Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1876-04-15
OLYMPIA, SATURDAY MORNING, APRIL Is, 1916
THE PACIFIC MAIL TROUBLES.

The Pacific Mail Steamship Com.
panv have had arrayed against them,
the past few years, extensive moneyed
combinations, intent upon Wrestling
from them their prestige and power.
No means haze been left untried, fair
or unfair, to accomplish their ruin.
These efforts have finally eliminated
in the establishment OF another line Of
steamships on the iSthmus route, with
the avowed intention of controlling the
through freight between those points.
It is thought that the Pacific Nail Co.
is yet giant enough to graphic with the
Philistines, and will come out Of the
ordeal unshorn of its strength.
The effect of any serious embarrass
ment to the Pacific Nail Company,
which might for time circum5cribe It's
sphere of usefulness. would of course
fall upon tho branch routes first, and
might lead TO the abandonment Of of
the Northern Pacific -route-an aid to
local enterprise upon which We have
built such great expectations, and to
which we already owe heavy debt Of
gratitude for the life it has infused into
every branch o, business upon Puget
Sound.
As an indication Of the relentless
spirit of warfare Avarice can invoke, we
have but to refer to recent debate
in the Ottawa Parliament, on Il PROPOSE
ton to rescind the present contract
with the Pacific Mail Company for the
Victoria service.
Mr.. DeCosmos represented that ii was
desirable to give larger subsidy, to in
duce British ships to undertake the ser
vice. but the Government had let the
contract to a foreign Company-the
Pacific Steamship Company of San
Francisco-which coaled at port in
Washington Territory. The boats now
used were unsafe, and Lad badly sup
piled tables. lLaughter.) The steer
age accommodation was also very bad
Mr.. Bunster complained of the bad class
Of steamships used on this line, and
mentioned the loss Of life which had
been sustained in the wreck Of that old
rattletrap the P0cif- The Vancouver
Coal Company were ordering two first
class ships from the CLYDE. with the i'll
tcntion Of using them on this service if
they had reasonable encouragement
from the Government. The company
had broken their compact. and he sug-
gestcd that the contract should be eau
celcd. Mr.. Thompson CARIBOU said
he thought The Government should
-elltaSr- cancel tho-eontract on insist on
its being properly carried out Most of
the boats were manned by Chinese
crews, to whom no one would like to
trust his life Mr. Casey said he had par
ucular reason for taking an interest in
this matter, as friend Of his was one of
the survivors OF The Pdciji,. He thought
the Government should secure the full
est performance Of the contract, and see
that the service was performed by good
ships, The management Of the line in
question had been intolerable.
These structures were known to be
untrue by the members representing
British Columbia, yet it appears they
lent themselves 10 scheme calculated
TO build up q new monopoly on the
ruins of an old one, which has, despite
It's inclination to hold Il supremacy
over its routes, manifested q spirit Of
public accommodation as rare as il is
commendable in similar corporations,
which, proyerhally, have no souls"
The absrudity Of every charge made
against their vessels is apparent to
everybody on this coast Their yes
sells are not only sea-worthy, tidy and
well differed, but the fare is of the
very best, and the cabin accommodations
in every respect tirst-class. This is the
universal testimony Of those who have
Travelled on Pacific Mail steamers.
They have, in this respect at least.
achieved wel!-earne1 reputation the
world over, and this alone may he suf-
ticient to serve as an invaluable aid in
their present troubles. Corporations
are, after all, but as individuals, in the
relative position of cause and effect,
and may owe their salvation to public
benefactions which pride alone has in
H..