The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1876-03-12
A CANAL CAPTAINS PLEA,
REASONS THIT HE GITES ron NEW
IOKk,N LONA OF com " LhNL.

! the NfldN.iN ttliNtitih l interest Oh Now 1ofk
city" said a veteran ctnal-boht Captain, q" iust
| follow ne to the dry docks. thence to the At
lautic Hl-n Bro0ilyn, to- GoWanu- canal. and
| then Co the cast and west Shore Of North Rive.
/ Looh there pointing To- the HIS in tie neigh.
| L0thood q the Department Of Docks, where lay
a dozen OF more idle crafts "why, only few
years ago II was impossible to gain admttance
to theso slips, they were so crowded and now
YOU see that they are not half filed. The causes
! that have produced This condition are manifest
10 every man who has interested himself at all
| I'm the pros perty Of ourCiiy EXorhilant charges
meet the trader on every hand from the moment
that his vessel arrives In port until it, departure,
and he l. haunted by them after he has sailed
away. So he Is constrained 20 carry his come
moditles to other cities. Canallers are no longer
able to make more than bare living from the
low ght rates that ie paid fortfansportation.
after tie toll collected by the state, the insur-
ance premiums the cost Of wharfage and eleva-
ton have been extracted from his earnings.
canal-boat captain could not pay the cost Of his
! boat IN twenty-five years under the present sys-
TEN. and in that period his craft would have
been worn out and abandoned twice"
In brooklyn the captain led the way to the
Of white-decked canal boats, and said, pointing
| 70 th' many uno,Vuitu spa. es' lh'rr JOCKS
| chow not half the ACTIVITY OF a few wears ago,
and each sensou the condition Is growing more
| diSc"uiaHinE ! VIII give you an idea OF tho
| business Of canalng
Tnr CANAL BrsrNrss
"Sav, Tor instance, we begin with the recep-
| tion of a cargo ut grain by a shipper In buffalo.
! This shipper will not deal with the canal men
| himself hut all the business Of selling his grain
and shipping IL h. done 10y what we call -ralpers.
! The -Dalptr goes tu the shipping mer, liant aud
contracts to ship the cargo - New York paving
! To- the latter from so 10 SlN according to- tho
rates of freight. for the privilege Of making tho
| shipment. Then he makes contract with tho
| canal man and advances sufficient money to him
10 cover the cost of in-uian' e, OH ana he gem
| cral EXPENSES OF the boat ON its trip Tor thi7
! advance he receives per cent Of the amount ~
the freight over and above the toll. The Buffalo
banks advance the money that the scalper
needs ON the bill OF lading that he shows,
and 'larse from - IT, 20 per cent. Interest
to pay Tor the certificate of insurance attached
60 be hin Of ading. and tie hanks rui! NO risk,
ms the insurance company pays Tor all losses
thai M, orcnr ON the irir cSceednc So So
which the shipper, the .calpcr. and the banks
are concerned, each obtaining eXtortons Ivy
ds-ire l. The nnli hilrnf of The once uf uiidie-
men Of every Kind, so that we may deal directly
with the shipper. Asit Is, the boatmcn are bled
at every VEN, and they have 20 .pay mt The
rate, then the toll cNactod 10y the state. the
trimming and loading of the grain al Buffalo,
AT Nov AOrt. half the cost OF elevation. Tie liar-
hpr Masters Fee rrd. last, they are ohIi -cd to
make good any -hriuiage or shortage in tho
cargo. Ia Buffalo the elevators. tnir>-two in
number. are owned 10y nu ns-o"iution. ana willis
only about ten OUT ut the thhty-two machines
ARE regularly employed the earnings of these
tom are equally shared among the owners OF the
~ Hle. and thus il is nece--aN to exact high
I'VE are Threatened hy . danger from the
North in tie opening oi tho NellWd Canal in
srls going l5 that ctiiL will have q carrying ca
paci'y Of 5000 bushels, while the Eric Canal
hIsu- can carry only about ,,tpu bushels. The
high toll ON DIR canai viii tend imm,naely 10
divert trade To- Canadian waters. the canadian
Whose cargues is destined to United States