The daily intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Territory [i.e. Wash.]) 1876-1881, 1880-03-06
Saturday. March 6. 1884
SEATTLE ". VICTORIA.

Whilst the merchants Of Seattle seem
70 be fully alive to the importance oil
capturing the trade which viii neces-
sarily result from the opening NJ OF
the mines. the people Of this city seem
tsrdy In bestirring themselves.
So says the Victoria Colonist. 10 this
matter orr people have the RICH: on
their side, and ase strong in comparison
With their neigbbors Of victoris. who
know the vanity of their pretensions to
this trade. Here are . few facts that
tell the story: During the ten weeks
that have elapsed since tie Let Of jan
nary miners have started from Seattle
for Ruby Creek every week. and not
one who has started and been gone .
week IL known TO have failed 10 arrive
1t his place Of destinatios. During
that time the average departures have
exceeded thirty per week, or three
hundred in the aggregate. which aver.
ago has gradually increased to City
per week ct this time. Three steamers
are employed in the trade from Seattle
to the head of navigation On Skagit
river. making trips almost daily. and
taking up al the tools and provisions
used in the mines. Our merchants aud
steambostmen are showing their faith
in the richness of the gold region and
the superiority Of our route by the
expenditure ct this moment Of many
Thousands Of dsllsrs in opening better
trail. building boa's. advertising the
route. &c. The csst Of travel and
transportation Of sn ordinary pack Of
100 pounds il precisely ten dollars
from Seattle TO the head " canoe Dsvi.
gstion. sixteen miles from Raby Greek.
This csst will be reduced to 6vs dol.
lars within perhaps thirty days. From
the head Of canoe navigaties exists the
only trail into the mining country.
All other Tails are merely talked Of.
projected. By B:,tish Columbians who
are not putting . dollar Of cash into
them, and havc no existence in fact
Whatever. Over it Ubs only trail) no
serious accident has ever occurred: the
first report OF loss Of lifs or injury to
limb saving yet to he heard. No mau
prstends 10 60 over it with less than
sixty pounds on his hack. while eighty
pounds IL about tho average. and ont
handrsd and twenty and one hundred
and forty pounds have been carried
During the ten weeks before referred
to Ne man il known to have reached
the mines BY any other route Thss.
things arc iDdisputab'e. and Gro knows
ell over the coast. Il IL not Necessary
for ~. therefore, to misnsue and mis-
represent our neiehbors. Tho plair
statement Of facts il oil that IL re-
quirsd. So viewing the matter, ",
are not surprised ct the alleged tardi
ness Of Victoria usrchants. In thil
tsrdiness they merely betray their goo<
sense. The money spent on any othe
route to the Skagit gold mines thar
that vie the 6kagit river will be none,
squsndsrsd. The distances from Seatsl,
to toe heart OF the mining country i
only 100 milss. ons.tsnth Of which i
By lsnd and niue .tsnths by water. B,
making connections without .unneces
sary loss Of time. . man packed viii
blankets and . weeks provsnder onl,
can sasily GO from Seattle to Rub,
Creek in fcur days. and can quite q
easily return 10 three; the whole OF
pence Of his sxcursioa not excesdini
thSpkV Anleapa - sn>.A>~~