Pine Bluff daily graphic., 1909-05-01
|EMPH|S PACKET
 | MAY QUIT US
 hcket Go. Lose Money Be ca,,se Merchants do Not Patronize Them.
NOT BLUFFING
Vain Rowland Says The Harhin i>
 S,.rated at a Heavy Loss and Will Have to 20 Elsewhere.

E,-n,ess the Pine Bluff merchants ' nre liberally patronize the Steamer K Harbin, which makes weekly i ns from Memphis to this city and fnrn. the officials of the Delta Pack 1 rompany most emphatically state at the boat service between the ssissippi river points and Pine Bluff h, he discontinued. This statement bs made yesterday by Captain Ed bwland before his departure for emphis on the Steamer Harbin. The steamer has been operating for e past several weeks at heavy ss according to Captain Nowlanl. hd each succeeding trip seems to crease the losses to the Delta conl nv. Only 22 tons of freight were fought to this city Thursday by the arbin for Pine Bluff merchants and hen it is considered that the boat ks capacity of 2o0 tons. the loss
 the company is easily imagined.
 Captain Nowlanl states that the tcal people have permitted tha teamer Mary Lucas to enter the |rkansas river trade to the detriment
 not only the Memphis through pack but the merchants themselves. as aptain Rowland contends that it is he through packet that has a ten ency to make the railroads give the berchanrs better freight rates, and ot because a boat that is operated } way landings, which do not touch he railroads nor have connection tith any of the Mississippi river aekets Captain Rowland declared esterday that the cost of the Steam- r Harbin remaining at the local bnding twenty-fonr hours, which IS one to accommodate the few ship ers who have freight for down-ti.4- iyer points, is greater than the ell- ire receipts of the Delta company pr freight handled at this time from lemphis or other places for Pine Bluff firms for the last two or three ips.
 Captain Rowland say that lis ompany is not bluffing: that they Fill quit the Pine Bluff trade if they ne not given some encouragement in he way of business and cooperation. Hey cannot afford to remain in the rade, he says. and continue to lose honey every trip.
 %lt is costing Pine Bluff merchants (Dsolutely nothing to enjoy the con |eniences of a packet between Mem Phis and this point" said Captain Fowland in discussing the matter. All We ask is an undivided patron ge. The difference in freight rates Rasht to induce the business people |o give us business and the first thing hey know they will be without a through boat service to Memphis and Ill find themselves, at the mercy of ne railroads. Kansas City recently eallzed a mistake of this kind and because of the treatment accorded packet companies by it's merchants $ ney were unable to get packet to operate out of that place to St. Louis. Pne result was that $1,0O0,O00 com pan! had to be organized there bt ue business people to promote line
 steamers through to St. Louis. A aallar company, with a $2,000. poo sap'tal, has been organized at St. "als' for the encouragement of river taae from St. Louis to New Orleans. .nese cities are now having to pay ,of their own boat service, while ine Bluff has it without cost and uoss mot seem to appreciate it. We sM 3e compelled to pick another 'eld ii the Steamer Harbin and cut 'u' Ne Bluff entirely, if something hot done by the Pine Bluff mer- chants."r
 oaptalh Rowland had a long talk
 .h Secretary J. L. Caldwell, of the lae Bluff Board of Trade, yesterday s'a''ve to the treatment being ac- n, u'ueu the Delta company by Pine r merchants, and the Board ol ,..s. aae Will probably discuss the prop ssl'ion at its next meeting. The mer. chants e of Pine Bluff, are urged to co. n..N With the Delta packet com ,,, "nu In additio n to giving then u,.. patronage, are requested te ess. government to make all nec- ma., 'Nef repairsl for the improve
 AFn' Driver trafflet
 co,,. .sentatlve E. .f. Kerwin, of this