The San Francisco call., 1896-09-13
Fare the Same to the Texas
Port as to the Great
Metropolis.
OCEAN LINES IN THE DEAL.
Through Service From Bremen and
Hamburg to the Coast to Be
Inaugurated.

No scheme apparently is too bold and
broad for Coils P. Huntington, president
of the Southern Pacific Company, to un-
dertake. The latest move of the famous
author of the statement sail the traffic will
bear" is to make Galveston an entrepot
for European emigration in rivalry to
New York.
Negotiations are now pending between
the Southern Pacific Company and two of
the great transatlantic steamship COM
panies, by which it is hoped to materially
lessen the cost of second-class and steer
age transportation between European
ports and the Pacific Coast.
So far have these negotiations proceeded
that it can now be announced as fact
that the North German Lloyd Company
will establish monthly line of steamers
between Bremen and Galveston. with
passage rates not higher than for the same
classes of business to New York. The
steamers it will detail for this new SER
vice are the well-known Halle and the
Crefeld, vessels. that have excellent repu-
tations and an enviable prestige, acquired
in successful traffic with the port of New
York.
These vessels were designed for steerage
passengers, and the ample upper space
usually monopolized by cabin passengers
in vessels carrying such is, in these, given
up to the comfort and convenience of the
steerage, and gives safe ana enjoyable &C
cummodations for 1000 people.
The steamers Wittekind and Willehad
sisters to the Halle and the Crefeld, and
under the same ownership, are also men
toned in connection with this service.
The Halle is bulletined to sail from
:, %
90 and the Crefeld is scheduled to follow
her one month later, on the Goth of Octo-
ber, and thereafter the Goth of each month
is to be the sailing Gay for steamer from
the port of Bremen TO Galveston.
The Hamburg American Company has
slgnitied its intention of emulating the en-
terprise of the Bremen line, and will put
suitable steamers of its feet in a similar
service, with Ham burg as port of depar-
ture. 1t is further announced that if the
proper encouragement is received by these
companies they will put into operation
bi-monthly service from each of their
respective ports to Galveston direct,
greatly to the advantage of the CONNER
ciai world to the westward of the port of
Galveston, for the steamers will carry
freight as well as passengers.
The fare from Bremen to New York is
$34, an0 it will be the same to Galveston
by the proposed new line. From Ham
burg to New York the fare is $31 80, and it
will be the same from the German port to
Galveston. 1t will thus be seen that the
passenger destined to San Francisco will
be able to save the difference between the
fare from New York to San Francisco and
that from Galveston to San Francisco.
There are two generally used routes at
present between New York and San Fran
cisco for this class OF business. One is by
steamer to Norfolk, thence by rail to des-
tination. The other is all rail. By the
former the fare is $58 % and by the latter
$63 %. In the one case the passenger will
be able to save $40 70 and in the other
$2l 70, a most important consideration to
people of this class.
Another very important advantage that
passengers will enjoy who take the pro-
posed new route will be the absence of tn g
many transfers from one line of railroad
to another. At Galveston, which point
they will reach without having been COM
PEELED 10 make any change, they will be
put aboard the Southern Pacific train and
be taken direct to their destination with
out further transfer.
For many years the Southern Pacific
has maintained a large and extensive or
ganization in Europe, with a view to
securing this class of business, and until
very recently had its own agent stationed
at New York to look after the westbound
immigrants. This business has been for
long time and is yet the subject of much
controversy between the different trans
continental railroads. and this latest move
of the Southern Pacific will make that cor
poration practically master of the situa-
ton. 1t has its own agents at Hamburg
London, Liverpool, Rotterdam and Ant
werp, and these representatives will un-
doubtedlY see that ali the passengers they
are instrum entail in securing for the Pa
cifc Coast are routed via Galveston and the
Sunset line.
Opposition to the plan of the Southern
Pacific has already arisen among the roads
who claim that passengers should not be
billed by the steamship people farther than
Galveston, and that they should be left
free at the Texas port to choose their own
route. This issue remains TO be settled.
While this ingenious arrangement, con-
ceived in the ever fertile brain OF the aged
and able magnate at the helm of the
Southern Pacific Company, is likely to
prove of advantage to the intending emil
grant and to the State OF California bv
saving money for the one and adding to
the population of the other, the philan-
thropy is of the kind suggested in the
maxim, "Charity begins at home" This
is where the great monopolist will find
his recompense:
FIrst-He will be diverting large percent
age of the emigrant traffic from the transconti-
mental lines, which make up the rail rou te
between New York and the Pacific Coast. to
the Sunset route.
Second-He will make his European organi-
cation of emigrant-hunIers more remuner-
etive.
Third-He will be taking away additional
business from the Central Pacific Railroad
and thus be in position to make q more
urgent appeal to Congress for leniency in the
matter of the debt of that railroad TO the
United States Government.
Fourth-He win be adding to the popula ton
OF the State and to its productive capacity, and
Will thus secure an increased number OF vic
Tins, to whom the cinch may be applied until
they yield up All the traffic win bear.
Fifth-He will be in position to carry out,
to some extent at least, his idea that this State
is in great need of cheap labor.
On the whole, this latest scheme of Col
lis P. Huntington is pronounced by rail-
road men to be one of the cIeverest of the
many that he has fathered for the undo.
ing of rivals and for the benefit of his own
pet properties.