The Donaldsonville chief. [volume] (Donaldsonville, La.) 1871-current, 1914-08-01
WANT RICE MILL To- RUN.

Chamber of Commerce Secretary
Working on Plan TO Have Local
Plant Again Placed in Operation
Progress of Negotiations.
Secretary R. S.. Vickers of tht
Chamber of Commerce is endeaVor
ing to have the Donaldsonville rice
mill again placed in operation, ant
with this end in view is in CORE
! spondence With the Louisiana STATE
Rice Mill Company, owners of the
plant. Mr.. Vickers has also com
.municated with the secretary of the
Baton Rouge Chamber of Commerce
to secure information as to freight
rates to that point, for purposes Oh
comparison with those charged on
shipments to Donaldsonville, and has
requested Railroad Commissioner
Shelby Taylor to look into the mat
ter and ascertain if better rate on
/ can not be arranged.
| The objection having been raised
| consignments Of rice to this city
that wharf charges at DonaldsonVille
together with the cost of drayage
from the river to the mill, added so
greatly to the expense of handling
large quantities of rice at this point
as to constitute determining fac
tor in the closing down of the local
plant, Mr.. Vickers is working On a
plan to have the rice conveyed to
DonaldsonVille in barges by White
man Bros, and then loaded directly
from the barges on to freight cars
at the coal loading station of the
West Kentucky Coal Company, in
Port Barrow. A spur track con-
meets the coal elevator with the
main line of the T. & P. Railroad,
and the loaded cars could be deliV-
cred at the receiving shed of the
rice mill with haul of less than a
mile.
This proposition is entirely FEAST
bic and should readily solve the
problem growing out of the condi-
tons heretofore prevalent, with ref
erence to the delivery of rice from
the river front to the mill. A con-
ference to discuss the matter had
been arranged for today in New
Orleans between L. NJ. Simon, man
ager of the rough rice department of
the Louisiana State Company, and
President Alex. BIoomenstiel of the
Chamber of Commerce, Capt. H. C.
Whiteman, of the towing firm of
Bros, and Mr.. Vickers;
but telegram received yesterday
afternoon by the latter states that
Mr. Simon has been called away from
New Orleans, hence the conference
will have to be delayed.
In reply to his latest communica-
ton to the Louisiana State Com
pany on the subject of reopening the
local mill, Mr.. Vickers is in receipt |
Of the following letter:
New Orleans, La July %, 1914.
Mr.. R. S. Vickers, Secretary Cham
Der of Commerce, DonaIdsonville. |
Dear Sir:-This is to acknowI- |
edge yours of July 81, and we thank |
YOU very much for the progress you |
have made in this matter.
Primarily, for the reasons set
forth in our previous advices, we
had concluded not to operate the
mill this season. We
1ote that you have now about |
brought the matter to a point where
.hese obstacles would likely be over
come, but on account of the lateness
IT the season-thes river crop Just
starting to moVe--We fear it will be
mpracticable for US to make ar
'angements now to get the mill in
shape and operate this year.
We would urge, however, that you
nnf11111n IJ,- |
arrangements can be made to run
his season, and at any rate, in the
lext season.
I'm this connection, we wish to
tate that while a reasonable charge
of primary Importance in hand
ing the goods from the mill to the
liver, at the same time the matter
+ convenience and elimination of
lsk must also be considered.
With conditions as at present,
he stuff would have to be unload
d on the batture and there left ex-
osed to the elements until it could
e reloaded over the coal tipple.
last year We endeayored to arrange
ship stuff to Donaldsonville in
arge quantities, and sought to lease
he Lemann warehouse referred to
y you, but could not make arrange
rents therefor, SO really were com
elled to greatly minimize our run.
Another thing in this connection i.
re want to call attention to is the
act that the steamboats,, as rule.
oJect to unloading at Donaldson
Lille on account of, we understand,
ne labor problem.
1t strikes us that a personal con- :
erence between ourselves on this
latter would be advisable. and we
lsh to inquire if you might not at
'me date in the early future be l
! New Orleans. If SO we shall be
leased to have you call on US with
eference to the matter. Should oc- j.,
ASTON take the writer to Donald (,
'nVllle at any time, he will, of
purse, be pleased to call on you
TN reference to the matter.
Yours very truly,
LA. STATE RICE MILLING 90.
by L. NJ SIMON.
Manager Rough Rice Department. :
title OnppSjfion ~ Nnne:rr Eveoa:o r