The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1897-12-03
Bids Are Invited by the Gar
for a Shipload of
Provisions.
SIN FRANCISCO TO THE FRONT.
A New Line of Steamships May Be
Established in This City to Meet
the New Demands.

The development Of ocean CONNIE cree
from San Francisco by reason of the gold
discoveries in Alaska is likely to be re-
enforced by a demand for ships to carry
supplies from this port to Vadivostok.
1t is probable that the scheme to raise
money to subsidize ships in the Alaskan
trade may be enlarged to the extent OF
establishing a new line of steamships
from San Francisco. Several progressive
merchants favor this latter plan, believing
that the carrying trade in prospect will
justify the organization of a company
con troIled and managed by San Francisco
capitalists. A leading business man said
yesterday:
Il am III favor of going into this enter
prise on the same line that was adopted
when the Valley road was projected. l
believe that a million dollars can be raised
in San Francisco TO establish line of
steamers running directly from this city
10 Alaskan ports. Aside from the trade
Of Alaska there will be a great volume OF
business between the United States and
Vladivostok. Russia has already given
orders to com mercial houses in this coun-
try for vast quantities CT provisions to be
shipped 10 Vadivostok. In nv judgm en- t
the Dawson trade will be mucn larger
than our merchants now figure on. The
one argument against the establishment
of an independent line of steamers is that
many ships are coming from New York to
engage in the Alaskan trade, but 1t should
be borne In mind that these ships will MOI
be first class vessels capable of maintain
ing good speed or offering such
accom- modations as shippers may de-
money can be raised to establish d San
/ Fl ancisco line of mships."
| 1t was ascertaiDed yesterday that the
committee of merchants now soliciting
subsidy fund of $4,000 month to be paid
to vessels sailing direct from this port for
Alaska had received subscriptions amount
ing to $3OUO per month Tor the next season.
The report that the Russian Govern
/ ment was buying large quantities OF army
supplies n The United States was verified
! yesterday. Cable messages from VIadj-
tvostok asking merchants to bid on large
| lots are frequently received. Yesterday
! Dodge, Sweeney u Co. of this city received
! a NladivosioK cable TO figure on a sched
ule OF supplies. The quantity on which
| the firm was asked TO bid was 1900 tons.
Recently Kansas City firm entered
| into contract with the Russian authorities
| to send 700 barrels OF beef 10 Vadivo-
stok. Incidentally it is noted that a
/
The Pacific is much lower than the rate
from HonPkong., The tariff on the mess
! age from ViadivosIok to Dodge, Sweeney
d Co. was only 81 per word. The Hong
! kong rate Is nearly twice as much. OBJ
vIously no charge was made over the line
! from Nladlvostok to st. Peters burg
According to the calculations of Rus
/ sian engineers, who recently passed
this city en- route 10 the Orient, the great
railroad across Siberia connecting VIadi-
I voStok win Moscow and st. Petersburg
will be com pleJed and opened for traffic IN
/ the year 1900 Far-seeing merchants of
| San Francisco calculate that there will be
an immense volume of shipping business
! between this city and the terminal point
|. OF the great railroad OF Russia. !
| Travellers arriving from Asia re port that
! the garrison at Vladivostok has been
largely re-enforced by the arrival of troops
on steamers and sailing vessels from the
| Black sea. The concentration OF Ru sian
troops al that point and the haste til at
| japan Is aking to increase her power on
the sea lead some of our merchants to pre-
dict that the impending conflict betw cen
Russia and japan may open as early as
next summer. The recent heavy orders
for army supplies. to be forwarded in
stantly TO Vladivostok are regarded as
significant OF important movements in
the ORIENT.