The daily intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Territory [i.e. Wash.]) 1876-1881, 1877-11-16
Official Press of King County.
Friday, Nov. l6, 1877.
SHIP AND CAR TOGETHER.

Now that the Oregon delegation in
Congress has unmistakably shown its
hand in reference to the Northern Pa
cific Railroad and the permanent loca-
ton of its terminus at Portland, it be.
hooves Puget Sound papers to keep the
subject of ship and car well stirred up.
If there is any one thing in which that
great corporation is particularly unfcr-
tunate, 1t is the location of its principal
points. Kslams was shown to be SUBJ
ject to eight feet overflow in the June
rise." yet the initial point was made
there, with Martins Bluff less than
three miles of. Its location at Tacoma
was also poor one for the more Gen.
tgal AMI preferable harbor Of Seattle
was less than thirty miles away. New
ertheless, this paper has always taken
the ground that the railroad could not
come to any part Of Puget Sound with
out indirectly helping Seattle; and has
always foreseen the dreaded rivalry Of
Portland, rather than of Tacoma.
The Central Pacific people built their
road with Sacramento az its western
terminus: but scarcely was tho golden
spike driven at Promontory ere the
shrcwd eye Of Stanford detected his
own blunder. He had located his ter
minus on river barely navigable for
the larger class of inland steamers. to
say nothing of deep water ships. The
Western Pacific then became . positive
necessity, for it was plainly to be seen
that tho company. in the selection of
Sacramento - their headquarters. had
arrayed against them all the capital az.
greested by San Francisco IN the two
decades of such prosperity as no other
city Of her size had ever known. Il
had to be. Re-shipment at Sacrament
to was out OF tho question. for the for
eign vessels would not stand the
charges. Ship and carimust be brought
together at tide-water aud this was the
making of Oakland.
This 10 the very rock upon which the
Northern Pacific will split if it carries
tho terminus to Portland. At this season
Of tho year, it is impossible for vessel
drawing over twelve feet Of water to
cross the bar at St. Helens, or the one
which lies ut the head of Swan Island,
and which has cost thousands of dollars
worth Of dredging. The same system
of lightersge now in vogue will have to
b. carried on for nix months in the year,
till the freshets como. when it will be
possible to load entirely at Portland,
without patching out at st. Helens and
Astoria. This will not meet the require
ments Of great rans-continental high
way like the North Pacific. They must
bring ship aud car together at tide
water oil tho year round; and that can-
not be done at m inland city like Port.
land.
This 10 the strongest argument in
favor of the speedy construction Of >
railroad from the grain gardens Of the
upper Columbia direct to tide.water at
Seattle. Our city can bring ship and
car together all the year round. In
forty hours from its shipmeht at Dayton
wheat can be placed in the ships hold
at Seattle; and wheat sAoat On tide.
water i cash article. negotiable BY
bill Of exchange upon any market
in the knowa world. The recsnt at
tempt 1t loading the ship vcntus u
Tacoma with grain for Europe, abund.
antly proves this. Col. Black and
Gen. Hprasue o6srsd to load her with
l.eoo tons Of grain - IAcoma for ssvsn-
~ osats per ton les than she could
have been loaded at Astoria; but not .
Portland house woald give her pound
of grain for cargo. They were afraid
Of tho future. Once lrt = Puget Sound
port ship single cargo Of grain and
Postland's chrome grip on the throttle
Of WaHa wslla wo~ld be thing Of the
past.
We were informed by gentlemen
whom We met 1t Olympia that there
would b no difRealsy in getting $350.-
600 onIhecsibed to the stock Of the eeat-
tie and walla WaIla Railroad By walls
Wslla capitalists. If they were guar.
sntesd that The money % paid
should b szpended on the eastern end
Of tho line. And the slscrity With
which the delegations from the Eastern
counties voted for the Subsidy hill in
Zach House. b a. good . gusnssy ~
our people can desire. They nssd cheap
freights without tsanshipmsnt or 70
handling 1t postaees. There must h
no constructive charges OF little pick
inss at either end Of the rostc. Les =
10 shown that Seattle ca briag dip
and car together which Portland can
never do-and the wealthy msnzoe -
Great East will not b losg ia 49,
~ 70 which place shall becomS ESsr