The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1899-02-26
1--WE A GOOD RATE NOW.
.pcuANTs MAY TRY FOR
D. THE LINE TO HAVANA

s'"' oue of Them Says He
p.tronize a water Line
,,,ouId Give Lower Rates
1,,,oynb He IL Not DissatisHeu
~ present Rates.
.,,,on was taken yesterday by .ne
nc If the city toward Owns
howard & Co. assurance OF 'heir
MeSs' Cor line of steamships to be
,,;sl,sd between Savannah anu ma
If is not improbable that some such
'4', nav be taken, but it has not YET
-st afoot. II had been thought pos
-, those interested would consider
NC If the prohibition of canteen
lis beinc carried by transports demand
- arotber and immediate arrangement
81 gerting their shipments TO Cuban Gus
toners. ~ ,,,,,
ono If the leading merchants OF the city
coon and asked as to the estapilsn-
- If the line and the probability of Its
..,-t,.- sufficient business to make 1t re-
r,,nerative for the owners. He had not
-rsar deal to say in favor of 1t, his in
'..ast being slighter than he might have
.boogn were IL not that he is not dissatis-
s,a with conditions as he now finds them.
I'VE have a tate now to Havana that
enables us to do business he said. Look
at This sheet. You see here. the latest re-
,isiop of tariffs. and Savannah is given
q rate of So cents, as an Illustration, on
q barrel of -four to Havana That Is
low rate In comparison with what we
have 10 pay TO get our goods carried a
short distance" He then indicated num-
her of places not far distant from Savan-
nah to which the rate Is but very little
lower than that to Havana The differ
snoe appeared rather startling in view OF
the much greater distance to Havana
These rates are satisfactory" said the
merchant. Il do not see that we have
ANYTHING to complain of. The railroads
seem to have given us very fair rate,
and we get the combination of rail and
water through Tampa and through Miami
at a figure that enables US to still keep IN
the fight for Cuba business. OF course,
ii we should be offered a water rate from
Savannah to Havana that would run be-
TAMPA it would suit US exactly, and be-
leve the merchants would be very glad
10 give an assurance of shipments to the
Munson people If they would put on
line and cut the rate by water. do not
know whether the merchants intend to
take any cognizance of Mr.. Howard sug-
gestion or not / have seen none of them
and have not had any talk with anybody
on the subject l would be very glad to
see the line established if 1t would mean
lower rates"
The merchant was asked at what
amount he would place the average move
ment of freight by the transports from
Savannah to Cuba during the months that
the government permits vessels to receive
shipments He answered that 100000
pounds on each vessel would probably not
miss 1t very far as an average, This he
took as meaning that the Munsons, If their
rates should be lower than the rates by
rail and water, would have this much
freight assured them, as he does not see
that Savannah merchants stand to lose
their Cuba business.
prominent steamship official was ask
ed what figure the shipments that have
been going by the transports would cut in
the revenues of a steamship line with reg
ular salllngs and without reservations
that might be given the business. He re-
piled that business in this volume would
not be sufficient to maintain the line, but
would prove a considerable item. The
charge on 100000 pounds of freight would
be about $3.50. By the present rail and wa
Ter route 1t costs more to handle this
amount 1t would seem safe to presume
that, with lower rate, Savannah mer-
chants would patronze a steamship line.
Mr.. Howard says the rates that
he
would be below the rates through the Flor
loa ports, though he could not say Just
what they would be- Even the assurance
vi Sz0o worth of freight might induce the
steamship people to put on vessels, as
'ney nave said they would be satisfied to
operate line at loss at first. If thew
cCuld only see ultimate success.
Mr; howard is naturally anxious to have
ue lne established by the Munsons. but
ne ieeis that the reputation of his firm
as' De sustained. He believes the Mum
sho,,19 aie ready to put on a line If he
1r'uld say the business is here for IT,
ne does not want TO do this unless ba
am nave assurance that the merchants
VI" snip by the line. 1t would seem that
0at deai OF other freight could be
ana inns is his belief Freight i'm
NY quahuty in addition 90 what Savan-
1" merchants might ship to Cuba Uyoli,d
,ba RT,sn 10 maintain the line. He saws
~ -lunsons stand prepared at anv time
,o put on a line that will SAN witbout
r. ,, .alion ana on advertised DAYS.
was out a day or two ago. Mr. Howard
of lldI he was advised of the shipment
H. aIso OF flour from Charleston 10
ia haI'' ny schooner. An effort was made
w.g nave 1t go through Savannah but If
was was found there is no steamer hotu,ea,, :.
TWO ports. This shipment wo,,Id boUa
Ell secured by the Munsons If thev bod
s,cb e IN operation, he believes. MANY
tbo,u, opportunities would offer. If IL
n', Il there were a line.
sen'leman interested in transnortat,o,
of ''ssLs and keenly alive to the intere ,ys
chan. 1Llnah' said he believes good
pr .orJe Is offered to secure the line Io is
port I'm, impressed with the ADVANTAGES the
ttor. Would derive from it. and bellevas
II, Is future for such an epter,,r,so
lays the merchants may write q io;nt
dss,ra, 20 the Munsons, giving them tbe
Ngsifed assurance. '"eh the
firm, merchant quoted above saws bis
Of u. mas had more than it could attera US 10
his traas ana this he gives as a reason for
The hnia,ctlVity, Had it not been tbat ~, ~
he rn Isi,ieSs he can handle is being secured
nlght have taken some sta,,s Io,i ,eu