The New Orleans daily Democrat. [volume] (New Orleans, La.) 1877-1880, 1879-10-25
NEWS OF THE CITY.
PORT CHA.RGEB.
Az. Time Advances the Charges 81
Rhinpinr Grow T,aHa


Shipping Grow Less.
Within the past two years much has boon
vradually done to tighten the burdens % com
merce and facilitate the handling OF freight
Not very long since the charges attendant upon
entering and clearing the port were 70 exorbi-
tant as to discourage commerce and seriously
embarrass or curtail 1t. The number 81 State
and city functionarieH authorized to rule
against and Gs,struct craft was much larger.
their authority more extended and theft emolh.
mentH handsomer. Under lator governmental
authority hard pan" 10 II II called. had been
reached and official charges hnd come down
appreciatly. Apart from this. oommerc'al
competition had wrought its inevitable res".s
of reducing prices, 30 that the skipper OF four
years experiences nov - appreciabiy smaller
draw upon his resources. Tho facilities ny the
Whnryes are nlso more and better thHn they
were even quite recently but y IL yeI cute 90,
viops that they could 20 even iarther advanced
sfha fnarenaa Of tonnaRn now manifest In this
/. port and the still greater enhanoement ns
ed Yareuary y %" mnl1sr nj q saiine
crpft makes the subject Of changes an Import
ant one 10 the commercial interests OF New Or
ieans. Heretofore the masters of ships fire.
suentlY raised questions, and perhaps Justly In
IlanY instances. respecting the changes 70
which they were subjected. but lRtterly the sub
rraorAaK.
Every vessel reachipU u certain registered
tonnage is subject to ptotaEe. The cost varies
according to tho actual tonnage Of the vessel
but ~ either way out and VI 70 ABOUT W AVER
pilots at the mouth Of tho river. they own
their own boats and " from twenty to twenty
Aye mile! out tn aea u uusa, o. ,h Ssse mnS
bound u usually the fortunate one. and he
pilots the vessel till hn goes inaide tho bar.
petition between the pilots 10 sharp. md re-
duction below the usual rates frequently takes
place. Frequently the mastsrH OF steamships
charge Id the river TIL they reach the city, the
cost being 40 each way. The latter charge has
cxiated for years and la considered y fair re-
enumeration. hutthe former are somewhat below
what WAS originally imposed.
The average, quarantine charges upon ships
10 tn the neiRhborhood q TO- the criterion q
costs ia tho tonnage or tho vessel. hat this ~
regarded as the medium II u not a very heavy
charge, but masters u ahlps complain OF u.
holding hat the coat Of ais,niecton gould not
charged for anything further.
The cost of wharfage In also governed BY the
ae q tenn h anh aT 4 e9n,s
given period allowed for delay. Whom the time
consumed exceeds TINT stipulated. an add
uonal charge is imposed. but proportionately
less.
Heretofore the faes Ut those pet offices OF
the Executive were regulated by the tonnage.
and brought In u handsome income for small
services. II IL the nominal duty Of the hhrbor-
muster TO SOC every ship ~ we'll placed ~ pos
aihle, and that no unnecessary impeachment is
IN the way; but. rs these circumstances are. rs
il rule out OF hia control. he has little to do
with the matter. except To draw his twenty dol
liRr fee.
The price Of compromising Ia fifty centa u bale
without pulora. and sixty cents with them.
This has been the ruling prics Cor some time
past Notwithstanding the keen competition
among cotton press men.
The stawage Tor eArgoaa OF steamships costs
f1fty.fye cents, while that of sailing vessels III
about SIXTY. six. This work gives employment
10 d great many lHborers. and tho reason Of the
disparity III the price naid by steamships and
callers iE that In the former raae some steam
power ts used aR an auxiliary.
No indonsherable charge attached 90 sailing
vessels entering this port IL the.eOst OF
TowAGE.
Al couple of years ago as high M 81 per toI1kWRs
charged but the cost has since underwent re-
markahle dimtnutlon. The present year the
towhoat association opened with sixteen ~
and charging seventy five cents u ton. Capt
Cooper. who had run ono tug the year before nj
Hfty cents was encouraged to launch u second
this yenr at the satne price. and he WAS fol
lowed by Capt. Sturtovant. with tho Hall. OF q
like rate. This competition resulted In tho "a
Establishment OF q uniform tariff ct fifty cents
At which the tugs are now running.
There are many other but minor charges Mt
tached to shipping entering this port, but II will
be seen that. on the whole. there has boon a
gratifying reduction of the gross cost.