The morning call., 1893-05-13
ONLY THREE sAILlNds A MONTH.
MonopOly's Cripun the commerce of San

Monopoly's cripon the commerce of San
Francisco is slipping, slipping, slipping.
The freedom of Pacific Coast merchants
and Pacific Coast industry grows week by
week. They will not be throttled much
longer.
Not since the Pacific Mail Company lost
ifs control of through rates via Panama
has the loss Of its grip been so strikingly
shown as 1t was yesterday.
The Pacific Mail Company is very
rapidly going down hill Its fortunes are
waning as rapidly as the prosperity of the
North American Navigation Company is
increasing.
II has signaled its surrender of prestige
and control by taking off two steamers be-
tween San Francisco and Panama and two
between Colon and New York.
Five steamers have been regularly sail
ing each month from San Francisco to
Panama. Hereafter but three will sail
each month.
Heretofore two Of the five have been
through steamers, going directly 10 Pana-
ma without stopping at way ports.
Hereafter its three monthly steamers
Will stop at all coast ports, picking up
whatever way freight they can get. Truly,
the glory OF the Pacific Mail has departed
Meanwhile the Navigation Company's
steamers are overloaded and are refusing
freight. The new company has already
won its victory, and, with the larger steam
ers and the facilities for handling passen-
ger traffic in frst-elass style, which wifi
come soon, the Old monopoly will be rale-
gated TO the position of picking up what
little II can in the way of business at rates
IL would have sneered at six months ago.
The way port steamer San Juan, which
was to sall Tor Panama on the 18th Of this
month, has been Withdrawn and the Colt
ma, booked to depart on June 8, will leave
on June 10 ms ead-cause, decrease of
business, determination ON the Vart of
local shippers TO wait for the IN. A" yes
ses before cOnsigning and actions of the
Central Americans IN not shipping their
coffee by the old company's steamers, not
withstRnding that the wharves Of that
country are grooming with bags of the
beans.
On the New York side two steamers will
be removed on or after June l, and there
is wailing and guashing of teeth from
Colon north to New York and Panama
north to San Francisco. for captains.
mates. purseTs. freight clerks and crews
Will be minus jobs, so the story runs.
A CALL reporter visited the company S
office at the dock yesterday and inquired
of the first clerk on the right-hand side
after entering the place: VIII q steamer
sail on the 1SthY
lie tiltlOAe. WHO was DuSily engaged
in looking into space, and perhaps specG-
lating on a reduction of wages owing to
the collapse of business, pointed YEARLY
10 the next desk and said: ASK that
man."
That man" was asked, and replied.
taking his eyes slowly off a stack of old
papers: Just speak to the freight clerk. -
The freight clerk" was talking politics
with an assistant, occasionally casting a
lingering glance at blank manifest, but
he found time to answer; "Oh, just speak
10 the ticket clerk"
The ticket clerk replied cheerily: NO,
sir; no steamer on the 81 or 18th any
more, but we can send you through on the
10Th or the 25tl-"
Here vague suspicion that the reporter
was not what lie seemed apparently en-
tered the ticket mans head, for he stopped
suddenly. frowned little, bit and ierked
his thumb over his shoulder as much as 10
say, "See Mr.. Center"
But Mr.. Center was not in, so one of the
clerks said.
at the office of the North American Nav.
igation Company everybody appeared to
be bnsy, and in strange contrast with the
Pacific Mails action OF removing four
steamers the opposition line people were
figuring on putting on still another steamer
and had chartered the Progressive, a fine
25C0-tOE vessel. from the owners Of the
heweeEaw.
The Progressive is in New York al
present and will not reach San Francisco
for some time yet
The North American Navigation Com,
panY knew of the changes on the Pacific
Mall route. but did not care to assign any
cause for them.
a comparison of the imports by Pacific
Mail steamers this year and last year goe:
to prove that their business has been
steadily decreasing, which means that The
trade of Central America has been going
TO foreign ships on account of the high
tariff OF the monopoly.
Last year the San Bias, one Of their
way-pOTt steamers, averaged about 170C
tons per tin, but this year has not aver
aged over 700 tons.
The City of Panama averaged last yeal
about 1850 tons and this year about 50(
tons.
The Acapulco used to bring up about
1900 ions. but now carries only 4j0 tons.
The North American Navigation Com,
pany's steamers have not stopped at way
ports on the way up, so the freight has no,
gone to them.
ut is the natural decrease of Contra
American trade" said a Front-street mer.
chant, (which will have to be built VI
again by new line"
Hereafter all the Pacific Mail steamers
Will stop at way ports, the through service
being abandoned entirely. They Will leave
on the 9th, 10Th and 18th of each month.
The company will not say what will bt
zone with the steamer San Juan, but shI
Is not looked for this month or next.