The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1896-08-08
A NEW STEAMBOAT LINE.
Capt. John L. Day to Put on One BE-
tween HawkInsvIIIe and savannah

NdPts SOhh ~. my 10 fut On Ohe ne
tween HawkInsvIIIe and savannah
There is a very good prospect for new
steamboat line between Hawkinsville and
Savannah this fall Capt. John L. Day
OF Lumber City one OF the best known
citizens Of Southern Georgia, was in the
city yesteray for the purpose Of making
arrangements for the line, to begin oper-
atoms in September
Capt. Day has for years operated a line
Of steamboats, on the Oconee, Ocmulgee
and Aitamaha rivers with headquarters
at Lumber City. where connections were
made with the Southern railway. He is
also large naval stores operator at that
point and has large interests throughout
that section. Consequently when he says
a thing there is something more to it
than mere talk.
Capt. Day was not ready to talk freely
but admitted in answer to questions that
his business here was TO arrange for the
operation of a line Of steamers between
Hawkinsville, Savannah and Brunswick,
touching at Darien on the route 10 the
two latter cities. The movement, he
said, has no connection with the line re-
Gently established between Savannah and
Hawkinsville and which was discontinued
on account Of the sinking of one of the
steamers. Capt. Day explained that the
move on his part was made necessary by
the action of the rate committee of the
Southern Freight Association in raising
the rates from river points on cotton and
naval stores. This increase was made last
December, and since that time the bust
ness men of the section affected have
been making efforts to secure a reduction
in the rates with but slight success.
Capt. Day has just returned from Wash
ingtOn where he appeared before the rate
committee OF the Southern Railway AS
ISOLATION and urged the restoration Of the
old rates His EFFORT was unsuccessful and
he has returned to Georgia to put his
steamboat line in operation. The Old rates
from the river points touched by his line
were $l.20 a bale for cotton, spirits turpen-
tine 80 cents a barrel and rosin 80 cents
barrel. These rates were to Savannah and
Brunswick and included steamer and rail
transportation. Last December these rates
were increased to $l60 a bale on cotton, 60
cents a barrel on spirits and 80 cents a
barrel on rosin These rates were consid-
cred extortionate by the producers of that
section and they have been endeavoring
ever since to secure a restoration of the
old rates. Their efforts have met with very
slight success. tf
''The worst thing about the increase"
said Capt Day, is that 1t was made at
prices prevailing for cotton and naval
stores making the increase especially
grievous. The situation has changed very
little since, to naval stores especially,
the prices for which are very low on all
lines. My quarrel you must understand, is
not with the Southern railway, with which
my relations have always been amicable,
but with the rate committee of the assoc
citation, which made this arbitrary increase
in rates without understanding our situa-
ton. AS the rate committee has refused TO
restore the old rates, there is only one
course for us to pursue, and that is to put
on a steamboat line to the ports"
Capt. Day is the owner Of four steam
boats, one with a capacity Of 1000 bales,
two with a capacity of 600 bales each and
one with a capacity of 800 bales. There
is very large amount of naval stores,
he says, stored up In the country sur
rounding Lumber City and points along
the Oconee and Ocmulgee rivers, having
been held back by shippers on account
of the excessive rates. These would at
once seek the markets by way of the
steamboats,. From $4,000 10 $4,000 bales OF
cotton viii be produced in the same ter
ritory this fall, most of which would come
to market by way of the steamboats,. This
would assure a heavy business for the
steamer line during the fall and winter
months. Then the line would do a heavy
business in shipments of merchandise to
the interior and would afford a splendid
opportunity to Savannah merchants to
get into a territory which is now reached
with difficulty.
As will be seen by Capt. Days state
ment, the line is not a certainty. If the
old rates on cotton and naval stores are
restored the steamboats, will continue to
run as at present in connection with the
Southern railway, but there is a very good
prospect that this Will not be the case,
and that Savannah will get the new line.