The Birmingham age-herald., 1924-06-22
tContinued From Pase, One. ]

dOWn-rlver freight from CnlcagO c0 DC laned on the Mobile-bound barges at the Crescent City barge landing. The connection is arranged so the New Orleans Mobile service places freight at the foot of St Francis street in time to allow loading on the steamer Tarpon for Florida points. s-
 Rate adjustments have been effected within the past year that materially improve the position of the barge line with respect to numerous commodities moving into and out of the port of Me bile For instance, the barge line has adjusted rates on canned goods to Aber- ileen and other points in Mississippi. Prior to the adjustment there was lower line of rates from New Orleans.
 The most far-reaching and important adjustment effected relates to the move ment of cotton from Memphis territory ] to the Alabama seaport. Within the present year the federal barge line has established rates on moving commodities from Memphis to Mobile that are; the same as from Memphis to New Orleans. 1 This cotton will move by way of Cor dova and floating equipment is promised sufficient for the requirements Of the service, before the movement of new COIIOu DeSlnS Lu1s ScaSOus sf-5
 Other freights, including paints and long list of other commodities, upon (which favorable rates have been estab- lished are expected to begin moving by way of Cordova and the barge line to Mobile during the present summer.
 Mobile and the port authorities look to the barge line for the restoration Of at least part of Mobiles former prest- jge as cotton port. -
 AIabama's Matchless Waterways .4
 The Warrior section traverses mile upon mile of the most fertile lands in the south, is an outlet for thousands ot acres of fine timber, besides tapping the immense coal fields of Alabama and reaching the great steel center of the south. The Mobile, Tombigbee and Warrior rivers furnish a magnificent stretch of waterways. From Mobile to Cordoya, the head of navigation on the Warrior river, and in the heart Of tne tne vast coal fields of, the state. IS 45S miles. At Birmingport, Is miles from Birmingham, is located another ter minus of the system, branching off from the Black Warrior into the Locust Fork. Birmingport is 42O miles rom the port of Mobile and located. it might
 
 mense steel industries of Alabama.
 Barges poled up the rivers by the brawny arms of strong men, loaded with the products of pioneer settlements ana then floated downstream to the seaport city. brought Mobile its first real com mercial prosperity. The tonnage car ried on one cargo on T. c. l. barge No. 9 is greater than that of the en- tire river fleet in the pre-st a mboat days.
 A hardy crew were the barge men of that period. They worked hard, drank deeply and fought for the fun of it. They poled their barges up the Alabama and Tombigbee points and then floated down with the current, bringing with them the results of their trading expe- ditions, pelts, beeswax, indigo, cotton, grain and tobacco. From among the barge men, who had learned the rivers foot by foot, came the first steamboat pilots, the transportation marvelS of the succeeding generation; men who twere thoroughly acquainted with every snag and sandbar in the long and tor tuous course of those capricious streams, long before the first govern ment snag boat or dredge boat appeared to remove these dangers from the paths of river navigation.
 Of all the steamers, called "Magnifi- cent" and "PalIatial" in their day, that brought Mobile her commerce and pros perity, not one remains. Two staunch packets, the John Quill and the Helen Burke, make weekly trips to and from Selma on the Alabama and Demopolis Ion the Tombigbee, carrying freight and passengers. They find the business profitable and the trip is a pleasant experience for those passengers that have the time for such slow movements in this rapid age. Great stretches of the view from the steamboats' deck must be much the same as when the earlier floating palaces" travelled that way. t. ! Old Steamboat Days
 In the year 1921 there were only two lsteamboats plying the rivers from Mo bile, the Harriott and the Cotton Plant. An old Mobile newspaper gives these notices throwing interesting light on the movements of these two pioneers in Alabama inland waterways transporta- tion:
 December 25, 1S21zArrived Steam boat Harriott, Capt. N. Hayden, from Montgomery, Cahawba and Claiborne, HdNulS OH UcSIuSS passengers baggage, 265 bales of cotton and some other merchandise, with the barge Ris- ing States in tow with 210 bales of cotton from Cahawba. She has been gone 20 days, during which time she has received and landed more than 50 passengers, besides four cargoes. This boat measures little short of 43 tons and has an engine of about 15 horse power upon the high steam principle" |"
 December 30, 1S21-Arrived : Steam boat Cotton Plant, S. Chandler, mas ter, from Tuscaloosa and intermediate places, with 330 bales cotton on board, having the barge Triton, with 22S bales cotton, in tow, consigned
 'The Cotton Plant carried up eight passengers, destined for St. Stephens, Coffeeville, Chickasawbogue, Demopolis and Tuscaloosa. She performed her passenger to Tuscaloosa, against a strong current, in 124 hours. distance of but little short of 500 miles. Left Tuscaloosa on 22d,. Demopolis on the 27th and St. Stephens on the 29th, inst. She has been about 25 days performing her passages to the several places she , has touched at, including all stops for the purpose of taking in and landing cargoes of herself and barge, taking fuel on board, etc., having encountered all the currents, counter currents and drift wood incident to the navigation of inland waters through newly settled countries Having been somewhat in terrunked hv the brea kirfs If her srhaSla