The Hawaiian star. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu]) 1893-1912, 1911-09-25
PLANS Of THE NEW Sl5,O00,C00
AMERICAN STEAMSHIP COMPANY

SAN FRANCISCO, Sept. 1S.-B. ~,
Baker of Baltimore, one of the in
corporators of the $15,0OO,0O0 Atlantic
and Pacific Transport Company, an or
ganization formed to bid on the ocean
mail services now being advertised
for by the postmaster-general, and
which call for weekly service between
New York and Colon; New Orleans
and Colon; San Francisco and Panama,
and fortnightly between Seattle and
Panama, arrived in San Francisco last
night from the north. He will remain
here for three days, during which time
he will reveal to the business men of
this city the plans by which the cont
pany expects to aid materially in the
development of the trade advantages
of the canal to the benefit and profit of
the people of the United States. Should
the company succeed in obtaining the
contract, fifteen express steamers will
be Immediately constructed to make
complete trips from coast to coast,
giving effectual interchange of bust
ness between the Atlantic and Pacific
littorals and making 104 direct sail
ings with fifty-two intermediate calls
year from the Atlantic to the Pacific
ports, with the opportunity Of return
cargoes without any rehandling in
transit. In the event the company OBJ
tains the contract, San Francisco is 20
be the Western home port of the fleet
Confident of Success.
Baker arrived at the Fairmont last
night with his confidence in the com
pany's success doubled. He had just
received a copy of an opinion by the
United States Acknowledgement which
holds that no steamship line owned or
controlled by competitive railway in
terest may obtain the contract, mas
much as railway conrotl, it is believ-
ed, would not be conducive to the
development of commerce, as proposed.
The Atlantic and Pacific Transport
Company conforms to this decision, in
asmuch as every person elected a di-
rector must take oath that he is not a
railway representative or acting in the
interest of any railway corporation
and the charter further provides if at
any time the postmaster-general should
notify the company that any officer OF
director represents a competitive rail
way interest that director or officer
should at once be disqualified.
Three years ago the government
saw that unless new ships were bull
: America would open the costliest cana
p in the world with practically NJ
American ships to use it. In 1908
o Secretary of War Wright asked Baker
). who has been in the steamship bust
n ness for twenty-five years, to ascer
y tain why the Panama route was MOI
|, being utilized. Baker made persona
p visits to the Isthmus and the Pacific
G Coast cities and the results of his in
e vestigation were given in a Statement
which was transmitted February 10
1910, to the Senate Committee on In
q ter-oceanic Canals.
n It was shown that the transcon
a tinenal trailroad pool had been payinl
r over $1,OOO,OOO year to the Panama
Railroad Company to suppress waite
!. competition by way of Panama On
v of the methods used by the Panam;
il company was not building it's line 4
n deep water. Other trips to Panami
v and this Coast were made and on re
quest of the secretary of war, Bake
formulated plans for the commercial
a. utilization of the canal. The govern
% ment is now advertising for the mai
e services and the Atlantic and Pacifi
" Transport Line is the embodiment o
st these suggestions and recommends
tions.
This City's Brilliant Future.
j. 81 have the utmost confidence in tn
TX company succeeding in obtaining tn
Of contract for mail services" said Bake
last night. 81 have spoken with of
IS Gals of other steamship lines, tol
them I was going to put in a bid fo
II our company and have advised ther
g. to bid also.
e. "The government may pay as hig
lie as $4,000 for the mail services, bu
9, should a railway interest by any III
expected effort obtain the contract, tn
0, belief prevails among many acquainte
thoroughly with the situation that tn
domestic commerce of the country, vi
s. the Panama Canal, may not be d.
veIoped as fully as it ought to be.
1T is impossible almost to conceiV
is of the brilliant future that lies befor
San Francisco and the Pacific Coast b