Salaries.... Printing and paper.. Sundries.. Eighteen gauge observers Repairs to gauges Total Physical data. Publications. Drawings of steamers, barges, other plant specifications, etc.... Summary. Office and traveling expenses and salaries of Commission. Publications. Total....... COMMERCE. The boating trade on the Missouri River is at present very small. It is pra confined to the distance Fort Yates to Fort Benton for the upper river, an Louis to Glasgow for the lower. But these or any other facts as to the small amount of boating done on the river now have nothing to do with the ques the improvement of navigation on the Missouri River in its broad meaning tional bearing. For the General Government to foster local interests is supp be "foreign to our institutions," and will be clearly a source of political riva intrigue, resulting in unevenly distributed favors from the national purse. national system of internal water-ways improvement should result in large gas national wealth. Reduction in cost of transportation of supplies to market is ness-like method of increasing profits. Here is the Missouri Valley draining mense grain-bearing (for one thing) district. Large quantities of surplus gra ready to be put in the world's markets if it can be done for less than the selling No proof is needed of the statement that water transportation is cheaper tha especially for long distances. Moreover, facts given in my report on this subje the Commission in 1886 (Annual Report 1886, page 318) show that the river ha times greater carrying capacity than a single track railroad. To improve the river, even between Kansas City and Saint Louis, to a low depth of 12 feet is deemed perfectly practicable, and at a cost per mile ($50,00* exceeding that of a first-class single-track railroad. Even with the present unimproved channels of the Missouri and Mississippi its less than 6 cents cheaper per bushel to transport grain from Saint Louis to Live by way of New Orleans than by way of rail to New York. The saving thus made one year would more than pay the estimated cost of improving the Missouri Riv Kansas City. The river once improved and insurance on Missouri River barges being then s fitable business (it does not and can not exist at present), the saving per would probably be even greater than it is now. All these possibilities, which are safe predictions, only receive greater weight their present non-realization. "The failure by Congress to make appropriations for the continued improve of the Mississippi River and its principal tributaries has cost the people of these leys enormous amounts of money by higher freights, larger risks and increased in ance, wrecks and delays of transportation; and, if continued, will dishearten river men, if not destroy the business, and thus leave the commerce of the Mississip Valley to a single method of transportation and practically at its mercy. The res in such a case is not difficult to foresee. The permanent improvement of our water ways is imperatively demanded in the interest of cheaper transportation to the and intercommunication between points on these water-courses. "Mr. Fink, in his testimony before the select committee on interstate commerce of the United States Senate, admitted the effect of the Mississippi River, the lakes, and the Erie Canal in the regulation of rates to the sea-board, in competition with rail roads; and the Interstate Commerce Commission, in their report to Congress year, refer to the value of water navigation in the regulation of freight rates to all competing points on or near the water-ways. The permanent improvement of the this issippi River water system, affording 15,000 miles of water navigation, will ver and more stable rates of freight than most legislation, and will do it s of competition between different modes of transportation." (President report to Merchants' Exchange of Saint Louis, January 3, 1888, page 12.) iver trade, though hampered during the past season by low water, is developy, and forms a very important ontlet to the sea for our foreign grain trade. * ɔreign trade, taken as a whole, via New Orleans and via the eastern sea-board, large, showing that Saint Louis is known in all the markets of the world." or 1887 of Secretary Morgan, of Saint Lous Merchants' Exchange, pages 21 This, too, while the great feeder, the Missouri River, is practically idle." Merchants' Exchange, Saint Louis, 1887, page 64.