New-York tribune., 1909-07-12
LINERS FOR HARTMAN
TO BUILD NEW VESSELS.
Construction Determines Control OF
Central of Georgia Road.

Two naUr messenger liners which. according TO
promise Will be the finest interstate trade on the
Atlantic. be built TO ply between New York
and Savannah for the Ocean Steamship Company,
better known az the Savannah Line according TO
an announcement made heie yesterday by the line
Tho keel Of one vessel will be laid next month ac-
cording 10 the announcement and work on the other
viii begin soon afterWard. z. H Hartman has au-
thorized the construction
This is the first time since the financial depres-
sion OF nearly two years ago that work has been
begun on ocean passenger vessels for interstate
trade the Atlantic coast and refues the rurnors
which have been current on several occasions that
Nr Hartman is anxious to withdraw from coast
wise steamship trade.
The work is one Of the most important steps Of
Mr.. Harrfman's get made known in his control Of
the Central Of Georgia Railway which control was
made public when il was recently announced that
that railroad had been taken over by the Illinois
Central The Savannah Line has been owned Tor
gears by Central Of Georgia. and stood for sew
ersl years Morgan property Mr. Morgan re-
sinquished both holdings about 1895 because accord
tng 10 general belief Of the stringent laws enacted
by the State of Georgia The interests were then
acquired by Oakleigh Thorne and Marsden ] Perry
The belief is that Hartman really obtained
control Of the lines the time of the panic
The building Of the new steamships comes 10 the
aid OF Mr. Hartman in the manipulation OF freight
outputs. according to steamship men. for New
York Boston and Europe from stretch Of terri
tory in the South and in the West covering over a
quarter OF a million square miles Before affilia-
zion with the old Hartman railroads the Central
Of Georgia and the Savannah Line claimed 10 de-
rire freight from territory Of 125.en square miles
principally in states east Of the Mississippi and
south Of the Ohio and Potomac rivers The hall
Tnislion Square miles in the new Hartman control
IS addition OF these -25.tt" square miles 70 an
area OF like size extending As far West as Denver
from which the old Hartman lines are 20 place
Freight TO New York. Boston and Europe. ny way
OF the Central Of Georgia and the Savannah Line
Previous to the acquiring Of The steamship line
- by the Hartman interests the latter Transported
such freight by way Of New Orleans or Chicago
in the case Of New Orleans. Hartman railroads
carried the freight 10 the latter port and II was
transported to New York on steamships OF the
Southern Pacific line The water route mus pro
v:ded and the fact that whatever the Hartman
railroads might place the Hartman steamships
at Kew Orleans meant the placing Of the entire
profits into the pockets Of the Hartman interests
showed a large gain over the sending Of the
freight New York by way Of Chicago al by ran
The new route hy way Of the Central OF georgia
nrd the Savanna Lire means the saving in com
harrison with the New orleans route. Of over
thousand miles in transportation and the oonse-
crent saving Of few days in time
It is in cotton and naval stores that an especially
,arge trade Is being prepared for in the construc
ZION Of the new liners. each Of which will be Of
SEQ tons Cfficiais OF the savannah Line gave out
details the plans Of the vessels. but refused 10
talk on the entry OF Mr Hartman into The anairs
Of the line Cespite the fact that absolute control
OF il by him common report in steamship
end financial circles The plans call for reciprocat-
tx engines The vessels VIII be single screw. with
a length all Of 422 feet and beam of ssi2 feet
Passenger accommodations will be Tor 1S6 first
cabin 2s second and 63 third class. There will be
four decks, including promenade deck q spacious
PROPORTIONS. with -four large rooms de luxe The
dining room forward, and the writing room. aft.
will each have large dtne. construction in each
fnstarce hitherto unkn3Nn interstate coastwise
travel The liners viii he built al the Newport
News Ship Drydock Comlanys works. and the first
probably viii he completed in little more than a
year.
The control Of the Savannah Line adds TWO ports
70 the list the many which Hartman steam
chips enter rfis coast and the Pacific. Tie two
are Savannah and Boston New York Galveston.
New Orleans and Havana have already Ieen on his
list by reason Of his control Of the Southern Pa
cihc. After the new vessels are placed in service
some Of the vessels ncw coming in here from Sa-
xannah viii from the latter port 10 Boston