The morning call., 1893-03-07


of freight yesterday. She will carry no
passengers on this trip, and her Storage
will be wholly occupied by merchandise.
The news Of the success OF the venture is
greeted with hearty favor about town.
1t has already had a very cheering effect
on the merchants.
The eyes Of real estate men. bankers,
builders and tradesmen are upon the new
enterprise. 1t has the good will of every
body In the city except the Southern Pacific
people aud the Pacific Mall.
Il tell you," said 6 merchant yesterday,
"we cannot place too much importance
upon this move Of the new company to give
US competition with the old monopoly.
When we think of the hundreds of millions
Of dollars that have been taken out of the
legitimate channels Of trade through the
conspiracy of the combined railroads with
the Pacific Mail we MAJ well congratulate
ourselves on the turn Of the tide. for that is
what it really is"
Yes, Thursday, the day on which the St.
Paul will sail, will be long remembered by
the shippers OF California.
BUSY Mr.. JOHNSON.
Frank S. johnson and Traffic Manager
Leeds were very busy men all day yester-
dav.
johnson and Captain Merry of the North
American Navigation Company had their
bands full arranging the details of their line
of steamers.
For hours they were closeted with all kinds
of peOple, among them their Panama agent,
and every five minutes they we're interrupted
by the ring of the telephone bell or by some
messenger from a shipping or importing
firm with Inquiries about rates for freight to
the East coast or 10 Europe.
Questions as TO outgoing rates were an
sweIed quickly, but when the figures for
rates on commodities from New York to
this port were asked no positive answer
could be given,
The fact Is that the specified tariff is now
being prepared in New York covering all
west-bnund freight, ana that until its pro-
visions are known the local office can only
give one answer to all inqulrers Of that sort,
which is:
I'VE will make the rates a great deal
lower than those charged by the Pacific
Mall Company in the past"
LEEDS Is HARD AT IT.
MT. Leeds was In consultation with the
Traffic Associations executive committee
all afternoon, and there was so much bust
ness to be transacted that the committee ad-
jourDed after many hours to meet again at
IL A. NJ. to-day.
The first thing considered was the legisla-
tive action on the measures introduced by
the Traffic Association.
Then came the reading OF the contract
between the North American Navigation
Company and the Panama Railroad.
a copy OF this contract just as it N,Ns
to-day, awaiting President Merry's Jppa-
ture. was received in yesterdays maj. and
every one OIL its provisions was found to
need discussion. although they are all
feasible enough to insure Endorsement by
the merchants composing the association.
Mr.. Leeds made long report of his
doings in New York in connection with the
contract, and before he had completed What
be had to say the hour grew so late that
an adjournment until to-day became ad-
visable.
There is, however, no question but that
the whole matter will be positively ratified
to-day. and that the mercantile community
Of San Francisco has at last found the relief
from the shackles of the Southern Pacific
COMPANY and its ally, the Pacific Mail
Company, il has looked for so many years
For few weeks there may be some pre-
liminary bitches, and steamers may not be
dispatched with the regularity shippers in
Impotence to patroniZe the new company
may desire. but in very short time all
these matters will be arranged and a semi
monthly service will be established for good.
PLENTY OF PATRONAGE.
There is no longer any doubt about the
patronage the North American NaViga-
ton Company will receive, because enough
has already been secured TO keep the man
ayers busy trying to secure the necessary
steamers.
On this latter point all parties connected
with the company are retcent, because there
are negotiations pending now which would
be interferred with by premature publ
cation.
The Traffic Association is extremely well
pleased with the result Of the Senate's yots
on the railroad bills. To have the names of
the men who wear railroad collars and sit
In the Senate of California as lawmakers
publicly announced and marked forever
-lRFPntf1F affords a deal Cf at
tlon to the committee which has placed
them on record.
The end is not yet" they say, "and
what we have done this year is only an
Introduction to the work we will do in the
future"
All Of which indicates that the Traffic
Association is still In the RUG and intends
to keep up its fight against railroad monopo-
lies, against the Southern Pacific Company,
against unjust rates, and, above all, against
Jim Rea, Brother Litchield and Deacon
Beckman, the Railroad Commissioners,
whose unenVlable records were aired
thoroughly before the Legislature, so that
the people Oh this State are no longer In
ignorance oil their uselessness and un-
Worthiness.
A SOUTHERN PACIFIC TRICK.
Down at the Lombard-street pier yester
day where the 81. Paul was loading
freight for the North American Navigation
COmpany's new line there was visible air
Of quiet satisfaction alb out those who were
In position to know the latest unsucce ;siul
move Of the Southern Pacific.
While no one would say just what the
10 owe was it soon became known that the
greedy corporation had been driven as a
last resort to the adoption Of an old and very
time-wOrn trick.
Its agents had been covertly examining
and putting down in memorandum books
the shippers marks on different packages
OF freight that their chiefs might learn
And the end of this shabby trick is TO
enable the tricky ones to bring to bear any
and all influence possible upon the shippers
and consignees that may tend to divert
future shipments from the vessels of the
North American Navigation Company.
The Navigation Company's representatives
are complacent under the circumstances,
for they are perfectly well aware that the