rPTLAITD BOAT SERVICE. 3 



they trace the development of raikoad traffic, together with the rela- 

 tive and the absolute decline of transportation by river. 



One of the principal items in the freight received at St. Louis by 

 boat is apples, which are brought in large quantities from Calhoun 

 County, 111. This county, consisting of a long strip of land bounded 

 on three sides by the Mississippi and Illinois Rivers, has no railroads 

 and depends upon river boats for transportation. In 1911, 54 per 

 cent of the baireled apples received at St. Louis came by river, and 

 in 1912 the river receipts exceeded 49 per cent of the total receipts 

 by all routes. Also, from 2 to 5 per cent of the eggs, from 4 to nearly 

 7 per cent of the cotton, from 1^ to 2 per cent of the sheep, and from 

 2^ to 3^ per cent of the hogs received at this city in 1908-1912 came 

 by water. 



Statistics of river trade at Memphis and New Orleans show rela- 

 tively large receipts of cotton. At Memphis, during the five years 

 ending with 1912, from 10 to nearly 14 per cent and at New Orleans 

 from nearly 4 to more than 7 per cent of all cotton received was car- 

 ried by boat. 



MARKET VALUES OF PRODUCTS TRANSPORTED BY WATER. 



Another basis of estimating the importance of steamboat traffic is 

 the market value of products carried. The following approximate 

 valuations are based upon average market prices at the respective 

 cities where the produce was received, and are to be regarded merely 

 as rough estimates. The wheat received by boat at Baltimore during 

 the five years ending with 1912, at average prices of southern wheat, 

 contract grade, was worth from $600,000 to $2,000,000 a year, and 

 the com receipts ranged from about $200,000 to $1,000,000, according 

 to the prices paid for southern white corn. 



At Cincinnati the receipts of tobacco by river averaged from 

 $1,500,000 to more than $3,000,000 a year in 1908-1912; the cattle, 

 hogs, and sheep were worth, at average prices, about $750,000 to 

 $1,250,000 per year, while the eggs brought in by boat averaged 

 $150,000 to $250,000. 



Among the receipts at St. Louis during 1908-1912 whose value 

 illustrates the importance of river traffic are apples, with an average 

 annual value (disregarding the abnormally low receipts of apples in 

 1910) of about $125,000 to $775,000 ; eggs, worth $150,000 to $200,000 

 a year; cattle, sheep, and hogs, $1,500,000 to $2,000,000; and wheat, 

 $200,000 to $500,000. 



The annual receipts of cotton by river averaged $5,000,000 to 

 $7,500,000 at Memphis and $3,000,000 to $7,000,000 at New Orleans 

 in the five years just mentioned. Large quantities of other farm 

 products were also received by river at these two cities. 



