, 1874-05-18

ParslmoniouB mud negligent corporations.
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GRAIN IN NEW YORK H1RDoR,
Tho newspapers Of New York are at last irwin
some attention to tho wro.ched provision mad
thcre for handling grain received both by rail al
canal Grain received by canal in tho larbor
NO" York is kept in and sold from the bouts, ii
stead OF being put in elevators. Tho boat,ao
exact heavy tux for demurrago, amounting t
Several timos the ratio OF storage in an elevator
When loud is sold. tile canal-hoat has to b
towed to tho place ct delivery, and this businos
OF so"ago being monopoly. tho charges arc OK
eessivo. Tho dolay Is long. tho exposure Of th
grain to the woathor is damaging, and the OK
pense is enormous. all Of these things migh
be obviated by putting tho grain in ator,
on lts arrival, and by it's salo and delivery frou
lilo warehouse. The difference in the pctua
coas would DO nh average Of 8 or contt
hushel. Tho present mode of doing brsines.
Is primitive; it is but ono degree adyanoed from
The old modo Of selling tho grain ou
OF the boat by the half busllel or peck mems
uro. Tho provision for receiving aud handling
grain BY rail is ovon worso than that for recepEs
BY canal. Tho grain is received at tho Wost in
consignmentH OF tive. ten, or twenty carloads.
Iheso oars start from tho place of shipment to.
goshor, but arc liablo at my point to DO aoparat.
Cd, and one CIR may got to tho New Jersey ter
minua week before tho otheru. It ia mt until
all tho chrs Of each consignment are received at
the railroad terminus that they Gun be dis
charged. There may be 200 cars waiting iu the
yard ut New York, and tho conaignee may have
to hsh out from these Ills five cars Of wheat, !,
Which havo arrived on different days, and got
them together. Tho rai1road then proceeds to
deliver, which it doea by the following PROCESS :.
hofse8 arc attached to oach cur, and haul it up
on an elevated trostlo-work. under which scow.
or barge, or other vessel, called o lishtor, ia
placed; men then got into the car, and shovel
the grain into spout, which carries it to the
lighter below. Whom ono cur il thus discharged.
the horses pull another up on tho trestle-work.
and tho operation IL repeated. When the whole
consignment is thus put On tho lighter, tho eor-
vices OF tho towboat company are oallol into
rcquaition, and tho lighter with it's load is tug.
ged away to aomo warehouse dock in BROOKLYN.
or to tho sido Of some ocoan-going steamer. or
over to New York, to wait for ealo, the cost Of
this proceeding being very heavy. This busi-
ness is attended with aome remarkable contin-
gencies. Tho capacity of tho largest ligltors is
5000 bushels. The consignee Of five cars hna
bis pilo put in ono place, and tho load Of tho
lighter may bo made up OF four or five different
'onsisnmonts. Tho grain ia sold On 'Chauge to BIZ
delivered, but tho lighter will not deliver any un.
I'll the whole Ia so1d. Tho owner Of ono-half the
load may bo anxious to sell while the owner OF
'ho other half nay rant to Tait. In tho mean~
lime the lighter charges domurrago. The grain
on Lighter may bo sold in several lots to bo de-
|ivorod on as many different steamers, lying at
various po!nts in the harbor. lilo time for a
steamer to tako in cargo IL always
United. Some stoamers aro only allowed
'evcnty-two hours in which to discharge and take
N cargo. Tho result IL that lighter may hayo
'rain on board, part OF whlchie sold to 20 On ono
teaner md part on auotlor steamer living 4
niles away, and both to sail about tho same
imo. It IL no unusual thing to have ffteon or
"onty liglters at the side OF u steamer at the
ame time, rafting to put on board its loud, or
art Of load. Daylight, therefore, is all too
hort for this kind OF busincsH, xnd it ia carricd
IL all through the night at double price. 4
ghtor having three or four lots on board has to |
9 hauled about tho harbor during day or
light to deliver thoao to tho several vessels OH |
'hich IT las to 10 shipped. 4 yeaHel tskiu 40.
10 bushels, furnished by only nix lighters, hau
pay for llshtera.e 52< cents per 100 pounds |
Or Ighterago ind weighing. If tho lighter Ia |
elayed, there 10 an additional charge tor do. !
surrsge, aud If the work Ia douo by night tho
ostls one-half moro. Tho vosscl must snil m
mo, and IT, as it ofton happcnH, thoHo
ghters cannot delivor tho grain in timo
10 Hteanler salla without 1t, leaving
10 Rollcr who promised to delivor to tako lia
naold grain, subject TO u ohurgo OF y; oone l.
ny pcr bl,shel for lomurrage. Theso olarrea
nd c1aotions are all taken ont Of tho price Of
10 wheat. It doos not aoen1 to have over occur-
VI to tho Now York trade to have lighters 10
rgo TINT ono or two could furniHh tho entiro
al to any ono steamer, nor to havo lighters
Fovldod to supply each line OF steamers carry
'e gF"ln' This UouM obviate many Of tho do
1e aud cut on many Of tho charges. But that
"y DO ths reason why no reform or improve
ent IL over attempted,
All this. to speak mildly, ia simply alserac.ful
tho grant City Of Now York. That o,ty m.kou
ofe profit out Of the clArgos for ligl1tsrsao,
anlng, aad domu1rxyo Of tAs boats than It aoos
tho buying aud selling Of grain. A yerq
Fgo portion Of the expense OF h.u1lns tbs |
ES!n In Now York Harbor could ba ohv;.to,
building elevators At each railway tarmi-
as, and by tho delivery Of sraiu on boan,
vaaasla diseot tsom thsss elevators. Il
shh dsatsoy III ssohupely and tha