The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1894-08-04
COMPETITION IN TOWACE.
Movement on Foot 10 Organize a New
TOWbOat Company at Savannah.

IOWbOat Company at Savannah.
Secretary Goodman Of the Richmond
Towing and transportation Com
pany Here in the Interest of Such a
Projeot-His Company willing to
Take One-Third OF the stock-A Cap
itaI Of $50, 900 Necessary, the
Greater Portion Of Which, Il Is Said,
Has Already Been Subscribed.
Savannah is likely 70 have competition
in the towbost line this fall. Several
gentlemen are now engaged in the effort
70 organize a new towboat company at
this port, and the indications are that
their efforts may meet with success
Ii is said that the greater part Of the
required amount Of stock has been
subscribed, and that d sufficient num-
Der Of business men have been in
terested % assure the remainder The
report that such a company IS 20 be
organized is being discussed with
considerable interest among the business
men, especially those interested ia ship
ping, both directly and indirectly. The
fact that one company has had a mon
Opoly of this business for sometime, and
that IL is believed u have made a very
good thing of it, adds 10 the interest in
the effort TO organize a new company.
LOOKING ovER THE FIELD.
Mr.. S. Nj. Goodman, secretary Of the
Richmond Towing and Transportation
Company, has been in the city for a
couple of days quietly looking over the
ground TO see what Inducements there
are for new company TO enter the field.
Judging from the views which he has
formed since his arrival here, as ex-
pressed TO q MORNING News reporter, it
may be regarded as reasonably certain
that there will be another tOwbOat com
pany in the field shortly.
MIR. Goodman is nephew of Mir. Her
man Myers, and this probably led to the
report that MIR Myers was largely inter-
ested in the organization of the new com
pany. This, however, is a mistake. MIR
Myers stated in regard to the report that
he had no financial or other interest in
the company which it is proposed to or
Ranize, except in so far as to give his rela-
tive such information as he possessed
upon the subject as to the conditions
here.
THE PLAN TAKING SHAPE.
Mr.. Goodman, when asked what steps
had been taken for the organization of a
new company, said that the matter was
y
little 10 be said except in a general way
The attention Of the Richmond Towing
and Transportation Company, he said
had been attracted to the field He esti-
mated the capital stock required for the
organization Of the company at $50 600 Of
which his company is willing to take one
third. considerable amount of stock
has already been subscribed, he said, but
the subscriptions have not reached the
desired figure as yet.
SUBSCRIPTIONS OF $40, 900 REPORTED.
Mr. Goodman would not say how much
had been subscribed, but another infor-
mant reported it at $40O 0Q. Considering
the short time in which the matter has
been worked, it would appear that the re-
malnder Of the stock desired NAV be
secured without difhculty. With CAPT
tai Of $4,000 Mr. Goodman said that the
new company would be able to put in
three good boats here, which would cut
quite an item in the river transportation
of the port. Mr.. Goodman seemed to be
very favorably impressed with the oppor-
tunlty offered to new towboat company
at Savannah.
TOWAGE HIGHER AT SAVANNAH
THE tOwage charges are much higher
at savannah he said, than at either
Richmond or Norfolk Savannah has a
larger shipping business than either Of
these ports, but at both Norfolk and
Richmond there is active competition in
the tow boat line. Richmond has two
tow0oat companies and there are several
al Norfolk. Our boats are glad 70 get
loWage at ~ cents per ton and we tow an
average distance Of 40 miles for
this amount. Here / find the charge is %
cents per ton for distance Of thirtv-six
miles. We make a very fair proft at
our rates, and to disinterested
observer II appears that there should be
yery good thing in it for the towboat
people at Savannah at the same rate. as
the distance which il is required To tow
vessels IS very much less here Besides
the charges at Richmond and Nor
foIk, include dOckage free by the tow
ooats. while at Savannah tho charge for
oockaRe IS $40 in addition TO the tow
boat charges"
SAID TO MEET WITH APPROVAL.
Mr. Goodman said that at Norfolk yes
sels were taken out over the bar at an !
average charge of SIS, while at Savannah !
the same service costs $50. He said that |
the idea had met with hearty approval |
among. the shipping men, ali Of whom |
seemed TO be very anxious that a new !
company should enter the field. as IL is |
DelleEed that competition would greatly |
reduce the charge for tOwage at the port |
In the effort for the reduction of port !
charges which has been given such an |
impetus at Savannah lately. the toyyage !
charges have come in for considerable /
discussion, and the general idea seems !
10 De that such reduction is necessary ,
10 Keep IN line with other reductions |
which have been made MIR Goodman |
admitted that the advent of a new com /
pany would certainly mean a decided |
reuuctlon IN the present charges for .
towage