Evening star., 1921-09-18
\HE great dream of a hundred
cities along the course Of the
Mississippi from st. Louis to

New Orleans and shippers OF
half dozen middle western states
that some day the waters of that
great river would become a gigantic
highway of commerce linking these
states with steamship lines for all
water foreign export has come to
pass.
The inland and coastwise waterways
service. a part of the Quartermaster
that after two years of uphill effort
and many disbursements the federal
barge line, operating 1.142 miles along
the Mississippi from st. Louis to New
Orleans is showing a profit. The turn
in the tide came in April of this year.
when for the first time the monthly
statement of the line did not show a
deficit. From that month forward the
tonnage carried has increased appre-
ciably until figures for the month of
August are said to be in excess of the
revenue for any previous month.
Revenue for April was $166, ,366.1O.
operating expenses $122.541.24. leaving
profit Of $43,S24.S6 for the line. In
May tonnage dropped slightly and
operating expenses cut the revenue to
$28,707.25, but new record was set
for tonnage carried in June and the
revenue was $37,41S.45.
With the actual successful operation
Of this line. established late in 1919 by
the acquisition Of fleet of monde
script craft, the officials of the line
have proven beyond doubt that regu-
lar sailing can be maintained on the
river. freight carried at rates ap-
proximately 20 per cent less than
distance. and the cargoes delivered
at equal speed.
old river men on the Ohio and
Mississippi scoffed at the idea
when the federal line announced that
it would build a fleet of six all-steel
towboats, oil burners, with triple ex-
in all respects. the engine equipment
of deep-sea vessels. They said the
screw propellers would not operate
successfully on the Mississippi with
boats of such draft and that the all
steel equipment decided upon was too
turn. Private enterprise having fail
ed. the governments barge line re-
corded succession of months in
which the high-pressure, costly oper-
ated paddle-wheel steamers, charter
ed to inaugurate the line, made ir-
days up the river from New Orleans
with lean cargoes and returned down
stream with a volume of freight
that spelled anything but success for
the line. Offisials in charge Of the
enterprise were discouraged. but they
awaited the magnificent fleet. Delays
were encountered. The contracts for
towboats were let when the war was
still in progress and every shipyard
in the country feverishly turning out
sea vessels. Finally, several concerns
on the upper Ohio were induced to
take the contracts. Changes in the
specifications also had to be made,
bringing further delays.
Early in April of this year. four
of the big towboats had been deliv-
cred. The end of the month brought
reports telling of the greatest volume
of business ever carried by the line.
The steel towboats at last were push
ing cargoes of sisal, coffee and sugar
upstream from New Orleans where
they had arrived from Cuba. Mexico
and South America. to the rich grain
fields of the middle west, and re-
turning with bulky barges of grain
and manufactured commodities.
Although the profit from April has
surpassed that of any month yet re-
ported. greater revenues obtained in
June were consumed by necessary re-
pairs to some of the equipment and
changes to conform with views reach
ed from the experience Of operators.
Officials at the Office of Brig. Gen.
G. F. Downey, chief of the inland and
coastwise waterways service here.
declared there no longer was any
doubt but that use of the Mississippi
as a regular highway of commerce