Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1926-03-05

of the latter and $4,000 of the cost
| of the sheds were paid out of income.
These improvements have largely in
| creased the storag capacity of the
sheds and so added to the earning
power of the Pier. The problem of
the future Is the providing of a
further increase of storage capacity
for the Pier has already pretty nearly
reached the limit of the volume OF
business that can be handled. In
| fact, on several occasions during the
past few months 1t has been neces-
sary to send pulp laden steamers to
| the Grand Trunk wharves on account
| of lack of room at the Pier sheds.
lntercoastaI Business
The intercoastal business handled
at the Pier and the increase thereof
| are impressive.
During 1925 the Intercoastal line
steamers made 25 westbound trips
from the State Pier and 10 eastbound
trips, while in 1924 there were but
| % westbound and IA eastbound. The
steamers Of the Maine Coast & Can
ada Steamship Company made 20
| trips to the State Pier for the pur-
pose of loading and unloading
| freight.
The Foreign Trade
In the foreign trade there were
handled at the Pier during 1925, so
steamers, 40 Of which discharged
cargoes and one loaded: while for the
! year 1924 the cargoes of 81 steam
ers were discharged and one out
| bound cargo loaded.
In 1924, T,136 tons Of import wood
| pulp was handled, while for 1925 the
volume was 65,3O5 tons. In 1925
there was also landed at the Pier
ALSO tons of cement, making the total
| OF import freight for the year Co.,
4S5 tons. In 1924. 2S271a tons OF ex-
port flour was handled at the Pier.
| The total for 1925 was 1872 tons.
The steamers of the Argonaut-
| 1sthmian Line have operated regular
ly from the State Pier on a semi
monthly basis throughout the entire
year of 1925, making in all a total Of
20 sailings, and transported 17245k
tons, from which the Pier derived a
gross revenue of $4,348.99 as rep
resenting top wharfage and $1,414O4
| side wharfage, or an aggregate earn
ing of $5,763.03. Comparison of this
tonnage and revenue with 1924
shows that during the year 1924,
there was total Of % sailings to
Pacific Coast points, and tonnage
/ NAohoPOA tCo VI 1SrHUO n luis, from
which the State Pier derived a
revenue of s3326.76 top wharfage and
| $26S3.4S side wharfage, or total Of
! $6O1024.
Earnings on Eastbound Traffic
The total earnings of the Pier on
eastbound traffic for 1925 amounted
to $2,617.14 for top wharfage. and
| $594.S3 side wharfage, or an aggre-
! gate of $3,211.997 while for 1924 the
! top wharfage revenue amounted to
! $2.O39.67;, and side wharfage $111.08, a
total of $2.150.75. This was an in
crease of $1,061.22, which added to
! the increased top and side wharfage
revenue on westbound traffic amount
ed to $5,763.03, which shows total
! income from all Intercoastal traffic of
! $8,975, an increase of $81401 over
| 1924.
The increased tonnage by all lines
j in both directions was 6692 tons. A
! fact of interest is that one of the
, heaviest users of the State Pier is an
out-of-state concern. In 1924 the
! Pier handled 1891 tons of this Com
| pany's business and in 1925. 1857
| tons, an increase of SO per cent. The
increase is in part due to the suspen-
sion Of the Dollar Line service run
Comparisons for Two Years
The following is a comparison for
the years 1924 and 1925 OF the prin-
cipal eastbound commodities handled
at the Pier:
1924 1925
Canned Goods 1887 tons 1908 tons
! Cotton 95 10
| Cross Arms 81 "a
Dried Fruits $50 1879
The principal increase was in the
volume of Canned Goods and Dried
Fruits. There was a marked falling
, off in the volume of lumber, the
quantity in tons h aving decreased
, from Pass tons in 1924 to 1913 tons in
1925.
The following comparisons show
the westbound tonnage movement of
the principal commodities for the
years 1924 and 1925:
1924 1929
Paper 1855 tons 8215 tons
Canned Goods 4157 $3.50
Paper Dishes 304 425
Clothespins &
Toothpicks 141 512
Conduits 164 342
The increase OF westbound traffic
indicates growing markets for Maine
products on the Pacific Coast due to
the rate advantages offered by the
Intercoastal Line operating from the
Pier. The advantage in freight costs
to eastern merchants for commodities
purchased on the Pacific Coast is
most substantial.
AS already stated the Pier is now
paying all expenses except interest
on bonds issued by the State. and is
earning a substantial profit. This is
more than had been claimed for the
enterprise by it's most optimistic
advocates.
The great advantage of their Pier
to the State and City Is the large
volume of business brought here and
the enormous saving in freight rates
that have resulted to these doing
eastbound and westbound business.
In addition, the steamers sailing to
and from the Pier have purchased
large volumes of supplies in Portland
which has increased the business Of
local merchants and furnished a
market for state products. Labor in
Portland has benefited greatly from
the Pier as its operations have called
a large number of men who other
wise would not have been employed.
PALERMO
Whist Party
BRANCH MILLS-Last Saturday
evening, Mr.. and Mrs. B. E. Coombs
entertained a party at whist. There
@I,o avI 1no