Pine Bluff daily graphic., 1909-01-05
CANNOT PASS
 ROB ROY NOW
'Hanse in Channel Makes it Impossi. bic for Steamboats 10 Go Under 'he bridge-Capt. Joyce Says That 'ht Bridges Must Be Elevated.

Little Rock. Ark, Jan :, 'Elerat eu bridges are the only things which VIII permit the lower Arkansas riyar being navigable at all times in tha future, stated Capt. w. 4. Joyce, old time steamboat captain who has inst arrived in Little Rock, after trip up the Afkansas as far as the Rob 6oy bridge, on his way from Memphis 10 Pine Bluff, .Ior the channel is too unstable. Boats cannot get above f1op Roy bridge now because Of the channel being washed to the side of tlie bridge opposite to the draw span. The bridges will have to be elevated or dra" spans placed on both sides. both oi which will be costly to inc bridgc owners.
 This is the first trip have made on the Arkansas in 25 years. and [ never saW such a mass of snaes and sahl tD;tfs ln my life. Snags are as thick in the lower river as fingers are on my hand. They are sticking up everywhere.
 The river is much broader now and more filled np with bars than it Was when l used 10 run a boat upon Ii, There is plenty of water in the river at all times for steamboat nayi- @atlhG lt 1t could only be kept in one place. At Rob Roy, which is now the head of navigation on ac- count of the draw span being on sand bar and the channel at place where the bridge is too low to permit the boats passing beneath, there are three distinct channels, one on each side near the banks and the other in the middle There is about 20 inches of water under the draw span which is sufficient for number of Arkansas river boats, but the stream here is not wide enough to permit anything more than a batteau to pass through.
 T eaple out of Memphis on the Reese. d aAgoVernment boat, bound for Pine Bluff, but as the boat could get no further than the Rob Roy bridge, two barges were left there and the boat went back down the river to do some snagging. The trip was made for an inspection of the river near Pine Bluff Where the channel has changed is where a dredge has been employed by the government i'll cut ting q channel through the bar. The channel cut by the boat filled up again in the recent high waters.
 When the Arkansas river is low, the boating is better, for with a little start, the waters cuts it's way through a bar. which it will not do when the river is full to the banks, but the next rise will undo all the improve .8g' 8esnt.' ,..o. .,. sn.nt over :, ,,.,s century on the Mississippi, White. Black and Arkansas rivers, though his navigation in recent years mas heen confined mostly to the first fhrne rivers. He has recently retired and makes his home in Memphis. Capt. Joyce was the owner of the ill., fafed boat which was demolished by cyeloue on the Mississippi river. near Helena, last April, and i'll which accident II people lost their lives, Cant. Joyce was transporting carni- val company at the time the cyclone destroyed the boat. He came near losing his own life i'll the wreck of tbe steamboat, and considers it mira cu1ous that others did not get drown al when the boat went to pieces. r,ant Joyce was examined by govern mnnt engineers and authorities who exonerated him from any blame Tor the accident.
 During his stay in the city, Capt. Joyce is the guest of Capt. F. w. Tucker United States Revenue Col 1ector for this district.