New-York tribune., 1903-01-16
MANY IDLE COAL BARGES
HUNDREDS IN H4RBOR.
In Day goo Of Them Could MoUe
10000 Tons of Coal.

Hundreds OF canalboats and barges fitted for
carrying coal from the blockadeG yards along
the Kill von Kull and the west shore of the
Upper Bay are idle in New-York Harbor-
An accompanying photograph shows 125 canal
boats. many Of which are employed In summer
in carrying coal to Lake ChampIain Whitehall
and Canada, moored for the winter at Thirty
second-st.. South Brooklyn. The feet at that
place is not half so large as last year. when $50
canaIboats were wintered in that basin
The assistant of Alfred Richards the lessee
of the basin. told Tribune reporter that more
than half the boats usually wintered there had
remained out this season, their owners expect
ing such a rush of harbOr business at good
prices account of the coal strike that the
boats would be In commission all winter. The
same is true. he said, of the Erie Basin, on the
opposite side Of Gowanus Bay. where there are
only about one hundred boats instead Of the
usual go At Port Morris. the Harlem
River; at Newtown Creek. Hunters Point: at
Mott Haven. Hoboken and weehawken. SINH
lar conditions said to exist. and in still
greater degree at Communipaw. An old canal
boat captain said he believed there were four
hundred canalbOats in winter quarters at these
places. and that nine of every ten OF them were
coal carrying boats He expressed belief that
at least five hundred canalboats usually out OF
commission in winter had not been tied up this
season because their owners hoped for brisk
coal carrying trade about the harbor.
There are some boats mOored here whose
owners would not let them go out in winter
under any circumstances" said the captain.
but most of us would be glad to turn out our
boats If fair prices and plenty OF freight were
offered. Those who a boat for home in
the winter can't be tempted out with that boat
Nearly every owner. however. has from two
to four boats. There are a few owners, how
ever, who live at Whitehall and other northern
ports, who would not let their boats, which are
tied up here. go out.
"Harboring has not paid so well as was ex-
pected. Sometimes order comes TO go to
load. and the boat has to lie at place from
two to three weeks to get her coal You'll find
a big fleet at Pier No. g. East River, near
South Ferry all the time Owners bring their
boats into the basin and tie them UP. They al
ways have story of long waiting for an order
that never came. Some of the boats are held
two three weeks after they are loaded before
their consignees order them to pier to be dis
charged Nobody except the boatmen seems In
any hurry to move the coal"
When asked about the capacity Of these boats,
the old captain said
Most of them are built to carry 225 to 800
tons of coal at a load The big dealers. such as
the Communipaw Coal Company. have chartered
barges and tke smaller dealers say they can't
use the canaIboats because they cannot get any
coal except SO coal and that they will not buy.
as their trade cannot. afford such prices That's
what they tell US. We hear that they tell people
who want coal different story. They say 10
them that they cannot get transportation eN-
Cept at exorbitant rates II canaiooals ar
promptly loaded and allowed to discharge, they
can make the round trip to hzaOetnport or 90
Perth AmbOy in less than week Ihey ought
to make six TO eight loads a month That would
be 1 400 to 1,SOO tons month for an ordinary
boat. Counting six hundred boats more thal
usuaI in the trade and an average of I1to
tons to the boat. they ought to bring 70 the
docks in New-York and Brooklyn 9W;UOo
month more THAI in ordinary seasons, allowing
only six trips month 70 each boat, Ihat IS
about 10000 tons a day. IF two hundred more
boats now out of commission. were in the SER
vice, it would add 10000 tons a day to the
quantity. That ought to prevent a coal famlne-
Il never knew boat with the price to have a
very hard time getting a tug. Besides the
railroads have a lot of tugs that could tow from
thirty to fifty loads at trip. and II they are so
anxious to move their coal they would have TO
contribute only tug or two each TO raise the
blockade. Thirty loads of 80 tons each would
be 800 tons. you see. and four times tnat
would be 10000. so only four of those very large
tugs could handle the whole business made oX
the six hundred additional boats with single
round trip daily Cut the lows down 20 hllseI 5I
boats each. and only eight tugs would be needed
to handle them. L have an idea they would not
be hard to find if man with money were look
ing for them.
"Raised coal 81 to so ton to cover high
freight charges, Ell? That's funny The lowest
price L ever knew to be charged on a cargo
from Perth AmbOy to New-YOTk was :Z7s
cents a ton. and the highest was % cents
That's a difference of Is cents a ton The
boatmen pay for the towing, so there's
nothing put on the coal for that OF course. we
charge 81 a day for every day they hold US with
the load on That would not raise the price on
two hundred and fifty tons 81 ton in less than
two months and two lays. with half a day to
spare You can easily see why they are willing
to keep US loaded down somewhere in reach az
the rate of 30 cents ton month, II they get
s. or $40 more for it by keeping us away froin a
dock till cold snap comes
pArcF TIVE OEMITPRACE RATE