The San Juan islander. [volume] (Friday Harbor, Wash.) 1898-1914, 1905-07-15
PANAMA RAILROAD
COMMISSIONERS BRIsTOW's Re.
PORT IS MADE PUBLIC.
Recommends That Contracts with
Pacific Nall and South Ameri-
can Steamship Lines Be Can.
CelIed and That Panama and
Colon Be rlade Open Ports.

Washington, July 1.-THE report Of
Joseph L. Bristow, who was appointed
a special commissioner to investigate
trade conditions and other matters
affecting the Panama Railroad and
Steamship Company, has been made
public.
The report discusses from several
points Of view the question Of what
policy should be pursued by the gov
eminent in the management Of the
railroad, and makes q number Of REQ
concentrations.
Among these are the continuance Of
the railroad as commercial line with
improved facilities for handling COM
merce, including double tracking and
re.equipping the line with modern roll
ing stock. the enlargement Of its potr
facilities and the retention Of the
steamship line between New York end
Colon.
Mr.. Bristow recommends the cancel
lation of the contract with the Pacific
Mail steamship company and the South
American lines and the opening Of the
ports Of Colon and Panama to all
steamship lines on equal terms, and in
certain contingencies the establishment
by the railroad Of steamship lines be-
tween Colon and gulf ports and Pan
anna and important United States Pa
oiflo coast ports.
It is recommended that in traffic
connections American steamship lines
be favored as far as consistent with the
treaty obligations Of the United States.
Mr.. Bristow spent several months in
his investigation, visiting the isthmus
Of Panama, important ports on the
Western coast of Central America, the
isthmus Of Tehauntepeo, Mexico, and
the Pacific coast of the United States.
His report reiews the entire history
of the railroad and discusses allega-
tions that its local freight and passen-
ger charges were excessive and its
traffic contracts with steamship lines
monopolistie.
Against Pacific Hail.
"The contract with the Pacific Mail
steamship COMPANY" says Mr.. Bris-
tow, "gave the exclusive privilege Of
through bills Of lading to and from all
Pacific ports north Of Panama, and
that company agreed to give through
bills Of lading only by the Panama
route. Both parties agreed to cooper
ate in the making Of rates and in pro-
tecting each against competition from
other steamship lines"
Later in his report, Mr.. Bristow
says:
after carefully considering the
statements made by tho commercial
bodies of the Pacific coast, the state
ment Of Mr.. Schwerin, and other data,
it clearly appears that the Pacific Mail
company has made little effort to de-
velop business between the Pacific and
Atlantic ports of the United States.
Mr.. Souvenir says that there is not
sufficient business at tho ports other
than San Francisco to justify ships
stopping. This is vigorously contro-
verified by the shippers and chambers of
commerce Of these cities.
Pacific Coast Complaints.
Mr.. Bristow refers to complaints
msde by the chambers of commerce Of
the Pacific coast ports of the United
States that the Pacific Mail steamship
company is controlled by the transcon-
tinental railroads, and that it is ope-
rated 60 as to discourage commerce via
Panama between Atlantic and Pacific
ports Of the United States.
He sets out the specific complaints
of the chambers of Los Angeles and
San Diego, and says:
ssSan Francisco is the only Pacific
port of the United States at which Pa.
cific Mail steamers call. Seventy
thousand tons Of freight moved via
Panama between New York and San
Francisco during 1904. but many Of
the San Francisco business men allege
that this quantity is small compared
with what it would be II an effort were
made by the Pacific Mail to secure
business az against the transcontinent-
al railroads. The msnager Of one Of
the largest fruit canneries on the Pa
oific coast says that SO, 900 tons Of