Telegram-herald., 1891-10-22
BOATS FOR lHR RIVER
Fhs Board Of Trade Takes Dsfiaits
Action.
FREIGHT RATES NUST co DOyy
the ahaissw Gsand viii be Osspsaea in
kssPsnse ts DssaA as for = kAvlgaeis
ssrsA@-A sssA nal boat 1eNPssy
- be Organised

AT a meeting OF The Board OF Trade
s.cld Tuesday vse1ang The commit1ee
On traasporla t4on reported a. follows:
Your COMMITTEES would report that
rAs Necessity sor building a boat suit
very great. Ne have been dlscrlmin-
ated aga-lst by the raEroads until
We can endure St no longer. other
cjties are given Chicago Rates On South
aud West bound freights. while We
are compelled 10 pay an extra rate.
The recent reduction on freight 10
and from the East should have been TO
% per Cent. instead vi 80 per cent.
of the Chicago rate. Things have
come 10 such a serious condition that
when factory burns down IL -
not Rebuilt, and should one become
embarrassed, IL Is closed forever. Our
capitaiistf and property owners
should awaken 10 the fact that the
source OF their income is in danger.
and they should aid US, by the most
i1beral contributions, in our fight for
cheaper transportation. Turning our
attention TO the river, we find "a
neglected stream, navigable at all
times for boats drawing % inches of
water. II such a stream WAS situated
in Europe near some OF the inland
manufacturing towns, the people
would almost worship II. 1t would
be dredged and made navfgable, and
even the banks would be paved. We
on the contrary, sit here quietly wait
ang for the government to help us.
hn ID
him who helps himself was
never more applicable. II we go ahead
and snow that there is Il large traffic
on the river we will get an approprf
alton for dredging our river speedily.
To accomplish these results we must
have boats suitable for shallow water
navigation. and supply them with our
freight. This course offers relief from
the exactions of the railroads and
opens up new era Of prosperity for
our city. The progress of modern
science in the construction of steel
boats offers a solution of the problem
of shallow water navigation. A boat
of steel can be bnilt which viii draw
only fourteen inches of water when
light, and but twenty inches when
loaded, carrying $50 TO 200 tons OF
freight and with a speed OF twelve
miles per hour, having a length ~ 80
feet and 30 feet beam, with double
stern wheel and an upper deck for pas
sengers at a cost OF about $4,000.
BY means OF such a boat we can have
daily communicable. with Lake Michi-
gan, making connection with lake
steamers for Chicago, Milwaukee, Buf-
faio and all lake shore points. We
have before us the figures OF freight
rates showing that waterway and
rail rate between here and New York
viii save our merchants an average OF
iifteen per cent. on the lowest all rail
rates now in force, and. as soon as n
river steamer Is put into commission
a similar reduction OF rates will be had
on west-bound freight. We have mace
careful inquiries by correspondence,
and have had the pleasure OF meeting
Capt. Goodrich and the officials OF the
Transportation Company, re-
sulting In receiving valuable informa-
tion and much encouragement in our
proposed undertaking with promises
OF pro rating arrangements for an
equitable basis. Your committee
would therefore recommend that a
stock company with an authorized cap
ital stock OF $4,000. be at once ar
ranged for the purpose OF operating a
daily steamboat line on Grand River
between this city and Grand Haven,
the stock 10 be subscribed for by our
and merchants. and by
such of our spirited citizens as may de-
sire to assist us in the enterprise"
The report OF the committee was
adopted.
A subscription book was opened and
the following names and amounts sub
scribed: II. Leonard, Sons & Co., $500:
Sigh Furniture Company, $500.
Lemon, Wheeler & CO., $500; Rindge.
Bertsch & Co., $500. +. c. Miller.
500. Several gentlemen present prom-
iaed to subscribe after comforting with
other members of their firms. II is
the general opinion the $4,000 will be
raiped within s,ne week. c. r. Judd
and N. A. Fletcher were appointed TO
hook up the legal points necessary 20
tho organization OF company. and
c. II. Leonard, c. r. Judd. A. s. Mus
s. A. Lemon. Charles Sigh,
l.. c. Stow. I. C. Levi. Thomas Hef-
fcron, Henry Spring and q. W. Per
kins were named as a committee 20
solicit subscriptions for stock In the
new company.
Samuel lemon presented the follow
ing preamt!cs and resolution which
was adopted unanimously:
Whereas. the manufacturers. iobbers,
and merchants of this city, through
their representatives, the Jrsnsports-
ton Compsny of the Grand Rapids
Board of Trade. have failed 10 impress
the railroad companies centerng In
Grand Rspids with the fact that the
steadily increased freight rates bv muni-
pulation of the clsssfactioBs has seri-
ously affected the industries Of our city,
And Whereas. said railroad compan-
les discriminate against our manvfac-
turers, jotbers, and other merchants in
not putting this city on a proper per-
bases to and from the sea
board,
And Whereas, said railroad companies
seem TO be indifferent 10 the fact that
in Illinois and Wiscon-
sin, situated at about an equal distance
from Chicago as We are. ENJOY Chicago
rates 90 the West and TO the South,
our manufacturers TO pay
an excessive arbitrary rate 70 Chicago.
And Whereas, said railroad compsn-
les discriminate against the msnufac-
turers OF this city in favor Of nnanufsc-
turers situated at other points on their
respective roads by subjectiug our man
ufacturers o. the rules Of ihe Grand
Rapids Weighing and Inspeesson Bn-
resu and allowing manufacturers in
other towns 20 So 2 out their own pro-
duet ~ lower clsssifactlons and ct less
weight.
Ard whereas. ssid rsIirosd corspa-