Mississippi Steamboating

The halcyon days of steamboatlng on the Mississippi have long gone by. Before the railroads had reached out and cobwebbed the country with their iron threads the great river was the highway of commerce for all the wide valley through which it flows. Then rivalry was fierce, and competing lines strove to have the tastest steaniers and to make the qulckest time. Undir Buch conditions It happened that races were of frequent occurrence, and that they were exciting anyone who has been an interested passenger will bear witness, writes Francia N. Fulz In Leslie's Weekly. As a rule the passengers became as keenly interested in the progress of the racing boats as the officers themselves, and considerable sums of money were sometimes wagered as to the result. Nor did the disasters, involving loss of life and property, which occasional'.y attended these races, seriously check the dangerous rivalries of competing lines. With the advent of the railroads the river trade declined, and for a few years almost went out of exi.nenee. But in quite recent years there has been a decided revival in steamooat traffic, and each season sees new steamers placed in the trade. For tho most part these packets are smaller than the regular liners, and ply only in a local traffic- that is, a round rrip is made every day, or every two days, between the home port and towns lying at convenient distances. This local development of trade has proven so profitable that competition and rivalry has again arisen in some degree. It is not infrequent that the territory held undisturbed by one steamer for several years is invaded by a second line. Then comes an effort, on the one side to hold the trade and on the other to gain it, which sometimes leads to such a scène as is shown in the 11lustration. As compared with bygone days, steamboat racing at present is considered by old steamboat met as exceedingly tame. For the river is under such strict surveillance by the government officials that sueh a thing as sci-ewing down the safety-valves in order to increase the head of steam Is unheard of.