ANSWERS TO CERTAIN QUESTIONS ASKED BY SENATOR BUTLER WITH Regard TO PRINCE RUPERT The questions all relate to the use of Prince Rupert to serve as a railhead for water transport to Alaska. Prince Rupert is admirably situated for this purpose. have been asked and the answers thereto are as follows: The questions which 1. Representative through rates to Prince Rupert from New York, Chicago, and St. Paul. See attached schedule, marked exhibit “A-1” for passenger rates and exhibit "A-2" for freight rates. 2. Frequency of service, schedules. Rail-passenger: Three-days-a-week service between Jasper, Alberta, and Prince Rupert, British Columbia, connecting with daily transcontinental passenger service. Departures and arrivals are as follows: Leave Jasper 4 p. m. Monday, Wednesday, and Friday; arrive Prince Rupert 10.45 p. m. Tuesday, Thursday, and Saturday. Elapsed time, 30 minutes, 45 seconds. Leave Prince Rupert 8 p. m. Monday, Wednesday, and Friday; arrive Jasper 6 a. m. Wednesday, Friday, and Sunday. Elapsed time, 34 minutes. Passenger schedule on connecting days: New York-Ketchikan (via Montreal). elapsed time, 121 minutes, 30 seconds. Chicago-Ketchikan (via Winnipeg), elapsed time 92 minutes, 23 seconds. St. Paul-Ketchikan (via Winnipeg), elapsed time, 83 minutes, 23 seconds. Rail freight: A through freight schedule is operated, as follows (2 days per week): Via Chicago, St. Paul, Winnipeg Leave New York (New York Central or Delaware, Lackawanna & Leave New York (New York, New Haven & Hartford). Leave New London (Canadian National 491). 5:30 a. m. Canadian National steamships have one steamer in service. schedule is as follows, based on Pacific time: Its regular Ar. 2:00 p. m. Saturday. Lv. Effective June 19 next, a new passenger steamer, now being completed in Victoria, the Steamship Prince George, will be placed in cruise service between Vancouver and Skagway, Alaska. It will leave Vancouver at 9 p. m. every fourth Saturday and Wednesday and reach Skagway the following Wednesday and Sunday, respectively. A lay-over of 34 hours is provided at Skagway to permit interesting side trips via the White Pass and Yukon Railway and steamer to West Taku Arm; to White Horse, to Bennett (trail of '98 tour). Returning, steamer will leave Skagway on Thursday and Sunday night following arrival, and arrive Vancouver every fourth Tuesday and Saturday at 9:30 a. m. The cruise is of about 91⁄2 days' duration. The actual departure from Vancouver will be on the following dates: June 19, 30, July 10, 21, 31, August 11, 21, and September 1. Frequency of service by rail is dependent upon volume of traffic offering. Passenger service could be readily increased to a daily service. Frequency of freight service would be proportional to the tonnage to be moved. 3. Volume of traffic that can be handled. Rail freight The capacity of the line to handle freight traffic depends on how much passenger traffic is also handled. If passenger service is limited to one train per day in each direction the working capacity of the line to handle freight, assuming boats were available in Prince Rupert, is 10,000 tons per day. This capacity could be substantially increased, if traffic required, by lengthening passing sidings and constructing additional yard tracks. Rail-passenger The estimated carrying capacity of the passenger-train service is as follows: Present basis (3 days per week) (light train): Coaches Persons 60 25 60 250 Sleepers Steamships The carrying capacity of Canadian National steamers which would be available this season is as follows: The total freight tonnage of the two steamers is 700 tons. 4. Steamship rates, Seattle versus Prince Rupert, to Skagway. 5. Local steamship rates, Prince Rupert to Skagway. The current one-way steamer passenger fares, between Seattle, Vancouver, also Prince Rupert and Ketchikan-Skagway, are as follows: No service to Skagway at present. These rates are those which were in effect during temporary susDension of Jones Act. Round trip: double one-way fare as above. First-class fares cover minimum berth accommodation and first-class meals, except between Seattle and Vancouver meals only are included. Second-class fares apply to men only and include second-class meals and open berth in steerage-no berth included between Vancouver and Seattle. Statement showing comparable rates on representative commodities to ports in Alaska and are entirely exclusive of all terminal charges and marine insurance [Rates per ton of 2,000 pounds or 40 cubic feet, whichever produces the greater revenue, except as otherwise indicated] 1 Rates actually published in tariffs on basis in cents per 100 pounds. 2 Common lumber in lengths not over 32 feet-charge per 1,000 feet gross board measure. 3 Common lumber in lengths over 32 feet-charge per 1,000 feet gross board measure Terminal and wharfage charges in addition to above rates NOTE.-Steamship rates from Seattle are subject to a Federal tax of 3 percent. 6. If the proposition to permit Canadian vessels to enage in this service goes through, would it be possible for the Canadian National to have through rates published from, say, New York, Chicago, and St. Paul to Skagway? Through rates to Prince Rupert, so far as rail movement is concerned, presently exist from such points as New York, Chicago, and St. Paul. It is not the practice of railways to establish through rates for rail and connecting steamships because the steamship rate is usually subject to change due to local competitive conditions. Various other factors militate against establishing through rates. The Canadian National, however, would be willing to investigate the possibility of establishing through rates. 7. Would such rates be cheaper than those through the port of Seattle? On both passenger and freight traffic, from points such as New York, Chicago, and St. Paul, the rail rate to Prince Rupert is the same as the rail rate to Seattle. Consequently the differential between the rates would consist of the difference between the water rate from Seattle to Alaskan points as compared with the water rate from Prince Rupert to those points. 8. Would the Canadian National, on the other hand, simply arrange to publish through rates to Prince Rupert? Rates presently exist, both passenger and freight, from United States points such as New York, Chicago, and St. Paul, which rates are the same for Prince Rupert as for Seattle (see answer to item (7)). 9. If the bills under consideration are passed, would the Canadian National consider it worth while to push their service to other ports, such as Cordova, Valdez, and Whittier, Alaska? The Canadian National has gone to considerable lengths and has invested considerable capital in developing traffic to Alaskan points within the limits of the Jones Act. If the bills in question were passed the Canadian National would naturally examine most carefully prospective business and if prospects appeared favorable would extend its services. EXHIBIT A-1.-Representative through rates to Prince Rupert from New York, Chicago, and St. Paul [Current through 1-way passenger fares from St. Paul, Minn., Chicago, Ill., and New York, N. Y., to Prince Rupert, B. C., on file with the Interstate Commerce Commission] Includes minimum room accommodation and meals on steamer Vancouver to Prince Rupert. EXHIBIT A-2.--Rates in cents per 100 pounds To San Francisco, Calif., Seattle, Wash., and Prince Rupert, British Columbia Containers, sheet iron or steel, set-up: Cans, n. o. i. b. n. (tin cans). Iron and steel articles, viz wire. Fresh meats, n. o. s., viz carcasses or part carcasses, sausage. Packing house products, viz meats, cooked, cured or preserved; meats, Bakery goods (biscuits). |