The San Francisco call., 1909-10-30
COMP PANIES SEEK
TERMINAL SITES
Quietly Considering Various Lo-
cations in Advance of the
Completion of Canal

Of the greatest industrial romances Of
all time. OF which San Francisco will
be q potential center OF interest, has
brought 10 the fore suggestions of ter
minal facilities in this city as a sub
Ject at once germane and consequential.
When the Panama canal is an open
waterway, free for the ships OF the
world, steam or sail. the traffic con-
ditions not only OF the North American
continent. but also OF the world, will
be changed. On this continent alone
there are zones OF trade that will be
open by sea that have been closed
practically ever since the end of the
clipper ship feet days Of picturesque
white te-bone-in-the-teeth" memory.
The Central and Union Pacific lines.
the pioneers in transcontinental trans
portation by rail. waved their hands
and exercised their financial magic and
the yschtlike clippers disappeared from
he seas People who used sailing
ships TO import goods and wares for
distribution 10 the retail traders inland
were tabu. Following the clipper he
gfra came the ironclad agreement be-
tween the Pacific Mail and the trans
ecntinental lines in restraint of trade
This arrangement. in connection with
trafie arrangements with the Panama
-reflroad. prevented the establishment
II other transisthmiah lines. The Cape
Horn route was subsidized TO keep up
rares by sail craft. The country was
hottied up. and thus the artificial con-
5itions were induced that have ham
pered san Francisco trade for many
ears
fEFf HOLDS KEY TO CANAL
But with the opening up Of the Pan
ma canal the position OF San Fran
isco as proud dominator of the sea
-raffic moving eastward. viii be real
zed in accordance with manifest des-
my The steam and sailing vessels
vil bring tens of thousands of pass
myers annually direct to San Francisco
who can not be parceled out into zones
Of distribution by any combination Of
railway lines
san Francisco will be able to move
its freights. derived from its manu-
factures and the rich interior counties
thar arc tributary TO it, independent of
all through rail lines. to the heart Of
The railroad stronghold in the Missis-
sippi valley via the gulf of Mexico, and
TO the entire Atlantic seaboard ard all
Of Europe. Per contra. freights from
all parts OF the continent for distribu-
tion amongSthe lands OF the orient, and
the islands and semicontinental in
habited areas Of the Pacific littoral will
move at sea rates.
Hundreds OF millions OF dollarssare
invested in the all rail lines. Many
other millions are bound up in sea
lines that have been established in con-
nection with and are operated in the
interest Of transcontinental railways
on such terms that sea competition is
barred TO individual owners OF hulls.
Perhaps the dream viii come true
when the canal is reality that San
Francisco will become the distributing
point for the country lying eastward TO
the Missouri. II is no farther geo
graphically from San Francisco ia
Omaha or Kansas City than fl is from
Kansas City and Omaha to San Fran
cisco. but the trafic conditions make
the two directions operate either for
or against San Francisco, instead of
having uniform effect. This was
manifested by the preferential rates
given TO Colorado iron and steel con-
cern that resulted in closing the roll
ing mill industry at the Potrero and
The rates eastward that closed down
the Woolen mill industries OF caifor-
MIA, 50 that raw wool paid freights.
going eastward and another set Of
freights when returning TO the Pacific.
coast in the form Of blankets and other
wooden manufactures.
TERMINAL RATES TO FORE
The vast importance of the sea 10
san Francisco for all time is becoming
more apparent in view of these and
other related facts and in the ap-
reaching opening Of the great inter-
oceanic waterway at Panama the ter
minal situation IN San Francisco gets
under the limelight strongly Realty
brokers, capitalists and all classes Of
men who take an intelligent view Of
the future are considering terminals
The Southern Pacific. the Santa Fe and
the Western Pacific transcontinenfal
railway systems are all strongly in
treBched in San Francisco territory by
leases and by ownership. Naturally
they viii seek al possible adva nta ges
for their almost exclusive control of
the continental transportation which
viii end when the canal is the key TO
tie trade OF the world Of the Pacific
and also Of the Atlantic 10 a large ex-
tent.
Freight depots, passenger depots
huge ONCE buildings for railway uses
and for the uses OF the sea lines to be
allied with them-these and other
structures are likely TO be constructed.
sites viii be secured in eligible neigh
borhoods. Keen transportation compe-
tition viii stimulate interest in this
city as q commercial scenter. Wharves
warehouse and manufacturing sections
and adjoining trade areas will hmm
with the sounds OF unceasing Industry.
Quietly. and without any sound Of
trumpets. in view Of the future. var
fous sections Of San Francisco that
might be made terminals have been
presented 10 the consideration of the
transportation dimes In this subject
there has been displayed much interest
The existing transcontinental lines
nave large land holdings extending
from the China basin pretty wei
around The water front of the city with
long term leases OF wharves for rail-
road and steamship uses in addition
and with individual ownership Of large
tracts Of land that are not On the
water front. but that arr useful for