The record-union., 1895-08-26
MUST ABANDON RIVER COMPETITION
If the LaRue Proposition Should be
Adopted.
That Is, at Least to All Points North
Of Sacramento-So Says Cap
tain Roberts.

| Captain J. II. Roberts, President Of the
at present engaged in preparing a sum-
mary Of the business of his company for
the information Of the Railroad Commits
sioners.
The old steamboat manager views with
alarm the threatened reduction of rail-
road rates, which would of necessity
compel reduction in rates for water
transportation, and the Captain AYERS
| that the business has already suffered all
the reduction it can possibly stand.
NOW, look here" said Captain Rob
erts to a RECORDUNIoN reporter who
had interrupted him in his labors. 81
want to show you something about the
shape we're in TO stand any further cut
ting of rates. rll give you few facts
which 1 am getting into shape to lay be-
lore the Railroad Commissioners within
the next week.
This viii cover our business all along
the line from San Francisco to Red Bluff.
! During tho exceptionally good boating
| year from June l, 1894, TO June l, 1895,
/ when there was large crop raised in the
I tule basin below Colusa, which furnished
! the bulk OF the grain moved in that year
! below Colusa, 80, ,S43 tons - with the
amount including from Colusa to Red
/ Bluff, 81, 40 tons. making total OF
! llS. .293 tous-of wheat was moved.
! al find that the loss to my company by
/ the 10 per cent. reduction over and above
! what the company made from Butte City
! to Red Bluff up to June lst last, is
| S34. .l69 %. and the reduction which we
! voluntarily made since June 1st makes a
loss of Sl7, 80 05-a total loss of S52, ,079 10.
! This is on the basis of crop of u.s. 293
| tons.
THE season ofJune l, 1893, to June L,
! 1894. gave us only 62, 200 tons of wheat.
there being no wheat raised in the tule
| basin below Colusa. condition Of affairs
which is repeated this year.
During the season of 1898 we ran only
| half of our steamers in the wheat trade
! during what is called the busy season.
| lasting from three and one-half TO four
mouths. and We cannot employ more
! than half OF them in that trade this sea-
/ son.
THE season of 1894 taxed to their full
! est capacity our eight steamers and num-
! erous barges, but the season Of 1893 gave
ms only about $50 per cent. interest on
! an actual capital of 81. .095. .623 so.
Now, the loss of revenue by the 10
per cent. reduction and the reduction
! made June 1st of this year amounts
/
Der cent on SS3S,5n IS in boat
! property and warehouse and perishable
! property, and we find that it takes to re-
/ new the plant the yearly amount of ST.
! 9Z7 o..
/ added TO this the sum of S5l4, ,852 IS
| invested in two bay steamers, eight
! brick barges, brick pIants. coal wharf
plant, warehouses, Colusa Railroad and
! other iuvestments-all included in the
net gain made in 1888. Say we count
| only per cent. on the S514, So IS, which
! is S36, ,039 60, and it makes a grand total
! on the wrong side of the ledger of $780,
/ O45 S6. This has to come out of the total
net gain to show what the up-riyer busi-
ness amounts to, independent of other in
| vestment.
Here is the proposition in nutshell:
| Reduce the freight OF the railroads, aud
! you force the boats off the river and leave
| our great waterway to spasmodic, feeble
com petition by unreliable aud impover-
I ished lines not at all able to keep UP a
! legitimate river opposition to the rail-
I roads.
"These facts we shall submit to the
Railroad Commissioners in a report TO be
presented on the 18th instant. and we
shall see what we shall see later on"