The Sunday telegram. [volume] (Clarksburg, W. Va.) 1914-1927, 1916-04-16
PUTTING BOATS BACK
UPON THE MISSISSIPPI

was opened tor traffic. the barge
limped sadly back into the harbor Of
New Orleans after journey to st.
Paul. BefnhRrd was CLEANED OUT,
for his boat was not fast enough.
His crew had been unframed. The
war had brought stoppagc Of his
promised return cargoes. But he had
learned what to do. His group of
hackers financed quest for cash to
New York and New England. 1t
was agreed that 1t would require
millions, n fleet instead OF a few
boats. special terminals instead OF
the bleak "levees" of the river towns.
and an elaborate and expert traffic
department.
So. In the late autumn OF 1914.
Bernhard. busted" nut bubbling
with hope, went East-for the South
was then in the throes OF seven-cent
cotton.
In the early spring OF 1916 he
Travelled back to New Orleans, and
to few intimates he whispered the
name OF the one man whose interest
d. A. Thomas, the wealthy Welsh coal
mine owner and flnancier. then in
America on behalf of the British gov
eminent. This man knew water
transportation throughout the world.
He had vision. He had confidence In
America.
THE draft of the first agreement
Is signed" said bernhard gleefully.
"Mr. Thomas Is on his way to Eng
land with ton board the Lusi-
tania."
The next day came word that the
Lusitania had been sent to. the bot
tom by German submarine. But
ID. A. Thomas was saved, and with
him was saved the project for the
Inland Navigation Company" and
for the revival OF Mississippi water
borne commerce!
The New Fleet Built and Building.
Thirteen months from that trag-
edy, the Inland Navigation Com
pany" is organized. with 5000. 900 OF
authorized capital. with the first of
its new-style wafer craft anoat,
three more on the ways. three others
are contracted for. A fleet of thirty
five. of various types and kinds to
serve the various lines of traffic. are
in view II the first squadron meets
the support and reaps the profits
which John H Bernhard declares are
certain.
Lord Rhondda, as D. A. Thomas is
now known, is chairman of the board
of directors of the corporation.
John II. Bernhard is the executive
head OF its actual conduct. English
capital has been supplemented by the
pledges OF men In New York, st.
Louis and New Orleans.
Offices are now open in New York
and st. Louis and New Orleans.
There are agencies in Memphis,
Cairo, Greenville, Minneapolis, and
Chicago.
Tariffs as complete and elaborate
as any issued by any railroad set
forth the rates and conditions of
business.
Cooperative association has been
arranged with all the companies OPP
Grating old-fashioned packet steam
boats out of the river towns to the
way landings and smaller shipping
points. as well as with the amply
financed Kansas City and Missouri
River Navigation Company operating
boats and barges between Kansas
City and st. Louis.
Freight is solicited for delivery on
through bills of lading, to ANY desti-
nation to which the use OF the routes
Of the Inland Navigation Company's
fraft furnishes a logical transporta-
ton link"
Steamship outlet and feeders at
New Orleans have been arranged to
Europe. South America, the Pacific
Coast OF the United States, and hence
to Asia, and to Alaska.
Many railroads have been enlight-
ened enough to agree to traffic inter-
change. Suits against others for
through bills Of ladlng have been
filed with the interstate commerce
commission.
This Is the vision in the view OF
the Inland Navigation Company: A
movement of heavy, Iong-distance
traffic. between the great concentra-
ton and distributing river and lake
ports, with transshipment between
ships and river craft, or between
river craft and the railroads rend-
cred efficient and economical by the
use of dock facilities as thoroughly
modern as the carriers themselves
What These New Craft Are Like
The new craft are like nothing
that ever piled the inland rivers be.
fore. They look like cross between
canal boat and motor boat.
The hull of "Inco No. 1" is FAC
feet long and 43 feet wide. 1t is ali
steel. bridge-structered. divided into
four bulk-headed. water tight and