The daily Gate City and constitution-Democrat. (Keokuk, Iowa) 1916-1922, 1917-08-16
Eoatnan at Quincy Talks About the
Times Whom There Were Races
Between Steamboats, Along
This Stream.
BARGE LINE IDEA OLD
Newspapers Then Appealed to the
Shippers to Keep tho Barges
Going-River Once Had
Monopoly.

Some Of the good old days along
the river were recalled by an old
boatman at Quincy recently. The
Journal prints his "reminiscences in
the following:
Boat races. that is, races by
steamboats,, are something out of the
ordinary now, and in fact one hardly
ever hears of one of importance now,
but in the early days of steamboats,
on the Mississippi, they were quite
frequent" said Sam Sykes, river and
boat authority, as he was seated not
far from the old river one day re-
gently.
Il often think of them,' he con-
tinued, and l can still see, in my
visions, some of the old time tests
of speed, in days when they made
better time than now. We used to
ponder considerably about the future
of the old river, but l have often
wondered what the early settlers.
years before my time, thought when
they saw the first boat blowing its
way up the river.
1000 Tons on One Trip.
Speaking of the $500 tons of coal
that the Nokomis took up the river
q few days ago, the tow boat James
Guthrie, in April, 1854, took 1000 tons
of coal into New Orleans. The trip
from Louisville to New Orleans was
made in four days and Pittsburgh,
Pa, mine operators owned the boat.
Instead of five harges, however, there
were ten ahead of this one and the
lad was not uncommonly large for
those days when there was much big
shipping on the Mississippi and other
rivers.
SIN 1869. coal shipments by water
amounted to 100000 bushels or
about 186,440 tons. Each year there
after, for many years, the business
was increased until in 1889, 1t was
25,0OG, 00G bushels.
Barge Lines Not New.
barge lines on the Mississippi
river are not new, though it would
be news to this generation If they
were revived Back in 1880, every
yard from Cairo to Pittsburgh was
filed with barges and new ones were
built as fast as the old ones had
served their time. And the barges
were of the big, useful kind, some
with capacity of 1,400 and 1900
tons, and not long after that the bust
ness drifted to the railroads. more
speed was demanded, river terminals
we're needed and there was not the
wherewirh to build the terminals
Before long all through freight went
to the railroad, and the river hello
only the local freight that was
thrown it's way.
Newspapers appealed for barge
lines to continue, and they asked fol
more interest in river shipments, bu
this was not enough. There was mo-
the interest that was needed, yes, de
manded to maintain river transporta
ton, and no matter how many public
spirited men were called together tt
discuss the question, the fact remain
ed that the terminals were not bull
and when shippers wanted quick ser
vice they went to the railroads ant
got it.
River Once Had Monopoly.
'"Time was when the river had ;
monopoly on the rafflc business O
the country, the same as the rail
roads have now, and In 1889, tn,
Railway Register said that 'undoubt
euly LILO ulSL SIOl VI tIC SdI NV Sl
has Departed meaning the through
feright business which by that time
was practically gone.
But the agitation has never diet
out 1t exists in one form or anothe,
today. 1t became more costly t
build barges and men were not VIII
ing to invest in a business that from
Indications was destined to give way
at least to the big shipping jobs, nj
matter If the destination was on thu
river. Railroads generally delivered
the product sooner than the barge!
could, and it became a point of thu
speediest carrier surviving.
Congress discussed the question
then, the same as it does transporta
ton issues now, and there were many
in congress who were friendly TOWARD
the barge lines, but that made M
difference in the end. The big bust
ness went the way of the railroads
and they eventually had more thar
they could handle and sometime!
were willing for the river companie:
to come to their rescue and hell
themselves to what business was left
This they did during the last few
years OF their existence"
Corporation is Formed.
Wjra