Palatka daily news. [volume] (Palatka, Fla.) 1919-1994, 1922-04-08
J0BBERS PLAN TO
INCREASE UTILITY
OF ST.JOHNS RIVER
Committee Named Yes
terday to Investigate
Feasibility
HART MAKES A REPORT.
Traffic League Agreed
Fourth Section Order
Unavoidable

, AT meeting of the shippers o1
Palatka yesterday afternoon at the
Chamber of Commerce plans were
set in motion to prepare for the in
stitution of whatever revised rates
may ultimately result from the
fourth section order of the interstate
commerce commission. A committee
jconsisting of DR.. L. w. Warren, HI
10. Hamm, H. M. de Montmollin, C.
jC. Hudson and A. A. Corcoran was
appointed to investigate and report
on the best method to be followed in
establishing water transportation
that will meet Palatka's needs. This
committee will report at subse-
quent meeting to be held later.
The meeting was called for the
purpose of receiving Secretary Hart's
report of the conference of the
Southern Traffic league held in At
lanta last Monday and Tuesday, at
which time the fourth section order
was the main topic. Mr.. Hart made
an exhaustive report which was
commended by bthose present :. as
clearly stating the situation and in
tdicating necessity for action on the
part of those points now enjoying de-
pressed rates on account of water
transportation. sl
H. M. de Montmollin sal dthat he
did not favor Palatka entering into
a fight to offset the rates proposed,
or to fix the minimum basis for two
reasons, one was that the roads
would put into effect whatever rates
they. desire, and second that if water
transportation really means any
thing now is the time for Palatka to
demonstrate it. "If the shippers of
Palatka will patronize a boat line
there is no doubt that it can be fl
nanced and | will undertake to do it,"
Mr.. de Montmollin said.
Mr.. de Montmollin also said that
the establishment of line with
boats that could make outside trips
to Baltimore and New York was not
necessary for the present. He indi-
Gated that Jacksonville probably will
keep safety valve on the boat lines
already operating and provide an in
dependent line if the Clyde and Mer-
chants G. Miners attempted to raise
their rates. This would permit the |
Palatka line to connect and bring |
freight here at the rates enjoyed at |
present.
C. C. Hudson said that while the
situation was one deserving of Sc
rious consideration that it did not
mean that the Palatka jobbers would
be put out of business as the "buga-
boo in The Palatka News" stated. He
said that he was proud that Palatka
has boat line of its own and he
agreed with Mr.. de Montmollin that
the thing to do is for the jobbers to
patronize the water line and let the
railroads raise their rates to any
height they desire. .... |,
DR.. L. w. Warren said that many
shippers had found that when they
asked that their freight be routed by
he Palatka line from, Jaacksonville
hat the Clyde and Merchants &
Miners paid no attention to it, some
lines sending it down river by Clyde :,
n by rail, but that if shippers would
INSIST and refuse shipments that did
lot come as routed that this evil !.
:ould soon be. remedied. /
Municipal Docks Vital Need.
Coincident with the increase of
water transportation a vital need ,
will be additional dock facilities, Mr..
lie Montmollin said. The establish
nent of municipal docks has been (,
oreseen as necessity by every city
With water transportation, but Pa
atka has no municipal docks, prae-
ically all of the available docks be- |,
ng owned by the railroad, bottling; !.
he port up just as Pensacola was, as .
Tampa was and as Miami was. Mi Ii
mi is spending over Q million dollars |
n docks, Tampa has spent more !;
han this amount and Jacksonville |,
las invested aid is investing more
han five million dollars. 3 Pensacola j