Hi: This concerned Ft. Smith citizens also. Regards, Nan 71532.734@compuserve.com -------------Forwarded Message----------------- From: INTERNET:ARCRAWFO-L@rootsweb.com, INTERNET:ARCRAWFO-L@rootsweb.com To: [unknown], INTERNET:ARCRAWFO-L@rootsweb.com Date: 8/6/00 7:14 PM RE: May 10, 1845 Arkansas Intelligencer Arkansas Intelligencer, Van Buren, Crawford County, Arkansas May 10, 1845 NAVIGATION OF ARKANSAS RIVER We understand from the officers of steamboats that have recently visited our town, that the danger attending the navigation of this river, below Pine Bluffs, has been greatly lessened by the operation of the snag boats that have been at work in that portion of the river; removing the snags and trimming the timber overhanging the stream. The boats did nothing, it is said, higher than Pine Bluffs, on account of the want of funds, the appropriation that was made having been exhausted. This we exceedingly regret, as we are confident that with energy they might in one season render the river entirely safe between Napoleon and Fort Gibson. There is one great oversight in the management of the snag boats that have operated in this river, which is, that they have been under the command of men who were not residents of the State, and in no wise connected to its prosperity, and consequently could not take that lively interest which should actuate all who are engaged in so important a service. We do not mean to say that the gentlemen who have had command of the boats, failed in executing their dutiesas they thought promptly, but think that the aim and end of Government would have been sooner reached, by appointing to the charge of the boats, men who had a thorough knowledge of the navigation and its danger-Arkansas Pilots, who could go and superintend the building of boats of the right size and construction to operate at the low stages of water, when most good could be done; men who are interested in the work, and would take that interest which no stranger can feel. There are men of this class that are competent to fulfill the duties with benefit to the Government, for they know where the dangerous obstructions lie, and could work more to the advantage of the Government and the Steamboats. The boats are now under charge of men who come into our river and operate some two or three months, in the business season, when the waters are high, and leave as soon as Summer sets in, which is generally accompanied by low water, and is, therefore, the proper time for operations. We say let the citizens of the business towns look to this matter; let them take it in hand and make a proper investigation of the subject; and if they find that there is any mismanagement of the boats to properly represent them to the powers that be, and seek that remedy which surely cannot be denied them. We have not now the time and space to speak on this subject as we would wish, but will revert to it again at an early period. Fran Alverson Warren ----------------------- Internet Header -------------------------------- Sender: ARCRAWFO-L-request@rootsweb.com Received: from lists6.rootsweb.com (lists6.rootsweb.com [63.92.80.125]) by spdmgaae.compuserve.com (8.9.3/8.9.3/SUN-1.9) with ESMTP id WAA27389 for <71532.734@compuserve.com>; Sun, 6 Aug 2000 22:14:11 -0400 (EDT) Received: (from slist@localhost) by lists6.rootsweb.com (8.10.1/8.10.1) id e772DTo29044; Sun, 6 Aug 2000 19:13:29 -0700 Resent-Date: Sun, 6 Aug 2000 19:13:29 -0700 X-Original-Sender: No1fran@aol.com Sun Aug 6 19:13:28 2000 From: No1fran@aol.com Message-ID: <3a.8ba294d.26bf7544@aol.com> Date: Sun, 6 Aug 2000 22:13:24 EDT Subject: May 10, 1845 Arkansas Intelligencer Old-To: AGS-L@rootsweb.com, ARCRAWFO-L@rootsweb.com Old-CC: jfultz19@idt.net MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="US-ASCII" Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit X-Mailer: AOL 5.0 for Windows sub 119 Resent-Message-ID: <OFGRpC.A.WFH.Jthj5@lists6.rootsweb.com> To: ARCRAWFO-L@rootsweb.com Resent-From: ARCRAWFO-L@rootsweb.com X-Mailing-List: <ARCRAWFO-L@rootsweb.com> archive/latest/494 X-Loop: ARCRAWFO-L@rootsweb.com Precedence: list Resent-Sender: ARCRAWFO-L-request@rootsweb.com