The Saint Paul globe., 1900-05-15
TRAFFIC WITH ORIENT
EXTEND AMERICAN
TRADE
WESTERN CROPS PROMISING
Great NOrthern's Traffic Manager
Talks of Western Trade and
Growing Business
Prosperity.

General Traffic Manager Francis B.
returned yesterday from San Francisco
and the West after an absence of sew
eral weeks. He attended the conference
held in San Francisco, at which officers
of the Pacific steamship lines met execu-
tives and general officers of all the
American transcontinental lines Matters
pertaining to commerce between Ameri-
can ports and the Orient were discussed,
and a considerable amount of business
affecting the relations of the ocean and
rail lines transacted. Mr.. Clarke return
ed by way of Van Couver, visiting Seat
tie and other north coast points on the
way. Speaking of general conditions
through the West and of the results OF
the San Francisco meeting, Mr.. Clarke
said yesterday:
1.-The meeting in San Francisco was an
entirely representative one and thorough
Iy harmonious All the American trans
continental lines were represented, many
by their executive officers, and many
prominent officials of Pacific steamship
companies being in attendance. Th1s was
the first meeting of it's kind ever held
and the results will tend to promote the
relations between the rail and steamship
lines. The beneficial results of the con-
ference were exceedingly great
Very few advances were made In
freight rates, certain reports to the con-
trary. A few minor matters affecting
rates from the Orient were taken up ana
slight advances made, but the cOnSIdera-
ton of this matter of business resulted
in little increase in tariffs, and a great
many reductions. All OF US realized that
we were competing with the world in the
Orient, and that the business is rapldly
developing. In fact, it has doubled sew
eral times in the last decade, and is
surely destined to larger growth.
Oriental trade is yet in its infancy. The
nations across the Pacific are taking our
foods and our breadStunS, our lumber
and machinery, and many of our other
manufactures and products, such as rails
and building material Our shipments of
these articles are rapidly increasing, and
this is more particularly true of cotton,
which President Hill has the sagacity to
divert by the northern and Pacific steam
ship route instead of the old roundab bout
way to Liverpool and through the Med
lteranean.
II may say that the conference in San
Francisco was entirely satisfactory in
every respect 1t is not easy for differing
interests to confer about details of even
the general features of traffic when they
are thousands of miles apart and have
only the cable or the slow process of
mails to resort to. At the San Francisco
conference representatives of the rail and
steamship interests got face to face in
friendly way, discussed the problems
which suggested themselves and planned
for the extension of American trade IN
the far East.
"A fair sample of the light increase in
freight rates made is that on tea from
China and Japan. The old rates had be-
come exceedingly low, and an advance
to l12 cents pound was made. This rate
of $l.5O per hundred applies on shipments
fro AS.i0 bro lJGrh To NlNHy N,,1a1y
distance of somewhere near $500 mi. es.
Considering the distance and the several
transfers of shipments thus made, the
new rate, which is but slightly above the
old. Is neither unjustifiable or excessive.
In fact ii is exceedingly low.
"One thing which relates more particu-
larly TO local affairs, and is entirely aside
from tratnc matters, particularly i'm
pressed me on the return trip from the
West L made daylight ride through
Dakota and Minnesota and took particu-
lar notice of the condition of crops en-
route. From MinOt through to st. Paul
l have never seen fields giving better
promise OF a rich harvest at this time of
the year. At several stations l inquired
about crop conditions and found that
the season this year in both states is ad-
Vanced from three to five weeks ahead Of
the season last year. Wheat is. above
the ground and looks unusually promiS-
ing. There is plenty OF moisture in the
ground, though there has Oeen 40 rain
in these localities for several days, and
farmers tell me lneIr uelQS never looked
better. Seeding is entirely finished, where
last year, in some sections, farmers were
still putting in their crops in June. The
general condition and prospect for busi-
ness along the line and for good times
among the farmers, was never better.
There are still some farmers who are
planting corn, but this is the only crop
which is not in the ground and growing"
Speaking of business along the line
and the prospects for the year, Mr.. Clarke
said:
This will be big year for traffic. 1t
will include all classes of business, and
nothing but an unforeseen calamity can
prevent the coast lines from receiving
all they can handle. The Great North
ern is enjoying a heavy business even
at the present, and there is every indica-
ton of heavy increases along all lines.
We are preparing for a rush by improv-
ing the line. A tremendous amount Of
work has been done and much improve
ment work is now planned and under
construction. We expect. to have the big
tunnel through the Cascades finished in
October, and this will shorten the line
materially in time and miles,