The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1898-06-05
TO BE USED AS TRANSPORTS.
GATE CITY AND CITY OF MACON
LEASED BY THE GOVERNMENT.


Doth VIII Reach Their Respective
Ports This Morning, and After Dis
charging CarEoes VIII Probably
he Ordered 10 Tampa ut Once-The
Ocean Steamship Company VIII
Probably he Called on Also to
Furnish Crews for Both steamers.
Their Present Captains VIII Prob
ably Command Them.
The steamships Gate City and City of
Macon of the ocean Steamship Company,
plying between Savannah ana Boston, have
been leased to the government TO be used
as transf orts in conveying troops 70 Gu
ba.
This information was received by tele-
gram from Vice President John NJ. Egan,
OF the Ocean Steamship Company who
was In Washington yesterday, but viii
arrive in the city to-day. Mr. Egan has
been North on business in that connect
ION.
The Gate City viii arrive in savannah
this morning from Boston, while the City
of Macon is due to reach Boston about
the same time. The captains and crews
of these vessels know nothing Of the deal
that has been made, but VIII probably
learn Of it to-day. for the Boston line has
been discontinued and there win be no
more sauings between those ports for the
present.
Both President Conner and Vice President
Egan are out Of the city, and little intor-
nation could be secured with regard to the
agreement that has been made. il Is prob
able however, that the arrangement was
somewhat similar to that made by the
Merchants and Miners Transportation
Company. which leased 60 The government
for the same purpose its three steamers,
the D. H Miller Berkshire and Allegheny.
1t is said that these three steamers We're
leased for $4,000 per month each, the com
pany being reQurd TO furnish the full
crew. and provisions for the crew.
The probabilities are that the arrange
ments made with the Ocean Steamship
Company were somewhat similar TO these.
In the case of the boats of the Merchants
and Miners Company, all OF the regular
captains of the steamers went with them
with the exception of Capt. KirUin OF the
Miller Tho went on another Of the steam
ers of the line.
According 10 this arrangement 1t is quite
probable that when the Gate City and
the City of Macon go into the service of
the government they will take their same
crews and officers that they have now,
unless some of the men object TO going.
II is said that Capt. savage OF The City
of Macon has been quite anxious to go
with his vessel into the service of the
government, and it is probable that Capt.
Googins of the Gate City win view the
matter IN the same light. Unless they go
with their vessels there would be no other
places left on the line for them at pres
ent.
Since the government requires that the
companies from which steamers are leased
shall furnish crews. 1t is probable that
the Ocean Steamship Company win desire
these steamers to 70 in charge OF their
present officers, who are thoroughly Id
miliar with them.
There is little doubt that they are to be
used as transports, just as win be done
with the three steamers leased from the
Merchants and Miners Line. Both OF them
have been taken off their schedule runs.
and have made their last trips between
Boston and Savannah for the present.
The chances are that as soon as they DIS
charge their cargoes here and in Boston
they VIII 60 direct 10 Tampa, 10 line up
with the other transports, and await their
turn to carry the troops over
ter Pa, for the Ocean Steamship Com
pany, in whose service she has been stead
fly engaged since. She is 254 feet long. IS
feet inches beam. and draws 10 feet
inches. Her gross tonnage is 1897, and net
tonnage Liz
The steamship City OF Macon was built
for the Ocean Steamship Company at
Chester in 1877. She is 257 feet inches
long. IS feet inches beam, and draws 16
feet. Her gross tonnage is 1902 and net
tonnage LAT.
The lease Of these two ships to the gov
eminent viii necessitate the removal of
the Boston line of steamers, and for the
present the Ocean Steamship Company
viii operate only between Savannah and
New York. Freight for Boston viii be
carried via New York.
The government has been removing the
staterooms from many of the steamers
gathered at Tampa for use as transports.
in order to secure more room in them for
the men. As they are at present these
two steamers are allowed to carry only
seventy-fve or eighty passengers, but with
the staterooms removed from both decks
they could easily accommodate some coo
or 700 men. IL is expected that they will
be ordered to Tampa at once.