The commonwealth. (Scotland Neck, N.C.) 1896-1929, 1902-03-20
Mr. GAaaETT'S PROPOSITION.


El. Of TIE COMMosWEALTH,
! Scotland Neck, n. c.
! DEAR SIE in response to your su2-
eastltn that submit. to you my Views
for the best method OF relieving tie
freight situation a: your town, beg 10
RESPECTFULLY suggest that after careful
observation Of the conditions not oni:
at your toxn but other places similar
" situated, beI:eye the CHIEF obJec'
to be obtained is the greatest possible
reduction Of freights. | think The
!mOst economical manner in which
this can lie tfrsc:e1 is likely to achieve
TIE best results. We are, as you knew, OPP
! Grating irregular schedule on Roanoke
river with two boats both OF which
were built for the WORK in question
We operate the Hamilton from Nor
folk to Hamilton, making connection
twice each week there with tie Chi,
from Weldon to Hamilton. The Ghi'
draws only lG inches of water, and
! hence is able to make Its schedule the
entire year witEcut any interruption
v hatever on account of low water
Thus we would be able to give You:
,eopIe as good service from Hill.
Ferry or Edwards Ferry as you could
get from Hamilton. My suggestion
would be- first class traniway built
with 30 ID. iron, which later as the
business developed and increased, could
lie used for steam transportation with
cut necessity Tor further change Or loss.
Such tramway would not cost SC
much in the first instance as an outfit
Tor steam or electric power, Tor with
such tramway one general manager
would be the only salarled man the
business would require, the other oper
a:iyes would be inexpensive drivers.
With properly constructed tramway
one mule could carry anywhere from
one to two tons @! freight, and in one
or at most two trips day on an
ayerage, with extra team st the busy
-eason.) would handle wonderful
amount of freight a! very little ex-
rense. OF course II the business JUST
fes steam Or electric outfit, this
| would he better, but whenever you
! PIT On either you have to have ex-
perienced, high priced men with great.
L. increased cost OF operation, to say
| nothing CT repairs.
| / believe that our people would be
willing to pool their interest with your
reo lie and their stock, for with the
combined business CT the two places, il,
wc:i!d guarantee successful issue &c
tie venture not only for the bus,
months, tu: every month in the year.
provided the work were properly aud
economically managed. With our IL
;erests pooied, your people Jointly With
! ia. would have the naming ct the
Rites, and such rates could be
established as would simply keep up
tie investment in good order and meet
expenses What we are ali after, as ]
understand the case, is not large divl-
| deuds from the boat line, but Low
| freight rates on our products. Pre-
| vious to the heavy cuts made on rates
OF the lower river by our competitors.
o,.r beat line vas not only reducing
! the rates at from 20 Per cent. to 80 PSI
cent, but was making nice dividends
| for us. OF course with the cut in
! The rates OF practically 50 per cent
on the lover river, sc have not done
); well, bat we have made some money
and still keep re:ss Enable rates At Wei
don. The rates Lave not In all in
stances been met by the railroads jus,
as effectively zig though the railroads
had met the rates, and our boat liz e
! is steadily gaining patronage and
handling more and more CT the ton
mage: especially on heavy ireigi.ts sno
! on that class Of goods in whiei. the
] freight is considerable item oi cost
We shall be glad TO meet your people
at any time and confer with them
with view to consolidating interests
| looking towards effsctual relief OF the
| freight situation, which has no excuse
whatever except the absence Of ccm-
petition and the disposition Of the
railroads not to FIX their rates in pro
portion to ccs!s, but ON the basis OF
what amount ct bleeding their patrons
will stand and still live to exc ont an
existence.
| Our boat line is able to Go the busl-
ness OF both places together with Other
business on the river at only little
more cost than is en:ailed in running
it regularly in the interest OF this place
The interest, therefore, of both places
l believe can be bsst served by the
combination, and we Invite you to q
conference.
Yours very truly,
PAUL GARRETT,
Pres w. & n. St: B. Go
|