The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1904-03-08
Railroad News
NORTHERN PACIFIC
SELLS STEAMSHIPS
Finds Its Oriental Liners Too
Small to Handle Heavy
Traffic.

Owing to the increase in Oriental trade
handled by the Northern Pacific, that
company has been compelled to dispose
OF its steamships operated by the North
ern Pacific Steamship company in order
to place the great volume of traffic in
the hands of two large steamship COM
panies operating larger vessels.
The Oriental liners disposed of-the
Olympia, Tacoma and Vietoria-have
been found too small to be operated with
profit. They were sold for 100000 and
the purchaser is the Northeastern Siberian
company and the Northwestern CONNER
cial company, of which latter company
John Rosene, of Seattle, is president, and
OF which former company he is manag-
ing director for America. The deal has
been In process of negotiation for several
weeks, but news of it's contamination
did not reach ST. Paul till yesterday,
wheIzsJ. M. Hannaford, second vice presi-
dent, and Thomas Cooper general man
ager of the Northern Pacific, returned
from an extended Western tour
The sale of the Tacoma, Olympia and
Victoria practically puts the Northern
Pacific Steamship company out of BUSH
ness. For the past two years the bulk
of the trade between Tacoma and Japan,
China and Manila has been carried by the
steamers Of the Boston Steamship COM
pany's fleet, and of the Liverpool Tacoma
line.
"Since the purchase of the three
steamships by the Northern Pacific the
j. M. Hannaford, in giving the reasons for
the sale. Larger steamships have been
REQUIRED and itawss found impracticable
ers at a profit. The Northern Pacific has,
however, continued the operation of these
steamers until such time as the establish
ment OF other lines! operating in connec-
ton with it railway has removed the
necessity of doing this.
"A contract has been entered into
with the Boston Steamship company and
five vessels of thar line, modern and up
to-date, are to be operated in connection
with this company. In addition, arrange
ments have been made with the Holt line
of steamers of Liverpool England by
which they are also to operate in con-
nection with us. There is nothing in the
contracts with these steamship lines that
ments with other lines should the OPP
pOrtunity be offered. -
The three steamers sold will be turned
over. to the purchasing companies as soon
as they arrive in port at Tacoma. The
Northeastern Siberian company holds
concession for the exploration and the
development of a vast area of Siberia
bordering on the Arctic and Bering seas,
while the Northwestern Commercial COM
pany is heavily interested in Nome trans
portation, trade and mining, The latter
company also owns controlling interest
in the Northeastern Siberian company
The steamships Tacoma, Olympia and
Victoria, during their years Of service,
have become widely known. The liner
Tacoma is thirty -four years old; she was
built in Dumbarton, and was originally
the British steamship Batavia. About
twelve years ago she was purchased by an
American company She is Of l.6S9 tons
register, and 316 feet long. The liner liner
Olympia was built at Glasgow in 1888.
and was originally the British steamship
Dunbar Castle. She Is Of 1,790 tons reg
lister and 1856 feet long. The liner VIC eo
toria was built at Dumbarton in 1870
and was formerly the British steamship
Partnia. She is of 2,112 tons register and
is SOL feet long. 1888