The Birmingham age-herald., 1915-07-08
Freight Brought Up War rior River and by Truck
 to Birmingham
EVENT IS REGARDED
 AS HISTORY MAKING
Goodall- Brown Received First Ship ment and by "All Water" Un- loaded at Port of
 Birmingham"
n~ RALPH R. SILVER


 Out in the wild woods and mountains of northwest Jefferson county late yes terday afternoon a little river packet quietly swung around In. the Warrior river gave couple sharp shorts from her engines, slowly poked her nose in among the trees along the southern river bank and made history.
 sEe was the Pratt Consolidated river steamer Mike Carney and she bore on board the first all-water freight shipment that ever came into the port of Brming- haml
 It was consignment of 14 cases of dry goods shipped from New York to the Goodall-Brown Wholesale Dry Goods company of Birmingham, The feat was performed through the enterprise and en- ergy of Murray Brown, one of the city s most prominent citizens and a member Of Goodall Brown company.
 Everywhere yesterday it was admitted that the event in times to come would be referred to by civic workers and hs- torlans as the marking of an epoch. The shipment in itself, of course, means llt- tie. It Is what it promises for the future that calls for loud acclaim. Souvenirs of the boxes in which the goods were shipped have already been requested from dozen sources. The address and routing of the shipment. as stamped on each case. will be framed and hung in the Chamber of Commerce.
 The goods were hauled from Taylor g Ferry to Birmingham by one of the largo Packard trucks of the Harris Transfer and Warehouse company, arriving In the city yesterday evening. The truck with its llustrious cargo, duly labeled. will pass. through the streets of Birmingham tfAs morning.
 MT. Brown, E. r. Rosamond of the Pratt Consolidated company, W. C. Rad clffe, secretary of the Chamber of Com merce; Bob Harris of the Harris Ware house and Transfer company and repre- sentauves of The Age Herald were at Taylors Ferry yesterday to witness the history in the making The steam Carney was late, and the party went down the river in a launch nine miles to meet her. after having made the 2s- mile trip from Birmingham to Taylor Ferry by automobile in an hour and 20 minutes The big truck which brought the cargo back to Birmingham made the outgoing trip to the ferry In two hours and 40 minutes and returned in the same time.
 In spite of the unpreparedness of the river for such traffic. for any proper ra te by water from New York to Mobile or any proper means of connecting the river traffic with the city of Greater Brming- ham, proper. the cargo came through from New York by all water route at a saving in freight of about cents on the 100 pounds.
 Under conditions as they will he some time. when the river is connected with Birmingham. and when a lower rate Is effective down the coast from New York to Mobile. the saving on such shipments per 100 pounds is now estimated by eX- perts at from 4o to SO cents,
 The goods have been en route about 10 days. one week coming down the coast to Mobile and three days coming up the river. They were shipped ont of New York on the Mallory line steamer Alamo, and at the Mallory docks in Mobile. which are said to be under the control of the Southern railroad, were delivered to the river steamer NJ. Carney.
 The rail rate from New York to Bir- mingham on fourth class goods Is 73 cents. The rate on the Goodall-Brown cargo re- ceived yesterday was 45 cents per 100 pounds to Mobile. cents per 100 pounds mp the river and 15 cents per 100 from Taylor's Ferry to Birmingham. making a total of 66 cents.
 The rate on first-class goods by water from New York to Mobile is 75 cents, with the ( cents river charges and 15 cents drayage making-a total of 96 cents per 1O0
 In times to come, when the river traffic system has been fully developed, 1t is claimed that the rate on practically all classes of goods will be practically the same-about 90 or 40 cents to Mobile. cents up the river and to 10 cents per 100 from the river to Birmingham, mak- ing total of between about 40 and 56 cents per 100 pounds.
 On the sides of the big truck bringing the cargo into Birmingham last night were large streamers with the following words:
 July 7-Birmingham a Seaport-July 7 New York to Birmingham All the way by water. First shipment by Goodall- Brown Dry Goods Co.,, steamer M. Car ney, via Harris Transfer and Warehouse company from Birmingham landing"