Year: 1873

At meeting of the Shreveport Board OF
Trade, on the twenty fifth of August, com
mittee Of five was appointed to address the
Board of Underwriters and Cotton Ex
change of the city of New Orleans in regard
to the rates Of insurance on Red river, and
to urge the Importance of a reduction Of the
same.


The following letter was read from Lieu.
tenant E. A. Woodruff, the officer in charge
of the government work of removing the
Red river raft:


SHREVEPORT, La, August 25, 1873.
R. H. Lindsay, ESQ.,, President Of the Board OF


Trade Shreveport Louisiana;


DEAR SIR-I have the honor to acknowl-
edge the receipt of your letter of this date,
asking my opinion as to the date the raft
will be removed, the distance from this
point to Fulton, Arkansas, and the cOndi-
ton of the navigation to that point through
the raft river. In reply, would say, that
/ expect to open navigable channel
through the raft in October of this year.
Work in improving the channel between
Shreveport and Fulton will probably be
continued until next spring or until the
present appropriation is expended. The
distance from Shreveport to Fulton by the
river channel is very near Us miles. This
estimate is based upon actual survey from
Shreveport to the mouth of Sulphur river,
and measurement from Hardie's map for
the remainder of the distance. The condi-
ton of the navigation from Shreveport to
Fulton, on the opening Of the raft, will
compare favorably with that of the same
length of river below Shreveport.


Very respectfully,


r. D. Sale, s. NJ. Morrison, S. j. Ward,
E. j. Piggott, n. Gregg and r. H. Lindsay
were appointed under the resolution men
toned, and they have prepared memorial
to the Board Of Underwriters of this city
in which the following interesting state
ments are made:


The rates of insurance from this point to
Fulton, Arkansas, on upper Red river are
one and three-quarters to two. Lieutenant
Woodruff of the corps of United States
engineers informs us that the great raft will
be opened in October IN time for the tall
business above the raft


Although the distance from this point to
Fulton is estimated at 300 miles, actual
measurement through the raft river is but
us miles-the opening of the raft does away
with the dangerous navigation through
Black and Red bayous and the lakes, and
furnishes as good and safe navigation as
any portion of the river below Shreveport.
By the first of October the Cairo and knl-
ton railroad will be finished and running to
Fulton, thus tapping tine heart of the upper
Red river trade, and carrying it to st. Louis
or Memphis. Unless reduction be made
on freights and insurance by the river
route, this valuable trade will be wholly
lost to Louisiana. Composition will regu-
late freights, but it rests with you, the
Board of Underwriters of New Orleans, to
reduce the rate OF insurance.


We respectfully ask your attention to
this matter and hope for favorable action,
not only in reducing the rate to points
above here but also from this city to New
Orleans, thereby giving the people of this
section of country an opportunity to COM
pete with other markets, securing to tDe
city of New Orleans much trade that will
seek other channels unless this is done.