Los Angeles herald., 1909-08-18
DIRECT LINE TO
EUROPE PLANNED
HAMB G-AMERICAN SHIPS
HEADED THIS WAY
Resident Director Admits to Rev.
Dana Bartlett That Vessels Will
81 Run Through Panama Canal
to San Pedro

That the Hamburg American line.
Oldest of the German steamship lines
and whose boats have an aggregate
tonnage of nearly 100000 tons, will
touch at Los Angeles with big steam
ships direct from Europe, following the
opening of the Panama canal is guard
edly admitted by e. r. Boas, resident
director in America and general man
ager of the New York interests of the
company
In letter to Rev. Dana W. Bartlett,
answering the latter's query, Mr.. BOas says
the line will run its ships through the canal
to the Pacific coast.
Rumors have been prevalent at San
Francisco that the Hamburg American
line, which already maintains west
coast of America" routes from Ham
burg, via Antwerp, London. Genoa,
Cadiz and ST. Vincent, recently COM
missioned a confidential agent to make
a thorough investigation of Pacific
coast prospects with a view to being
fully prepared on the opening of the
Panama canal. 1t was also stated that
huge new steamers would be built for
Atlantic service with a consequent
shifting of steamships of the Cincin-
natl and Cleveland class-17, 900 tons,
COS feet long and complement
of 5000 persons-to the routes between
continental ports and the north Pa
cific waters.
information is Guarded
These rumors are entirely unofficial,
although the neutrality-suspicious. lines,
while keeping close tab on Panama
canal possibilities are not giving out
any information as yet.
Several foreign companies already
have been attracted to the trans-isth-
mian service of the Tehuantepec Ma
tional railway, and are giving regular
connections between all the leading
European ports and Puerto Mexico by
which goods are received in bond at
Los Angeles direct from the conti-
nent. The latest Atlantic and Pacific
itinerary of the Tehuantepec National
railway company, effective for August
and September, shows regular sailings
in addition to the Hamburg Hawaiian
and Hamburg American lines of the
following foreign companies: Com
pagnie Generate Transatlantique of
Paris Compania Mexicana de Nevega-
cion of Vera Cruz; Compania Trans
atlantica of Barcelona; Cuban line of
London, Elder-Dempster line of Liver
pool and Harrison line of Liverpool.
If the Hamburg-American line has
plans for sending a representative to
Los Angeles and san francisco tney
are not known to local steamship
agents.
Big Future Admitted
1--WE have heard nothing of that sort" 4"
said George w. Perkins, president of
the Hugh B. Rice company, yesterday
81 imagine that the great steamship
companies will keep fully Informed re-
garding the development of California
seaports.
LOS Angeles has a lot of far-seeing
and progressive men; it is certainly
a big thing to look ahead and see the
necessity for preparedness before the
completion of the Panama canal. We
have no idea, 1 think, how far or how
immensely this harbor plan as for
ulated by the consolidation committee
will attract attention to Los Angeles.
I believe you viii find the commercial
interests of the world anxious to keep
informed of progress on the harbor
of Los Angeles and the commercial OPP
portunities of Southern California"
Instead of the steamers of the "Cleve-
Continued on Page Two