British Whig (Kingston, ON), 3 Jul 1897

p.2 Incidents of the Day - On Thursday night the fifth timber raft consigned this season to Quebec by the Collins Bay rafting company cleared for the ancient capital. The sixth will follow on Tuesday or Wednesday next.

May Go To Ogdensburg - The Whig has learned from a private source that there is a possibility of the M.T. Co.'s plant being removed to Ogdensburg. The Ogdensburg elevator and storehouse is in the hands of a receiver and for some days past negotiations have been in progress between the M.T. Co.'s officials at Montreal and parties at Ogdensburg touching the purchase of the elevator there.

MARINE INTELLIGENCE.

The schooner Pilot cleared last evening for Picton with 3,000 bushels of wheat.

The steamer Niagara, Kingston to Serpent River, light, cleared the Welland canal yesterday.

The steamer Rosemount is due to arrive in port tonight. She is from Fort William and has 79,000 bushels of wheat aboard.

The steamer Glengarry and consort Minnedosa arrived today from Chicago with 86,000 bushels of corn consigned to the M.T. Co.

The tug Walker with two coal laden barges arrived from Oswego this morning. Five grain laden barges were picked up here and the entire tow cleared for Montreal.

On her last trip the steamer Niagara had aboard 26,000 feet of timber. This was discharged by the Collins Bay rafting company in less than seven hours. This is considered pretty fast work and not likely to be bettered in this locality.

A Fine Steamer.

The seaworthiness of the steamer America has been greatly improved by recent alterations to her steering gear. Her rudder has been lowered and the apparatus connected therewith improved. As a consequence she is easier handled and responds promptly to her tiller, keeping a straight course without deviation.

She made a fast run to Brockville on Thursday. Leaving here a half-hour behind time, she pulled into the Brockville wharf on scheduled time, having made up the half-hour on the run down, and sustaining her reputation as being one of the fleetest steamers on the river.

p.4 Wind Wafts - Steamboat inspector Thompson inspected the tug Edmund at Portsmouth this forenoon.

Called at Swift's wharf last night: R. & O. steamers Spartan, Toronto to Montreal; Hamilton, Montreal to Hamilton; Corsican, from Montreal to Toronto today. The steamer Hero, from Picton, called today also.

p.6 General Paragraphs - Work on the two steel barges building at the locomotive works for the M.T. company is progressing favorably. It is expected, if nothing goes amiss, that the barges will be ready for launching by August. 1st.

WANT A SECOND ELEVATOR.

Council To Be Asked To Offer Another Bonus.

A meeting of the board of trade was held last night to discuss the advisability of erecting another grain elevator in the city, and of offering a bonus to the Montreal transportation company for the purpose. The following members were present: The president, Messrs. Gaskin, Richardson, McKelvey, Herald, Donnelly, Dalton, Henderson, McMahon, Shaw, Wilkinson, Steacy, Curtis, Hague, Redden, Minnes, Swift, Toye, Allen, Hewton, Livingston, Crawford.

After the nomination and election of several new members, and a reference to the council of certain matters arising from correspondence, the business of the evening was taken up, and the discussion joined in by almost all present. Opinion seemed to be unanimous that while the first elevator would serve its purpose, a second one would be needed if the grain trade were retained, and that steps should be taken to permanently retain the business of the M.T. Co. here. A show of hands was asked for by the president as to the desirability of moving for a second elevator, and the meeting was found to be unanimous on the point.

It was moved by James Redden, seconded by James Minnes:

"That whereas efforts are being made to induce the Montreal transportation company to leave this city and do business at other ports;

"And, whereas the said company is doing a large business here in grain forwarding and shipbuilding, and in the transaction of such business employs a large number of laborers and mechanics who are for the most part heads of families, and who, in the event of the company leaving here, would be thrown out of employment;

"And whereas this board is of the opinion that the removal of the M.T. Co. from Kingston would seriously injure many interests here, be it resolved:

"1. That the city council be requested to submit an offer of a bonus to the Montreal transportation company for the building and operating by them of a grain storage elevator here of the capacity of 500,000 bushels, and also for the retention here of their grain forwarding and shipbuilding business, on such terms as the said council and the said company may agree upon.

"2. That the said council be requested to appoint a committee forthwith to confer with a committee to be appointed by this board.

"3. That the committee of this board consist of the president and Messrs. Redden, James Swift, James Minnes, George Richardson, John Hewton, Edward T. Steacy, H.J. Wilkinson, J.M. Shaw and John Herald.

"4. That a copy of this resolution be at once placed in the hands of the mayor of this city for submission to the city council at its first meeting."

The resolution was carried unanimously.

Before adjournment the following gentlemen were appointed a committee to interview the Hon. the minister of public works on his visit to the city today to bring before him the question of the dry-dock lighting and rates, and the new drill: The president, Messrs. Gaskin, C. Livingston, E.J.B. Pense, McKelvey, James Swift and Redden.

The city owes a duty to itself in calmly considering its interest in this matter. Two elevators are not too many for Kingston in the altered condition of the grain trade, and decided and energetic action now, may have best results in a prompt return of the full volume of the St. Lawrence trade. It is not a question of likes or dislikes of the Montreal transportation company; the true consideration is Kingston's marine supremacy.