-Saint Louis and Missouri 87 Steamers arrived, 161; steamers departed, 171. Receipts in tons, 27,700; ts in tons, 14,580. Receipts in tons for 1886, 32,620. 73. Shipments bulk grain, Saint Louis to New Orleans, 1887: Wheat, bushels; corn, 7,365,340 bushels; total, 327,092 tons. 07.-Receipts at Saint Louis by Missouri River: 27,700 tons in 1887; 32,620 1856; 16,875 tons in 1885; 28,825 tons in 1884. Shipments: 14,580 tons in 1887 ; ons in 1886; 10,330 tons in 1885; 15,285 tons in 1884. 131.-Direct shipments, Saint Louis to foreign countries, by river to New (: 325,442 tons in 1887; 232,352 tons in 1886; 231,552 tons in 1885; 175,126 tons 301,629 tons in 1883; 176,583 tons in 1882; 389,587 tons in 1881. 159.-Sources of supply for three years: The West by rail and Missouri River, 29 bushels corn in 1887; 11,350,690 bushels corn in 1886; 18,055,357 bushels 1885; 7,128,371 bushels wheat in 1887; 5,337,732 bushels wheat in 1886. nts: Europe via New Orleans and river, 7,365,340 bushels corn in 1887; 30 bushels corn in 1886; 8,180,039 bushels corn in 1885; 3,975,017 bushels wheat '; 743,439 bushels wheat in 1886; 50,000 bushels wheat in 1885. 1132.-Average rates of freight on wheat per bushel from Saint Louis to Liv unt of freight either carried past or handled at various Lower Missouri River ports for the season 1887-'88. NOTE 1.-General Meade made eleven trips to Osage River during 1888; cargoes up were merchan. ine, and down, grain and stock. No estimates of amount obtained. NOTE 2-Steamer New Haven also ran to Chamois and New Haven with merchandise and returned With grain, but no estimates of cargoes were given. ENG 88-146 Dora. Cls. Cts. 151 161 15 201 241 Total. Amount of freight either carried past or handled at Upper Missouri River ports for the season 1887-'88. Tons moved on the Lower Missouri River, 1387-'88. Wyoming.. Dacotah General Tompkins. General Meade A. S. Willis. D. H. Rucker. Black Diamond Dick Clyde Jim Watkins Tons. Tons. 6, 036 447 6,928 476 1,575 75 Tons. Tons. Tons. Tons. Tons. Tons. Tons. Tons. Tons. 125 120 172 Dora.. 109 Tons. Tons. Tons. Tons. Tons. Tons. Tons. Tons. Tons. Cases. Compa. Tons. 72 92 36 20 20 nies. 5 Steamer Missouri. Lumber. Wheat. Beer. Soldiers. Oats. EXPENDITURES. Office expenses, traveling expenses, and salaries of Commission. [Appropriation act of July 5, 1884.] July 1, 1887, amount available of above allotment.. Received from sales of fuel to officers.. I'npaid liabilities June 30, 1887. Total.... Itemized expenditures from July 1, 1887, to June 30, 1888, both $13, 133. 15 182.96 75.93 13, 392.04 $1,000.00 100.00 27.00 26.00 11.40 20.00 653.41 733.76 140.60 8,027.54 30.00 233.61 9.90 3.95 13.68 15.50 78.50 102.41 22.00 7.95 75.68 11, 332.95 32. 19 11, 365. 14 2, 026.90 Additional surveys and establishment of permanent bench-marks below Sioux City. [Appropriation act of July 5, 1881.] July 1, 1887, amount available of above allotment $618.94 Itemized expenditures from July 1, 1887, to June 30, 1888, both Preservation and observation of gauges, and collection and compilation of physical data. [Appropriation act of July 5, 1884.] July 1, 1887, amount available of above allotment Unpaid liabilities June 30, 1837.... Itemized expenditures from July 1, 1887, to June 30, 1888, both Special surveys (at Omaha, Atchison, Fort Leavenworth Reservation, Arrow Rock, Plattsmouth, Brownville, and Nebraska City). [Appropriation act of August 5, 1886.] July 1, 1887, amount available of above allotment... Itemized expenditures from July 1, 1887, to June 30, 1888, both dates inclusive: $2,505.74 2, 505.74 Elevations of extreme high water, Missouri River. [These results, where different from those published, were determined by study of all data on the subject on file in the office of the Missouri River Commission February 15, 1888. Į |