Pine Bluff daily graphic., 1915-03-07
RIVER TRAFFIC
 BEING REVIVED Little Rock People Follow Pine Bluffians in Operat
 ing Boat Line.
PACKET TO MEMPHIS
Beginning Next Week, the Golden Fleece Will Make Regular Trips
 from Tennessee City to Arkan. sas Capital.

Capt. II. C. Hnaiels. an old steam boatman of Little Rock, was in Pine Bluff yesterday in connection with the inauguration of traffic on the Arkan- sas river next week from Memphis to Little Rock by the steamer Golden Fleece The boat, which is owned by H. S. Davis of Cairo, H., has been chartered by the industrial committee of the Little Rock Chamber of Com merce, the purpose being to reinstate river navigation on the Arkansas riv- CT from Little Rock to Memphis, that Pine Bluff, the Arkansas capital and other river towns may enjoy the same freight rates as are given Memphis It is the intention of the committee to increase it's facilities as soon as con- | ditiOns warrant.
 Capt Daniels will be in charge of the business, and will serve as master of the Golden Fleece. He says it is proposed to operate the line through out the year, the committee proposing to do so should the Golden Fleeces owners hesitate.
 The boat will leave Memphis on her first regular trip on Tuesday, March 16, arriving at Pine Bluff on Wednes- day. The steamer will lay over here until 10 o'clock Thursday morning to 1 take on a delegation of Little Rock business men, who will celebrate the Inauguration of traffic by making the trip to the capital from here on the boat.
 The old Arkansas Packet company's schedule will be maintained by the Golden Fleece. She will leave Mem phis every Tuesday, arriving at Pine Bluff on Wednesday. On the return, the Fleece will leave Little Rock on Thursday
 Means Better Freight Rates.
 That the advent of the river steam CT line between Memphis and Little Rock will be of considerable value to Pine Bluff, is the opinion of local busi ness men, particularly because of the fact that actual use of the river as far as Little Rock will be prima facie evidence of the justice of the Pine Bluff petition to be allotted combina- tion river and rail' rates from ship ping centers in the North and East.
 The petition of the Pine Bluff traffic bureau to the interstate commerce commission for the establishment of such river and rail rates is still pend ing, no date for the hearing having been fixed by the commission when the recent postponement of the mat ter was allowed.
 Briefly stated, the Pine Bluff traf- fife bureau asserts that Pine Bluff is located on the Arkansas river, a nav } igable stream, and that because of } that fact it should be allowed the ad- vantage of the lower river and raj combination rates, instead of bein' !, compelled to pay the higher all-rai! rates now in effect.
 Hicks Line Busy.
 Capt Hicks boats of the Pine Bluff and Rosedale Packet company line, , are making regular trips between Plno Bluff and Rosedale, on the Mississippi river, which makes it plain that tl.e river is navigable to this point from Memphis, where, under the Pine Rluft petition, the transfer from railroads tt osteamboats, will be made. If the Little Rock line of packets is put ln- to operation and kept running through throughout the year, as call ed for by the schedule prepared, there : will be no question of doubt whatever ) and the representatives of the local traffic bureau expect to have little olf- ficulty in convincing the interstate commerce commission of the justice of the claim of this city to the river and rail combination rates, Whlc'l ; would effect a saving of 30 to 30 per cent. in freight charges on many com modities and classes into this city from manufacturing aud shipping cen ters. and which would put Pine Bluh jobbers and wholesalers almost on q , parity with like fires of business in Memphis.
 It is believed fere that the hearing on the petition will be held at Mem phis some time during the latter par' | of April or early part of May, although the interstate commerce commlsslon has made no announcement to this effect.
 Will Patronize Boats.
 That the local wholesalers and JoD hers arc determined to continue tht river steamers i'll operation through out the year is evidenced by tht , steady increase in the business of th' boats new in operation. Much cottor and cotton seed is now being brough into the city by the packet line, ant there is a steady increase in the amount of other stuff being carried Plans are we'll advanced for con tinued and increasing use of the steamboats on inbound goods for the , wholesalers and jobbers here, not onl! because of the direct saving i'll trelgh rates which might accrue, but als' for the purpose of making the busl' ness of the packet company so sue : cessful that the boats will operate continuously through the year. } Both the big dredge boats Of tht , government are now tied up at thls point, and as soon as the stage of wa ter in the river will allow, each VII
 resume operations, removing snag
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