The Savannah morning news., 1900-09-07
SAVANNAH INLAND STEAMERS.
GRATIFYING INCREASE ~ TRADE
SHOWN FOR THE YEAR.

NFW bnf~-N8AAMfNA
ton Company Operates Four beats
10 Augusta. and Handled Mnch
Through business From the North.
Beaufort and savannah Line Made
Great ProHress-Review of the In
land steamer business for the sea-
son of f>0D-I00O.
The distinct feature OF savannah's in
land steamboat business during the past
year was tho successful efforts to provide
a better aud quicker system OF bats to
accommodate the steadily increasing de-
mand for these facilities. The years
work consisted more 10 improving the
established lines than it did In finding and
developing new ones The absence Of com
plalnf for year g. pretty good indica-
ton that all points interested IN prompt
inland steamer connections with saven-
nah are being cared for. Under these
circumstances the fact that no new lines
have been added does 20; mean a lack 81
enterprise on the part OF those engaged Ia
the business.
Aside from the summer resorts the
principal points connected with Savannah
Southern Transportation Company line.
Beaufort by the Beaufort ana Savannah
Line. aud Button. by the steamer Do
retia by the Strenuous efforts 81 those
engaged IN che business each line 4 able
TO make better showing than Il did last
year. and promises to improve the
commercial importance 81 the points they
connect incFeases Enough has been seen
during the year 20 demonstrate that the
steamer lines have done much TO Increase
business al river towns hv encouraging
and working up tfafuc. ana thereby rfsai-
ing trade relltions with the outside world
that greatly contribute 60 their growth
The SoHhern Transportation Company
controls the river business between Savan-
nah and Augusta. The officers are James
r. Boutwell,. president Augusta; W. T.
Gibson. vice president and general mana
ger, savannah: Walter p. Gibson. secre-
tary ana treasurer Savannah. and w NJ
Barnes. traffic manager. Augusta. The
directors are Charles Estes. president Of
the John p King Manufacturing Com
pany OF Augusta; Paul Muslin Of the firm
OF Paul Muslin s. Co. wholesale grocers
Augusta. and the officers OF the company
The company Is chartered under the laws
OF Georgia with e capital OF 3iS 90. and
with the privilege Of increasing Il TO $780,.
90 "a viii According 20 Information FUR
nished che Morning News az the com
nAnN II INHNl Once WNN-tNlEl OF the capt.
cal Is owned hy Augusta mill men. and
the balance LOYALTY. untll the recent char
ter Of the Southern. the line was operat-
ed by W. T. Gibson and associates OF Sa-
vannah For obvious reasons. Angus
tans were Interested. one Of the fruits OF
which O. the brANN 81 through freight
from the North 90 tn> m. via the Ocean
Steamship lines 20 savannah and thence
20 Augusta by island steamers. The
usaf Of .sanafruasa hnfWW tod
has helped 90 increase the business great
Is and forfines the line against opposi-
tion with which II would otherwise have
TO contend. The railroads entering sa-
vannah have recognized the Southern,
and allow q differcntiai on oil business
handled.
The Southern owns and operates the
steamers Harry G.. Day w. $. Cook.
Ethel. and the santco. These are not on
the line during the summer season. how
ever. a. business II generally not snfiicient
90 support an 81 them Those ont Of
ths regular service are not always tied
TO the docks. though the company
fnds profitable use for them in the eNcur-
sion business 10 the various resorts about
Savannah reached by the river routes
The latest acquisition 10 the fleet wns the
steamer santee. which has been over
hauled throughout and equipped as a
freight ard passenger boat.
Pioneer In Rlver Trafnc.
General Manager Gibson has been con
nected with the line since ISIS and may
D. called rs founder. when II years old
he started IN the business al Augusta as
clerk on the steamer Swan. then running
between Savannah and Augusta. L. 1855
h. became master OF the Two Boys
Later he built che steamer Katie. running
hers for ten years. at the expiration OF
which ~ disposed Of his part interest IN
her and bought and rebuilt the steamer
Carrie. In 1881 be went 10 Pittshurg and
supcriutended the building 81 the steamer
". T. Whooless. which was one Of the
best and fastest boats ever run on the
lire between here and Augusta She was
Inflated. however. and after her thirteenth
trim was burned at savannah the same
year she was built. together with 90 bales
OF cotton. The Wheeless was valued nj
$500. and was covered with $4,000 Of In
surance
In those DAYS there was considerable
opposition IN the business on this line The
steamer Katie was being run hy Iohu
Lawtou and desiring TO again establish 4
line. Mr., Gibson bought a small boat call
I'd the Mary Fisher. ana again started ir
business. Re later got In control o. tht
field by buying the Katie About this tim,
the Mary Fisher went To tho bottom NJ
Stokes nlun She was uninsured bur
her machinery was recovered and used
in building the Swan. which was later sold
70 the OLD SIM" road Ia 1875 Mr Gibson
built the Ethel and later the W g. Cook
Meantime the Katie was snagrcd ahov,
The city md went 90 the bottom. and boz,
ing covered only by IRE Insurance. was
stated 10 be total Joss. The next 20 The
last steamer acquired was the Harry G.
Day. the last being the Santce.
No official statement has ever been made
BY the company. and the amount OF bus
mess done yearly o. not known. Rcferrins
20 this Mr. Gibson said. THE freight anc
passenger business OF our line runs e
about s75.esta year. We handle much oil
the through business from the North foi
Augusta and waylandings, including larg,
shipments 81 SUGAR salt. melasscs nails
iron. aud other heavy freight and genera
nerchaudlse u may b. said the through
business la our specially, ns little atten
ton has been given 81 late 90 business foi
wayiaudinrs. much of which now goes 4,
the railroads when an our boats NJ,
runniug the line has about rcventy-fiv,
employees"
Crest Improvement has been made u
the system " handling through freight
ara much o. the success Is due 10 the IN,
ceiaisable efforts OF Mr. Gibson. Th'
Ain@insfs run "a she various wharves a