The Salt Lake tribune. [volume] (Salt Lake City, Utah) 1890-current, 1906-02-02
SCHWER|H GIVES
PACIFIC MAIL SIDE
Denounces Secretary Tafts
Criticism of the Steam
ship Service.
RLAMES PANAMA ROAD
FOR FREIGHT BLOCKADE
Declares Isthmus Railway Is
Not Run on Business
Principles.

lhClpiCo'
WASHINGTON. Feb Robert T.
Schwerin general manager OF the Iaci-
nc Mall Steamship company was
fore the Senate Committee on lnteroce-
anic Canals today. His attention WAS
called 10 a statement made by SecretalS
TAFT crlticiJlng the service between rdii-
anna and San Franc SEQ for It's part III
contributing to the congestion Of lreigh'
at Panama In reply he said;
"secrc-sry Taft's statement was maze
either through malice, tending 10 hlJu''
an American industry, or through 'euoi
ence OF the causes of the difficulties oil
which he has comolained
SAYS It's Malice or Ignorance
con+,nuirg no said that the Pacific Mail
Steamship company operates nine rSeu-
lar steamers on the Pacific coast, %hlSn
steamers sail on schedules apProSeu ~
Honduras. Mexico Nicaragua anu od TIC
countries whose ports are ehtereu' ~ ~
schedules provide for connectlons WIZ WIZ
the steamers Of the Panamn oteaI,,S'iay o ~
company from New 1ork by means IT, ~
the railroad across the isthmuS' ne
schedules require the companies TO MARI
connections and exchange frelght saiu
MI. Schwcrln.
Blames Panama Road
a description of the conditions oil tne
isthmus since the Canal commission tUon I"oe
charge OF the Panama railway was biNSs,
by Mr. Schwerin. He said that trclen,
had accumulated on the wharves, all
commercial shipments having peeh helu
up by the movement OF canal malelLals'
and the difficulty, Mr. Sohwerin aseertgn
was due to "culpabe negligence on inc
part OF the managing oticlals OF the
Panama railroad and utter indifference TO
their obligations as common carrier
Equipment Deteriorated.
He explained this to some extent by the
statement that the equipment OF the roll
road had deteriorated greatly during the
two years prior to the sale OF the prop
erty to the United States.
LAS soon as control OF the road passed
to the United States, said MT SchWcrih,
tho conditions described began TO gro"
worse The railroad company cut the
wages OF men who worked on the DOCKS,
which caused n strike. AS a result We
are both paying higher wages than we
world.
High Wages for Poor Labor.
"It became the understanding that the
United States had bought the railroad TO
build the canal and cared nothing for
the commercial business across the 18th
mus Commercial business was neglected
and IL was said by Secretary Taft, A1r-
Wallace, Admiral Walker, the former
chairman of the commission and others
connected with the building of the canal
that commerce was secondary TO the
movement of canal material
Indifference Brought 1t.
ut was that Indifference that brought
about the congestion II Is shown just
New York A steamship may be loaded
with commercial business and a rush or
der be received for canal material The
TIal IItC I'm hn NFxl
and canal material substituted, but We
would be notified OF the shipment OF the
business desired for Western ports and
receive papers for the business.
Delayed Ships for Days.
The result IS rnat We wouio receive
that could not be found and our ships
would be delayed for days We found il
impossible TO segregate the shipments for
particular loadings, all or which was due |
Panama Railroad company"
Heavy Demurrages.
Mr., Schwerin said that lumber ship
ments from New York were held up so |
long that there were bills for demurrage |
amounting to slS617 between August l |
railroad will have these TO pay. He said |
that the Pacific Mail steamships were held |
at Panama for long periods and that
there was no way this company can en- |
iorce dcmurraSe charges.
Fails to Furnish Coal.
He charged that the railroad company
had further delayed the Pacific Mail
steamship companys ships by refusing
10 furnish them with coal, as they arc re-
lulred TO do under contract and that no
complaint was made TO Superintendent
Humpnrey OF the railroad company He
s9id the fault lay with higher officiaIs
MI Schwerin said he resorted to every
means to bring about improved conditions
wen making q protest to the State de-
Dartment TO induce 1t to appeal to Pan
,ma W "t-
Reduced the Rates.
!, M, Schwerin complained also that the
Sanama railroad had arbitrarily reduced
ates from New York to ports on tbo D..
Anc coast. where tho haul was dIvId@d
between the Panama Steamship comnsnU
md the Pacific Mail. He said he WAS In,
ION 10 the steel trust, which had nro
ested to Admiral Walker, the Tormer
hhs'rlnan ia man OF the Canal commission that
ne rates were cheaper from Enrnne 't,e -
,,entrel America than from New VI - -
ne same port Secretary Taft had fben
@Sen nd n,th me matter up. said Mr. SchwerIn
In fbe il1eo nha1a REDUCTION of the rates
ba ,a me me absence or the contract he added
ne rate would not be lowered except ~,
ha ho'uai M consent and the ADJUSTMENT of
ne rates Is stil pending. VI
1t was denied by Mr. Schwe,1n t,..
}. n}G hed mad monopoly on tha |
S aSii,c coast. and he declared that ,har
,yeen sa no money In the business be-
"eeh san Francisco and Panama.
Held UP to Ridicule.
orn me complained of the criticisms Of Tho
y oil1pany made by Secretary Teft g rig
aia aia as n result the company had baau
m Ia temept MP TO Fl rldlSue ns He asserted that IA"
onenntine oil Mr. Stevens that the frejeht
9ngestlons were the fault of ths pelsfa ip5elsHe
,aii taIioSs steamship company showed that NJ
,es ,s,lS un5 was a railroad man and confused
is wbappo methods with railroad meth
'telly different. u TACT they are
Thought It Too Bad.
Senator Knox asked Mr. sohn,
su not smartcd little under tha cr,,I
~ o,n h o5 secretary Taft and II that fnei-
-SS "sJ not cropped out in his testimony
~, sSeaWerin replied he had tbounht =,
o. ss-r oao TO be held up to rIdicuie ord
.afea eS Ny 0y high official of the United