The Telegraph-courier. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1888-1946, 1914-07-30
PERE MARQUETTE TO WITHDRAW
Officials Hold Long Conference in Ke-
nosha on Monday and Signing of
Agreement is Held Up Pending Dis
posal of Chicago Docks of Company.

Officials of the Hill Steamboat Com
pany and the Pere Marquette Steamers
held another conference in Kenosha on
Monday afternoon to discuss a possible
change in service in Kenosha and it is
admitted that as a result of the con-
ference an agreement is pending for
the retirement of the Pere Marquette
Company from Kenosha leaving this
port free for the Hill Steamboat Com
pany. At present there is just one
hitch in the negotiations and that is
the disposal Of the docking privileges
of the Pere Marquette Company in
Chicago. That company has five year
lease on Chicago dock property on
which the annual rental is considerable
and it could not afford to continue to
maintain the lease without using the
docks. For years the Hill company has
had one of the most advantageous To-
cations in Chicago and it has decliend
to switch its docks to those now occu-
pied by the Milwaukee company Is
steamers.
It is understood that the agreement
provides that the Marquette steamers
give up the port of Kenosha and that
the local business is to be taken care
of by the Hill company in the future
with the understanding that outgoing
freight from Kenosha may be unloaded
at the docks of the Pere Marquette
company with the further understand
ing that the company will see to it that
it is dispatched at the earliest posi-
BILE minute.
j. F. Monahan, agent for the Pere
Marquette steamers in Kenosha when
asked in regard to the agreement, de-
clared that he knew nothing about it.
At the offices of the Hill company it
was admitted that the agreement was
pending but that it had not been
definitely closely up on account of the
trouble over the docks in Chicago.
The agreement will mean much for
both companies. Under it the Hill com
pany which has had the support of Ke-
nosha business men in the competition
will take over the Kenosha business
and on the other hand the Pere Mar
quette company will be greatly bene-
fitted by the withdrawal of the Hill
steamers from the fruit business be-
tween Milwaukee and the Michigan
ports. This business has been a big
business of teh Marquette company in
past years and the business was badly
cut into last season by the Hill com
pany s steamers.
It has been declared by the officials
of both companies that two lines could
not operate profitable business out of
Kenosha and it was just as impossible
for the two lines to fight over the
fruit business.
With the signing of the agreement
both companies will be able to offer
better accommodations on the two
steamer routes.
Waukegan was one of the side ports
touched by both lines of steamers and
the agreement will result in this bust
ness being left to the Hill company.
Captain Hill of the Hill company and
the officials of the Pere Marquette com
pany were in Chicago today making an
effort to make some disposition of the
dock privileges of the Pere Marquette
company and it is thought that the
agreement will go into effect by the
first of August. The Hill company has
not as yet placed any steamer in the
fruit business so that the only thing
necessary to complete the agreement
will be for tie Pere Marquette steam
ers to steam away from Kenosha.