The morning call., 1894-07-11
BY WATER ROUTE.
Some Advantages of the
Service.
SHORT ROADS TO TIDEWATER
They Would Give Many Towns
the Benefits of Competition.
RIVER BUSINESS is BOOMING.
Arrival of a Generai-Cargo Ship at
Last-The Bawnmore Back
From Peru.
SHORT ROADS TO TIDEWATEI
RIVER BUSINESS is BOOMING

NOW that the merchant who ships goods
to the interior has plenty of time to dis
cuss other topics than sales and shipments,
he is turning his attention to the transpor-
tation problem.
The merchants are both astonished and
gratiied TO find that water routes are being
operated regularly and with satisfaction
The bay and the rivers are showing how
useful they can be. The railroads may
possibly never get back the same trade
that was once carried by them between
San Francisco and towns reached by
water.
San Jose. the city once supposed to be
entirely in the hands of the monopoly,
is doing its freighting via Alylso. 1t is not
suffering from any evil conseQuen ces
either. Passengers can reach that city by
three different steamers now. and the
estuary that leads from the bay to Alviso
has suddenly become an important water
way.
By building an Independent line to
Asviso the Garden City can be relieved
entirely Of any further vassalage to the
Southern Pacific. The road would not
cost much. The merchants say 1t should
be built.
The Napa Valley, with all its broad
fields, vineyards and orchards. has paid
tribute to the railroad company fer years,
but it is now dividing its traffic with the
river and bay steamers. An arm Of the
bay came to the rescue when the tie-up
was ordered. A private road, a little
narrow gauge would answer, would help
Napa.
The advantage of competition by boats
is marked in the case of the people of Pet
aluma. The steamer Gold connects with
that place. Offering opposition to the San
Francisco and North Pacific line. The
freight on box Of eges from Petaluma to
San Francisco is 10 cents. 1t is so cents
from the next station above that town.
The river steamer has won victory for
Petaluma.
Stockton has been Independent of the
railroads for some time. Ever since the
Union transportation Company started
into business she has enjoyed reasonable
freight rates TO the coast. Since the strike
Stockton has had splendid river-boa
service, and 80 far as San Francisco is con-
cerned she can communicate with this city
just as well now-though perhaps not
quite so rapidly-as she did when the
Southern Pacific was operating in full blast.
Il am going to Redding by steamer"
said a lady from the north. Il never
knew that ] could get there by boat before
this strike started and the Portland express
was tied up"
Redding is receiving freight, passengers
and mail by river. and is by no means in a
state of siege. The navigation of the up
per walters of the Sacramento is being ag-
tated. Inc merchants say. Keep up the
fight"
"Haywards, Niles and towns further
south in the Santa Clara Valley would do
we'll to consider the proposition of building
local lines to tide-water," said a fruit
dealer. such roads would not be very
expensive. and would certainly pay ex-
penses."
Everybody talks river steamer on the
water front these days Shipping is at
standstill at every city wharf except those
docks where the stern wheelers land
Yesterday afternoon an extra police Off
Ger had to be kept on Clay-street wharf to
keep order among the long strings of
wagons and drays that poured merchan-
disc of all descriptions In upon the steamer
Dauntiess. Chief Wharfinger Boobar had
a hard time keeping the wharf from be-
coming blocked.
The first general-cargo ship that has
come into port for nearly three months
arrived yesterday morning. 1t was the
Henry B. Hyde, Captain Pendleton, from
New York. She will dock to-day at Har-
rison-street to discharge.
The British steamer Bawnmore, Cap
tain Keane, arrived during the day and
anchored in Mission Bay. The BawnmOre
brings full cargo of oil from Tarala Bay,
Peru, tor Graves & Co.
The schooner w. F. Jewett that went
ashore at Redondo last February has been
rebuilt at Eureka and Is now loading lum-
Der for this city.
Mission Bay is full of ships, so full that
there is not room for any more to anchor
there scarcely. Vessels are commencing
to anchor off Harrison and Folsom streets
there are dozen in that part of the bay