National Republican. (Washington City (D.C.)) 1872-1888, 1873-03-14
GEORGETOWN'S BUSINESS
PREPARATIONS FOR COMING SEASON

AwnLIna from the Winters sIcrp-ActiVity
Of the ConI CompnnIc- Number Of Bont-
Engaged In the Trade Various Matters
Of Inicrcst.
After lapse OF several months, the busy
scenes Of Water street, Georgetown, which were
stopped by the cold weather and the freezing
over Of the Potomac river, viii be renewed
shortly, and the work for the spring will have
been fairy begun. All the different merchants
In the city are brushing up and preparing for the
spring with great earnestness, while along the
wharyes the sound Of hundreds OF hammers may
be heard putting In perfect repair all the neces-
sary appurtenances. No set Of business men
in this city are more busily engaged In prepare
ton than are the agents OF
THE VARIOUS COAL COMPANIES
who have large forces OF worklngmen employed
in trimming up for the great work before them.
The magnitude Of the coal trade In this city Is
something that but few people outside Of the
town are acquainted with, and yet Is the main
business in this District A brief resume Of the
trade will be interesting to the readers Of the
REruBiicAN, and below Is furnished history
CLEANED from oificial records.
ruE FIRST CUMBERLAND COAL
was brought into this market by way Of the
Chesapeake and Ohio canal In 1850 and during
that year the shipments by the canal amounted
to I,OI2 tons, and increased yearly until the
commencement Of the late war, when the ship
ments rcccded to lcss than 100000 tons per an.
num- At the close Of the late war the trade
again took a stand and during 1864 the ship
mcnts amounted to $4,000 tons, and continued
to become larger, until the total amount Of
shipped In 1871 was $4,000 tons, which made
this the most successful year In the history Of
the Cumberland coal trade, not so much In re-
gard to the increased business, hut by the open
ing Of
NEW CHANNELS OF TRADE.
In addition to the increase In this country there
has been large demand for this coal In the
West indies and South America, which markets
have heretofore been closed tOlt 10y reason Of
the extreme low prices OF English coal. During
the past year 5000 tons were shipped TO ports In
those countries from Georgetown, and so favor
able was the impression made by
ITS surERIoR QUALITIES
that large orders are now In hand for IT, ship
ment to Havana, 81. Thomas, Martinique, Oar
BADGES, Demarara, Asplnwall and other cOallng
stations In the West Indies aud along the South
American coast, which makes the prospects for
the coal trade with the cOastwisc cities better
than II has ever been before, while the high
price Of anthracite coal has induced the large
manufacturing interests Of the New England
States, as well as tho steamship companies, to
make
LARGE CONTRACTS
with the Cumberland coal companies for their
supplies Of coal In this city there are six COM
panies who have mines OF this coal, oil of which
have their regular line Of trade, and have all the
necessary arrangements for stocking their coal
and shipping the same, each having their full
force OF labOrcrs, &c. In the employment Of the
trade In Georgetown there are about
FIVE HUNDRED BoArs,
Of an average capacity Of llO tons each, aud I'D
to 800 sailing vessels engaged In the Coastwise
service. Al present no vessels drawing over SIX.
| teen feet OF water can get to Georgetown by
reason VI the shallOwness OF the channel, and
they are compelled TO finish loading N Alex
audra. In every case where coal was sent to
South America and the West Indies the vessels
loaded partly at Georgetown and finished their
| cargOes at Alexandria, where these companies
have branch yards; and II the coal trade OF
Washington and Georgetown Is to remain within
its present boundaries, II Is a matter Of vital
importance that
the CHANNEL or THE POTOMAC
at this point should he deepened and wldcncd In
order that the vessels now being built for the
coal trade, which are Of u much larger size and
draw q greater depth OF water than those now
IN use, can approach the wharves. The coaleTs
under construction are about 500 tons burden,
and draw from 10 to 20 feet Of water, while the
old vessels were about 800 tons burden and drew
about H.. feet Of water.
THE wHARF CAPACITIES
| OF Georgetown cannot be ONCelled, and are ample
to do all coal business required to be done hy
| the Chesapeake and OHIO canal, AMI with the
clearing out the channel Of Rock creek, as con.
tcmplated by the canal company the whole
water front Of this port can BIZ made available
for the use Of the coal trade TO any extent, ant
boats can then pass from the Chesapeake and
Ohio canal through Rock creek into the rlyel
without detention. with the opening Of the
canal business will commence promptly, as the
yards and wharyes Of all the companies are bare
Of coal and the supply Of vessels already here
waiting for their cargOes will be loaded at once,
and the excitement Of last year be renewed with
greater vigOr.
NOTICES OF NEW ADVERTISEMENTS.
Fred. KOOnes has money In sums to suit to
| liam