European Stars and Stripes (Newspaper) - July 30, 1978, Darmstadt, Hesse A View from the Bridge of the tug Baxter Southern As it _ in l "y0ft1Tl"eterson o 15-Barge Tow near Hannibal to. By Ivor Peterson new Vork times aboard the Baxter Southern on the Mississippi near St. Claude Sexton is used the skipper of a huge Riv a tug after All. Life on the Mississippi is piled to the languid Pace of the River and die stately Progress of the heavy Barge Flat carry Grain Down River from the Plains and fuel and chemicals North fro Mihe refineries and Ocean ports of the Gulf of Mexico. But there just above St. Louis Sexton Tad parked his three northbound ammonia fertilizer barges for More than two Days. Railing to go through lock 26. Hal he and other Barge operators be eve is too much waiting. But lock 26, the Twiest and most clogged lock on the Riv of has become a hostage in a Bailie in Washington a Battle Over the barges right Topsy the Rivers free of charge. Between locks dredging an Wannel markers the Federal govern ment spends about $400 million a year a maintain 15,000 Miles of Commer Oal Waterways and the Carter and Miou Inoa wants the Barge opera Itlo contribute. Ajust below the Confluence of them and Mississippi Rivers enters the Flora because the 15-Barge tows 1,000 no have to be broken into segments a through us 300-foot chamber. T Means Long waiting and the River a want a new lock capable of handling Utar Ges at once. The army corps of had planned to spend $421 Mil a Loc. Just below the present Alton 111. The country s railroads contending rive men have an unfair Adan up cause the government maintains it by Roadway without Charger meveral environmental groups in a a sat to Block the new lock and Ujj we hearing the suit in an interim required the corps of engineers to is Jefic authorization from con a to build the new lock. That Legisla s time the focus of president car i Jorta to have the first user fees Oon the favored an Amend if censored by sen. Pete v. Dominici. R-n.m., a Railroad that would impose user fees equal to 100 percent of the River maintenance costs and 10 percent of the Cost of new in May however an amendment by sen. Russell b. Long d-la., a Riv Erb Obj state was passed instead providing for a 12-Ccnl-a-gallon tax on the fuel sold to Barge operators. Administration critics argue that this would produce Only 10 or 15 percent of the maintenance costs. The House passed a similar fuel tax Bill earlier and the matter is now in Confer ence. Carter has said he would veto an legislation authorizing the new lock construction that does not include comprehensive user fees and the lock remains a hos Tage. The Barge operators Trade association Point out that the Northwest ordinance of 1787 prescribes that America s Inland Waterways shall be forever free without any tax impost or but they tacitly sup ported Long s 12-cent lax amendment. " is been mated hat the Moo Mil lion Washington spends annually amounts to a subsidy of 29 percent of Iho barges to Tal operating costs while the govern ment s contribution to the operation of rail roads amounts to just 6 percent. I think they ought to Settle it so it s fair for everyone said Sexton who has been Wilh the Southern towing co. For 16 of his20 years on the River. The important thing is to gel in settled so they can build the new lock and let everybody gel to we Don t lose any pay waiting at lock26, said David Osment a 23-year old apprentice Steersman. But if the company has to pay me Money to wait it could Hurt the company and that could Hurt us the gotta make Money to pay us Magazine that kind of concern Tor the company May not be typical of some Wor ung Man but then the Crew members of the Baxter Southern do not consider themselves to be much like people who live on the Thov work Day for Day slaying on Tsenver for a month at a time and earning a Day off with pay for every Day they Days an spent in six hour watches broken by like periods of easy going bore Dom. Mrs. Donna Barnes who has been a riverboat Cook for six years and likes the Job dishes out huge meals at 530 . 11-30a.m. And5 30p.tn. A recent meal loaded the Mes room table with steaks mashed potatoes Lima Beans baked Beans grits boiled carrots fresh baked Rolls and butter plus various pickles relishes and bottled sauces iced Tea no alcohol is allowed on Board. Mrs. Barnes Don t say much but she can Cook Dean Hudson the Pilot said. The Baxter Southern like most Large River tugs has a guest suite Complete with a dressing room and make up Mirror forgives who sometimes accompany i hair husbands on t he boat the company s pretty Good about wives a Riverman known As Arkan Sas drawled in a booming smoke cured voice. They re pretty Good if it s Legal but no girl friends. If they let girl friends on shoot the Boal d go crazy " the company evidently allows wives inboard to combat the Long separations thai life on the River entails now Sexton stands in the wheelhouse where there is actually no wheel Only Hydraulic Tiller bars and watches his 17-year-old son Claude Byron learn the difficult task flashing the barges together he is not entirely Happy that the boy Ison the River. I Don t want him to be. But it looks like he s going to the captains id. If it was t that hell be away from his family when his kids Are growing up i would be All right. But hell be gone six months the year if he stays on the River " if is Juht a j ,. At a on iii., As one Large Tow passes through others lock and dam 20 system july 30, iwo the stars and stripes Page 9
