Los Angeles herald., 1907-10-19

Obstinate the amount of each article.
A.-Iron, steel and hardware, 10000 tons
per year; groceries and provisions, 5000
carloads from Mississippi valley; groceries
and provisions, 1000 carloads from At
iantic states; paints, oil and glass; drugs
and sundries, 5000 tons: dry goods ETC..
5000 tons per month; paper, cardboard and
twine, $4,000 tons per annum
Q.-What are the freight rates charged
by the railroads on each article?
A.-Dry goods, 81 per 100 pounds; for
balance see tariff.
Q.-What is the time consumed in trans
porting freight by rail from Los Angeles
to New York?
A.-From twenty to thirty days or
more, except in the case of fruit, which
goes througi. on a quicker scheduled
week or ten days, or more, usually.
Q-What are the principal articles of
freight shipped from the Mississippi val
ley to Los Angeles?
A.-Groceries and provisions, glassware
iron and steel, hardware and various
manufactured products.
Little by Straits
Obstinate the amount of each article.
A.-Groceries and provisions, 5000 car
loads glassware, iron. steel and hard
ware, small proportion of the total. In
many lines it is the practice to discrim-
mate against this territory owing to the
more favorable freight rates offered IN
eastern territory on account OF water
competition there.
Q.-What articles of merchandise are
shipped from Los Angeles to Europe and
the eastern coast of the United States by
way of the Straits of Magellan?
Avery little, if any, traffic this way.
Q.-What are the principal articles of
oI,or of
Europe and the eastern part of the United
States by way of the Straits of Magellan?
A-From Europe come occasional car
goes in sailing vessels of cement coke,
pig iron, steel rails and miscellaneous
merchandise. From the eastern coast
comes considerable quantity or iron and
steel, some groceries and canned goods
paints and oils and an occasional cargo of
coal.
Q.-What are the rates charged for such
freight?
A.-The cargoes and sailing vessels FROM
Europe are figured on a basis that is SO
variable that it would hardly be of SER
vice to you in this matter-at least so it
seems in talking with the agents of these
lines. The tarin is fixed largely Sccerdin g
to the state of the market and the rela-
tive supply and demand of vessels for
shipments.
Difference Thirty Per Cent
From the eastern coast of the Unitel
States the rate is fixed at about 30 per
cent less than the all-rail shipment across
the continent. This, however, is pretty
nearly made up by the additional expense
on account of marine shipments, interest
on the money invested in the shipment and
the time consumed in making the trip.
Q.-Would 1t not be practicable to ship
-4-~1-f nf
Panama? If not, why not?
Ain our investigation as to the utility
of the Panama route as a means of ex-
change of commodities between this vtcin-
ity and the eastern coast we find at the
present time the following conditions un-
favorable to traffic:
a. Loss of time in transit AT the
present time all"rail shipments come in
from two to four weeks, whereas by
Panama it requires from forty to sixty
days. This long time is due in part to
the fact that under present conditions
freight for this point is carried via San
Francisco, no vessels stopping between
that city and Panama.
(2). Extra handling necessitated by
shipments from car to steamer and
from steamer to car, both at San Fran
cisco and at each side of the isthmus, in
creasing the chance of damage or Leak
age. For this reason many articles OF
merchandise cannot be shipped by this
route. We find considerable complaint
from shippers who have used the Panama
route as to the difficulties and delays ex-
perienced in collecting damages or claims
for loss to goods in transit 1t being a
much more difficult Latter to get settle
ment with the various transportation
companies handling the traffic than with
the transcontinental railroads.
(3). Lack of steamer service between our
Southern California ports and Panama,
as noted in above paragraph. At the
present time there is :. very small amount
of traffic via Panama, compared to the
possibilities under more favorable cir
cumstances.
Freight by this route now has to be
shipped to and from San francisco,
thereby adding several days to the time
in transit and necessitating considerable
extra handling, especially, as is often the
case the goods are taken to and from
San Francisco by steamer. AS to the
local charges to and from San francisco
this is in part or wholly absorbed, not
adding much to the tariff rates.
1t is estimated that the tariff by the
way of Panama averages about one-third
lower than the all-rail rates, but to offset
this is the marine insurance which has &c
be added, the extra time to be allowed
and an added risk of damage and leakage
The amount of traffic between this
market and the eastern part of the United
States could undoubtedly be materially
increased by line of steamers plying De-
tween Panama and points on this coast
making San Pedro a regular port, having
regular sailing dates and operating Ir
conjunction with the Panama railroad and
similar line of steamers plying between
Panama and New York. with the tariff
giving. If possible. a slightly more favor
able differential in favor of the Panama
route than at present to offset the various
drawbacks of this route.