Encyclopedia Dubuque
"Encyclopedia Dubuque is the online authority for all things Dubuque, written by the people who know the city best.”
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Affiliated with the Local History Network of the State Historical Society of Iowa, and the Iowa Museum Association.
NORTHERN LINE PACKET COMPANY
NORTHERN LINE PACKET COMPANY. In 1869 the Northern Line had the following boats and masters: Minneapolis, F. B. Rhodes; Dubuque, J. B. Rhodes; Minnesota, T. B. Hill; Davenport, B. A. Cooper; Muscatine, G. W. Jenks; Sucker State, William P. Hight; Hawkeye State, J. Worden; Canada, M. Green; Savannah, R. F. Isherwood; City of Keithsburg, J. W. Campbell ; New Boston, Robert Melville.
There was an intense rivalry between the Northern Line and the NORTH WESTERN UNION PACKET COMPANY. In 1869 the two companies. Northern and Northwestern Union, divided the river trade in order to prevent loss by too sharp competition; both ran boats from St. Louis to St. Paul. In 1871 the White Collar Line (Northwestern Union Packet Company) and the Northern Line agreed on a schedule of prices for the up-river trade; cut rates and war were thus forestalled. This agreement only lasted one year.
Early in 1873 the White Collar and the Northern lines were merged into one company, Keokuk Northern Line, with a capital of seven hundred thousand dollars and with John A. McCune president and W. F. Davidson superintendent. The Keokuk Northern Line waged war on all cities that charged wharfage; the courts had recently decided against the right of cities to make such charges.
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Source:
Oldt, Franklin T. History of Dubuque County, Iowa. http://www.ebooksread.com/authors-eng/franklin-t-oldt/history-of-dubuque-county-iowa-being-a-general-survey-of-dubuque-county-histor-tdl/page-26-history-of-dubuque-county-iowa-being-a-general-survey-of-dubuque-county-histor-tdl.shtml