The San Francisco call., 1897-10-21
j MONOPOLY
[ SHACKLES
LOOSEuIuC
Enthusiasm Over the New
Steamer Line Grows at
a Fast Rate.
GOOD SHIPS WILL Be CHARTERED.
Another Meeting Largely At
tended and Hearty Sup
port Promised.
SIX GENERIC INDUSTRIAL GROUPS.
IEighteen Men Will Canvass the City
for subscriptiOns-DisOussion
of the Issues
SIX GENERIC INDUSTRIAL GROUPS.
(Eighteen Men Will Canvass the City
for Subscriptions-DiSCussion
of the Issues

ne S1lu QS4dSA1 dL4OuS LIS
in favor of a steamer line between this
city and Portland has reached point
where it is manifesting itself in practical
works. At a meeting held yesterday in
the rooms of the San Francisco Board of
Trade it was formally decided that COM
mittee OF eighteen, three reDresenting each
of the leading branches OF local industry,
should lie appointed Immediately to can
vass the town for subscriptions. There
was a fair attendance and many telling
speeches were delivered, all eulogistic of
the undertaking, and it is a notable fact
that there was not one person present
ff1cted with "Klondike trilbies," as the
street urchin might forcibly, If not gram
m matically, put it.
A A Watkins of W. W. Montague &
Co. was selected to occupy the chair and
called the meeting to order in a terse re-
view of the purpose of its being held.
a. Rulofson of Baker & Hamilton then
took the floor and stated that the compre-
hensive purpose of the high rates prevail
ing between here and Portland is simply
to shut out San Francisco merchants from
competition with those OF the webfOot
metropolis, while the rebate allowed from
Portland to points in Eastern Oregon Is
Tor the purpose of fostering tbe Port and
trade. On account OF this state of affairs
a committee OF one had come down 10 con-
fer win local merchants, and a decision
had been reached that the only way in
which the condition OF TIE market could
be i'm proved was by the independent
action OF San Francisco merchants.
1--WE nave called upon the owners of in
dependent steamers" said Mr.. RulofSon,
land they have told Us that if they en-
tered into any kind of agreement with US
and 70 ~ r and \ Com "a U
should decide 10 reduce It's rates We wou d
desert them an go back to our first love-
They seem to believe this firmly and ac-
Cordingly no relief Is 10 be expected from
that direction.
'By frequent consultations with the
owners of these steamers we have found
that we can charter shps-good vessels at
that-for from $6500 to $4,000 per month.
II We are willing 10 guarantee this much
in gross earnings we can get the vessels
for such sums as l have mentioned tor
the space of three years. TO guarantee
this We will have to get the money and
put it in trIst. When the old lines see
this they viii not go to the extremity of
putting things al ridiculously low rates, for
there viii be nothing n it for them. They
may pat IN decent rates and reduce our
profits oy so doin~, but you will see that
we Will be enabled to continue on our
course, to our obvious advantage, just the
same. The owner has promised US two
steamers, guaranteed good for both
freight and passengers, for $1,000 per
month each.'
The speaker was here questioned as 10
what that steamer would earn in the face
of opposition and replied by citing an in
stance where one stea mer Oh the Portland
route had earned $6295 a month against
the fierce opposition OF the Oregon Rail
way and Navigation Company. "Al we
need to know is how much we may have
to draw on the reserve fund. II there is
surplus we can place II in the trust fund"
'San Francisco" continued Mr.. Ruof-
son, ais flooded at the present time with
goods bought in the East at low prices
during the recent depression, which were
shipped round the Horn. Since that tim
the pr.ces having materially advanced.
With decent freight rates we can send
these goods into the northern country
: below the prices of the Eastern iobbers
and manufacturers. But the o. R. and n
Conn pany raises its rates to prevent our
doing that very thing. We ask you to
subscribe money, with the 20 sibiity that
we may have TO spend some Of 1t and the
probab abIiity that you will he more than
remunerated in the end for doing it,
Chairman Watkins here said that he
had seen Mr.. Perkins. of Goodall, Perkins
81 CO., in regard to the matter, and had
been informed that a committee would
have TO wait upon a representative of the
com pdHy. ferklnS, ne SAID, mad promised
TO DO well so lar as Soathern California
ports are concerned.
As an evidence that there is no neces-
slty OF having payments made now Ru-
loison advanced to the desk and waved an
envelope. Here" be shouted. ''is the
promlssorv note of Tillmann & Bendel
for $500. That is as good as gold and can
be discounted at the banks here any time.
We don't have to rely upon cash paw
ments with such men as these on tbe
list"
Wheeler here proposed that commit
tee OF eighteen be appoint ted by the chair.
three 10 represent each of the great indus
tries OF the local market viz: Drysoods. fur
nlshlng goods, notions, etc; groceries,
provisions, canned goods teas, spices,
etc.; crockery, glassware, willowware
etc.; stoves, hardware, plum ber>' supplies
ETC.; wines, liquors, cigars and tobacco
and the larger manufacturing firms. This
proposition carried unanimously, and
Chairman Watkins said he would name
the committees at an early Gate. The
meeting Shen adjourned
.---------------------------