33 F 351 M33 Copy 1 THE MISSISSIPPI ITS AFFLUENTS. BY S. WATERHOUSE OF WASHINGTON UNIVERSITY. ST. LOUIS, JANUARY 1, 1092. 2 — Commerce and Improvement of Our Midland Rivers. It is the aim of these pages to show the com- mercial importance of our midland river system and the necessity of an early removal from the Mississippi and its main tributaries of every ob- struction to their navigation. The courtesy of Hon. R. P. Porter, superintendent of the United States census, has recently furnished me with sta- TABLE NO. 1— EQUIPMENT. Number, Tonnage, and Value of All Steamers and Un- rigged Craft (over 5 Tons) owned on the Riv- ers OP THE Mississippi Valley in 1889. Rivers. Total for Mississippi Valley. Steamers. No. 1,106 210,771.89 Value. $10,539,251 Upper Mississppi St. Croix Chippewa Illinois Missouri , Osage , &Gascona(le Total for Upper Mississippi System Ohio Allegheny Monongahela Muskingum Little Kanawha Great Kanawha Big Sandy Kentucky Green Wabash , . . . . Cumberland Tennessee Total for Ohio System . Lower Mississippi White Arkansas Yazoo Washita Red River Total for Lower Mississippi System Red River of the North 188 15 1 24,978.21 1,258.35 108.00 1,860.25 4,759.84 32,964.65 $1,485,369 99,000 7,000 80,200 209,700 $1,881,269 380 6 48 7 5 21 8 5 5 3 17 32 537 85,035.62 715.84 6,234.15 567.79 228.18 2,386.13 787.67 374.31 316.68 297.00 2,935.57 7,316.89 107,195.83 $4,099,177 53,000 419,600 25,050 18,000 123,333 40,000 21,000 13,500 10,000 109,300 260,750 $5,192,710 257 5 15 11 3 62,476.07 1,229.71 4,098.73 1,409.68 994.52 1,968.88 70,177.59 433.82 $3,152,372 45,000 66,200 62,000 45,000 80,700 $3,451,272 $14,000 — 3 — tistics which exhibit the magnitude of our river commerce. These tables — prepared under the su- pervision of Mr. Vivian, special agent of the Cen- sus Bureau — were accompanied by the following letter of explanation: — "Your letter to Superintendent Porter, asking for facts regarding the commerce on the Missis- sippi and affluents, has been referred to me, and in reply I beg to send you three tables, as follows: " 1. Equipment — showing the number, tonnage, and value of all steamers and unrigged craft re- ported on in the Mississippi valley for 1889. TABLE NO. 1— Continued. UN3IGGED. Total. No. Tonnage. Value. No. Tonnage. Value. 6,339 3,182,608.00 $4,795,754 7,445 3,393,379.89 $15,338,005 285 11 52 165,685.00 10,000.00 $214,018 11,000 473 26 1 9 104 190,663.12 11,258.35 108.00 1,860.25 9,657.84 $1,699,387 110,000 7,000 80,200 240,405 4,898.00 30,705 348 180,583.00 $255,723 613 213,547.65 $2,136,992 4,488 26 110 72 48 872 9 3 20 60 2,355,846.00 2,340.00 16,653.00 7,803.00 4,744.00 409,980.00 3,150.00 165.00 $2,858,336 10,400 30,100 28,465 12,000 521,705 4,000 1,100 4,868 32 158 79 53 893 17 8 5 3 37 92 2,440,881.62 3,055.84 22,887.15 8,370.79 4,972.18 412,366.13 3,937.67 539.31 316.68 297.00 4,805.57 18,038.89 $6,957,513 63,400 449,700 53,515 30,000 645,038 44,000 22,100 13,500 10,000 113,600 293,975 1,870.00 10,722.00 4,300 33,225 5,708 2,813,273.00 $3,503,631 6,245 2,920,468.83 $8,696,341 250 1 7 9 "5" 175,510.00 40.00 310.00 1,670.00 $1,001,250 100 1,400 17,450 507 6 22 20 3 14 237,986.07 1,269.71 2,408.73 3,079.68 994.52 2,218.88 $4,153,622 45,100 67,600 79,450 45,000 85,700 250.00 5,000 272 177,780.00 $1,025,200 572 247:957.59 $4,476,472 11 10,972.00 $11,200 15 11,405.82 $25,200 — 4 — " 2. Traflflc — showing the passengers carried and tons of freight moved on all operating craft of the valley in 1889. TABLE NO. 2— TRAFFIC. Passengers Carried, Tons of Freight Moved, and Miles Traveled by All Craft (over 5 Tons) Operating on THE Rivers of the Mississippi Valley in 1889. Rivers and their Tributaries. Grand Total, Mississippi Valley Upper Mississippi St. Croix Chippewa Illinois Missouri, Osage, and Gasconade. Total, Upper Mississippi System. Ohio River Allegheny Monongahela Muskingum Little Kanawha. Great Kanawha. Big Sandy Kentucky Green River Wabash Cumberland Tennessee Total, Ohio System. Lower Mississippi. White River Arkansas Yazoo Washita Red River Total , Lower Mississippi System Red River of the North '* 3. Income and Expenditure — showing the gross earnings, expenses, and net earnings of all operat- ing craft of the valley in 1889. — 5 — " These tables, I think, are almost self-explana- tory, and but one or two terms need any remarks. For instance, by ' unrigged ' is meant all towed craft, such as barges, flats, scows, &c. The freight is that carried on these barges, principally grain in TABLE NO. 2— Continued. Passengers Carried. Freight Moved IN Tons. Miles Traveled BY ALL Steamers. Regular AND Excursion. Ferry. Total. 