Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1914-10-28
PHILADELPHIA PORT
LOSING COMMERCE !
THAT BELONGS HERE
Steamship Interests and Rail
roads Declared to Be Dis
eliminating in Favor of
New York.

Domination and discrimination on the
part of steamship conferences working
| in conjunction with railroads are the
factors increasing the business of the port
| OF New York beyond any previous rec
| ords, while business here Is less than
| normal, merchants and manufacturers de-
clare In reply, the steamship interests
say lack of support by merchants and
manufacturers Is hurting the business OF
this port.
A certain percentage of the freight
which makes it possible for New York
to break records, despite war conditions,
should go In or out OF this port. because
1t represents shipments to and from mer-
chants and manufacturers OF Philadel-
phia and it's environs, maritime authori-
ties say.
Inadequate and obsolete steamship serv-
Ice here is the reason merchants and
manufacturers send shipping through
New York, it is declared.
One man prominently identified with the
business of the port said today that in
stead OF raising a hue and cry for the
South American trade, which cannot he
adjusted for some time the business men
should go after the trade at home. He
pointed out the increased expectations OF
grain from Montreal. New York, Balt-
more, New Orleans and Galveston and
compared It with the meagre shipments
from this city. He said that some action
should be taken by the Commercial EX-
change to obtain some of this business.
Members OF the Commercial Exchange
declare they are pursuing a "watchful
waiting" policy and something will be
done soon. In the meantime other ports
are capturing enormous business.
p. r. Young, general manager of the
International Mercantile Company, said
the import and export business was brisk,
but that his lines, the Atlantic Trans
port American and Holland American
were able to care for It. He said there
was no freight congestion and he did not
look for any.
Mr.. Young admitted that a certain per-
centsge of freight of high class and per-
ishable character was shipped from New
York in preference n this city because
of the swifter service.
n, r. Kelly, secretary OF the Chamber
of Commerce, in commenting on the re-
cent failure to establish a steamship serv-
Ice between this city and South America,
said that the steamship companies pro-
Jecting such lines would have TO hold
regular sallings for several months in
order to assure the shippers that they
would be sure OF vessel at certain times
A sporadic service was not desired. Many
of the local exporters have long term con
tracts with steamship companies out of
New York, Mr.. Kelly said, and this |
would prevent them giving immediate sun
port to a new company.
philadelphia has always been given !
the poorest transatlantic service" an |
other shipper said. The boats are slow |
and obsolete in the passenger and irst- |
class freight service. other ports, such |
as Boston and Baltimore. both OF which |
threaten to wrest the position as second |
American port from this city, are favored
by the steamships and railroads, which |
enables them to leap ahead while Phna-
delphia crawls along"