Los Angeles herald., 1910-03-15
SHIP SUBSIDY
PLANS TO AID
RYAN URGED
FRUIT COMPANY TO MAKE THIS
HOME PORT
PRESIDENT OUTLINES IMPoR-
TANcE OF DEAL
AS Municipality Is Unable to Assist, 1t
Is Proposed That Commercial
Interests Further
Project

commissioners met yesterday after
noon to consider what they believe is
one of the most important projects
yet presented for the deliberation oil
that body-the plan of President I. +.
Ryan of the Pacific Fruit company
to make Los Angeles the base OF op-
eratiOns and the homo port of an IN
dependent steamship line controlling
one of the most valuable industries OF
Mexico, with all its tremendous out
put
MIR. Ryan's plan is considered ex-
tremely important, and according TO
Secretary A. p. Fleming of the board
of harbor commissioners was strongly
indorsed. but owing to clause in the
state constitution, Los Angeles, as
municipality, is unable to indorse or
aid the project. Therefore, it is be
lieved by Secretary Fleming, the mar
Dor commissioners will urge that the
prominent business men Of Los An
geles, represented by the Jobbers' as
sociation and the chamber of COM
merce, Merchants and Manufacturers
association, etc, lend aid to the plan
and devise some means whereby
subsidy may be granted.
Frank 2. Gregson, traffic manager
of the Los Angeles Jobbers' assocla-
tion, submitted the plans of the PROJECT
to the harbor commission
advantage of having the Ryan steam
ships call at Los Angeles harbor also
were presented.
Mr.. Ryan operates several of the
finest and most profitable plantations
in Mexico. the principal product ol
which is bananas. The importance OF
this industry to Southern California
was not realized until it was brought
out that 10000 punches of bananas
are shipped to Los Angeles every
month. over 100000 punches are
shipped to California, Arizona, Ne
vada and New Mexico each month, or
5000 carloads year.
Anxious to Come Here
The Ryan company asks only guar
anty of u 900 tons annually, when he
will make this the basis Of his I'M
mense operations, give the business IN
terests of Southern California direct
intercourse with the ports OF Mexico
including Port Manzanillo, and open up
one of the richest regions in the new
world for the southwest American
farmers, cattlemen, horticulturists and
other producers.
Last year the port of New Orleans
handled over 100000 punches of
bananas, a major portion of which, II
not over two-thirds, would come TO
Los Angeles, it is said, If Mr. Ryan S
project is successful.
Mr.. Ryan, in his report, states that
he is anxious to live in Los Angeles,
and for that reason wishes to make it
the base OF his operations. His state
ment to the Jobbers' association and
other business organizations of the
city says:
II am now interested in the opera |
tion of steamers between Manzanillo
and the west coast of the United |
Ian Df
handling fruit, northbound, and have |
made San Francisco the port of call
on the initial trips. I propose to con-
tinue this service and give the people |
of Los Angeles a guaranteed service |
between the port of San Pedro and |
Manzanillo, touching at all important |
intermediate ports, and especially such |
ports as are favored with railroad |
connections to the interior Of Mexico |
This service will be regulated by the
transportation of bananas, northbound' |
subject to a guaranteed service of fif- |
teen days or better.
Upon the part Of the merchants of
Los Angeles 1 should want guaran-
teed tonnage equal to 1900 tons
year, or its equivalent, the equivalent !
to be based upon an average of the
existing tariffs of the Pacific Coast
Steamship company or the Cosmos
rates. per schedule and classification.
'I should expect to credit Los An
geles on tonnage with the revenue ac-
cruing from passengers to and from
San Pedro, and would also credit
freight coming from the interior and
moving on our boats from San Pedro, |
including freight transshipped from |
one vessel to another at San Pedro.
IT would agree TO cooperate in the |
equalization of rates between Los An |
geles and the port at San Pedro, |
through rates in no case to be higher |
than the average rate from San Fran |
cisco to the Mexican ports involved.
1.-THE boats to be used shall be Of |
suitable character and of at least 600 |
tons burden-the passenger accommo- |
dations to be strictly first class"
Import and Export Figures
Mr.. Ryan also submits the following |
verified table of imports and exports, |
showing what immense trade is be- |
ing diverted to New Orleans and else |
where, and indicating the Importance !
of a serious consideration of mis- will
ingness to bring his vessels here. This |
table of statistics follows:
Agricultural implements, $500 900; |
live stock (hogs, horses, Sheep, nearly |
81 900 000; grain and grain products,
900; all kinds of chemicals Gn-
Guiding baking POWDER, coal and
coke, 100000; copper and manufac-
tured articles, nearly 100000: cotton
and manufactured articles. including
clothing, etc, $3.500O0O; fruits and
nuts, 100000; electrical appliances, ST.
0O0,000 monographs, etc, 100000: iron
and steel and manufactured articles,
10,500,000; builders hard DWARF, 81 000,-