The Pensacola journal. (Pensacola, Fla.) 1898-1985, 1905-08-06
GREAT INCREASE IN
BANANA IMPORTS
RAILROADS OUT OF MOBILE UN.
ABLE TO HANDLE THE I'M.
MENSE RUSH OF
TRAFFIC.

The Mobile Register of SATURDAY
says:
The two railroads of Mobile which
are equipped with facilities for the
handling Of the import fruit trade.
have been showed under. so to speak
Dy the enormous increase in the i'm
ports OF bananas to this port since
the announcement of the yellow fever
III New Orleans and the transfer to
this port shortly following that an
nouncement of the boats of several
firms doing business over there.
The manner in which the capacity
o. the Mobile and Ohio and the Louis
vile and Nashville have been taxed
since the transfer of the extra bust
ness 10 this port can be realized
When 1t Is stated that within the past
eight days, including yesterday, these
TWO roads have handled an aggregate
Oh 100 cars of bananas, the Mobile
and Ohio handling $50 and the Louis
vile and Nashville 800, This is the
business OF an average month which
they have transacted in eight days so
tilaI me Increase in the imports by
Ihe transference Of the business of
the New Orleans firms TO this port
mas been nearly quadrupled
Mr. James S. Taylor foreign freight
agent OF the Mobile and Ohio rail
road, was seen last night, and asked
about the acknowledged inability OF
his road to handle the business. He
said that il was a fact which he much
regretted, but it was nevertheless a
fact.
The most serious question with
US" said Mr.. Taylor, lis the labor.
While we are not directly responsible
for the furnishing Of the labor for the
unloading OF the ships, still if we
agree TO transport the cargoes of I
firms vessels it indirectly behooves US
to see and know that there is going
To be sufficient labor at hand to give
that vessel proper handling. In aadi-
ton to this drawback we have not the
berthing facilities for the handling OF |
the business that is offering now. II /
Is true that we have foreseen the I
need of additional facilities and bids |
are being asked now for the making
of Improvements at our fruit docks, 1
which, when completed. will double .
our capacity TO take care of the fruit
trade. The Mobile and Ohio and the
Louisville and Nashville have only
docking facilities for the accommoda- .
ton OF four vessels. and when these
berths are full ana another steamer /
puts In an appearance, il is simply a /
matter OF lying out in the stream and .
waiting for a berth, but this sort or
thing is detrimental TO the fruit cargo. |
This influx of vessels that under nor
nal conditions would have been I'M
loaded al New Orleans has much more
than doubled the amount of business
the roads have 10 handle under nor
nal conditions.
1t has been a SOurse of great regret
to us that we are compelled TO notify
5. Oteri & Co., and Vaccaro Bros. that
We would not be able longer TO handle /
their business. Our regret on this &C
count is intensified from the fact that
Bros. have not been identified with
the fruit trade of Mobile, they have
been our good friends in New Orleans,
and have unloaded at the Northwest
ern wharves, which road gives LIS the
freight at Meridian When we found
that a distinction had TO be made we
felt that we had to take care of those
who have been identified with the
trade here, who are established here
and who have been instrumental in
building up the fruit trade of this
port.
The Louisville and Nashville road
Is in no better condition 10 take care
D. this extra business than We are,
and it is a matter Of regret TO the Off
Gals of both roads that they are I'M
able to earn the extra revenue thus
SO great has been the influx of YES
sells in the fruit trade to this port in
The past eight or ten days that even
he United Fruit Company, which has
from the beginning done much bust
nessness through this port, has been
to divert one Of their YES
sells to an Atlantic port"
Mr. Taylor said he had held confer
ances with the responsible heads of
he two firms involved in the new or
Ter Of things. and that he han held
put to them no hope that the Mobile
and Ohio could help them out of their
difficulty. He said that he did not
know what steps the firms had taken,
though it was possible that one OF
he firms. having fast boats. would be
able to import their cargoes through
an Atlantic port.
Florida the Best Place.