The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1905-05-09
MANY CONSIDERATIONS.

These considerations, with some rec
concentrations, are given as follows IN
the words of the committee.
MANY CONSIDERATIONS.
First-The present freight schedule via
Panama is apparently based on the overland
railroad freight schedule. the charges of the
former varying from IS per cent to 30 per cent.
with an average of about IS per cent OF the
latter: IN other words the difterentials IN favor
OF the Panama route with its thirty-day trip
as compared with the transcontinental route
with its fourteen=day trip are so small that the
shipper either east or west does not consider
the saving sufficient TO cover risk Of damage or
breakage in the necessary several landings of
the goods via Panama.
second-A regular schedule of sailing dates
would seem to be necessity. This would
enable shippers to order definite quantities per
steamer without straining their storage facili-
ties at New York other Eastern centers If
an open service were established, giving
satisfactory sailing dates has the Pacific
Mail Company service and doing the business
a lower basis OF freight rates. ii would
prove a very desirable arrangement, and the
traffic via Panama would be greatly enlarged.
Third-The ability to transport freight via
Panama does not rest with the steamers alone.
Numerous steamships with large carrying
pacity can be readily obtained, but the guam
tity of tonnage will be measured by the ability
Of the Panama railroad to handle II. That
company has already very large business 10
handle with South America, west coast of
Central America, Mexico and California, and
its facilities should be enlarged TO meet the
increasing traffic over this road There have
been frequent instances in recent years when
there has been a great freight congestion
the isthmus. Now there is a new question
OF importRnce-the building of the Panama
Canal This work will require at least ten
years, and with the enormous quantities of
machinery, supplies for labor and material of
construction will not the Government business
be 50 voluminous that with present facilities,
the ability Of the railroad to handle this ton
mage and the through freight be largely dim
inished? Should the present line be double
tracked IL would still be a question as to
whether the additional facilities would admit
Of much increase in general freights, aside
from the requirements occasioned by canal
construction.
OF steamers plying between San Francisco and
Panama Is commercial necessity. In this
connection merchants favor a service with a
regular schedule to one without schedule Such
schedule is warranted by trade requirements
and should be maintained by one or more
companies with fixed tariff based upon a
fair revenue. which would provide more equit-
apie rates on freight. Regular established
rates would doubtless better serve the com
mercial interests of San Francisco than open
competition in rates which might fuctuate to
q degree that would be disastrous
Fifth-If 1t can be accomplished without
violation OF treaty obligations none OF the
mexican and Central American tonnage now
carried by American vessels should be al
lowed 70 go to foreign vessels as it would
leave the American line with only New York
and San Francisco through business to live on
Receipts from way freights increase the earn
ings Of the company and help to reduce the
cost OF Sew York and California business
II the way traffic were surrendered to foreign
lines It would increase the cost of the United
States interstate business and impair a ser
demonstrated should be improved
Sixth-The canal IS being built by
American enterprise and American steamships
should control the traffic of the isthmus until
the day America opens the portals OF the
Panama canal to our countrys new merchant
marine and the commerce of the world we
are strongly opposed to Government ownership
OF operation of steamship lines for commercial
purposes. and we recommend the national
Government adopting such measures as will
foster the establishment and maintenance of
regular lines Of American steamships operated
by private American enterprise.
ISTHMUS TRAFFIC SLOW.
AS the report was solicited by Com
missioner Bristow for the instruction
of the Government at Washington re-
garding the opinions and the facts in
the possession of the merchants of San
Francisco, the greater part of the doc
urnent is given to the recapitulation of
information that was gathered in this
city and then condensed into reason
ably small compass. Recommends
tons are comparatively fey. except as
they appear IN the shape of deduc-
tions from statements that are ap-
proved by the Chamber of Commerce.
The report opens with some history.
Attention is called to the fact that
while San Francisco has been grow
ing and its commerce steadily in
creasing in volume, the traffic between
the Golden Gate and the Eastern cities
via Panama has remained almost sta
tfonaryp At this time IT is found that
the question comes up in an entirely
new form, and the situation is describ-
ed as follows:
Under government ownership of the Panama
Railroad and the sea route 10 New York
from Colon the only question to be considered
would be whether freight rates could be made
portation expense object TO the shipper and
enough TO Offset the additional time required
IA transit
There are reasons why the Panama route
cannot be utilized with advantage in the COM
usercial interchange Of commodities between
with the steady development of Transportation
facilities between nations well as between
our own States those reasons becoming
more potential every year. In brief they are
but two in number:
First-Loss Of time In transit
Second--Increased freight cost made neces-
sary by rans-shipment from steamer to car
These two factors are the obstacles; they
are permanent for the time being and cannot
be overcome until the Panama canal is COM
pleted At present all freight shipped from
San Francisco 10 New York via the Panama
route has TO be handled at least six times In
transit thereby increasing the risk of DANA &c
or breakage. while by overland railroad it Is
handled only two times and makes the journey
in less than one-hah the time consumed via
Panama
MOVEMENTS OF FREIGHT.
<ko f~Ro~~~. ~