The San Francisco call., 1897-11-06
WILL ASSIST
THE MERCHANTS
Council Of Associated In
dustries to Aid in Sc
curing Business.
Committees Will Solicit Sub
scriptions to Establish a
Line Of Steamers.
Citizens Asked to Cooperate With
the Merchants in Winning
Back Lost Trade.

The movement started by the mer-
chants of this city some time ago for the
purpose of regaining lost trade and a
share OF the traffic which it is expected
Will 90 northward next spring is gaining
strength every day.
Yesterday the Council OF Associated In
dustrles held a nesting in the Mills
building and took such action as Will
greatly aid in the movement
The council decided to appoint a COM
mittee whose duties will be to assist the
Merchants Freighting Association to So
llclt subscriptions from merchants and
propertY-owners for a fund which will
give immediate relief by enabling the as
soclatlon to charter vessels to be put N
the coast line as far south as San Diego
and northward to Alaskan points, and
thereby secure some OF the business which
the merchants of Portland. Seattle and
other towns are trying 10 corral.
}. w. Kerr, president of the Merchants
and Prod ucers' Association, suggested a
scheme which if carried into effect will
give permanent relief to merchants and
jObbers OF this coast. 1t was 10 get the
people who have money lying idle in the
banks to invest 1t in building vessels to
be used in Transporting freight between
this city and points to the north and
south
such a system of cooperative ship
! building exists in Scotland" SAID Mr..
Kerr. The working people have invested
their earnings in ships, and many OF the
captains ana sailors own stock in the
ships they sail. If the working peop,e of
this State would invest their surplu, earn
! ings IN ships hey would feel an interest
in the vessels, and all shipments would
/ be made on the vessels belonging to the
system in which they were Interested.
There is a great beId Tor profitable invest
ment In this line, but the people are not
aware of it,"
Mr.. Kerr EN- bodied his ideas in a motion
that committee be appointed to draw
up an educational address for distribution
TO the public for the purpose of getting
the cooperation of the citizens in ass sting
the Merchants Freighting Association in
getting a line OF vessels to handle the
business which is expected when the travel
oWard a aska begin.
a. {. Ru.ofson OF Baker & Hamilton ad-
dressed the Council. He said the excess
>lvely high freight rates 10 inter or points
and the almost prohibitory rates on the
ocean to Southern California, Mexico and
Central American ports, and the same con-
dltion of freights ruling to o egon, Wash
ing or and British Colum bian points, had
GOne III uCH TO ID IuTe the III uIaCtuIlDS ltl-
eTests of this coas;. He then com pared the
freight rates between points in San Fran
cisco ana some OF the interior towns 10
tho which rule on the Atlantic seaboard
and showed that the local rates out Cf San
FrancIeco to the N ost favorable points are
fu ly 80 per cent higher, and in the cases
OF Sp Kane ana Huntington the rate is in
some instances nearly double the trans
continental rate from New York TO San
Franc SEQ and other terminal points.
There i only one way TO change this
| condition" " said Mr.. Rulofson, land that
is by concerto effort and judicious ex-
penditure Of subsidies to reduce local
| freight, and when those rates are on an
| equitable basis for The associated manu-
/ tacturers OF these Pacific States to reach
! out and secure the business hat is at
! their doors. This cannot be done except
| by concerted action and by the Ii berality
! not only Of the manufacturers but OF
J their co-Workers, the jobber5."
F. l.. Brown of the Washburne- Noen
Manufacturing Company said there was
need of concerted action, Tor the mer-
chants of Portland are working night and
dav to secure all of the Alaska business.
If San Francisco hoped TO get the benefit
OF any OF that travel, the merchants,
prOperty-owners and all those who are
interested in the city's welfare should re-
spOnd to the call for assistance In estab-
fishing a line of vessels between San
Francisco and northern points,
The committees will be appointed
within few days.