The morning news., 1888-10-15
sAvANNAH's FRUIT TRADE.
A Line of Steamers Between Here and
Nicaragua.


Savannah will be well supplied with fruit
this winter. Arrangements have been made
by which bananas and cocoanuts will be
received direct from Nicaragua every fif-
teen days.
Bluefeld, Nicaragua is the nearest ba-
mana and cocoanut point to the equator
and the fruit is the finest in the world.
| New York and New Orleans alone have
been getting Bluefeld fruit heretofore, tut
by recent arrangements Savannah VIII
come into the field.
| Messrs Kavanaugh & Brennan, who
| have been importing bananas and cocoanuts
| from Cuba in sailing vessels, are
| the projectors Of the scheme For the past
eight months they have been in communica-
ton with Mr.. Rathbun, the head of one
Of the largest New York fruit houses, in re-
gard to the enterprise, and arrangements
have been perfected so that Savannah will
not be dependent ON Cuba. A steamer
with a capacity of 515 tons has been
chartered for the trade. She will make two
trips month and is guaranteed to bring
1000 punches Of bananas each trip. The
difference in the size of the fruit in Bluefield
and Cuba is noticeable when a steamer that
carries 10000 punches of the latter's fruit
can only carry 1000 punches of the former.
1T is big scheme for Savannah" said
MIR. Brennan, IAN enterprise which she has
slept over and grossly neglected"
New York has been getting the Bluefield
fruit and has been consuming all it was
able to get, but none of that fruit has ever
found its way to Savannah. New York
has supplied herself with Blueheld fruit and
second-class fruit only has been shipped
here.
In answer to a question as to when the
enterprise will be put into operation, Mr..
Brennan said, "As soon as we are able to
get the steamer from New York. This will
be about Nov. Is. Until then we will
import fruit from Cuba"
w bat do you propose to do with all the
fruit you get from Bluefield"
"Ship it throughout this state, North
Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee, Ala
bama, kentucky and to good many of the
western markets. We propose to ship ba-
nanas to Cincinnati, Chicago, ST. Louis.
Columbus and other large western mar
kets. Savannah is nearer these points than
New Orleans, and New York cannot place
fruit there at as low a rate as Savannah
can. Bluefield bananas will not cost more
per bunch than the Cuba bananas, although
they will be great deal larger. Savannah
is about the only point that will be able to
supply the country with Bluefeld fruit at
no greater cost than the Cuba fruit The
only reason why she will be able to do this
is that she has facilities unequaled by any
other point. New Orleans has territory
that Savannah could not hope to supply.
Savannah's territory will no longer be
supplied by New Orleans and New York
now that her facilities are so much greater
for handling it, Since New Orleans took
up the banana trade five years ago there
are 25, 600 people there supported by the
trade. There is no reason why Savannah
should not be benefited in the same proper
ton, and all the western railroads are max
ing US rates. The Central railroad and Savan-
nah, Florida and Western railway are at
work on rates now. The Louisville and
Nashville railroad and the Nashville, Chat
tanooga and St. Louis railroad have made
us special rates to Louisville, Cincinnati,
Nashville, Chicago Detroit st. Paul, Min
neapolis and st. Louis. They are interest
| ing themselves because they recognize what
an immense trade to the west
| Savannah will have. The steamer
| which we have chartered will never return
| to Nicaragua empty. She will always
have cargo Of goo1s for Bluefield. We
| have perfected arrangements with this end
| in view. Mr.. Rathbln, who has interests
| there, proposes to supply the laborers from
| Savannah This business itself is bound
| to increase"
| Mr.. Brennan stated that the steamer will
| ply between here and Bluefed from Nov. l
| to about May l. After that time Savannah
| will get her supply of bananas, which will
be second-class, from New York. He said
| if the business increased, as lie thinks it
will, more steamers will be put on next
|