The daily intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Territory [i.e. Wash.]) 1876-1881, 1877-12-14

Friday, Dec. IA. 1877.
LETTERS VS.. OYSTERS i.

this place about five o'clock on Thurs
day morning and lay here less than hall
an hour. For people who desire to 60
hence to Victoria or any down Sound
port, this is most inconvenient. If the
beat we're here at any time before mid
night. they could 60 on board, hire a
stateroom and retire to bed; but under
the present arrangement that cannot be
done. And persons living At any dis
tsnce from the wharf dare not 90 TO led
in their own houses for fear of missing
the beat. This 10 owing to the Post
Masters refusal to deliver the mails ct
Olympia to the contractor. Capt. L. NJ
Starr, in time to enable him to make
the trips with,convenience to the travel
ing public. Thisrow began over month
ago. and, believing it would soon blow
over, we RETAINED from saying any
thing about it, while all our contempor.
aries have already taken either one side
of the fight or the other. 1t seems q
more enduring struggle than We had 81
first imagined.
We learn that the trouble originated
in this way: The Olympia postmaster,
A. J. Burr. about . year ago. became
the owner Of . number Of oyster beds
about Olympia. from which be has been
engaged. in furnishing the retail deal.
srs in those delicate bivalves at the
various Sound ports. There is man
named Gleason employed o. barkeeper
on the boat which carries the mail to
Victoria, who has been furnishing oys.
tiers from other beds than Burr's to the
retail dealers at reduction of fifty
cent? per sack upon the price charged
by the Olympia postmaster. Captain
Starr states that on Sunday, the nth OF
November, he saw . notice posted up
that the mails would not close till 6 p.
n. although the Annie Stewart was
advertised to leave 1t two o'clock. He
then asked Burr why he would not give
the mail ct the usual hour, and was in.
rmed that he would have to put Gles-
q Oft the boat as he was injuring his
|urr's) oyster business. AZ Captain
arr conld not see that Gleason had
suited any passengers or been guilty
" any unbscomiog conduct. he declined
ing dictated to in this manner. He
vs he runs steamboat for tho conve-
ence Of all shippers, and Is long a.
freight is paid on oysters. he does
care who ships them.
70 the mean time, the public alone
the sufferers. They have to get up
nnearthly hours in the morning. Just
j pause they cannot 60 on board the
It and sleep - they could before this
sonplsasantness" commenced. And
twice the boat has bssp compelled to
leave Olympia without any mail what
ever, in order to make her connection in
time for the North Pacific to arrive
within the Office hours Of the Victoria
Custom House. We admit that Mr..
Burr produces the best oysters on Pu-
get Sound. and ooncsde his right to
make all hs can out of them; but we
do not oonoeds his right to iLconven-
ience the entire business community
and travelling public - he is doing by
his course in this adasr.
We would rather have said nothing
about this matter; and - long Is Il
worked no hardship upon the business
Rmen Of the lower Sound. we were con-
|tent to let them fight out the war -
fhsy saw 1t. Bnt the squabbls has
Assumed = shape which makes il incum-
bsnt upon us to speak plainly of the
matter. The whole Of Puget Sound
below Olympus 10 Inconvenience by it,
and the Postal Agent. who came over
from Portland especially to remedy the
defect. has bsen compsllsd to 60 back
without settling The difficulty. 1t il
time that this nonsense was stopped
ar petitions will b in order.