Los Angeles herald., 1907-08-30
TO RUN QUICK FREIGHT
FOR THE CHINESE TRADE
GOVERNMENT BUREAU SUGGESTS
SPECIAL TRAINS
Say That Only Under This Arranse-
ment Can Americans Compete
with Europeans in ori-
entail Markets

WASHINGTON, Aug. 29.-That Chinese
and other far eastern trade may be ac-
CELEBRATED, Maj John NJ. Carson, chief or
the national bureau of manufactures, has
called upon the various homogeneous Oh
great railroads and laid before them
proposition of putting on special freight
schedule for goods shipped to the orient,
and running trains to San Francisco on
that schedule These trains would con-
meet with regularly departing steamers
and American merchants would be able
to pledge deliveries on given date. Inc
Pennsylvania road, with it's western con-
nections looks favorably upon the propo-
sition, and is examining into the details.
The idea of the special freight train to
the Pacific grew out of the recognized
disadvantage, under which the United
States works in her attempt to compete
with European countries for Chinese
trade. Germany, England, France ana
other European countries have direct con-
nections by regular schedule with the far
east and are thoroughly intrenched in
established trade with China.
They understand the needs of the peo-
PIE of the fiowery kingdom more thor
oughly than does the United States and
have arranged transportation facilities
accordingly The United states is, how
ever. nearer China than any of these
countries, and the feeling toward her is
so friendly that the trade would come
here If the conditions were similar.
Big Opportunity Here
Mai Carson has long preached the Cos
pei of a specially manufactured line OF
goods for China, especially packed and
shipped The trade has reached approx
mately $100,0O000O a year, but 1t is held
that it might be many times that amount
The Chinese empire is showing every sign
of a rejuvenation. and with that awaken
ing the great opportunity of doubling the
trade many times will come. A readiness
for 1t depends largely upon the provision
for transporting the product of the rae
tory in satisfactory manner
Some time ago." said Mai Carson to-
dav 81 requested the heads of the freight
DEPARTMENTS of a number of the trunk
lines to call upon me and listen to my
proposition. A number of them responded,
notably the Pennsylvania people. l en-
deavored to show these officials that there
was a possibility of vastly increasing the
traffic with the far east and that every
incr ease in that traffic would prove so
much profit to them in that they would
haul the freight. 1t was merely matter
of whether or not 1t would pay that APP
pealed to the railroad men, and they were
at first skeptical. The more they investi-
gated it, however, the more the scheme
appealed to them.
Fast Freight to Pacific
"I asked them how long it required at
present TO freight from the Atlantic sea-
board into San Francisco, and was in
formed that the period was sixty days
and that no guarantee was made on even
that time / suggested that the freight
for the far east be placed In special cars
that were not subject to stoppage and sent
straight through, that this freight be col
lected along the line, and when there was
SUFFICIENT of 1T that it be placed in train
that ran on a schedule to the Pacific.
pointed out to them that schedule could
be arranged and advertised, and that all
such freight could meet the fast freight,
and it's progress expedited.
To Make Guarantee Possible
any contention was that the existence
of such a train would create the trade
that would make 1t profitable. The trade
even in the face of the present difficult
ties is sufficient to pay for a certain
service. and the service would give birth
to an increased trade. When merchant
in Hongkong buys goods for his sum-
mer trade or his winter trade he wants
to know If those goods are to be on hand
at the time he needs them. The Ameri-
can exporter has been unable TO give
him any satisfactory guarantee of that
fact, while the German will give him
the exact date of arrival.
''r-s-As are available that will show the