Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1915-02-01
CANAL OFFERS VAST
PROFIT TO PORT

continued from PaEe One
opment with the West coast through the
Canal via Philadelphia
"lt is q remarkable fact that general
cargoes are being received at Phladel-
phia from the Pacific coast aud trans
shipped by rail throughout Is different
States including Virginia West Virginia,
Ohio, Kentucky, Tennessee, Indiana, Mis-
souri,. Illinois, Michigan and Wisconsin
The cargoes comprise canned goods and
vegetables. canned salmon, dried beans,
dried fruits. flour, meal. seeds, stock
foods, cascin etC., etc. FIFTY towns in
PENNSYLVANIA alone are receiving these
shipments.
There is n wide range in the freight
rate classification by boat as well as by
railroad. Heavy compact goods are nee
essarily cheaper to ship than bulller
articles. The basis of freight rates is,
Of course, determined by both weight and
bulk But 1t is a fact that where, in
October last, cargo via the Canal con-
sisted almost entirely of heavy material,
in December the character OF cargOes had
changed TO include the lighter and
heavier materials in about equal amounts.
In other words the advantages Of the
rail and boat route via Philadelphia are
being recognized by shippers in a wide
variety of commodities. with this de-
the volume has increased immensely.
THREE LINES AVAILABLE.
Three lines of steamers are handling
this traffic from Philadelphia insuring
frequent salings.
THE length of the voyage between
Philadelphia and the West Coast is about
10 days, and approXimates the time OF
shipment required by the all rail route.
OF course, there should be added TO the
voyage time the time consumed by rail
between the seaboard and the interior
point.
Look at the freight saving in dollars
and cents, A concern in Youngstown,
Ohio, for instance, can ship carload
of steel plates to San Francisco via
Philadelphia and the Canal for a total
charge of A cents per 100 pounds. TO
this should he added n small amount for
handling, wharfage and marine insurance.
The cost of sending this same carload by
rail across the continent TO San Fran
cisco would be so cents per 100 pounds.
The saving effected. therefore. by the
Canal route via Philadelphia, is at the
rate of about 30 cents per 100 pounds.
Take II the other way: From San
Francisco to Wheeling, W. Va, for in
stance, a carload of canned fruits and
vegetables can be shipped via the canal
10 Philadelphia, and thence by rail TO
100 pounds, plus the small charge for
wharfage, etc, The cost OF this ship
ment from San Francisco 10 Wheeling
by the all-raH route would be at the rate
of So cents per 100 pounds, the saving
effected being approximately 80 cents by
the boat route.
"Is it any wonder that this traffic has
developed rapidly? Yet thousands OF
shippers are perhaps unaware that these
possibilities in freight saving exist.
Throughout much Of the great section
which should use this route via Phlladel-
phia the traffic awaits developing.
What is needed is the nucleus for re-
turn cargoes 10 the Pacific Coast.
WEST COAST TRAFFIC.
ut would be dinicult to compare the
rates by both routes on the thousand
and one different kinds OF commodities.
To illustrate, however, a comparative
schedule Is given on canned fruits and
vegetables. as representing the east
bound trafic; likewise a comparative
schedule OF the rates on steel plates as
representing West-bOund trafiic. These
figures show the potentialities for de-
veloplng trafie with the west coast.
Speaking IN general terms, the difference
in the savings on the different classes OF
freight Is a relative one. Indeed, we
are told that water rates (referring 10
the boat trip only will average around
one-third Of all rail rates. Enough is