The San Francisco call., 1907-06-22
Want the Panama Railroad
Facilities Increased
for Freight
LETTER FORWARDED
Trustees of Chamber of
Commerce Follow
Drastic Plan

circles which mas grown out OF
the congestion in freight, and
which involves a number of en-
ployes in the yards at Sparks,
New, the trustees of the cham
Der Of commerce, at a special
meeting yesterday, addressed a
letter to President Roosevelt, ask
ing that steps be taken to afford
relief to the San Francisco busi-
nessmen. While the letter to
the president makes no reference
to the graft by which San Fran
cisco consignees have been forced
to pay as high as $50 car to ex-
pedite their shipments, it CEN
sures the railroad company in
pointed language and suggests as a
remedy for the existing. situation a
general increase in the facilities for
shipping by way Of the isthmus Of
Panama q
The communication to the chief ex-
ecutive of the nation points out that
the congestion of freight, making it
impossible for local merchants to re-
ceive their goods in anything like rea-
sonable time, is working a serious
hardship upon the city and has had a
paralyZing effect upon business. The
most sensational feature of the letter
is the insinuation that the congestion
OF freight is to a certain extent
brought about by the railroads in order
TO force shipments by express for
which the tariff is about five times as
high as for ordinary freight. The let
ter follows:
Sir: The freight situation on the
Pacific coast is most deplorable. The
retention or detention of goods and
chattels sent by railway for both short
and long haul is such as to cause great
loss to our merchants, manufacturers,
iobbers and other businessmen. It
has to a great extent paralyzed bust
ness and decreased the deposits in the
banks standing to the credit of the be-
fore mentioned men.
Some prompt and immediate relief
ought to be given, but after six months
Of this state of affairs the railways
meet our Just demands with trivial ex-
cuses. The serious delays mean ruin
to the smaller merchants and severe
loss TO the others.
PANAMA ROUTE LAST RESORT
The relief which seems most feast
Bile to the Pacific coast would be the
Immediate increase of the carrying ca
pacity Of the Panama railway and its
nnections-commodiou and fast
steamers from Atlantic ports to the
isthmus and from Pacific ports to the
isthmus, with quick transfers at ter
minals so that freight might be
brought from Atlantic ports to the Pa
cifc coast and back within reason
able time.
The railroads have manifestly
failed to give us that proper freight
service which we have a right to eX-
Dect on account of their charter privi-
leges and have been and are derelict in
their plain duty in this matter.
In the past freights were landed
here from the Atlantic seaboard in II
TO IS days-2e days being exceptionally
slow At present and during the last
six months freights averaged so to 80
DAYS, with so many exceptions taking
much longer time that IT is mild
statement to consider them as excep-
tions At the same time express mat
ter is delivered over the some routings
in six and seven days at cost OF S14
per hundred weight, against SO per
hundred weight for the first class
freight, forcing unnatural express ship
ments (the railroad companies owning
the majority of stock of the express
companies), and IT is from this un-
natural and drastic state of affairs that
we pray for relief"
The drastic step was taken yesterday
by the chamber of commerce after re-
peated appeals on the part Of it's MEM
bers to the railway authorities to i'm
prove the situation. Shippers have COM
planned that all their appeals were an
swered with trivial excuses and that
matters finally reached the point where
they were unable to secure satisfaction
at the offices in the Flood building.
CARS ARE OFTEN LOST
Formerly a consignee would call at
the railway offices every day and re-
ceive exact information as TO the loca-
ton of his car on the way west. Dur
ing the last six months. however, con-
) signees have been unable to learn the
whereabouts of their shipments and big
3 consignments have remained on sidings
at Sparks for two and IN some cases
three months. Some of the large dry
goods houses have not yet received
their summer goods, ordered months
ago.
The complaints have not been limited
TO any one line. Every department of
industry has suffered from the conges-
tion.
At the meeting yesterday were Presi-
dent c. H. Bentley and Trustees Will
liam H Marston, William c. Mugan,
James McNab. Charles c. Moore, Henry
Rosenfeld and James Tyson. After
: discussion of the situation 1t was de-
: cided that direct appeal to the presi-
dent would bring the speediest result.
The president If he sees fit, will be
able 10 order the enlargement of the
facilities of the Panama railway, or on
the other hand, he may place the entire
matter into the hands of the interstate
commerce commission.
The Panama railway now belongs to
the United States government, but the
line Of steamers between San Fran
cisco and the isthmus is controlled by
the Pacific Mail company. Up to two
years ago the Pacific Mail practically
controlled the Panama railway, which
was then in private hands, by an ex-
elusive freight contract. When the
government took over the railway ii
cancelled the exclusive contract and is
now in a position to handle the freight
of any steamship line which may run
from San Francisco.
ROAD MAKES EXPLANATION
At the Offices of the Southern Pacific
IL was stated that the congestion of
westbound freight was due to the vast