The Bemidji pioneer., 1901-08-22
HILLS BIG PLANS
COMPREHENSIVE SCHEME FOR DE
yELOPING TRADE WITH
THE ORIENT.
GREAT THINGS FOR THE FARMERS
New Venture VIII ReyoIntionize
Ocean Transportation VIII Set
Down Our Products in the Orient
Cheaper Than Ever Hefore NJ
Ocean Leyiathipns Being Built
for This Trade. s

vi
New York, Aug. 20. James J. Hill,
who is the head and front Of the Great
Northern, Northern Pacific and Bur-
Hngton group Of railroads, has conpre-
hensiye plans on foot for developing the
traffic of those companies in connection
with the Oriental trade, which he is
about to enter on huge scale. He will,
he says, be able to carry ocean freight
In his big liners at half the cost re-
CURED with the average vessel, and, al
though he talks modestly about the
new venture. his friends say he has as
sured them he will reyolutionize ocean
transportation. Mr.. Hill figured out
that the surplus Of the principal crops
raised in the western half of the United
States-P PARTICULARLY west OF the, Rocky
mountains--must find market in the
Orient Instead of being hauled east
ward to compete with the exports from
the Atlantic ports.
Must BE Done ON a Large Scale.
| When this can be done on large
scale, not only will the agricultural
classes receive more for their products,
but the shipments Of the railroads will
be considerably increased Further
more. the profits of the transportation
companies will show at still larger in
crease, because they will get greater
volume Of west bound tonnage, which
thus far Is comparatively light in the
Western states. The transcontinental
railways have plenty of freight TO
bring cast, but the showing on west
bound traffic has not been so good, all
though it costs just as much to haul
empty cars west as loaded ones. Now,
according to Mr.. Hill, the building up
of Oriental traffic, particularly from
the railway standpoint, will add largely
to the net returns of these companies
without
Greatly Increasing
their operating expenses, for they will
be carrying back full cars, where many
of them at present have to run empty
But in addition to this he expects large
returns from the steamboat lines. MIR.
Hill, for the first cine. yesterday gave
some details Of how he will handle the
Oriental trade with his ocean levfathi-
ans of $4,000 tons capacity which, he
said, would carry the cargo of the
White Star freighter Celtic, at present
the largest ship afloat, and lift the
bulk almost equal to that of the latter
ship in addition. Mr.. Hills new ships
for the Pacific trade. which are now
building at New London, win cost 81
500, 900 each. There is an enormous
trade awaiting development in China
and other Asiatic countries, said Mr..
Hill. ''but in order to capture it we
have to deliver goods to them Il IN 4ss1
More Cheaply
than anybody has done in the past. To
get out share OF the business we must
make the things more cheaply than
merchants Of other nations, and TO
build uplthe trade in interior points Of
Asia we must, of course, reach q level
Of prices much lower than has ever be-.
fore been attained. There are n1yriads
of Orientals who live on 10 or is cents a
day-some for less--and we must give
them cheap food and clothing. Now,
how can this be done? II we cannot
lessen the cost Of production we must
get the cost Of delivery down. We can
apply the same principal in ocean nav
igation as In railroads, carry much
larger quantities at once. The relative
cost will be less. We expect with our
large ships to be able to greatly reduce
the rate of transportation to shippers
and still make a good profit. AS re-
suit we shall secure large amount OF
,,afu lIIsiness In the Orient - E3