The morning call., 1894-10-07
THE TWO UNITE.
Combine of Two Transfer
Companies.
After Many Years of Rivalry the
California and Pacific Compa-
mics Will Pool Issues.

Competition is undoubtedly the life of
engaged in almost every branch of bust
ness appear TO have arrived at the c0nclu-
sion that unity begets strength, and COM
petition at its best is O delusion and
snare, and productive only of annoy ance
and unnecessary worry. And now again,
as sort of black eye to the competition
theory. two powerful companies have de-
cided 10 pool issues and control completely
the field in which they have heretofore
operated as rivals. 1t has now come to
pass that the Pacific and California trans
fer companies have. after weeks of nego-
tiatiOn, decided to become one. and thereby
render their business routine more easy to
handle and incidentally increase their
revenue in more ways than one.
For many wears past the two companies
have been rivals in the Strictest sense of
the word, the Pacific company controlling
the business ohtainable on the lines of the
Southern Pacific Company and the Cali
fornia corporation having the exclusive
privilege of soliciting trade on the stea mers
of the Pacific Coast steamship, the Pacific
Mail and the Oceanic companies. These
two powerful corporations, In their resDec-
tive fields. have controlled the transfer
trade completely for many years, and the
benefit of the hot rivalry and competition
which have existed at all times.
But this must now cease, inasmuch as
the business and property interests of the
California Company will soon be turned
over to the Pacific Transfer Company
The former corporation will dissolve and
the officers will in all probability be equally
distributed in the new company. Nothing
definite has been arranged as yet, but it is
profile that Evan j. Coleman, president of
the Pacific Company, will remain as presi-
dent and general manager. while William
O'Kane, at present manager of the Cali
fornia Company. will assume the position
of general superintendent of the new CON-
ceru.
The California company was organized
about twenty-three years ago by John
Hayes. who was then teamster and later
an Assemblyman. He was soon joined by
j. j. Carney, truckman. and after the
business had been largely ex ended WI
liam O'Kane. plain G. Miner Goodall and
a. III. Evans entered the company. HAYES
retired at this time. and through the infiu-
ence of Goodall and Evans the company
was enabled to secure the exclusive
privilege of soliciting baggage on all the
larger steamship lines entering San Fran
cisco.
About the same time Senator Gwin
formed the Pacific Transfer Company, and
in this enterprise he was Joined later on
by j. Henley Smith and Evan }. Coleman
The former disposed of his interest a few
years ago to |. w. Holman. president of
the Nevada Bank. and George Croker. 1t
was then that the company obtained right
to solicit business on the trains of the
Southern Pacific G mpany. Long leases
were obtained by both companies. and for
years the war has been carried on bitterly
between the rival corporations. The pres
ent com biIe will end all this, and in addi-
ton to the baggage business the Pacific
Transfer Company absorbs the drayage
business of the California Company. 1t is
quite probable that the combine will re-
suit In The removal of a number of en-
plOyes in the new concern.