6 BULLETIN 74, U. S. DEPAKTMENT OF AGEICULTXJBB. 



hand trucks, are used to facilitate handling of freight. In fact, 

 most of the freight handled by rail or water is loaded and unloaded 

 by means of hand trucks. Motor trucks for unloading or loading are 

 found only in rare instances, but devices for assisting hand trucks up 

 or down inclines and for moving heavier weights from one level to 

 another are frequently used. At Riverton, Ala., an incline was 

 built on the bank of the Tennessee River for the operation of a car by 

 means of a steam-driven cable. This elevator transferred freight 

 between the boats on the river and the railroad freight station up on 

 the chff. At any stage of the river this incline, of course, could be 

 used, since it extended from the freight shed at the top of the high 

 river bank to the lowest water level. 



TYPICAL STEAMBOAT ROUTES. 



ATLANTIC COAST. 



The actual routes followed by steamboat lines in various parts of 

 the United States have certain characteristics which differ according 

 to location. The Hudson River has a variety of traffic. One class 

 consists in the through service between New York City and Albany; 

 another class of traffic is composed of numerous routes centering at 

 various important cities along the way; and the canal-boat traffic 

 on the way from the Erie Canal to tidewater, the boats being towed 

 in groups each hj a single tug. Among the farm products carried 

 on this important waterway are grain, hay, fruit, and vegetables. 

 Large quantities of wheat and corn are carried in canal boats on this 

 river down to New York Harbor, the grain having been loaded at 

 Buffalo. 



Another important system of waterways is that of Chesapeake 

 Bay and its tributaries. Traffic on this bay radiates from the prin- 

 cipal cities^Baltimore, Washington, and Norfolk. The usual local 

 steamboat trip from Baltimore begins late in the afternoon, the boat 

 reaching the mouth of some river early the following morning, pos- 

 sibly some hours before daybreak. Here the first landing is made, 

 which is followed by other landings up to the head of navigation. 

 After a few hours at the terminus the boat starts on its return trip, 

 often reaching the mouth of the river and entering Chesapeake Bay 

 by nightfall and arriving at Baltimore early the next morning. This 

 applies to a route of average length and of average distance from 

 Baltirnore. Some of the longer routes require 40 or more hours for 

 transit one way, and on some of the shorter ones the round trip is 

 made within a day. A great variety of produce is carried on these 

 Chesapeake Bay routes. Grain, hay, and many kinds of fruits and 

 vegetables constitute a large amount of traffic. From the lower part 

 of the eastern shore of the bay sweet potatoes arc shipped in such 

 large quantities in the fall that they often make practically full 



