The New Orleans daily Democrat. [volume] (New Orleans, La.) 1877-1880, 1878-07-28
NOTES FROM ALGIERS.
THE DRY BOOKS THERE AND A SHORT
HISTORY OF THEM.
some Facts I'm Connection with Their De-
struCtIOn During the war.

some Facts I'm Connection with Their De-
structIOn During the war.
| Prior to the war the dry docks Of this port
we're large source of revenue TO those inter-
| esed. Large dividends were declared by the
| stock corporations, and such was the press Of
| business four and Ave vessels being tied up to
each dock waiting their turn to be overhauled
that bonus Of $500 TO $1,000 was frequently paid
| by ship and steamboat owners for precedence.
These events however, belong entirely to the
| past, and the dry docks of the present day make
an entirely different showing.
| In conversation with gentleman interested
| in tho Marine book our reporter gathered these
| facts. Vessels OF moderate dimensions can be
overhauled on our docks as eheaply as In any
other port. but owing to n lack OF harmony be-
tween the dockmen. each is endeavoring to
underworld the other to the peguniary detri-
ment Of all. Some two years since. when the
association was In force, and when charges
were regulated by the MAJORITY &c the i4lGorpo-
but since that time the business has barely paid
expenses.
Our expenses. continued our informant, are
larger In proportion than the expenses OF other
cities, our ground rent alone being $3.50 a
month Even If the business was offered, we
are unable. owing to the size OF our docks. to
raise and overhaul the largest class of steam
boats and ships that come here Our docks are
too short and narrow, and the owners Of the
present docks have not the means to build one
capable of meeting the requirements of
LARGE VESSELS.
The aggregate cost of the present docks was
about $3.50 OeO Valeties dock, which Is the
largest, having cost about Sl80tg00.
The building of the Texas railroad will hurt
our business still more, rs large number of
small steamboats, will be taken out Of tho river
trade; What Ia needed here Is dock of the lar
gest Dimensions, managed on the same prinoi-
pie as those of New York.
In connection with this subject our reporter
gathered from Mr.. Til. G.. Mackie, of Afgiers,
formerly 2ir Of tho fin Il gae 4 Maclla. n@ners
OF the two New Orleans dry docks, some points
relative 10 the destruction OF the docks during
the war, At the time of their destruction there
were In active operation the two Louisianas.
two Pelicaus two New Orleans and the Crescent
docks. representing total loss of s56OOOo cap
On the evening, prior to that day in April,
1861. which heralded the arrival of the Federal
feet some fifteen or twenty men under orders
of Gen. Lowell, took possession OF the docks,
opa ned the sinking valves and after destroying
the hatehways left them to the mercy of the
water Mt Macke stated to them on their s ar-
partner, individually, while the others were
owned by stock corporations, therefore he
meno9 ha on P RSee o fn2sd s
the hope Of saving his docks by some
counter order from headquarters. Such. how
ever, was not his luck and his docks were sunk
with the balance, only one hour being con-
sumed In the total destruction Of all. After. my
docks had been sunk l agreed: said Mr.. Mac
kie. to give q diver named Scott 5000 II he sue
ceeded In raising the largest New Orleans dock.
which offer was accepted. Scott never made
the attempt ] suppose he was intimidated.
When Gen. Butler arrived we had several con
ferences with him on the subject. We
told him that we did not have
the facilities to raise the docks.
and he agreed to undertake the work for con-
siderable interest in the docks afterward, which
proposition having been accepted ended with
wards that the parties who were to undertake
the work for Gen. Butler wanted money In ad-
vance.
There we're two other docks here prior to the
war, the Gulf Line and Atlantic. Both of these
on the breaking out of hostilties were sold to
Atlantic went up the river to Island No. 10 and
was sunk by the Confederates, while the Gulf
Line dock was disabled by shots fred from the
bar and broke up.