The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1895-11-09
STRIKING At THE letters ON COMMERCE,


is claimed, was paid out to protect them at
sacramento from adverse legislation.
How much has gone every two years since
then for that purpose can only he told by the
pilots themselves.
Realizing, however, the intolerable impost
which this charge amounts to- they have for a
mum Der Of years returned one-half OF the out
ward pilotage on foreign vessels to the owners,
and IT is claimed that their perquisites are so
large That not only do they discriminate IN
favor OF shlp-owners in San Francisco who
have political pulp against those who are
not mixed up in politics. but that a position as
pilot is worth $4,000 in cash, even if the
former incumbent has been dismissed from the
service.
The time has passed when pilots can expect
10 earn more than competent sbip-masters,
VINO receive for compensation something like
$125 per month.
San Francisco has outgrown the provincial
methods of the past forty years and is now
mistress OF the Pacific Coast, but she has TO
measure her strength with Puget Sound ports,
e s0d NIB Rive River ports, Humboldt San Pedro
pluous to make shipping charges so low as TO
attract deep-water vessels.
The Mayor then called on George W.
Dlckey, superintendent of the Union Iron
works, for his views on State taxation
OF shipping.
Mr.. Dickey had all the facts and figures
ana stock of indignation at the destruc-
tlon OF our merchant marine. Mr.. Dickey
said in substance:
| have never missed an opportunity to bring
thls subject before the public. For twenty
nTe years | have discussed it, verbally in
pamphlets and in the newspapers 1t is a
matter vital to the interests of san Francisco
ana people must be educated to its true i'm
portence SO that 1t may have attention in
some way commensurate with the magnitude
OF our exports and imports. The public press
ought 10 be patriotic enough to Keep this be-
lore Its readers, because the sentiment of the
people is the great underlying foundation OF
every enterprise.
Last year prepared paper on the obstacles
10 ship-building and ship-owning before
the New York Society OF Naval Architecture
Mr.. Diekey's paper read on this occasion
excited great deal of comment. Among
those who referred to it was Charles H.
Cramp. the great ship-builder of Phila-
| delphia He blamed the apathy of the
public for the decline of the merchant
marine. This, he said, is purely a railroad
generation and has lost interest in the
ocean.
! Continuing, Mr.. Dickey said:
The enormous fortunes made in railways
have drawn mems attention away from the
! more conservative traffic of the natural high
way. When their attention Is again turned TO
| it there will be more wealth made from the
Pacific than was ever dug from the Sierras.
No State has such an iron grip on commerce
as California. San Francisco has d position
/ unequaled by any city in the world. The
Golden Gate is san franciscos front door, but
the State has watchdog there 10 drive away
/ the commerce that would enter.
Mr.. Dickey repeated that the ships get
no benefit from the taxes and tolls charged
against them. The police do not protect
them on the ocean, the fire de-
partment does not extinguish contia-
grations on the high seas, the street
lights do not illuminate them and
the paving of the streets makes their
way no easier. He gave figures to show
that the five great Atlantic steamship
lines, with fifteen times as much tonnage
as San Francisco total, pay 20 per cent
less than the ships that come into this
port.
what is the use of going to Congress
for help when the State enactments are
crushing out what life is left in us?" said
Mr.. Dickey.
Captain w. L. Merry's address was the
sensation of the meeting, inasmuch as he
came out for the abolition of the State
turning over of the City front to the Fed
eraI Government. He said:
The port OF San Francisco is one OF the finest
in the world. but has unfortunately acquired q
reputation to It's detriment,9f being an expen-
sive port for ships to visit The State OF Califor
mia, desiring to make it a cheap port has legis-
lated with that intent, and while it is true
TIT at, so far as wharfage and dockage are con-
cerned, charges have been somewhat reduced,
the system OF political con troll in matter so en-
tTely devoid OF political connection is itself
faulty, and will not in our time-probably
: neYer-attaln the aim OF the legislators who
established the Harbor Commission = low
. respect almost free port.
The appointment of the Harbor Commission
. and its employees, is, by usage, and the result
of the Legislature creating it. made as a reward
for political service, on the basis that TO the
Victors belong the spoils. Without any allu-
sion TO the incumbents, it is a SUSTAIN always
productive of failure in economical results.
The system is also very faulty in this-that it
has never done more than maintain what may
; be called temporary and very perishabe
structures, so much so, in fact, that the great
! income
pended in salary and repairs the recent excep-
lions being the new ferry buildings at the foot
of Market street and the Pacifc-street wharf
which is being constructed on cylindrical iron
and concrete piling-a permanent sub-struc-
ture which will need no repairs for years il
properly built.
The Chamber of Commerce has already in
dorsed this new departure in wharf construc-
ton by letter to the Harbor Commission eX-
pressing its thanks. If the system is persisted
in the cost of repairs will gradually decrease
and the cost OF permanent construction
steadily increase. with the ultimate result of d
complete seawall, though ii may be long de-
ferred. Nor are the merchants OF San Fran
cisco entirely blameless in this matter. | have
been told by personal friends on former Harbor
Commission boards that when the board en-
deavored 70 adopt system OF indestructible
plllng 1t was met by the powerful counter in
huence OF firms having piles for sale who diu
not relish the idea OF being thus deprived of q
market.
, The system of wharfage and toll collection is
, apparently more cumbrous and expensive than
corporation or private firm. Ships are tax
able property-too much so in California for
the good of our commonwealth--they cannot
vanish unless burned or wrecked, and should
certainly form property security for the col
lection OF all harbor charges at the office of the
owners, consignees or agents, enabling dis
missal OF the many employees doing this work
on the wharyes. but there would not then be so
many political appointments TO be given out as
, reward for political party service.
Gentlemen, it is easy to find fault with exist
ing conditions. How can we apply remedy?
can conceive Of only two methods.
First-A cnange In the State law regarding
the commission controlling the City front, SO
that the personnel of the commission shall be
restricted to gentlemen who shall have a
technical acquaintance with shipping and
wharfage; either shipping merchant ship
, owner, marine underwater, ship-builder or
master mariner should make a better Harbor
Commissioner than politician, frequently
entirely unacquainted with shipping interests
aud having to acquire knowledge OF his
duties, which occupies half of his term of office
and who is turned out in rotation after serving
his political term Also provision that the
expenditure for salaries, maintenance and re-
pairs shall not exceed one-third of the receipts
This would necessitate the reduction OF poll
tically appointed employees; also that employees
should only be discharged for cause other than
I Y,n1it Sta md mi ofta