The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1896-10-16
TO CARRY FREIGHT BY BARGE.
The Sailing Vessel May in Time Be
Driven Out of Business.

Driven Out of Business.
The barge Belle of Oregon, now load
ing at this port with cargo of lumber
for New York, marks the advent of a
change in coastwise transport and ia
cilities which, although it has long been
an essential factor at all the ports be-
tween Cape Henry and the Bay of Fundy,
has only now appeared in southern wa
tiers.
Lumber men claim they have long felt
the need of a vessel which should be
more speedy and sure than the schooner
and yet not so expensive as the steam
ship. Years ago the Plant system, be-
coming aware of this necessity, made
preliminary arrangements for barge lines
between their terminals and the north
ern seaports. The Ocean Steam
ship Company evolved the steam
ship City of Birmingham and ran
her one round trip from the Savannah,
Florida and Western railway wharves
with lumber to a northern port and back
with steel rails. But for obvious. reasons
her use for that trade was abandoned.
1t was also ascertained that she had
developed more speed than was expect
ed, and she was worthy of being placed
on the general freight and passenger
routes. In the meantime other matters
engaged the attention of the Plant sys-
tenn and the barge project was aban-
doned.
1t frequently has been discussed among
lumber men at both ends of the route
and the necessity is fully admitted and
understood AS Savannah has always
been dependent upon the eastern states
for the carrying of bulk cargoes, it has
been strongly advocated that the estab-
lishment of barge lines between the
southern and eastern ports should be a
home enterprise.
The difficulty with the present venture
of Mr. Besse, a ship owner of New Bed
ford, is that the barges are especially
adapted for the coal trade. And, while
it is true, the hull suited for lumber
may be used as a coal carrier, il is not
practicable to use the coal barges for
lumber to advantage. Besides this, the
barges now in use have capacity for
carrying 100000 feet or more of lumber.
orders for quantities as large as that are
not frequent consequently the barge could
not be compelled to take mixed orders,
which will have to be delivered at differ
ent points at northern ports. This will
cause delay, and inconvenience and add
to the expense of the heavy freighters.
A prominent shipper, in discussing the
ways be a demand for schooners which
carry between 1000 and 100000 feet Of
lumber. as they are more convenient to
shippers, being capable of carrying the
average orders and delivering them with
out delay after arriving at their destina-
ton The competition in freight rates
may cut a prominent figure, however,
with the schooners and eventually run
them out of the trade. The only recourse
then is to convert the schooners into
barges and enter the trade i'm competition
with the large barges. The schoonerA
barges would be decidedly more preferable
to the large coal barges, as two of them
could be loaded in half the time required
to load the larger barge, and both could
be towed north by one tug, at the same
expense, and each delivered at their re-
spective destina tions to be discharged and
reloaded with return cargoes
ITO a number of industries connected
with the shipping of bulk freights, such
as lumber and naval stores, the advent
of the barge will be a serious detriment
but. nevertheless 1t appears that the
barge lines are bound to come and to stay
1t is only a question of little time when
the ocean tug, with her barge tenders in
tow, will be as common sight along the
South Atlantic coast, as 1t now is In all
the waters along the middle and eastern
seaboard. Taking into consideration
speed and cost. this means Of transport
can discount the present schooners and
steamships"
The steamer Santuit is reported at Bos-
ton, with the barge Forest Belle in tow
awaiting clear weather TO sail for this
port The tug George w. Pride is ex-
pected here with q barge to be loaded
with lumber. She will take the barge
Belle of Oregon, which is ready with a
cargo Of lumber, for Boston. The Pride
was passed by the steamship Tallahas-
500 Wplpne1ov faOruiup off HnttgTag light
walking HATS.