The free lance. (Fredericksburg, Va.) 1885-1926, 1903-01-10
SALE OF STEAMER TOURIST.
is Now Owned by The New Com
pany-Interview With Mr.. Carter.

PSny interview With Mr.. Carter.
4 represent tive of this paper called
upon MIR. ". d Carter at his Office in
the Bradford building Wednesday and
asked him what foundation there was
for the reported sale of the steamer
Tourist Mr.. Garter replied that the
purchase had been made and the sale
recorded in the TappahannOck Custom
House The Tourist is now owned il
Tidewater Virginia. and halls from Fred
ieksburg. In answer to question as
10 the real ownership.of the vessel. Mr.
iartcr replied: The business Mems A.
s0cintion of fredsricks burg has been en-
1eavOring for more than two years to
get a boat line established that wouId
accommodate the merchants of this citv.
and the people residing in the counties
slong the upper Rappahannock. That
the end has not been sooner accomplish
ID hiss heeR due in part to the hope thai
Mr.. Williams OftheW Gems Line would take
steps 10 remedy the intolerable condition
Oist am transportation to and from river
points To Frederick sburg. and in part to
the reluctance OF our people to engage in
what II To most of them an entirely new
business. A number of parties however
decided to make the experiment, and
operated the boat under a charter The
experiment was eminently satisfactory
10 all concerned. and not wishing to- he
bothered with law snits. which wer,
threatened 10y the Weems Line in an
ehort TO preserve their monopoly. IL
was decided that | should become the
nominal owner of the boat | know that
Mr. Williams threats are the baldest kind
OF a blum. and care nothing for any suit
he can bring
"Wili the line be permanent" was
asked. Mr.. Carter replied: THAT de-
pends entirely upon the support it re-
ceivcs. There Is ample business on the
kappahannock for both lines. The sup
port already being given in what is in
transportation lines the dullest season
al the year ! think justities the belief
that the line will pay from the start
How do the people down the river
iecl about the new line?' was as.ed
Everybody. believe. with the excep-
lion of a few merchants who think
Ffedericksburg retailers can under sell
them, and the agents at the four or fw
wharves owned by MIR Williams is
heart and soul with the new line"
Is the new boat doing anything to-
wards bringing increased trade 10 Fred
ericksburg?' was asked.
u lndsubtedly.' was Mr.. Carter's ans
wer l came up on the boat Tuesday
night. ana we landed forty eight passen-
gers IN fredericksburg About a dozer
got on at wharves along the upper par
ot the river some of them visiting rela-
tives and friends for the night. expecting
90 go pack the following day. ialLed
Nj humber of these people; they say
they have long wished for some line III al
would give them market for tru, K
without ieeping their produce so long in
transportation, and at the same time
% - harn a ..Iss
can do this. Their produce can be mt
into New York earlier-as short time
consumed in it's transportation. mean
as Mr.. Villains can put it in Baltimore
Oi course there will be express or fast
freight charges to be paid from Freder-
lcksburg; but numbers Of BUYERS in Bal
timore select the best and freshest of
their purchases and forward from Bal.
timore to New York and PHILADELPHIA To
resell at profit. The business paws the
Baltimore commission men; why will il
not be profitable 70 the producer TO sell
IN the higher market? Besides. this line
viii enable people between Tappahan-
mock and fredericksburg TO engage in
truck farming, which has not been DOS
sible under the Weems Line schedule. It
usually takes the Weems Line boats from
thirty two to thirty six hours Co get out
Of the mouth of the Rappahannock after
they leave fredericksburg. We 60 now
TO within 20 miles of the mouth in ten
or eleven hours The return trips made
about as quickly. Peas picked Tuesday
morning above Tappahannock, and ship
ped by the Tourist to Fredericksburg.
and expressed TO New York. will be In
New York by 0:30 Wednesday morning
That is, Mr. Carter added, ''if the Adams
Express people do their duty"