The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1899-03-13
THE SOUTHERN
PACIFIC BARS
SAN FRANCISCO
ProhibitiVe Rates Are
imposed.
THE PAG0-PAGo CONTRACT
WHY THE MATERIAL WAS
SHIPPED IN THE EAST.
The Contractors Unable to Pay High
Railroad Charges-A Large
Shipment Lost to
This City.
THE PAGo-PAGo CONTRACT
WHY THE MATERIAL WAS
SHIPPED IN THE EAST.

THE Pago-Pago coaling station contract
Affords an admirable Illustration, on a
small scale. of the manner in which trade
Is lost TO San Francisco through the pro-
hfbitive transcontinental rates imposed
Inv the Southern Pacific. Some months
ago. when the Washington authorities
finally decided to erect an elaborate coal
ing station in the Samoan group, tenders
were called for in this city. The prize
was awarded to Messrs Healy, Tibbits &
Co. who undertook the construction Of
the work at a cost, including extras, OF
sornething like two hundred thousand dol
lars The contract called for the con-
struction of a long steel wharf, earned
ont into deep water, besides big steel
shed. capable of storing hVe thousapa
tons of coal. a car track and every moo
ern convenience for handling TINS most
important article of war
Hea1v. Tibbits & Co. having secured the
contract went to work with energy, Tor
thew have to complete the whole work
within the present year They soon
found that the conditions of the market
rendered it impossible to get all the IRON
work manufactured in San FRANCISCO.
THE contract for the steel piling, by Iar
the heaviest portion of the structure, was
given to the Carnegie Works at Plttspurg'
Wbile t1e smaller iron castings were mace
in San Francisco. ,.,3
Then came the question OF Shipment.
There was a big cargo, fifteen hundred
tons of steel piling, large quantlt5 1i
ost iron. machinery, engines, Iools u an
kinds, not to mention zS4'VOV 1eeC % 4 +ba,
har All this amounted to more IMAM
three thousand tons, and the nrm ehleIeo
into negotiations with several Ia re t II ~,
Sims With a view Of getting the Whoie
cargo TRANSPORTED to Pago-Pdgo IN one
botfom The charter was almost. colnI
pIa+ed when the railway company steppeu
n and nut a veto on the whole tTahsdc-
4ior The railroad wanted Sl3 per ton ioI
- oi,,o the steel from Pittsburg TO TINS
coagf At the same time Healy, 1ippIts O
% couId get a ship to take their cargo
from San francisco to Samoa 1or ABOUT
ny. "0f n course we wanted TO ship, the whole
of our material from TINS oP 4idGt baVe lu been
Healy yesterday IT W you NC IN Gerry
~ ant what could we do IN the lace
of such prohibitive rates: Inc i Sd 10, ,Is
the railway people thought they d tid he hs
IN a tight corner, and that We WouIu Dc
forced 10 pay their figures. FOR a llLne
II looked as If their scheme was golns 70
work. We could not SNIP uoll az ,1n,7Id
have taken too long on the voyage, ana a
steamer would have cost too much. 20
/ went to washington, and iort u are !,
the naval authorities allowed us 10 chaf-
fer-at good figure, too--a portion OF the
spaee on board the Abarenda, the coIller
which was to take coal TO samoa, -.
Thus the steel made by Carnegie has
never tsrs come West at all, and San Fran
cisco lost the handling Of a big cargo,
s WlIrle which iiie It might have gained had it
opened its mouth less widely del The re result l
IS that only some 1900 or 1900 tons OF cargo
HeaIy. Tibbits & Co. completed the char
ter of small vessel for the purpose. The
ship will leave here, ABOUT the end OF
IN June Mr. Tibbits will go to Samoa
hi .lself to superintend operations, taking
with him about forty skilled mechanics
and engineers
The Abarenda. from the East. should