British Whig (Kingston, ON), 2 Aug 1897

not published

Aug. 3, 1897

p.2

MARINE INTELLIGENCE.

The schooner Nellie Hunter is in port with 375 tons of coal for Crawford & Co.

The tug Jessie Hall arrived in port today from Montreal, having four light barges.

The steamer Farewell, Duluth, is at the M.T. Co.'s anchorage with 35,000 bushels of wheat.

The steamer Denver, Chicago, is in port with 50,500 bushels of corn consigned to the M.T. Co.

The schooner Burton is unloading a cargo of coal brought from Oswego at the penitentiary dock.

The schooner Emery, Toronto, arrived yesterday with 9,000 bushels of peas. She is at the M.T. Co.'s anchorage.

The schooner Lozen, consort of the steamer Street, arrived in port last night with 39,000 bushels of corn from Chicago. The Street with another consort went down to Prescott.

The steamer Glengarry went down the river yesterday with four grain laden barges, which were exchanged with the tug Thomson for five light barges. She returned with these today.

The steamer Rosemount and consort Melrose, Fort William, arrived yesterday with 117,000 bushels of wheat consigned to the M.T. Co. The Rosemount cleared this morning, light, for Fort William.

The steambarge Katydin, lying at Prescott, has been lightered of her cargo of grain, said to have been damaged in transit from Chicago, and it has been found that no blame can be attached to the vessel or her crew, as the grain was of inferior quality and in poor condition when it was put aboard.

Welland Canal Report.

Port Dalhousie, Aug. 2nd - Passed down: steamer J.R. Langdon, Chicago to Ogdensburg, general cargo; steamer Rosemount, Fort William to Kingston, wheat; barge Melrose, Fort William to Kingston, wheat; steamer Denver, Chicago to Prescott, corn; yacht Amanada, Cleveland to New York, light; steamer H.S. Pickands, Toledo to Kingston, corn; steamer G. King, Grand Marias to Ogdensburg, lumber; barge Wenono, Marquette to Ogdensburg, lumber; barge L. Rawson, Marquette to Ogdensburg, lumber.

Port Colborne, Aug. 2nd - Passed down: steamer Aragon, Norwalk, Chicago to Ogdensburg, corn; Omaha, Chicago to Kingston, corn; Prince, Chicago to Ogdensburg, general cargo.

p.3 Are In An Awkward Fix - Toronto, Aug. 1st - Passport in quarantine at Toronto - a man with smallpox had boarded at Belleville; eighty-one people on board.

p.5

SECOND ELEVATOR BONUS.

Company Does Not Intend Leaving The City.

Kingston, July 30th - To the Editor:

To advert at this time to the meeting of this committee, which took place over a week ago, to hear the report of the deputation of the board of trade and city council, composed of president Chadwick and alderman Elliott, who went to Montreal to interview the head men of the M.T. Co. as to what could be done to induce them to retain their business in Kingston, and the amount they would be willing to take to secure that end and the erection of another elevator by them, may justly be termed stale; for all that their report (which I had not seen until today) contains a few points which should not be lost sight of, for they warrant the close and careful attention of the citizens, and, therefore, I request space in your popular paper to point them out. The first point is that referring to the company's statement that the grain trade had undergone a change which was forcing Kingston's traffic into other channels, and that the only remedy for stemming this tide is the erection of an elevator and the providing of conveniences equal to those offered at other places. The change alluded to by the manager is, of course, none other than that the grain now goes to Prescott and Ogdensburg instead of to Kingston as a result of the elevating facilities found at those places, which ensure lake craft a ready discharge of their cargoes, and an immediate return for more, instead of the uncertainty and delay, and consequent costs for demurrage, formerly experienced here. What care the M.T. company where the grain goes to so long as their barges get constant employment and make plenty of money? They now use their surplus boats in carrying it to Montreal from Prescott, that is, those not needed at Kingston. If they were ever concerned about the existence of an elevator here, they, of all others, should have built it, unassisted, with their own means, years ago, and thus have prevented that tide of trade, the stemming of which, the president of the company truly says, can only be effected by the erection of an elevator, the very thing that has already been arranged for. Then why ask the citizens to saddle themselves with more unnecessary debt by voting the company $35,000 so soon after endorsing a grant of $25,000 for a like purpose, before ascertaining whether another building will be required? The only "conveniences" existing elsewhere, over those found here, are the rapid unloading of vessels which stationary elevators afford. Outside of that the company's own facilities here are superior to those to be found down the river, our harbor being safe and capacious, their stores, buildings and dockage ample, and their laying-up grounds and shipyard so satisfactory that they are not likely to soon abandon them, bluff as their friends may.

The next statement of the deputation and to which I wish to draw your attention is that the company will be satisfied with a bonus of $35,000, $10,000 of which is to be the consideration for the retention of their business in Kingston as at present, for twenty years." Now, if that statement does not let the cat out of the bag, that the company has no intention of leaving this city, I would like to know what better proof can be required? What is $10,000 to such a rich company as this is? The idea of their being satisfied to be bound as indicated, by such a paltry amount as that, as a retainer, contains the contradiction on the face of it! Only $500 a year! Just think of it! If they had any serious intention of leaving, or saw any chance to better themselves elsewhere, does any sane man believe that they would bind themselves to stay here for twenty years for the amount named, or for ten times that amount? Assuredly not. Then when is this sum to be paid? Surely not before the contract is fulfilled; that must be binding, or the bargain will be worthless. Even $500 at the end of each year of its existence will not do, because if it were possible that the company should take a notion to leave they would think nothing of forfeiting the balance of the sum, - of which I believe there need be no fear, as nothing can persuade me that there is any desire or intention to quit. Then why grant this $10,000 at all? It is worse than wasting our money. To vote it is to make fools of ourselves. Now, as to the other $25,000 for the elevator. Why foolishly give that or any other bonus to this company now for something of which we have no evidence that we shall need, when they would not accept it when the need was felt? We have provided our share to meet present requirements and there let the matter rest until it be demonstrated that that provision is not ample to do the trade, which it is hoped will overtax our resources. Then build another or more elevators, and then, and not till then, we will be warranted in rendering further financial assistance to the M.T. company or some one else. Should the qualified electors unwisely, as I believe, endorse this at present unnecessary scheme, let them have it distinctly understood that the above amounts must be kept entirely separate, and not handed over until the contract in each case - elevator and retainer - is completed. OBSERVER.