The morning call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1878-1895, 1891-10-30
THE PROSPECTS.

THE CALL has heretofore referred to the
advantages which California should reap
from water communicf ons with the out
side world and with the interior of the
State. Without any regard to railroad mat
tiers this city and State ought to receive all
of their heavy merchandise by sea; and
most of our heavy freight should go East by
sea. The saving would be immense if
proper means were taken to utilize the ma
tural advantages which. we possess. Prob
ably freight via the Isthmus OF Panama
would not cost more than one-third of the
price per ton which it costs by railroad.
We take it for granted that our merchants
cannot occuIy the position to which they
are entitled unless they seize hold Of the ad-
vantages which are offered them. This
State must have communication by water
with Europe and the Atlantic States. San
Francisco must have it, and our interior
merchants must havs it. What would be
thought Of a merchant in Sacramento or
Stockton trying to sell merchandise for the
transportation of which he should pay by
railroad from twenty to thirty or even fifty
dollars per ton, when San Francisco mer-
chant could obtain the same merchandise
by paying say five dollars per ton by water? ?
In connection with this subject, which
comes OPPORTUNITY, is the following infor-
nation copied from the commercial columns
of the Bulletin of last evening:
The iron freight steamer Mineola arrived at
this port this morning from New York, via San
Diego, en route TO Seattle. She was seVeuTy-two
days In making the passage II can be made In
sixty five days and this viii probably be done as
soon as the line gels into working order The
enterprise was projected 4 few months ago when
four steamers were secured TO carry out the
plans OF the promoters, which was a continuous
line from New York TO Seattle. via the Straits of
Magellan, San Diego and San Francisco. I.
Tie MlneOla is an lion steamer OF 1882 tons,
which left New York August 18Th, or just a
month after the first steamer. The third steamer
is also iron, and is known as The Mackinaw.
81 is 2OOO tons register, and was cleared for
New York yesterday, over two months behind
the Mineola.
Judged by the quantity of freight on the MIN
cola. and more particularly by the list OF con-
sgnees, IL is evident that the new line has .popIl-
lar approval. Were the large cargo all consigned
TO afew firms The earnings would have been the
same, but the success OF tile linz would Lave
been less assured. Tie unusually large list OF
coRsignees shows how general has been the de-
maud for the service which. the line has
been lnaugura ed 10 supply. The freight by the
Mneola Is consigned 10 over 100 firms and cor
pOraionS, representing all classes OF mercantile
and manufacturing business. This speaks
volumes Tor the enterprise The freight list en-
braces wonderful variety OF merchandise, IN
Guiding drugs, dry goods, groceries, hardware,
books and stationery, crockery and earIhen-
ware, boots and shoes, paints>and oils, furniture
liquors, naval stores, machinery, iron pipe,
pumps and stoves. Among other prominent
IT, ms on the manifest we note 5SG8 cases canned
goods, 100 boxes pepper sauce, 175 cases salad
dressing, 1888 kegs nails. 425 kegs bOrseshoes.
1858 packages wire, 1866 cases shoe backing.
go cases stove polish. 1852 cases sewing ma
chimes aud 100 boxes tin plate. A gratifying
feature Of the manifest is the detail in the specif-
Gallon of freight, there being less than 100
packages unspeeIlled ON the steamer.