Daily Republican., 1885-07-10
Steamboat W ar.
WHY THE FARE BETWEEN THIS
CITY AND PHILADELPHIA
WAS REDUCED BY THE
P. C. & W. RIVER LINE.

An article appeared in Thursday 3
Every Evening reflect ng on tho owners
of the steamers Brandywine and viii.
mington, stating that they are owned
in the greater part by the Pennsy lvania
Railroad Company, and last evening
Captain Horace Wilson, Of the steamer
Brand wine, who with his father owns
the larger part of both boats, called on
q reporter of the REPUBLICAN and made
statement to the following effect
"lt is very true that we have lowered
the fare on our steamers aud We are frank
to admit that We lower II. for the purpose
of cutting the Mary Morgan. Three years
ago we started the steamer Wilmington
between this city and PHILADELPHIA,
and run 1t until stoppsd by the ice,
thus giving the people of this city cheap
communication between here and Phil
adelphia, from the time navigation
opened until its close.
previous to this, the only communi-
cation by water was by the steamer
FELTON,, which did not commence run.
ming until June or July, and always
laid up in the Inter end of August, or
early part of September at the latest,
while the fare was 80 cents each way,
or 90 cents for the round trip.
Last year we had the FELTON,, Nor
wood and Mary Morgan to compete
with, but we succeeded In securing the
bulk of the passengers and keeping
down the fares, 30 that it was within
the power Of all who wished to enjoy
the trip to Philadelphia. During the
three years we have been running the
hau al hor do
night to establish it, and now that we
have it in good working order, and are
about to receive some returns for our
labor and the money invested, we do
not feel like standing calmly by and
see rival step in and gather what we
have sown. Had the Mary Morgan
came here at the commencement of this
season, when we were running the boat
merely for the xccOM mediation of the
public, we should not have said a word,
but as they have waited until the sea-
son is now at its height, and there is
some hope of making something, we
intend to oppose them by every means
In our power.
" The statement that we intended to
have raised the fares had it not been
that the Morgan came here, ia a lie from
the whole cloth, as such o thing had not
even been thought of by the owners.
Experience no doubt taught the owners
OF the Morgan last season that they
could not carry passengers at % cents
for the round trip, while we learned
that with the patronage we received,
we could carry them at that rate and
make q small profit. The statement
that the Penpsylvan Railroad Com.
pany OWES about q two-thirds interest
In the Brandywine and probably half
in the Wilmington Is false in every
respect, as the railroad company never
has, does not now, and never will own
any part of the boats Of this line. For
the first two years we were here the
railroad company tried hard to drive US
away, but finding 1t impossible to do 80,
have now ceased their opposition.
" Instead of the accommodations of
the two boats being 80 very limited, we
are able to carry 5000 persons each
way every day, which we think is
amply sufficient for the present. The
Wilmington and Brandywine are own.
ed by Company, who are amply able
to furnish all the backing necessary,
independent of the railroad company.
1t IL the intention of the Company to
furnish the best accommodations for
parties wishing to visit Philadelphia,
and to run their boats until stopped by
the ice.
They considered 40 cents reasonable
enough tor a ride OF 70 miles, and had
1t not been that another boat came in to
take their trade from them, the fare
would have remained at that figure
during the season. In conclusion, Cap
tain Wilson said that he believed from
the patronage they had received and
are still being favored with, that the
people appreciated their efforts, and
will continue to support them, not.
withstanding the false reports circula-
ted by interested parties