The New Orleans daily Democrat. [volume] (New Orleans, La.) 1877-1880, 1878-04-07
amt factors in the business, and serves to begin

the Legislature i introduced o bill providing
for an extension OF the lease OF the New canal
by this same question OF return freight: all our
vessels taking back frequently. full cargoes Of
lumber. from. the border of Lake Pont-
b supplied by the bill won eyenu lily secure
| for New Orleans the larger portion Of the lum-
Der trade carried on by Florida, and o en- now
this has been done to q large extent because
the vessels having freights bon ways. viii ure.
| fer coming here. The extension OF the leafe of
the canal was to have been granted on condition
that the essees would dredge tho New canal 10
n uniform depth of eight feet at least, and max 9
other improvements that ~oulu Invite the ruit
| CARRYING vessels to use the canal. The canal
tolls and towage were reduced 50 per cent
y Do these VESSELS carry back anything but
lumber
A.~On the contrary; we ship from here large
guam tiles of flour, hams and all kinds Of West
q g n you not chip by way of the river as
| chsaply as by the New Canal2
A.-No: in the case OF lumber the carriage
alone makes q material difference. It was my
charees for nilotsee by The river Witch is nb"t
| - 25 per drawing foot, whether the piHt goes on
boardor not. and the towage fees, which are
down, for which there Is no necessity II the
yes els come in by way Of the lake and New
| canal. You can calculate the saving upon q
tons. That was why wished to obtain an OK
emption Of pilotage fees on all vessels draw
Ing not more than eight or ten feet, and with
| not apply to foreign ships, the opposition of
the brunch plots ceased.
Q-Mr. Berry how is the demand Tor fruit as
compared with the supply
Al was about volunteering the answer.
The demand Is greater than the supply. more
this say nGs fr Wars ny q the
tho hurricane OF last year.
| This. interview occurred partly In the pres
ence OF gentleman well known in this city for
| relations and OF which he has made special
study for many years. He volunteered the
during tne eonyse Yer mat u T. WE
| should Discriminate In the enforcement Of its
rules between merchandise capable Of being
infected and that which Is not. lest this branch
Of our commerce. might receive fatal blow.
Q-ls 1t established, sir. that fruit Ia not ill.,
At is established. And there is another
at the point Of shipment: Tho v. sses might
keep off shore dis'ance Of two miles say. and.
after pumping out all their bige water and be-
ing thoroughly cleansed, they might take In
their cnrgoes on ligh ers.
cHAs. H. seHENcK.
This gentleman also carries on very extern
alve fruit importing business at No. II South
Front street We met bin at bis store, and on
terng into conversation with him on the sub
jet. found him well disposed to give all tho In
formation he could.
Quest ion-Mr. Sehenck how will this fumga-
ton act upon the fruit trader
IL
at u time that it Is acquiring very large pro
portions. but it wi II al o injute our prospects
of u growing interchange of merchandise with
the south American coast and the fruit u owing
islands, to which we are now shipping at least
| some lumber and Western produce by every re-
turn schooner; We frequen'y ship 'hese goods
| ut our own risk. and here is an invoice consist
ing of flour. beans. coal oil and sundry other
articles, amounting to over $1,000 for my share.
dir posed Of In the Bay Islands. Very recently
q cargo OF 1000 barrels hae been sent to Jamaica
by one of the fruit importing Vessels.
Q.-How were the rules OF quarantine for
A-Well, sometimes the fruit, which Is not
infectious, had to be taken out Of the schooner
bringing 1t to this port and transferred to
barges or other vessels. but 1t never was fumi-
gated. Fumlgation In my opinion. will render
the fruit yalueless. or nearly so: and In this
connection will say that we have sent some
punches OF the green bananas imported by the
Dyer to Gov. Nichols. to show him that green
fruit will be- affected as we'll as ripe by fumiga-
Q.-How much was the cargo OF the Dyer
| sold for2
A.. 1t was sold for about 5000 and was worth
$4,000 and the only reason wby it was sold for as
much was because Of the great scarcity OF fruit
In the markell Rather than have nothing for
| tae the fruitereIs took UP the fumigated
Q.-wbat is the Importance of the fruit trade
OF New Orleans with the West?
Alt Is In this proportion. Out OF every five
Chicago, st.. Louis. Louisville. Cincinnati.
Nashville and other cities. Formerly the mar
kets Of the West were supplied from the asst
and by the steamboats, plying on the Ntssis-
sippi. the barkeepers on which would metimes
carry one hundred lunches Of bananas at trip.
Now they buy very little. and only to supply the
smaller towns on their way up.
Q.-What is the cause of the cnange?
A.-Ihe new mode of shipment. which.
think. was the first to inaugura'e, abou seven
Louis and Chicago Railroad. who now afford us
ev ry facility to s. nd our fruit northward,
They have built special cars and run them
way maniiests Its desire to propitiate the trade.
,Q..Do the health officers quarantine fruit In
the East. I'm ports
observation; they do not interfere with coffee
cargoes at Baltimore or Phiadelphia;
, we e3 fn tba ws the Atlantic ports in
Ayes. and that Is the reason our trade Is
growing SO much in Importance.
Q..Can you give nae some data on the sub
A-CertaInly. The trip to New York for ex-
ample, is longer. and let US take the article ba-
81 50 and s. per bunch. The freight 70 Nav
climate Of New York. in winter the fruit often
q Ss r. TIP hs iF%lt Is spoiled l. VAIN WIN
IH has t. b carefully pscksd
rates from New York to Chicago are 80 cents
per 100 pounds. whilst oranges In boxes weigh
ing seventy nve POUNDS are conveyed from
New Orleans to Chicago at As cents per hox.
and by river steamer it is only Is cents per box.
and sometimes as low as 10 cents.
The car rates on bananas from New Orleans
to Chicago Is only sl20 car. and to Louisville
800.
Q...Can anything be done to further improve
A-Yes a good deal. All that we need is capt.
tai. With capital we could command the en-
tire trade of the West by the establts hmen' of a
steamship line from Sicily and the ports in the
Mediterranean.
Q-Could they get return freighte2
A.-Most assuredly. They could take back
cotton and everything else that is shipped from
this port to Europe.
MR. A. J. GoM1LA OF GORDON d GoMILA.
produce and commission merchants. was also In:
terviewed and after he reporter had introdu ed
the matter by referring TO the action Of the
Board OF Health and The protes st made by he
fruit dealers. Mr.. Gomila said: "Before the war
New Orleans had a large trade with the Bay
and West India Islands. but subsequently and
in consequence of the war this trade was lost.
NJ, vor I.I