2,384,248 8,474,646 10,858,894 29,405,046 7,316,545 285,676 304 4,441 21,768 26,561 1,192,409 12,000 1,478,085 12,304 4,441 50,368 276,536 4,486,421 846,816 325,477 180,264 1,119,362 1,101,990 67,990 12,000 83,436 159,239 28,600 249,975 338,750 1,482,984 1,821,734 6,958,340 1,424,655 1,191,732 5,319 130,537 37,681 9,451 53,599 11,000 9,550 11,200 180 19,160 27,185 3,924,074 5,115,806 5,319 261,387 37,681 9,451 92,124 11,000 9,550 11,200 180 19,160 930,285 7,770,565 365,946 3,294,932 10,281 115,657 1,145,202 286,483 256,950 819,278 93,178 974,316 909,078 2,696,020 2,040 130,898 27,055 14,740 130,850 38,525 59,680 47,350 12,588 10,300 12,700 144,968 903,100 420,894 1,506,594 4,996,549 6,503,143 16,041,866 3,579,233 518,267 4,183 2,651 5,391 1,204 7,208 1,933,048 2,451,315 4,183 64,716 5,391 1,204 7,208 *4, 374, 761 86,393 1,663,817 77,380 93,707 105,145 1,826,254 68,786 62,065 61,689 121,216 60,828 172,800 538,904 1,995,113 2,534,017 *6,401,203 2,311,573 3,637 1,084 ♦Respectively, 7,754,491 tons, 9,820,833 tons, and 31,897,565 tons, including the coal and lumber brought into and carried on Lower Mississippi from the Upper Mississippi and Ohio Rivers. — 6 — bulk and coal; that carried on regular freighting steamers, and that carried on those ferries that are not considered as links of railroads, except that carried on such large concerns as the Wiggins TABLE NO. 3— INCOME AND EXPENDITURE. Gross Earnings, Expenses, and Net Earnings of All, Craft (OVER 5 Tons) Operating on the Rivers of the Mississippi Valley in 1889. Rivers. Gross Earnings. Expenses . Net' Earnings. Total for Miss. Valley. . $16,335,503 $12,598,342 $3,737,161 Bed River of the North. $5,661 $4,246 $1,415 Upper Mississippi St. Croix Chippewa $1,994,786 169,184 18,244 134,771 294,470 $1,403,746 93,703 9,844 113,047 229,477 $591,040 75,481 8,400 21,724 Missouri, Osage, and Gasconade 64,993 Total for Upper Mis- sissippi System $2,611,455 $1,849,817 $761,638 Ohio Allegheny $5,070,654 20,630 496,930 55,482 30,921 192,006 94,918 58,821 31,889 42,320 205,636 400,806 $4,000,777 18,449 398,861 40,589 17,343 138,677 69,879 33,866 27,154 22,140 170,939 330,893 $1,069,877 2,181 98,069 Muskingum Little Kanawha Great Kanawha 14,893 13,578 53,329 25,039 24,955 4 735 "Wabash Cumberland Tennessee 20,180 34,697 69,913 Total for Ohio Sys- $6,701,013 $5,269,567 $1,431,446 Lower Mississippi White $6,236,310 100,697 86,383 144,068 125,180 324,736 $4,849,939 82,443 56,549 125,469 103,220 257,092 $1,386,371 18,254 29,834 18,599 21 960 Washita 67,644 Total for Lower Mis- sissippi System $7,017,374 $5,474,712 $1,542,662 Ferry Company of St. Louis, the Waterloo and Carondelet Ferry — concerns where the tonnage of freight carried is unknown. The year 1889 is from January 1 to December 31. The business of each — 7 — river is that of the river itself and its tributaries; that is, for example, the business done on the Cheat and the Buckhannon is included in the report of the Monongahela. In the case of the upper Missis- sippi, the Ohio, and the lower Mississippi — used as titles for the three systems — the business of the unmentioned tributaries is included, but not that of those mentioned as forming the system. For in- stance, the business of the upper Mississippi in- cludes that of the Minnesota, Galena, Red, Cedar, &c. ; that of the Ohio includes the business of the Guyandotte and Licking; and that of the lower Mississippi includes the business of the bayous, the Big Hatchie, the Kaskaskia, the Big Black, &c. In every case, where at all possible, the commerce is that of each river; that is, only such freight is allowed to a river as had its origin there. The foot- note to the table of traffic gives an illustration of what the figures would be, if the overlapping freight from one river into another were considered as actual traffic. The traffic of St. Louis by river is divided. That from the upper Mississippi and Ohio is given to those rivers, as is that from St. Louis to points on those rivers; that to and from St. Louis and points on the lower Mississippi is given to that river, and the local business of St. Louis is given to the lower Mississippi. Similar disposi- tions are made of the equipment and expense accounts. " I trust that these explanations will be sufficient to a proper understanding of the tables." The fulness of these tables obviates the need of a lengthy discussion. The figures