Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1886-02-14
PLANS FOR ABIG STEAMER.
A Fine OrRft which spreckels a. Co Will
Probably Hsverhs Cramps Build.
From L1e PALIadeIpAla TIa.g..

From TIE Philddeiphid Times.
j. d, Spreckels, of the house Of j. D..
Spreckels & Co., San Francisco. and
President OF the Oceanic Steamsnip
Company, is at present stopping Al the
Continental hotel. He has come East ON
a business trip and is negotiating with
William Cramps Sons for the building of
q new steamship. The vessel is to be
4,0e0 tons measurement, $40 feet long, a
feet beam and 70 feet deep. She will have
2 capacity OF 200 cabin passengers and
100 steerage and will carry 1880 tons OF
freight. Mr.. Spreckles said that he would
also receive bids from the Harlan & HOll-
1ngsworth Company, of Wilmington, and
the Union Iron Works. OF san Francisco.
The Messrs. Cramp will have their bid in
by Wednesday and will probably secure
the contract, Mr.. spreckels being very
much pleased with their work.
The three vessels that are now running
on the line are the Alameda, Mariposa
and San Paul, each 5000 tons and all built
by the Cramps. They have been in SER
vice three years and have not cost the
company cent for repairs. They cost
$4lo,O00 apiece, exclusive of the furnish
ing. The Alameda last November beat
the lelandia, OF the rival English Steam
chip Line, 81 hours 20 Sydney, a run of
1,OOO miles. Whether the new steamer is
built in Philadelphia or Wilmington the
furniture aud uphOstering will be pur-
chased In Philadelphia.
The Oceanic Steamship Company carry
the mails between San Francisco and
New Zealand, for which they receive from
the New Zealand government $780, 900 a
year, the United States government nav.
ing them by weight only. The round trim
requires about TWO months and costs S45'-
600 per vessel. The average through
freight is about 800 tons on the outward
trip and about 100 tons on the return
trip. The average passenger travel is
about 80 cabin and 80 Storage passen.
gers each way. The cabin fare is 5000 for
local and $l45 for transatlantic travel.
the rates being lower on the transatlaptie
travel on account ofthe competition OF the
Suez Line. On the return trip the steam
ers stop at the Sandwich islands. from
which they carry freight OF sugar TO
San Francisco. MIR. Spreckels said that
the line Lost money by running at the
rates they did, but that they were com.
PEELED 70 do 90 I'm order 10 hold their sand.
witch island trade. The firm have -four
plantations az the Sandwich islands, EN-.
plOying about 1900 hands and from
which they expect % get 10000 tons Of
sugar this year. Besides their steamers
they employ rs sailing vessels in their
business. The sugar refinery with which
ne 10 connected employs 800 men and has
"A capacity OF 5000 barrels day.
Mr.. Spreckles is on his way 10 Wash
sngtOn, where be will endeaY0r 30 induce
The government 20 make contract WITH
him by which the company's c0mpensa'
ton for mail carriage will be increased
Hetbinks that SOC. mile per vessel would
De fair rate. He said that the English
government paid the United States gov.
ornment liked amount for carrying the
malls, Of which there WAS surplus every
year, and be thought that bis company
was entitled 70 a portion of that surplus,
as they were losing money carrying the
laiis % he prosentratcs.