[R. Dale Flick]

Dear Steamboating colleagues:
Hate to start a new 'thread' but Bob Reynolds posed an interesting question last night. Bob asks, "What landing/wharf charges were or are in existence in various towns and cities along the rivers for passenger/excursion boats landing and using facilities?" I don't think Bob will mind me posting to all of you who know more than I do. No doubt a number on this web have information--possibly Bill Judd, Jim Blum, Don Sanders, Jim Reising, Keith Norrington, Judy Patsch, Alan Bates, Richard & Mary Stewart etc. Doc Hawley would probably remember in a jiffy.

I do recall here in Cincinnati there were assessed charges for the GREENE LINE STEAMERS wharfboat. GL Purser Bob McCann muttered something about it years ago but, frankly, after all these years I can't remember. He quoted something like $40 [?], but I didn't know if that was by the day, week etc. HELP! on this one. The city administration here had for a while an on-again-off-again charge for municipal waste collection, water etc. The old GL offices did have city water, electricity. City services did keep the landing clean, put down salt etc. in the winter.

I'll talk to Joan Strader and ask if she can recall what the agreement was with the Public Landing here when the family gave 'Strader's Wharf' to the city for 'public use.' I have the impression that other cities and towns on our rivers 'may' have scratched the charges as an incentive to have the DQSB CO. boats, and others, land. There were wharfage charges in the old days. The GREENE LINE, as Bob Reyolds mentions, did have some 'issue' with Huntington, W. Va. at one time. I've an old, fuzzy B/W photo here of the Cincinnati landing on/around 1904-1906 showing a strange little wharf master's office like a wagon on wheels that could be moved up and down the landing according to the level of the river.

Per head 'port charges' on big, 'blue water' ships is per passenger head no matter if their ships dock at a pier or tender in from anchorages in the harbor. So, gang, ready, set, go.

Cheers,
R. Dale Flick