are arguments which scarcely require a verbal expression. The cogency of the facts is far more convincing than the illustrations of rhetoric. The efficiency of the Mississippi as a means of commercial intercourse depends upon the freedom of its channel from ob- structions. In view of the frequent interruptions of navigation, the amount of freights borne on the Mississippi is surprisingly large. But, if its channel were always deep enough for the passage of boats, the aggregates would be immensely greater. The delays which shallows cause deter merchants from sending their goods by the water route. Last sum- mer the river was exceptionally low. The expe- riences of a holiday excursion impressed me with a vivid sense of the obstacles which at times em- barrass the navigation of the Mississippi. On my way to St. Paul and back, fifty hours were spent on sand bars. The various detentions arising from low water protracted the round trip nine days beyond the schedule time. There was a sufficient flow of water for unobstructed navigation, if it had only been restricted to a narrow channel. On the upper river, the wing-dams are numerous and ef- fective. Indeed, without them the shallows would have been wholly impassable. But there are still scores of shoals which the Government has neg- lected to remove. At only a few places were forces of men at work upon the improvement of the chan- nel. The example of France in providing facilities for commercial intercourse affords an instructive lesson to the United States. In France, from the days of the great Vauban, adequate expenditures of the public wealth have hastened to completion every work that promoted the national interests. But in this country, a false system delays the use- fulness and increases the cost of public improve- ments. In consequence of the irregularity and insufficiency of Congressional appropriations,works commenced by the Government sometimes fall into partial decay before they can be finished. The cost of reconstructing them is a great and unnecessary expense. Even the richest nation in the world can not afford such wasteful extravagance. True fru- gality requires an annual grant of funds ample enough for the seasonable completion of public im- provements. Our present impolicy renders the upper Mississippi almost unnavigable at low stages of water, deprives our great waterway of its vast usefulness as a means of transportation and as a regulator of railroad freights, and debars the cities on its banks from the prosperity which a flourishing river trade would create. A statesmanship broad as the interests of our country and heedless of mis- taken conceptions of public economy ought to make regular and adequate provision for deepening the channel of the Mississippi River. — 9 — The course of foreign governments is sagaciously different from our own. For a century, the great nations beyond the Atlantic, clearly recognizing the sources of public prosperity, have been effect- ively carrying out systems of internal improve- ment. If the Mississippi were in Europe, every- thing which imperial wealth and engineering skill could accomplish would long since have been done to free its channel from every obstacle to its use- fulness. The enterprise of Americans is a national boast; but, in the prosecution of great public works, Europeans have been more progressive than our own countrymen. In their management of internal improvements, Americans might profitably follow the guidance of foreign examples. The preceding tables show how vast a commerce now floats on the Mississippi and its affluents, but their tonnage would be incalculably greater, if these streams were always navigable. The improvement of the Mississippi is a vast un- dertaking. The permanent accomplishment of this work is perhaps impossible. The ever shifting sands of an alluvial bed constantly renew the tasks of the engineer. But doubtless the combined forces of science and capital, which have overcome so many seemingly insuperable difficulties, will be able to maintain navigable channels in all our great rivers. The inadequacy of small grants is an ur- gent reason for larger appropriations. False theo- ries of frugality should not be suffered to prevent the improvement of waterways which, if kept open, would cheapen every form of commercial trans- portation. While Congressional allowances ought to be more liberal, the field of operations should be restricted. The Government funds are dissipated over too large an area to be effective. A