The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1907-07-03
MORE WATSON DIMIGRANTs.
Transatlantic Liner, Nearly Twice the
size. of the Wittekind, With Capac-
.ity for 500 Passengers, VIII Sail
FOR Charleston In September.

.ity for 500 Passengers, VIII San
FOR Charleston In September.
Columbia, June 17.-Commissioner
Of Immigration Watson has returned
from New York with the announce
rnent that he has secured another
shin for Charleston, which wiltsbe pre-
oared to bring 500 Immigrants, the
ship itself being nearly twice the size
Of the Wittekind. Mr.. Watson has
for some time been working quietly to
ehis end and has heel saying TO his
friends that he would in a short While
announce the result Of his labors. The
whole story is best told in his own
words. When seen today at his Of
Zee. where as usual he was UP to his
neck in work, Mr. Watson gave the
following statement:
81 have just returned from a nasty
trip to New York. where spent sew
eral hours Saturday. While i am not
at liberty to give exact details at this
stage, I may say that we are going 10
make another effort at putting per-
roanenf transatlantic passenger ana
freight carving line into Charleston.
The many obstacles that have been
encountered since the first attempt
In this, direction have been most dis
.couraging at times, but these very
things have made me work all the
more energeticaIy to accomplish the
desired results. This time, if the con-
d,tions that have been stipulated can
be uet-and they are being named IN
the light of a full knowledge OF the
resplts of the initial efforts-we will
mace a steamer in Charleston ha' Dor
of nearly twice the size Of the Witte-
Kind, taking her off her run to New
york for this purpose. Since Easter
no stone has been left unturned TO
bring about the resumption OF tie
service upon a strictly business basis.
sThis department cannot by itsei-,
make line permanent or get those
whose capital is invested in steam
ships to do so without a substantial
basis We can place the ship there
with the assurance OF the owners that
if the business is satisfactory and the
freight is supplied by the railroads
and the business people Of the port,
they Will seriously consider making it
a permanent undertaking. I do not
take it that it is the province Of this
department to work UP the necessary
freight business, but that it is its busl-
ness to interest steamship lines in
making the necessary experiment and
to provide, if it can be done, the nee
essary passenger business.
The liner that have referred TO
win ns sent during the first half OF
September from cne Of the leading
continental ports for direct sailing
If the railroads and those interested
can provide "a reasonably good re-
t.1rn freight if not, she viii sali
.fnon, her continental port and after
calling at Charleston proceed to New
orleans or Galveston for return car
,ro ppon the condition in either
case that the department can have
600 passengers ready for her at the
nert of departure or guarantee the
eopiyalent of that number. There is
no guarantee as TO cargo required.
whether further sailings and the an
of a regular service by
this steamship company would 1ol-
sew viii depend entirely upon the ex-
pertinent. This is the whole story.
The department has endeaSored to
90 its part in securing this ship, which
Is the third TO be obtained in this
cause by the department. Every pos
sible effort will be made to have the
required number Of passengers Tor
the first sailing and this will be no
easy task. The railroad lines and
others interested will have to look al
ter the cargo feature for the manage
naent is anxious 70 send the ship back
frern Charleston direct rather than
send her on to New Orleans.
u might say that I have, done my
best to have permanent line an
nounced on the basis Of making Char
lesion ouly port of call at first
working up to direct permanent
business, bat, find that every steam
ship combany wants and insists upon
the direct lire business. However, as
viii be seen from what have said,
we have been successful in SO arrang-
ing that i: a reasonably good return
cargo cannot be offered the ship at
rlnetc,,1 eta ca,, 90 on to New Or