no question but
what there has been during the past
20 years steady decrease IN through
tonnage IN the Mississippi river BY
through tonnage is meant tonnage
from ST Louis to New Orleans ami
from the tributary streams to the
same port. But to offset this there IS
a condition that the inland water com
mission has failed to take note or
which is a very decided Increase III
local and way tonnage which has IN
creased in practically the same pro
portion that the through tonnage has
decreased There are today more
steamers engaged in local short trade
routes from various points on the
lower Mississippi river than We're en-
gagged in the same business 20 years
ago. The increase is most notable
at Memphis, Vicksburg and Natche2.
This change in handling freight
on the Mississippi river has been
brought about by various causes.
chief of which is that the city of ST
Louis and its merchants formerly
controlled the bulk of the business to
Mississippi river points between St.
Louis and New Orleans. inclusive
With the opening up of the new trad"
markets west and southwest of ST.
Louis there was developed a field
to which the transportation was per
manent and regular and the merchants
of st. Louis, turning to this regular
and more productive field for their
output, abandoned to a very great
extent the Mississippi River Valley
country, to which, by the river, they
1oh
The Mississippi river, never GER
tain for steamers of proper draft, was
in the years preceding the early SOS
the most dependable route to New
Orleans from st. Louis. In the years
which have elapsed there has been
built upon practically both banks Of
the Mississippi river rail lines paral.
leling the river throughout its entire
length and while the river is by the
work done by the Mississippi river
through the engineers of
the war department, is today in a
better condition than ever before in
its history between Cairo and New
Orleans, no permanent work has been
done and no better channel supplied
from st Louis TO Cairo and the
same condition applies to the priuci-
pal tributaries Of the Mississippi, the
Missouri from Sioux City to its mouth
the upper Mississippi from st. Paul
to St Louis, and the OHIO from PITTS
burg to Cairo. together with its great
tributaries. the Tennessee and the
In this day and age of close and
keen competition in business, neither
the receiver or shipper of freight,
even if the rate be much less, will un-
lortallc TO handle business on an oh.
route when thereare unob
routes that can and do de-
liver the goods. 1t is this condition
hat the friends of improved water,
ways arc earnCrly endeavoring toll
shangc. With the Mississippi river
improved from ST. Paul to Cairo and
he Ohio river improved from Pitts
)urg 10 Cairo there will unquestion-
ibly flow through these natural chan
Iels a great commerce. and this state
nent is backed up by the experience
lot only of this country but by tina
If the older countries of the world
or history does not show a single
waterway properly improved. so tina
is navigation can be depended upon
~ the receiver and shipper, that it IS
rot now doing a great business.
Mr.. Curtis, in common with a |
,reat MANY writers who are not thor
'ughly posted on the subject. crit
Uses the mode of construction Ci |
western steamboats, 1t will perhaps
Re of interest to a great many people |
o know that the western river
lyle of steamboats, is pronounced by |
Xperts the world over as being thn |
'est craft for navigating shoal waters |
% illustrate ard prove this assertion |
is proper to say that on quite a |
umber Of the rivers OF Souta Amc~. /
ca, notably the Magdalena rive |
american built boats of the ordinary |
)hio AMI Mississippi river type hava |
eplacel the boats of English and /
ierman design TO such an extent that /
ne firm of boat builders located a