The morning call., 1893-03-04


City in order to secure such contract for
the North American Navigation Company,
from the Panama Railroad Company, as
would not only drive the Pacific Mail Com.
pany out OF the business of carrying freight,
passengers and mails between New York
and San Francisco, but also to reduce rates,
so as TO bring relief to tie importers and
shippers from the outrageous charges of
the Pacific Mail Company, who has for
years, in conjunction with the Southern
Pacific Railroad, mon9polized that kind of
traffic.
Mr., johnson brought a copy, of the
signed contract he so assiduOusly la6ored to
secure, therefore he and the local mer-
chants have every reason to rejoice.
Talking hurriedly, after his arrival, Mr..
johnson expressed himself as follows:
"ln the first place want to say that J.
,. Leeds. the manager of the Traffic AsSo-
citation, has been the man who accom-
plished the whole thing. and that without
him L could never have succeeded in get
ting the concessions we now have.
"Mr. Leeds will be here tomorrow and
will doubtless speak for himself, but as he
is | want to put him on record as being the
principal in all the transactions between
the North American Navigation Company
and President Newton of the Panama
Railroad Company.
The contract. a copy Of which l brought
along, contains every provision we could
bly desire. and l must say that Gen
eral Newton has treated us with the utmost
liberalty.
The Panama railroad people were tired
of the Pacific Mail Company's ways, and
they knew we'll that the isthmus traffic
could be largely increased II il was in the
hands OF parties interested to see it flourish
instead of driving it into the hands of the
Southern Pacific Company, as tue Pacific
Mail Company has been doing for years.
Therefore we found General Newton
perfectly willing 10 enter into negotiations
with us.
BAT it was slow work TO arrange the de-
tails, because every provision in the con-
tract, n o matter how triflng it may appear
now, required lots OF time to become an
agreement
ut was Mr.. Leeds who. by his superior
knowledge Of what San Francisco traffic
needs, secured such concessions as will
make cur company an undOubted and un-
qualified success for all time.
Leeds insisted that no particular rates
or percentages should be mentioned in the
contract and that the rates should be
regulated according to the requirements as
found in the future
"He told General Newton that we must
be IN position 10 meet competition and
could therefore not afford to be tied down
by castlrOn rates before hand, and the
general, listening 10 his arguments, gave us
carte blanche In the matter OF rates accord
ingly.
The recommendation made by the
Panama Canal Investigation Committee to
Congress to the effect that no subsidies
shall be given to trans portation lines which h
enter into combinations with competing
lines of traffic, the result of which is to
diminish the traffic or raise rates, will act
disastrously on the Pacific Mail Company,
| for we will ask at once that the $1,000 that
| Company has been allowed for years
| for each trip by the Government for carry
! ing the United States mails shall be trans
| ferred 10 the North American Navigation
| Company, the only direct and Independent
| isthmus route now IN operation.
"Our service VIII be semi-mOnthly, and
am pleased 20 find on my arrival that enc ugh
freight IS piled up and has Deen secured to
make our inaugural trips series Of howl
| ing successes.
"We prefer not to give the exact terms OF
the contract TO the public just now, but
after Mr.. Leeds return the Traffic Associa-
ton, our chief hacker, may decide other
wise, and If so THE CALL will have the first
| chance TO publish it verbatim"
This was about Gll Mr., JUhnson-who, by
| the way, looks hale and hearty after his
trip-had TO say. he being extremely busy
on his first day in San Francisco after a
| prolonged absence.