concen- tration of effort would be more conducive to suc- cess. Should the unprofitable policy of retrench- ment prevail, it would seem best to limit the ex- penditure of public moneys to the improvement of the main streams. Perhaps, even in the event of ample appropriations, such a restriction would be the wisest course. Minor interests should yield to the general welfare. If experience may be taken as a guide, simultaneous operations upon all our — 10 — waterways are seldom productive of much good. The work is too slight, disconnected, and intermit- tent to accomplish the object. If the labor and money frittered away on all our rivers were spent on one, that stream would be opened from its mouth to the limit of navigation. Rapid and effect- ive work implies concentration. Our rivers should be severally improved in the order of their size and commercial importance. But if the urgency of public sentiment will not permit a separate and successive progress, then the Mississippi, Ohio, and Missouri should be the first to receive attention. The deepening of the main channels would ensure the improvement of the tributaries. If Congress would only subordinate unimportant needs to the great interests of the nation, our western rivers would soon be free from obstructions. The States which lie in the Mississippi valley are large and powerful. Their united action could con- trol national legislation and secure larger appro- priations for the imprpvement of our great midland watercourses. The active co-operation of western governors. State legislators, and members of Con- gress would facilitate the solution of a difficult problem. A definite policy, urged by the unani- mous sentiment of our central States, would hardly be rejected by Congress. If our Government should fail to make adequate provision for the improve- ment of our waterways, the chief responsibility for the failure would rest on the dissensions of jealous and ruinously selfish constituencies. Harmony of action and a statesmanship that rises above petty local needs to the heights from which patriotism surveys national interests would soon increase the commercial efficiency of our great midland rivers. Congress can not afford to neglect the moment- ous interests of western navigation. But an intel- ligent care of the Mississippi requires far-sighted legislation. Dredging, the construction of wing- dams, the release, in seasons of drought, of waters stored in the lakes of Minnesota, and the inflow from Lake Michigan, after the completion of the Rock Island canal, will afford a partial relief. But there are remote and grave difficulties — not less grave because remote — which Congress only — 11 — can obviate. Scientific observation records a grad- ual lowering of the waters of the Mississippi and of the great northern lakes. The cause of this subsidence is the felling of northern forests. Long ago foreign nations learned the imprudence of de- nuding their woodlands. The extinction of val- uable plants, the disappearance of birds useful to the farmer, the diminished rainfall, the shallowed streams, and the lessened productiveness of the soil were disasters which only imperial hands were able to retrieve. And now, throughout Europe and India, wise and rigorous forestry laws prevent any wanton or dangerously extensive destruction of trees. When any large area is stripped of its woods, the amount of precipitation always de- creases, and the rainfall, instead of being absorbed by the earth and slowly filtering into the water- courses, flows quickly from the surface and swells the streams with a sudden and transient rise. In the event of heavy and continuous rains, the rapid efflux of the waters causes destructive floods. Un- less our Government takes effective measures to arrest the felling of our northwestern forests, the lessening volume of the Mississippi will in the coming time be obstructed by still greater impedi- ments to navigation. The improvement of the waterways which cheapen the food of mankind and facilitate the exchanges of domestic and foreign commerce chal- lenges the best thought of American statesmen. The promotion of the vast interests which the river system of the Mississippi Valley represents is a proud distinction. It is hoped that our Con- gressmen, with a patriotism grandly superior to mere local wants, will take prompt and efficient steps to fit these majestic streams for their des- tined careers of national usefulness. 014 497 719 1 UBRARV OF CONGRESS 0U497 719 1