Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1914-04-15
The Enormous Carrying Business
of the Two Isthmian Railways,
the Panama and Tef1uantepec

Two small isthmian railways-the
Panama Railway, 40 miles in length, ana
the Tehuantepec Railway, go miles long
carried, in 1918, $1So.50o,000 worth of mer-
chandise, brought to their termini uy
vessels from the United States to be re-
loaded at the opposite termini and ship
ped to other ports fthe United States
and to foreign countries. This is double
the amount thus transported in 1908, one
year after the opening of the Tehaunte-
pee Line.
The value of American products carried
across the isthmuses in this circuitous
intercoastal traffic was, via Panama, $751;
100000 and via Tehauntepee, s99,50O,o0O.
Two-thirds of this trade, according to the
latest compilations of the Bureau of For
eign and Domestic Commerce, Depart
ment of Commerce. moved westward,
s23. 700 600 worth via Panama and $50. 600
via Tehauntepec, while the remainder
moved eastward, $7,300,00O across the
Panama Line and sS7,1O0000 worth over
the more northerly trans-isthmian line.
Only few American ports participate
in this trans-isthmian traffic. OF the
westward movement 100000 worth of
merchandise was shipped from New
York. ST. 200 GOO worth from New Orleans
and but $500 worth from Boston. The
east-bound traffic included 2l,SO0,00o
worth from San Francisco. $500, eco from
Hawaii $2100000 worth from ports in
the state of Washington, s1s00,0O0 from
ports in Southern California and about
500 eco worth from the state of Oregon.
~ NJ 10
vessel-rail-vessel route went chiefly to
San Francisco, 81 ga million dollars
worth having been consigned to our Pa
cifc coast metropolis, compared with
SIS, 750 coo worth to other California ports,
Sc, coo to Washington state, S5,56o,0oo to
Oregon, and s5,e00,00o to Hawaii, with
smaller shipments to foreign countries.
including nearly 100000 to Peru, nearly
$2e00 eco each to Panama, Ecuador, Sal
vador and Chill: 100000 to Mexico. and
sums ranging downward from 100000 in
the case of Honduras, Nicaragua. Co
lombia, Bolivia, Canada, Guatemala, and
Costa Riea.
New Orleans shipments via this route
were all consigned to foreign countries,
chiefly those on the South American west
VovbfN'N
Ecuador, s76s. coo worth to Peru. s427, coo
worth to Chill and $4,000 worth to Mica
ragua.
San Francisco utilized the isthmian
railways in shipping s14e00.0o0 worth of
merchandise to New York, $1,720,oo to
Massachusetts,, s436.0oo to Philadelphia
and $4,S300o0 worth to foreign countries,
chiefly Germany. France. the Neither
lands. England and Belgium.
Hawaii's isthmian traffic all passed
over the Tehuantepee Line and included
SIT ,965, geo worth consigned for orders to
Delaware Breakwater and $4,000 worth
to foreign countries.
Manufacturers supplied most of the
west-bound sugar, fruits. wines. wool
and canned salmon most of the east
bound traffic in domestic products pass
ing over the isthmian railways between
the Pacific and Atlantic coast ports of
the United States. Thus the westward
movement in the calendar year 1913 in
cluded 81, 900, 900 yards of cotton cloth, ST.,
O00.0G0 worth of iron and steel manufac-
lures, consisting largely OF machinery,
tools and hardware; 100000 gallons of
mineral oil $4,000 worth of chemicals
and medicines; Sc, 000, coo worth of paper
manufactures; over 100000 worth of
cordage and Irvine, and large quantities
of boots and shoes. soap, perfumeries
brass and aluminium goods, automobiles