The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1895-11-09
Captain Merry Wants the Board
of Harbor Commissioners
Abolished.
ROCKS, SHOALS AND CHARGES.
Mcguire and Loud and Senator Perkins
on Natural and Artifcial-Made
Barriers.

Der of Commerce, Manufacturers and Pro-
ducers' Association, Traffic Association, |
Mechanics Institute, Board of Trade and |
Board of Manufacturers and Employers of |
California were all represented at the |
meeting, which took place at the Chamber |
of Commerce yesterday afternoon. Mayor |
Sutro presided, and besides the repre-
sentatives of the commercial organizations |
there were present Senator Perkins, Con- |
gressmen Mcguire and Loud, Professor |
Davidson, Harbor Commissioner Colnon !
and other representative men interested in |
the subject of the reduction OF port charges |
the advisability Of which was the formal
reason of the gathering.
Mayor Sutro was introduced by Captain
Simpson, president of the Ship-owners'
Association. Captain Simpson prefaced
the Introduction with an outline of the
situation. He dwelt on the business de-
preston and mentioned that he had paid
some hundreds of thousands of dollars in
port charges and that sort of thing and
had received no return. Referring TO the
$4,000 bonds issued to build the new ferry
depot ne said: This bond business is
ruinous from beginning to end. 1t tends
TO bankruptcy and non-taXatlon.
Mayor Sutro's address was as follows:
conference.-the honor has been conferred
upon me of presiding over this distinguished
assembly, representing nearly all the impor-
tant mercantile interests OF San Francisco
The principal object OF this meeting is TO
recommend and procure lower port charges for
vessels entering the harbor. On the surface
this does not seem 9 matter OF great conse-
quence, but examined in all its branches 1t
proves a vital question 10 the present pros
perity of our City and coast question signifi-
cant and important to the future prosperity
and welfare OF our people.
1t is notorious fact that vessels entering
our harbor are forced to pay eXTortionaIe sums
Tor pllotage, wharfage and other services,
which, instead OF attracting shipping to this
port have gradually driven il away.
The most successful nations in olden as well
as in modern times owed their development
and prosperity largely 20 their sea commerce.
They utilized the ocean, that grand highway,
That railway, II you please, upon which passen-
gers and freight can be transported at ex-
tremely low rates. II is a railway that has no
funded debt, Tor II has cost nothing to con-
struct nor does it cost single cent in repairs.
II is a railroad which leads TO all the ports of
The earth; its rails suffer not from wear and
tear; IL has 10 need Tor switches nor the SER
vices OF sWitcbmen.
We, the people of San Francisco and the
State OF California, boast one of the best
hhrbors in the world; we live in country
that can hardly be surpassed in productive
ness For our exports and imports we are
forced 20 depend 10 great extent upon land
transportation, and, as that is under the con-
troll OF one company, without competition, the
inevitable results are the high freights and
fares that have well nigh drained the life
blood out OF US and ruined our country.
Look around you and behold the wretched-
l.
cate women and helpless children almost
driven 10 desperation by hunger; rows OF
empty houses; factories stopped; commerce
paralyzed; all enterprise and progress stifed
Let Us try TO reVivify our commerce by sea :;
let Us not only reduce the charges on shipping
but let US endeavor 10 make this free port as
nearly as possible.
I firmly believe that if the expense OF pilot
age and wharfage were betrayed out of gem
erel taxation, and all shipping permitted to en-
ter iree 1t would prove an irresistible invita-
ton 70 the whole world to send their cargoes
here and take away our products and this in
lis turn would force the railroad company to
reduce its freights.
To accomplish this we require legislation,
and 10 get legislation we must have honest leg
islRtors who cannot be bought by the powers
that domineer over US. Such legislators we
shall never have, unless the honest and the
better classes join together to control the pri-
maries. 1t is poor plan 10 vote for legislators
nominated by the bosses of either of the polfti-
cal parties. Primary election day should be
made legal holiday TO the proper conduct OF
which every citizen should attend and we
should look with scorn upon the men who, on
that day, neglect their duty. Let us get an
honest Legislature and we may succeed in
changing our existing laws so as TO make San
Francisco practically port free of charge for
all vessels entering its harbor.
This is q significant occasion. From this
meeting may spring reforms that viii once
more place our State and City among the
great progressive communities and bring pros
perity and happiness to our people
lieved that slavery was dead. But one slave
State still exists ana that is the State we live
in. Let US abolish this slavery; let us strike
for the liberty and indenandance Witch we
have inherited and to which we are entitled.
May the result of your deliberations be the
first step toward commercial independence
and bring about an advance in all the inter
ests that work for the general welfare Of all
our people.
The first subject discussed was COM
pulsory pilntage. Hugh Craig, the marine
underwater, spoke on the subject. He
said:
Compulsory piIotage has been sore subject
with the shipowners of this City for more than
q generation, and has caused endless bad feel
ing between pilots and shipowners from time
TO time. As Legislatures have met a: Sacra-
meuto and been handled by the lobby in the
interests of the pilots the history of this ques-
ton takes US back 10 the early attempts at
legislation for the benefit or San Francisco
harbor.
These contests crystalline themselves into the
Political Code, in sections 2440 TO 3015, and in
section 1865 is to be found the Objectionable
part OF this legislation, namely:
''When a vessel is spoken, inward or outward
bound, and the services of q pilot are declined,
one-half OF the above rates should be paid"
That means that locally owned vessel of
1000 tons, drawing twenty feet OF water. shall
pay 81 so per foot, say $50 ana z per cent of
1000 tons, together $40. Proceeding outward
in ballast, her depth being less, probably the
outward charge would not exceed 500; inward
and outward, $3.50, Notwithstanding the fact
that her master may be thoroughly competent
To take his ship in and out, and for the purpose
of saving time and protecting the interests OF
his owners. he lows inward and outward
Doubtless there was period in the history
Of San Francisco when compulsory towage was
necessary, when there were no lighthouses on
the Farallones or Point Reyes or the points
south OF the entrance; when the approaches
were not properly charted, and there were 10
steam fog-horns or sirens, nor fair buoys, and
the channels were unknown and captains felt
their way with the lead And last, but not
least, there were no towboats. In those days
compulsory pilotage might have had some ex-
cuse.
The history of this question in 1883 is fresh
in the minds of San Francisco ship-owners,
when committees from the Board of Trade,
ship-owners and our Chamber of Commerce
were turned down and defed by San Fran
cisco Legislators and pilots; and this sort of
thing has been Tecurrent every two years
since.
This convention has met 10 prepare such
amendments 10 the present statutes as will, II
possible, relieve our shipping interests from
this 'old man of the sea, - which they have been
carrying so long that they have become des-
perate.
Compulsory pilotage must go. There is a
pressing necessity and need TO cut off the cor
ners OF expenses il our flag shall continue to
wave over American built hulls.
The charges collected during the past year