Evening star., 1924-06-12
TRAFFIC VERY HEAVY
ON PANAMA CANAL
Business Holds Up in Spite of Drop
in Tonnage Carried on In
land Waterways.
MORE COMPETITION SEEN
Number of Idle Vessels Reported
on Great lakes.
BY j. C. ROYLE.


special Dispatch to The Star.
NEW YORK, June 1.-THE slight
slump in business activity which has
had bearing on rail freight move
ments and on inland water-borne
traffic apparently has not affected
the general volume of tonnage pass-
ing through the Panama canal Ger
tainly it has not iessened confidence
of vessel men In the intercoastal trade
between Atlantic and Pacific ports,
which has been showing remark
able growth In the last two years.
The companies now in that trade
are to have two new competitors. An
nouncement has just been made thai I
the Pacific Motor Ship Company back
ed by Santa Barbara capitalists, will
take over several Shipping Board
vessels. irefit them as motor ships and
establish a 'tweIve-day service be-
tween San Francisco and New York.
The Garland Steamship Company,
which has had its vessels on the
transpacific run. announces that it
intercoastal trade. This is taken in
Caiiforn AS a reflection of the dull
ness in trade to the far east, as well
as of the growing importance of the
rOute
Canal Tonnage Heavy.
Latest government figures indicate
that the Panama tonnage is holding
up remarkably. In April 403 vessels,
with a net tonnage OF 2,o53. III and a
cargo tonnage OF 2.158.721. passed
through the locks The figures for
May are not complete. but AT ves-
ale,x L. a
ures compare with 404 ships, net ton
mage of 2.0o7.690 and cargo tonnage
Of 2.187.f45, for April. 1923, and 419
vessels net tonnage of 2,123.145 and
cargo tonnage of 2.263.083. for May,
1929.
Tho total vessels sent through the
canal for the first five months was
2.143. compared with 1910 last year.
while the cargo tonnage for the first
four months was 9.102,f41, compared
with 7.2Sa.2s3 in 1923.
River Shipmentn Drop.
Shipments from st. Louis on all
rivers in the lower Mississippi water
shed since the season opened late in
March have totaled between $4,000
and so 900 tons. considerably less tina n
last year while IS, 900 tons have been
received at that port. Most OF this
tonnage WIS handled by the govern
operated Mississippi Warrior
bdEee oeTNtCe- ness OI lOFelRfl
demand for grain and the late start
of the season caused the decline.
Grain shipments have totaled only
100000 bushels and now are moving
at the rate of 5000 to 5000 bushels a
week Receipts have been largely
confined to sugar, coffee, ore and bur
lap.
There has been a drop in the freight
movement between the gulf ports
and the Pacific by way of the canal.
Formerly twelve steamers were on
these runs. with sailinEs once a week
and carrying capacity cargoes. Re
Gently three have been laid of and
the cargoes of the others have not
been heavy. This months shipments
are expected to fall 40 per cent from
the peak of the year.
Steel shfpmentn Fall Over.
The largest drop has been IN steel
products westbound from New Or
leans and Mobile. Fruit shipments
from California have held up fairly
we'll and crude oil brought to New
Orleans and Baton Rouge has swell
ed the cargo total.
with a record of nearly ten million
tons passing through the Sault Ste
Marie canals in May, the prospect is
for a decline In shipping on the great
lakes this month. Cargoes are be
coming scarce and the number OF idle
vessels is Increasing.
The sIackening of operations at the
steel plants in Ohio and Pennsylva-
mia has cut down the tonnage NOV
ing on the rivers. River transporta-
tion of sand and building materials
in the Pittsburgh district, however,
has been OF unprecedented volume.