The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1896-01-19
FREIGHT RATE SITUATION.
The Advance on Shipments for
New York to Be Made On
Wednesday.
General Manager Schwerin Of the
Pacific Mail Asks Support for the
Panama Route.

! The recently advanced eastbound rates
of 90 cents per 100 pounds via the Panama
route, instead of going into effect on the
steamer which leaves San Francisco on
! January % are to be charged on ship
ments made on the City OF Sydney, that
leaves next Wednesday or two days earlier
than the day on which the advanced over
land freight rates are put in force.
In view of the Developments of the past
day or two there is no immediate pros
poets of westbound rates being changed
for at least a month to come, either by the
all-rail or Panama route.
Shortly after the signing of the agree
ment between the Panama Railroad Com
pany and the Pacific Mail Steamship Com
pany the latter withdrew its three steame RS
from the Atlantic seabord, and it then de-
volved upon the Coium bian line steamers,
owned by the Panama Railroad Company,
to handle all the freight offered at New
York for Central American ports as we'll
as for San Francisco. This they were I'M
able to do and in consequence u. II. Hin
ton, the local general agent of the Panama
Railroad Company, was compelled to
withdraw all quotations at this end for
westbound business. His company is now
in position to handle more of this business
and he is again quoting westbound rates
and engaging tonnage for westbound ship
ments.
1t was generally supposed, particularly
after the eastbound rates had been ad-
vanced, that the westbound rates would
undergo similar treatment, but according
to the statements of both the railroad peo-
pie and the Panama Railroad representa-
tive there is no immediate prospect of any
change. The same rates are now in force
that obtained before the Panama-Pacifc
Mail agreement.
The recent manifesto of the Panama
Railroad Company to the effect that it pro-
independent line and genuine competi-
tor of the transcontinental lines was con-
siderable OF a surprise to the larger ship
pers OF the community, and they doubted
whether the Pacific Mail, controlled as il
was by c. ?. Huntington, would cooper
ate in the right spirit to this end. r. P.
Schwerin, general manager OF the Pacific
Mail Steamship Company, when spoken to
on the subject said:
We shall be very glad to promote the
interests OF shippers by the Panama route
We ask their cooper alton and assistance for
that route so as to Keep us running up to our
full facilities all the time. | would like TO see
the Panama route traffic developed to such an
extent that we would have TO run a steamer
every four days.
The state ment made by the Panama people
is correct. The Panama route is in actual COM
potion with the transeontinental lines. There
is no idea OF putting III extortionate rates, but
to put in such rates as will be remuneratiye to
the carriers. Under the old rates all the
transportation companies were losing money.
don't think any reasonable man would ex-
pect the transportation companies to carry
their freight at a serious loss, and if they viii
cooperate with the Panama route we will do
the best to cooperate with them
The Columbia, sister ship of the Peru, was
to leave Newport News on the 18th inst, and
the City OF Para is TO leave soon after as they
could get her away, and both are to be placed
in service on this side between San Francisco
and Panama. 1t has been stated that we in
port was absolutely without foundation. The
Pacific Mail during the entire time that the
North American Navigation Company and the
Panama Railroad Company handled through
freight to New York has never ceased to run