New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1880-05-23
TIE BUSY RIVER FRONT.
SIGNS OF CONTINUING PROSPERITY.

SIGNS OF CONTINUING PhOSfEhAAi
ACTIVITY IN THE FREIGHT AND PASSENGER TRAFFIC
OF THE STEAMBOATS, OF THE RIVER, SOUND AND
CoAsIwIsE LINEs-wHAT THE AGENTS SAY
SCENES ON THE CROWDED PIERS.
Few persons have any idea of the number
ofrver Sound and coastwise steamers plying between
New-York end the various ports within few hundred
miles; and still smaller number appreciates now large
business they do in freight and passenger lrac' AS
the afternoon draws to close the bells ana Whs'eS VI
the steamers are heard challenging and answering eacn
other from pier to pier, from Grand-st on inc East
River around the Battery and far up the Norm River
as Twenty hird-st Tic wharves are scenes oI psS am"
noisy confusion; but eud comes at last Inc l"s'
tardy uckluad is hurried aboard; peIateu passeus
Jumps ON from end of the pier and the gracelu craft
loaded down to the guards, swing into the srea per
hal abreast or close by rival boats with "heh 'ncS
race up the river or Sound.
1t having stated recently that the revival oi po
uelity boom had already begun to dwinule lhID-
uNE reporer was detailed Thursday to make lhqu-
re AS 10 the amount OF freight carried by steamers on
,he Uudson on the Sound aud the coaswise routes
in comnarson with that of the period in previous
years The freight agents generally were 100 Du! u
give any detailed statement, and Ill not nave tue e
so m, unt Of freight carried up date computed so as
70 be readily access BILE They were, however, with lew
exceptions, positive that their business for the period
since January l. $780, had exceeded that OF the same
perlod of year ago. and at some offices II was stated
that it had surpassed that of the corresponding months
| in any previous year
In ,ralknp along the river front one could not help
noticing the unbroken double line OF trucks tlat Hi
West and south-sts with day-long din, which. though
onnovs nervous people IL tie best KIND OF muse Ior
tbe business man. At many of the wharVeS iohg hhes
OF loaded wagons were waiting to unload; ana AT
Others the pier filed with trucks for removing IN
ward bound freight More signs OF prosperity were inc
nov, offices inst erected for some Of the lines or tie
newly rooted piers, with their display fronts Inc
steamers occupying berths the North River were st
| v.sj,cd The agent Of the Cromwell Steamship Com
many at Pier No. o, said the luc to HALIFAX nova
Scotia was carrying about the same quantity OF ircigh
as wear ago. The line TO New-Oreans was also uolhG
about the usual amount Of business for this time OF
year. II. F. Dmock, the agent of the metropolitan out
side line to Boston, one OF those WHO reported au
unfavorable change "Our freghtng business, lie Salu
.'is not quite as good year ago do not take an
unfavorable view Of the future but 1t seems to me ha
| the wave Of prosperity has subsidized Tor q "hile'
The low nrces Of goods and low freight rates caused
nv the cry OF good times have had the usual effects
| IN causing a relapse to dullness IN the market lou
! know that when prices high people are most
anxious 10 buy, and vice It's the same In the
freight business Our steamers sail every other day ana
carry large quantity of freight and raw ma
teriaI III which have to compete with sailing vesses
The agent Of the Charleston steamers, at Pier No ~
said Our freight is decidedly heavier than year ago,
but our rates lower so that we DO not make hueh
bv the increase in bulk We sending two steamers
eek with general merchandise to the South and they
bring back principally the staple southera prCducs
The Winter is the best season with us"
Atthe Fall River Pier No g. the steamer was nearly
ready to start the pier was crowded with Impatient
truckmen and hurrylng passengers and the agent was
almost too busy TO talk sure" said he, that our
line has carried much heavier freghts than year ago,
though could give the percentage OF increase We
are running besides two large seamers-the Bristol
and Provtdence-twO prOpcers, the City OF Ftchburg
and the City Of New-BedfOrd. Last year we only used
We ole mir he r.
