The daily intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Territory [i.e. Wash.]) 1876-1881, 1880-11-24
CHEAPER FUEL WANTED.

That there is evident need OF cheaper
fuel supply for this city IS beyond q
question in the minds Of most of our
practical men. Three years ago good
oak wood could be laid in for the win
tsr's use ct the cost of five dollars per
cord at any time before the, first OF De-
cember; now it costs Sill, while FIR wood
10 worth five snd saw mill slabs four.
Give this town q chance 10 grow 10
IS, 900 Inhabitants and oak will be
worth eight dollars. AS it is already
plain that the tws prineipsl expenses
Of living-hoase rent and fnel-sre
higher than in Portland, Il becomes q
duty to devise some cheaper means for
supplying fuel, especisliy when the
forests between here snd the Cascades
are beginning TO show signs Of de-
pletion.
The Tygh river. which flows into the
Des Chutes about thirty five mi!es.from
here. drains sn enormous expanse Of
til..oer land, which Can be equipped
with fumes at the upper end aud carry
the wood to deep water IN the river.
whence it could DO readily hoated down
to Miller's crossing, " benee u could 10
loaded upon cars and cent 10 all points
along the line. This would enable
them tn deliver FIR wood at four dollsrs
DER cord, which would DO great ben
eft to the city ss IL would keep IL at o
steady price; the same which it brings
10 Portland all the year round.
We had looked for movement to in
troduce Seattle coal into this compare
lively timberless country, and when
we heard that Mr.. Willard had pur-
chased the Seattle cosl mine aud it's
galway. We began TO expect scoie re-
lief from that quarter. Seattle coal
can be bought in Portland for 81 80
per ton agd here for ten dollars at .
profit, if the .. X. 81 N. Co, see fit TO
90 into the business extensively; and at
ten dollars per ton 1t is cheaper than
wood at 81 per cord because it does not
require saving or splitting. besides
which ii takes less room and makes less
ashes. in the stove. The only way Of
doing it that we can see is 10 tit a boat
with tracks 70 receive the small coal
cars. run them across the portage to a
boat similarly constructed. and then
send them cut 10 Cello, Blalock or
wherever they are needed
If the company could be induced 10
fuel their boats and cars in this way,
they could also be induced to bring up
coal enough TO supply this city. Every
cord Of wood put on board OF o stesmer
at Cello goes on deck and crowds out
ut the least Sl3 worth Of freight. while
coal could be dumped into the boat
hole and leave just that much freight
room. 1t takes AZ cords Of wood to take
che Harvest Queen from Cello to Lew.
iston and back, hence the loss by
displacement OF freight per trip. on that
boat. 10 not far from 1894. Add this 10
the rehandling OF wood four times at
the two portages. and it is not far from
correct to compute $40 per cord as the
cost OF wood consu med in the naviga-
ton Of Snake river
Hence We live in the hope that Seat
tie coal will 1yet find ito market in the
Columbia river towns before the rail-
way 10 built through the Yakima coun-
try. Golfers can be built at Chester
that Sill deliver 1000 ton OF coal at
Portland the year round, aud 10 high
water they could leave Seattle Sith
1900 tons over what they need for their
own fuel and deliver half of it at the
Cascades if necessary. In low water
they could discharge ID into coal cars
at Portland and ferry them to the Gas.
cades and Dalles by stern wheel boats
IL is to them only that we can look for
an abatement Of the present heavy cost
of fuei.-Daiies faidnd Empire