New Orleans Republican. [volume] (New Orleans, La) 1867-1878, 1870-12-27
FLOATING wHARvEs.

The following suggestions have been
handed to IA by the writer, with a request
for publication. The views may be found
worthy of consideration:
Mr. Alfred Shaw. Administrator Of Public A.
counts
DEAR SR-The wharfroom question has
been 50 agitated Of late by steambOatmen
and railroad men that it has set my wits
going. and, believing it the duty of o good
citizen to contribute something to the gen.
eral welfare of the community, propose to
give my mite of ideas on the all-important
demand of commerce-mOre wharf-rOom.
1t is to the interest of the city to encOur-
age both the railroadmen and the steam.
b0atmen. We want more railroads and
more steamboats,, and We must foster them
by furnishing them with greater facilities
for receiving and discharging their freight.
To give them these additional facilities l
would suggest
First. 4 second story wharf for light
freight and small packages. This second
story wharf could be built upon the present
wharves.
Second. Floating wharves for heavy
freight and live stock. and freight TO be re-
shipped from steamboats, to ships or from
ships to steamboats,.
The floating wharves could be constructed
to facilitate the leading and unloading OF
such freight as sugar, mOlasses, salt, lard,
tobacco, live stock, etc.
The floating wharves would cost the city
nothing, and might be made q source OF
revenue The salaries Of few floating
wharfmasters and policemen, to regulate
the wharves. would be the only charge on
the city, and a small tax on each wharf
would more than pay that charge.
Private enterprise would build all the
floating wharves required. But the city
should furnish the plans as to material, size,
shape and depth, etc.
No monopoly or exclusive privileges
should be granted; but competition should
| be invited and encouraged, and no one
| should be compelled by any regulations to
use the floating wharves.
| Before closing, would suggest few OF
| the advantages and uses OF the proposed
| floating wharves:
A ship arrives with immigrants who wish
| to go West A floating wharf is taken
alongside the vessel, receives the immi
! grants and their baggage, and transfers all
| to the steamer bound West.
! A ship arrives with cargo OF salt. A
| floating wharf takes the salt from the yes
sci. and. at convenient times, distributes il
| to steamers bound up river.
| Steamers arrive with -four, bacon, sugar
whisky, etc, to be reshipped at this port
| Floating wharves receive the freight anC
take it alongside the sea-going vessels. 2
All cotton ia brought to this port to bt
| reshipped, and it is, therefore, unnecessary
to land it. 1t could be put on the floating
| wharves and taken to floating cotton presses
compressed and taken alongside the vessel
to be loaded.
A steamer arrives with lot Of hogs
sheep or cattle. With a very little trouble
or expense they could be put on f1oatinn;
wharf and taken to the stock landing q
slaughterhousc.
Grain. in sacks or in bulk. could be trans
ferred, at very little expense, from tn
Western steamers and railroad depots t
the sea7going vessels, by means of the float
ing wharves.
Railroads could establish their principa
freight depots above or below the city, ol
the levee, where they would have NOR
room, and, by means of the " floatin,
wharves," receive their freight from an
distribute their freight to the steamers an
vessels in port.
For the privilege Of using the foatin
wharves,' the city should insist on one pre-
viso: That they be constructed by our ow'
mechanics.
Hoping that the above suggestions ma
be deemed worthy of consideration. | re
main. Yours truly, w. Is.