The gold leaf. [volume] (Henderson, N.C.) 1881-1911, 1896-08-13
THE OLD BAY LINE.
PRESIDENT HOFFMAN DEFENDS ITS PO-
SITION.

The Southern Railways Plans and
Purposes in Establishing An OppO-
sitiOn Line Between Portsmouth
and Baltimore.
In an interview recently with rep
resentative of the Baltimore Sun, re-
garding the establishment Of an oppo-
sition steamboat line between Balti-
more and Norfolk, by the Southern
Rilway, President Hoffman, OF the
Baltimore Steam Packet Co ,,pany ex
presses himself as follows:
The Baltimore Steam Packet Com
pauy, more generally known as the Bay
Line, was organized in 1889, and for
more than fifty years has transacted
the bulk Of the transportation business
between the ports Of Baltimore and
Norfolk and Portsmouth. It has large
ly contributed to the prosperous growth
of those cities. 1t has created, stimu-
lated and sustained favorable traffic
conditions and relations. Year after
year it has augmented the volume Of
/ commercial transactions to and from
all parts of the world. Its capacities for
accommodating trade and travel have
been enlarged to fully meet the gener-
al demand. Its vessels-safe, commo-
dious, seaworthy and swift-are incom-
parably superior to those on any other
inland sea. Every invention or appli-
ance that adds to luxurious comfort or
enhances human safety or enjoyment
has been adopted regardless Of cost.
Its dealings with connecting lines and
the public have eXemplifed broad and
liberal policies in complete accord with
the spirit Of that Injunction, DO unto
others as you would have them do unto
you During the long period of its
existence the Bay Line has ex-
perienced various vicissitudes of for
tune 1t has had it's ups and downs,
its good seasons, its discouraging re-
verses. Overcoming all obstacles, it
has steadily pursued its onward course,
| inspired by unwaver;ng confidence in
itself and the favor of the public whose
allegiance has never faltered. The
| proud position it now occupies in the
| commercial and financial world is the
| logical outcome Of career without
| blame or blemish.
! Its thousands Of patrons, know
ing that its utmost efforts have been
loyalty expended in their behalf, have
come to cherish for the Bay Line feel
ing akin to grateful affection. They
are proud of it; they sympathize in its
misfortune, eXult in in its success. Its
well earned popularity rests on the
friendly cooperation and good will of
all with whom it holds or has held per-
sonal Or business relations. Nor is the
clientagc of this favorite line limited to
the cities most directly concerned, to
which it has rendered more than half
a century Of faithful services. It in
cludes hundreds of great firms, ship
ping communities and trade centers in
all sections Of the country, North and
! South.
1.-The aim and object of the Southern
Railway in establishing new and
uucalled for line Of steamers between
Baltimore and Norfolk is to compete
with the Bay Line in its own field for
all kinds of business, invade its sources
of supply, reduce its revenues, cut into
its profits, cripple its efficiency as a
public carrier, disrupt its friendly ALI
ances and inf1ict On it all the injury it
can. Unable to purchase controlling
interest, it will not hesitate to resort
to any of those questionable methods
in which practice has made it so ex-
pert to depreciate the value Of stocks
to force sale or drive its opponents
altogether from the field. It has
| doubtless counted the cost, but cOnsid-
ers that to be a matter ofminor conse-
quence, as the Southern is backed by a
syndicate who have millions at their
disposal and who would not hesitate to
sacrifice much to gain strategic point.
They already own and operate thous-
ands Of miles Of railway in the Middle
! and Eastern States and can dictate
pretty much what rates they choose.
But they will be still better able to do
80 when they have secured an outlet
exclusively their own via Norfolk to
Baltimore. Then they will be mas
tiers of the situation; then they can de-
feat opposition and stitle independent
action.
The legitimate traffic between the
two cities of Baltimore and Norfolk
hardly suffices for the Bay steamers
and does not warrant the construction
and maintenance of an opposing line.
The Southern Railway is we'll aware of
this fact, although it pretends to the
contrary. 1t knows that the Bay Line
is amply competent to handle any adj
ditional business that might accrue to
the Southern at its Norfolk terminal
1t knows that when | offered to do
this, guaranteeing the same facilities
accorded to other lines, it refused to
accept the proposal on the pretext that
the Bay Line was too closely identified
with the Seaboard Air Line, although
it is independent Of that or any other
connection. The Southern alike re-
fused to avail itself of the proff'ered SER
vice ofthe Merchants and Miners fleet,
running daily line between Baltimore,
Norfolk and Portsmouth and which
is the Southern Railways connection
on all its business coming via water
between Boston, Norfolk and Ports
mouth and which line is operated by
wholly disinterested parties.
The inference and conclusion is ir-
resistable. The Southern cannot rule
the Chesapeake and monopolize the
traffic between Baltimore and Norfolk
without first driving the Bay Line from
the field. or intlicting on it mortal in
jury. The Southern in its York River
lines already has a shorter water-route
by forty-two miles to Baltimore, but
this is not sufficient and does not deter
it from assaulting the vested rights of
a long established line. 1t will en-
deavor to secure whatever Interior add
vantages it can gain i'll this direction
whether by fair means or foul
so far as the Southern is concerned
an official correspondent and represent
alive of that corporation, characterizes
its policy, past, present and future. in