The Telegraph-courier. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1888-1946, 1898-11-03
LAST TRIP TODAY.
KENOSHA WILL NO LONGER HAVE
A CHICAGO BOAT LINE.
NOT A PAYING INVESTMENT,
Steamer America" Leaves Tonight for
Grand Haven Where She Will
Tie up for the Winter
Others May Succeed.

When the Steamer America" loads
at the local docks this evening she will
start on her last trip she will make
between this city and Chicago, and the
last effort TO make a competitive line
with the Northwestern between Chi
cago and Kenosha has ended like it's
predecessors, in rank failure.
According to the managers of the
line every effort has been made to
make the line a success, but the people
have refused to patronize it and the
merchants and factories have not given
the boat sufficient amount of business
to make the line a paying investment.
B. L Burke, the president of the
Burke Transpol tation2Company, which
has had charge of the line, was in the
city today settling up the affairs of the
company, and he stated that the report
that the line would not run after today
was correct. Mr.. Burke said that the
company had done everything in their
power to make the line a success.
Rates had been reduced to almost moth
ing and still the merchants and business
men had proved that they preferred to
use the railways even though they were
forced to pay double the rates demand
ed by the boat line. Every lake line
which ever ran into KenOsha said
President Burke has lost money.
When Capt. Robertson ran the Weston
with very small expense the receipts
of the freight business were not nearly
enough to pay the help, to say nothing
of the charter charges and the interest
op money invested. When the
America" was put on the company
hoped to obtain a large passenger
| trade, but during the three weeks this
trade has amounted to almost nothing
and while the freight business has been
almost as much as the capacity Of the
steamer would allow the rates have
been so low that the company have not
been able to make the expenses of
running the boat.
The America" was too large boat
for the trade and with expenses of 500
day she could not afford to run be-
tween the two cities with this limited
trade. The boat will be taken to
Grand Haven this evening, where she
will he tied up for the winter.
The transportation company had
counted not little on the business of
the fishermen about Kenosha for ma
terial support, but these business men
have recently transferred all their
trade to the railway companies instead
of the boat line.
The action of the Goodrich people in
announcing their intention of rnnning
boat line to this city is said to have
FASTENED the departure of the America,
delay of the boat during the recent
lake storms. The business OF the COM
pany may be taken by some other boat
and there is some talk of the Weston
being put into commission again.
The failure of the America, however,
proves conclusi7ely that Kenosha bust
ness men are perfectly satisfied with
the freight service of the Northwestern
road and a competitive line will never
prove very popular.
This afternoon it is announced that
another line will begin service between
Kenosha and Chicago on next Monday
morning. The line will be under the
control of G. E. Dunbar, who will put
the steamer I. B. Taylor into commits
sion. The new company have not
purchased the business of the Burke
Company, but will open an entirely
new line.