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Show Piers at Cristobal Already Inadequate Atlantic Terminal of Panama Canal Becomes Principal Transshipping Trans-shipping Port Panama, Oct. 1. Slnco tho opening open-ing of tho canal a year ago tho shipping ship-ping in the port of Cristobal at thu northern end of tho waterway has increased so rapidly tnat already tho two 1000 foot steel and concrete piers costing $2,500,000 each, aro no longer long-er adequate to caro for tho vast amount of freight handled. A third pier Is being built nnd plans for a fourth have been, drawn up. Frequently tho congestion at tho two piers Is so great that ships have to wait their turn In order to get docking room. This Is causing considerable con-siderable delay to trafllc .especially that which comes to tho Isthmus to be rcshlppcd to points along the coasts of .Central and South America. Ameri-ca. Theso broken cargoes aro frequently fre-quently delayed from a month to six weeks. It had been thought that Balboa, tho southern terminus of the canal, would bocomo tho most Important transshipping port of tho canal termini. ter-mini. Two 1000 foot piers, extending Into tho inner harbor, besides two long slioelino piers were planned nnd nro now In courso of construction. Officials now, however, aro of tho opinion that this will bo far moro than Balbon will require for scnio years to como. It was reported that the So-i'h American steamship lines would muko I that their terminal port nnd that probably somo of tho Atlantic connecting con-necting lines would pass through tho canal to deliver tholr cargoes nt the Balboa docks. Also, It was thought, that the cargo which did not como through tho canal In this mnnner would bo handled by tho Panama railroad. Tho South American steamship lines, howover, suddenly decided to pass through tho canal nnd pick up tholr cargoes nt tho Cristobal terminals ter-minals becauuo they learned thoy could uso tho canal, paying tho tolls on a ballast basis ono wny, return with a full hold nnd do It cheaper than If they mado Balboa their terminal. ter-minal. Tho high tides nt tho Balboa terminals nlso had much to do with their decision. Besides freight rates on tho Pnnnma railroad nro said to bo very high. |