| Al6atross from Pier No SO East River 70 New
Bedford large part Of our % frFhs snS
foreign goods On the return TRIP we oT9s cotton
The president OF the roSidenco and the stonlngon
Lines was found in his Office at No ~ Westst. To
the tN1 81 temporary u just at present our freight
frame has been much heavier than year ago we
number OF boats with fun cargOes" ooo,,,, ,,o
| slps on each side The Escort and the Vanderbilt run
to Catskll, Athens and stuyvesant and bring TO the
cog goods from A. T. Stewart Co.'s mills. The agent Of
The line said they were carrying larger freghts each
The steamers James W. Baldwin and Thomas Cornell
Pier No "a daily for E %TSg 70 k hs c SeS
quantities OF maple Tor chair-nakng and from June u
and November are their heaviest months and they have
brought TO market many sixy-nve tons OF butter
ad S been decidedly Se tier" than year
The agent Of the Minnie Cornell, which Is running IN
the place OF the Matteawan TO Keyport, n. j.. said
their business had Increased considerably THIS year
especially in down freight. Ihey e1IeGt lArRe ln-
crease soon from the fruit crops In NewJersey which
are promising. F., ,,., ,,..,..,
for PeeEsK and Raleigh for Nyack are controlled by
one cOmpany and all reported heavy reighs compared
" Pier No. IS also ia monopolized by river steamers
The clerk at Homer Ramsde's N'wburg limo said
We are carrying freight up, but less down, than
n year ago; still we arc doing good business. We
carry large quantity Of woolen goods soap paper
The steamer Ansona runs every other day TO Sanger
tea and brings large quantities OF blue stone, IRON
: | md Wild "a
ness caused by low prices He said their freRht' would
The agent OF the PougGkeepse steamers D. l.. Miller
and j. l. Hasbrouck SAID their freghts were fully as
Al the oice Of the Hudson steamers RedGed and Nc
anus the clerk reported better business than year
ago This line brings an average OF 900 bales Oi nay 10
market daily.
Iencd the agent Q, 1.-THE the PeGTl o Line to A1nHy
1t was better than lat Tine line brings large guam
The agent OF the Ctzns' Line to Troy said they were
carrying mere eSt than wSgf m9ans az F,ou and
Grecnwcats, the president said tile line wa carTyi nl
h"ats Of the line were running with ull cargoes.
: Mr. Bcgari, the agent OF NcwOrlcans and Texl'
steamers was found ut his Office ut Pier M. So lIC
said: Our freight was heavy during The Winter
y but light this SminG but our southwdrdbond freight
has been very heavy for the last six mouths. On &C
count OF the short crop, have suffered reduction o
about b % sg See5 n our w has esd o
y business. Our NewOreans trade is good The souti
q | We seldom have TO stop an order There ha
q not been more encouraging outlook since the war
u large vessels from . 200 TO 1900 The hcavles
" business Is from October to April when We ship GOO
deal of cement rail- Dad iron and general merchandise
~ the Norwich uc at Pier No 40 brings large quaniitc
! | OF Connecticut manufactures. our linc, the agcn
y said 10 doing heavy business much better than las
e year. Our boats carry full loads daily and We Otter
" have dispatch two boats Sunday TO clear up Tn
10 | freight accumulated the wharf or course our re
ceipts vary dhcrent days. You see there Is now n
- | OF trucks waiting as far up as Westinghouse"
" The canvass OF The East River front was more eas
~ made steamers stop that side Of lie city,
Coentcs slip the various piers had lively appearance
y On almost impossible 10 pass because Of tn
- large quantities OF -four piled on the wDarves. WOrkme
= ! we're busy in every direction unloading the barge
o. and canul boats which were packed close the Who'll
70 length OF the slip. The agent ~ Lloyd Murray's IrO
VI barges said their line had not done good busnes
, before years AT j. H. sarn's Il yer and IIarbo