The Cairo bulletin., 1908-02-15

4
Tally business men, was held last nigh
at the Commercial Club rooms, to dis
cuss the matter of keeping ferf
boat In operation between Cairo
| Wickliffe and Birds Point, Presiden
liz. A. Smith presided and there wer
| half hundred citizens present. MI
| Smith stated the purpose of the meet
| ing and called on John S. Aisthorpe t.
state the case for the Cairo City Ferr.
| Company. Mr.. Aisthorpe explaine,
at length that the ferry company hai
been losing money fer many year
and it had reached point now wher
it had decided to quit, unless some al
rangements could be made by whicl
| the drain upon its resources would b.
stopped. He said the proposition wa:
up to the business men and citizens
| Of Cairo, to do something either Il
aid the present ferry company 81
some other ferry company, to keep I
boat going In the trade. He felt thai
and citizens OF Cairo to keep the boat
lor some boat in the trade. Every day
fifty or seventy-five people were not
coming to Cairo who would come ii d
boat were running. The people of
Kentucky and Missouri wanted a boat
to come to Cairo but the merchants
over there did net, and the ferry com
pany had been put to much trouble
and expense by the opposition of the
merchants. The ferry company hail
held an exclusive charter until 1901
when 1t expired, since which time all
manner of ferries had gone into ser
vice depriving the ferry company OF
about IS per cent Of the passenger
business. He did not believe that any
boat such as the Three States, or such
as would be necessary to handle the
heavy traffic could make expenses.
under the circumstances. He pro-
posed that If the business men Of
or total of 5000 for the present
year, the Cairo City Ferry Company
could keep the boat going. The com
pany had an offer Of $4,000 for five
service in the upper Mis-
sissippi. which it felt inclined to ae-
eept, but would keep the boat here
1 arrangements could be made as sug
sested. Any committee that the meet
ng might appoint would be welcome
20 examine the books of the company
10 satisfy themselves that the COM
)any had lost money for years 1t was
to him whether the aid
vas given to the present company
II to any other company that was
Wiling to run boat here. The pres
mt company was prepared to sell out |
0 any new company that might be |
rganized at so cents on the dollar.
DIR. w. +. Grinstead said he believed
hat much of the trouble OF the ferry
ompany was due to unsatisfactory
ervice. He knew from experience
hat the service had been bad for
ieeks at time. the boat running ir-
eguiarly or not at all, because of
Ugh water or bad landings or other
auses. The small boats which ran
very hour or so offered better ac /,
to passenger travel be
ween Cairo and the adjoining states,
nd this was the reason these boats
ad gotten the business. He did not
elieye the business men or citizens
Cairo would be willing to subscribe
300 or $1,000 a year for unsatisfac-
Try service. They might do so fer a
me but not for long. and the sub
'ription proposition would prove !
Iilure. He felt that the solution of
lie matter would be found in the es
blishment of small ferry ON the
hio river which would land at East
afro where landing could be built
I'd maintained and a road built from
e interior to reach it, People wish.
g TO come to Cairo would be glad to !
i've there from Wickliffe or from o
y of the interior towns. The people 8
Kentucky would build the road |
iro was too big a town to stay away 0
,m. D
w. ]. Johnston. of the Woodward y
irdware Company. believed there q
'uld be some way to meet the needs
the situation. He favored maintain.
: the ferry in some way as 1t was h
great Importance to the business e,
erests of Cairo; his company would al
its part to maintain the ferry. Il
Mr.. Hurt, of the Rhodes Burford v,
rniture Company. agreed with DR. II
instead, fearing that the suhscrip- /
n plan would wear out. still his O
npany would subscribe II that plan
re adopted. He thought the ferry
npany might raise the charges in
Ter to make expenses. The small "a
ITS could not handle the heavy traf lie