The San Francisco call., 1896-01-11
The Traffic Associations Stand
Against Competition From
Portland.
INFORMATION FOR MERCHANTS.
The Oregon Railway and Navigation
Company 1nimical to Local
Interests.

The Traffic Association held meeting
yesterday at its office, 3i4 Pine street, and
took determined stand for the merchants
of San Francisco in all dealings with
Oregon and the Northwest as against the
opposition recently presented from Port
land, Or.
The question OF opposition lines along
the northern coast was discussed by the
associations executive committee at con-
siderable length and with much interest
by every member present. and at the close
a resolution was adopted to support the
competing steamers which were operating
in the interest of California shippers.
at was the unanimous sentiment of the
association that the opposition lines on
the coast now operating to north coast
ports be supported" Traffic Manager
Curtis stated at the close of the meeting
I'VE have found that San Francisco
merchants have been able to do great
deal of business in the Puget Sound and
other northern ports through the medium
of cheap rates offered by these lines. and
a motion TO support them as much as pos
sible so that we might be able to maintain
our prestige up there was passed.
"The point was noted that the Oregon
Railway and Navigation Company has
started the steamer South Coast to carry
freight from Portland, Or, to ports along
the coast between that city and San Fran
cisco at 81 a ton. This draws business
down the coast from Portland, and it is
not viewed at all in friendly light by the
merchants of San Francisco. The ques-
ton was informally discussed at the meet
Ing, ard as the result of this consideration
l shall notify our merchants of the low
rates that can be secured by patronizing
BaC C{o L'r,,,, ! -
from San Francisco to Portland and other
north coast ports, and also the reduction
OF rates consequent upon the combination
OF these steamers rates with local railway
rates out of Portland to points in that
vicinity. The rate On the two vessels to
Portland is 81 ton, which with the local
reduced railway rates in Oregon makes
lower through rate to many important
interior points up there than the through
rate by water and rail of the Oregon Rail
way and Navigation Company to the same
places.
The Oregon Railway and Navigation
Company is viewed as not friendly 10 the
merchants of San Francisco; it is a Port
land concern, working altogether in the
interests OF that town.
"Then the Traffic Association is virtually
in fight with the Oregon corporation?"
That's what it means" replied Mr..
Curtis. 1--WE are fighting them on this
question just as we would do battle with
any other railway or transportation COM
pany that did not treat San Francisco
fairly. And we are working in the in
terests of the steamers Empire and Alice
Blanchard just as we have worked for the
Iaquina Bay route, which offered good
inducements to San Francisco merchants
to snip their goods to Southern Oregon,
and through the medium of low rates ena-
bled our merchants, to transact profitable
business in t at territory.
The question of the Panama route and
its advance in freight rates was brought
up, but action was deferred pending the
receipt of inforn alton from the Pacific
Mail Company. We want to know what
the Mail Company will do with rates be-
fore we 90 into the matter thoroughly.
But we propose to find way ont of the
difficulty when the time comes for action
So far we can see that practically the only
solution of the problem is the clipper ship
route, which can very we'll handle the low
class commodities that form the bulk of
the Pacific Mail steamers freight between
this port and New York"