The Birmingham age-herald., 1921-01-14

, other Gadsden firm, W. H. Howard, will get 1000 pounds of rice. The Johnson Coffee company o1 Chattanooga is consignee for 45,5SS pounds of coffee, and G. H. Watkins If Aberdeen, Mississippi will rec sive S,O1S pounds of sugar.
 DEBARDELEBEN'S STATEMENT
 The government recently sent us D traffic man to acquaint the shippers of this section with the advantages O. using the river said Mir DeBa~d aie. ben. Tt seems from the figures d owe that the shippers of Atlanta are ce- termined to get more benefit from the Warrior than our own people. Even Chattanooga, which is on another large river, is having considerable merchandise shipped by the Warrior. I feel sure that the shippers do Lot realize the advantages of using the river, or we would not be confronted with the danger of losing the fine equipment which we have worked so hard to secure.
 Our boats are now equipped to han dle merchandise of the highest class without any danger of damage. The Birmingham and other barges of her type are splendidly euuipped with closed rooms for this grade of merchandise and the shippers need have no fear about their stuff not arriving in good condition. The element of time which sometimes favors the railroads does not exist in this case, for we handle freight from New Orleans and Mobile with all dispatch needed.
 When it is unloaded at Cordova or the port of Birmingham. it is trans ferred to freight cars and is moved to any point the shipper may designate without extra cost to him. If he has a sidetrack near his place of business it is set off there. If he receives only package shipments, they go to the rail- road freight depot just as if the ship ment had been entirely by rail
 SAVES 20 PER CENT
 Under present business conditions. a saving of 20 per cent on freight is not to be laughed at. It simply enables our business men who take advantage of it to extend their trade territory a considerable distance in competition with other cities.
 "Then there is another point to be
 considered. The government will
 reduce the freight rates just as
 much the business justifies. If
 we can handle the necessary busi-
 ness, the rates can be reduced to 35
 or 40 per cent below the rail rates,
 and nm sure that every business
 man can appreciate what that would
 mean to Birmingham.
 Tt only takes d little cooperation 10 bring this about and to enable us to secure for the river all the equipment which we want. Every shipper should realize that he is contributing toward better service and lower rates every time he routes his freight by way of the river.
 ''ThOsc are fhe advantages which
 we cam gain by using the river. On
 the other hand, unless we make
 greater use of the boats coming up
 from New Orleans and Mobile, we
 stand n chance of losing what we
 already have. And I believe can
 state positively that if we ever let l. these new boats be taken off the
 river we will never be able to get
 them back again.
 Now is the crucial time with river transportation in Alabama. If we use ordinary business sagacity, we will have all the freight possible origintt- ing at New Orleans. Mobile or other gulf points and towns further up the river routed by way of the Warrior. It not only means a further reduction in the rates by river. or by rail and river, but it will prevent the loss of all our equipment which is now being made ready for use on the river"