Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1869-01-11
The Annual Meeting of the Americ;
Nteam shin Compauv

The Annual Meetin. Of the American
Steamship Company
The annual meeting of the stoc kholders and
directors of the Merchants Steamship Com
papy, New YORK, Alexandra, and George
town Incl was held on Saturday evening at
the Board of Trade rooms, Mr.. John T.
Mitchell presiding, and J. L Gait secretary
pro TEN.
The first business presented 10 he meeting
was the annual report OF the President of the
Company, MIR. J. W. Thompson. in which he
cOpgTatulates the stOckh olcers on the success
OF the company durIDg the past year, and says
The present annual meeting of the COM
pany Is held under circumstances even
nOI- auspIci0us for its stability than at
the close Of the first year OF It's existence.
IL Is trDe that the Incorporating op-
position then alluded TO has not ceased No
suggestion having IN view arrangements mu-
tuaIIy advantageous 20 the competing lines
bas met with favor from our competi5 orS
Their ann seems to oe The overthrow and sn-
utilization OF this company. But their un-
weariSd efforts tO accomplish this ungpner,us
purpose have only had the effect of disclosing
TIER own weakness whilst developing cur in
cIsasIng strength.
ErsighIs to and from Esx York have been
redo 81 from time 10 time by our opponents
until, ia many cases. The prices asked by them
Will not pay the cost OF handling the mer-
char disc transported. They have added 10
their line an adGl;IOual ship, borrowed from
the Norfolk line. = hICh has enabled them To
prs though not 10 perform, two trips per
week, and have IesOTted To other coutrivances.
some OF them not of tie most scrupuions
character, IL order 10 sff'Ct iniurIously the
business Of the company But our customers
RENE mberinS the past. have generally re-
manned firm giving a preference to our
steamers, and So long as they shall thus con-
sui, their own interest We shall have no
reason 10 app pre- bend that we cannot compe:e
successfully with the formidable rivals who so
earnestly seek our destruction. IL would be
Irrational to suppose that sagscious business
men. " no have heretofore suffered from the
high prices and irregular deliveries of "A foreign
monopoly. can BE- now inveigled INTO such a
bestowment Of their patronage rs would IN sure
the II StOTatiCn of that monopoly. and again
subisct item to its Inordinate eXactions.
The report then praises the motives of our
de alers who have not patrOnIZsd The oppos itiOn
line. ard pays special compliment to the
merchants Of GeorgetoUn. who have shipped
by the Merchants line during the past wear
over sixty thousand barrels of flour, besides
grain and other produce. II then spaaks of
the increasing trade between New YORK and
the District. and saws: The benefits Of the ex-
pansiOn of this trade. in enabling our mer-
chants to purchase supplies from first hands
instead of paving commissions and profits TO
agents and second-class dealers, being shared
ty all classes Of our citizens in the proportion
atsiy reduced prices a. which they obt,in
many of the comforts and a. csssaries of life,
Tenders more aud more manifest the utility,
cot say indisp eusability cftois line of steam
ers 10 the commercial interests OF the national
capital, and hence its increasing popularity.
The following table shows the RATES OF freight
charged by the Opp sirion Iiue prior to the
organization Of IN" Merchants line. and their