Democratic Sentinel, Volume 1, Number 34, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 5 October 1877 — The Mississippi River. [ARTICLE]

The Mississippi River.

The importance of the Mississippi as a commercial highway does not receive the attention it deserves. The recent experiments of Capt. Eads has demonstrated that the navigation of the river can be greatly improved at a comparatively small outlay and the destructive overflows of the Lower Mississippi and its tributaries be successfully resisted. These overflows inflict immense losses to the planters annually. It is estimated that the cotton crop for the year ending Sept. 1, 1877, will show a falling off of 274,000 bales compared with the preceding year. The total crop for the year ending Sept. 1, 1876, was 4,699,000 bales; for the year ending Sept 1, 1877, 4,425,000. Of this immense loss 230,000 bales is due to the overflow of the river and its tributaries, of which 97,000 was incurred on the Lower Mississippi, 33,000 on the Arkansas, and 67,000 on the Washita 7 , making a loss on those rivers alone pi 197,000 bales, amounting in the aggregate to nearly $9,000,000. One-hprfof this sum would effectually prevenFthis enormous loss in the future. Tmt immense importance of the cotton crop demands serious consideration, as it constitutes by far the most important item in our table of exports. The shipment's abroad in 1876 amounted to $192,659,000; in 1877, $171,118,000; > while our exports of breadstuff's were $131,212,000 in 1876, and $117,884,000 in 1877. In view of these important facts, it is plain that there is a subject of national importance that ought not to be neglected in deference to local claims and prejudices. At a time when the question of transportation is assuming vast proportions, it would perhaps be well to look abroad and observe some facts of great moment in this connection. France is taking active measures for the extension of her canal system in order to resist the competition of German commercial encroachment. Contrary to the commonly received opinion that railroads have superseded water transportation, some French journals have recently shown that such is not the case, at least in France. The following statement from tne Paris Union Nationale will occasion some surprise to our railroad kings. It says: “Our internal navigation is still vital enough to effect a saving to trade of 56,000,000 francs. The canals and rivers transported, during 1875, 1,721,000,000 tons of goods at the small cost of 4,177,940 francs. If these 1,721,000,000 of tons had gone by rail, the charge would have been some 56,000,000 francs in addition.” The existing state of things in this country render facts of this kind worthy of consideration.— New 'York Graphic.