The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1897-04-13
PORT CD COMPARED.
The Great Ports Have No Harbor Fees
Not Compulsory at Wilmington Tho
Negotiations Elsewher

The Great Ports Have No Harbor Fees
Not Compulsory at Wilmington Tho
Regulations Elsewhere.
The Brunswick, Ga, Advertiser of April
sth, contains the following interesting
article:
The Advertiser has been watching the
discussions of port economies, and the
question involved in securing ocean traffic
at the various coast points, with close
interest.
At every point the condition of the ship
pers is in behalf of reduced port charges.
and is only resisted by the political bene-
ficiaries of suck charges.
The deep anxiety at some of our neigh
boring ports, Is manifested at. times, in a
disposition to find the trouble from some
source that is not within the limit of
local correction. has a decidedly comicai
phase. To account for her losses in this
respect Savannah is now before the inter
state commerce commission, wrestling
with the problem of far away railroad
traffic rates.
discussion of the matter as may effect the
port of Brunswick, The Advertiser has
secured the official data through Captain
A. F. Churchill, who requested copies of
port and harbor regulations, from Boston
to Galveston. AS a beginning Of this dis
cussion, the replies of large ship brokers,
ACCOMMODATING CoDlcS vi port It5uidlAoltS,
affords some interesting reading. We
quote:
Boston-The harbormaster here is paid
by the city of Boston, salary 8, 500 a year,
and there are no fees whatever which he
collects.
New York-We have no harbormaster,
but instead a board of dock commission,
ers, who are paid a salary by the city,
and they appoint dock masters for the
different section, at a salary, paid by the
city. The ships do not pay any fees for
G3lch charges AL thew nav 1G wharf3pp
at the rate of one-half Of a cent a ton
per day.
Philadelphia-Our harbormaster is APP
pointed by the governor, and receives a
salary from the state. There are no fees
paid by the vessels. Years ago each yes
sci arriving paid upon entry at custom
house a small fee, we think it was $50.
Severalo of us concluded to fight the charge
as being unconstitutional. We have for
bat in any case the charge was dropped.
The. harbCrmaster has but little to do
here. and his office is a political a
Baltimore-Have a harbor board and
six dock masters, whose duty is of a gem
cral police nature, and involving expert
ence. Tonnage is collected for wharfage.
of which 20 per cent. is paid to dock
masters.
Norfolk-The port of Norfolk and Ports
mouth are regulated by a harbor COM
mission. Three harbormasters, with con-
current police jurisdiction and pilot COM
potency. Fees for foreign vessels So, 81
and s. for steamships. Collections for
Denent OF hdrDOr regulations.
ACKNOWLEDGMENT is a very
competent pilot, and valuable help to YES
sells. Fees So for sailing vessels, and $40
for steamships, but optional with vessels,
unless service of harbOrmaSter is required,
Pcnsacola-Harbormaster required to
take charge of vessels at quarantine, and
regulate their entrance to harbOr and
wharfage, with general police jurisdiction.
Fees according to tonnage, 81 per 100 tons.
No statement as to official compensation.
Mobile-No fees charged on shipping.
H9 rhOrrna ctpr rpcaiVnC 81 900 ca1orv from
the city. Elected every three years by a
board composed of presidents of CONNER
cial bodies, mayor of the city, president
of the board of underwriters, and presl-
dent CT the board Of revenue and road
commissioners, as a means of preventing
political influence.
New Orleans-Controlled by harbor COM
missiOners, composed only of persons di-
rectly interested in shipping. They APP
point deputy commissioners, who have a
general supervisory control of all the city
docks, and collect fees OF so for vessels
in ballast, and SIS for vessels with car
goes: fund applied to support Of dock
no salary. Deputies $3.50 per month.
Controlled by special act of legislature.
Does not affect private docks;
Galveston-We, here at Galveston, are
in the same fix as you at Brunswick. Our
harbOrmaster has never either seen or
smelled salt water, SO you can imagine
or rather unable, to perform the functions
of his office. He draws, however, his sal
airy from the city, as f1Xed by the city
council, amounting to 81 800 per annum
and besides receives, I believe, about $50
per month from the Wharf Company, so
as to keep out of the way.
At Savannah and Charleston the harbor
charges are about upon the same basis as
at Brunswick. The Savannah harbor-
master receives a salary of 81, 800 a year,
the remaining income going into the city
treasury. The harbormaster at Charles
ton also receives a salary, the remaining
fees going into the city treasury.
The harbor regulations at Brunswick
make it the duty of pilots to moor all YES
sells and instruct them to report at the
office of the harbOrmaSter, within twenty
four hours after their arrival. No master
Of a vessel shall refuse to obey the in
structions of the harbormaster. The har-
Dor master shall be entitled to collect the
following fees, which are his individual
perquisites. Each coastwise sailing YES
sci 81, transient brig or schooner, S.; ship
or bark, $40; steamship, SIS, regular coasts
wise g per month.
Taking the ship record of last year, the
salary of the Brunswick harbormaster
would be 81, 927. Taking the first three
months of the present year as a criterion,
the salary will go much above this.
Brunswick is the only port which taxes
shipping for the specific benefit of a har-
hOrponctor