Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1881-04-22
The Sound Steamers.
A statement from Capt. Starr.

~ AhoNA Supas
Some three weeks ago, J. G..
Haines, Esq, of the law firm of
Struve, Hahn, e. Leary, reputed
prorrietors and editors of the Seattle
Daily Post, although a personal
stranger to me, requested thai l
should be surety on his bond if he
became administrator Of certain
estate of which l was probably the
principal creditor. l declined, urg-
ing that 1 was such creditor, that I
possessed no real estate in King
County land it is a matter of fact
that the Probate Court OF that coun-
ty, when my name was suggested,
for that very reason declined to ac-
cept me), and also because my busi-
ness necessitated so much of my
time being spent in Victoria, B. c.,
that it was the temporary home Of
my family.
My declination soured the said
attorney and editor, and thereby
incurred the hostility of the Seattle
Duly Post. When the passenger
schedule of the Northern Pacific
Railroad was recently changed
south bound trains leaving Tacoma
at s A. NJ, aud the north bound
trains arriving at Tacoma at 3 p. NJ.
said attorney volunteered his ad-
vice that my steamers should con-
form their trips to the railroad ar
rangement; that is. should leave Ia
coma at 3 P. NJ, and so leave Seattle
as to connect with the train at A.
NJ. 1t must be remembered that the
daily passenger trains carry no
freight. That ON alternate days
freight trains reach Tacoma from
the Columbia river at 5 P. NJ. From
the transportation of this freight the
Sound steamers at present derive
more revenue than the carrying of
passengers. That freight ordered
from Portland now only comes tri-
weekly. Parties down the Sound
receiving goods, were the suggested
arrangement carried into effect,
would be pvt off an additional day
by freight thriving two hours after
the departnfe of the steamer. The
inteSeakRa merchants are best sub
served by the present arrangement,
their freight being forwarded the
day it arrives at Tacoma. Many
passengers prefer to stop short
time at Tacoma, rather than imme-
diately 80 aboard the steamer, and
the morning connection cannot be
made without an extra steamer and
an entire remodelins of the route
and schedule of travelling. The law
editor of the Post did not know my
business, and he exhibited his impu-
dence and ignorance when he at
tempted to fix schedules for steam
boats navigating Puget Sound. His
proposal was simply under the pre-
sent condition of things an impossi-
bility. The transportation of the
U. S. mails has for several years
been my principal business. In it l
have embarked some $500, 900, and
were the mail contracts withdrawn
the passenger and freight traffic
would not justify the continuance of
my steamers in the business. do
not complain of any want of patron
age by the inhabitants or merchants
of Seattle. Let them be as liberal
as many have always been, any one
who knows will not for q moment
pretend that an extra steamer could
be justiiiably put on the route, SIM
ply to assure close connection with
trains of the Northern Pacific Rail-
road. 1 have done my full duty as
mail contractor. To accommodate
the public 1 have done much more
than my contract really required.
At my private expense the people of
Seattle are furnished every Satur-
day night with an extra mail. My
contract provides for my leaving
Tacoma at 3 o'clock in the morning.
l leave the evening before at 6
o'clock, giving to the citizens of Sc
attic their mail at s P. NJ, when the
schedule does not require delivery
until 5 o'clock the next morning.
Thus Seattle now receives mails nine
hours in advance of the schedule
time, and yet this lawyer-editor com.
plains of my shortcomings.
As the freight from Portland
reaches Tacoma at 5 P. NJ, upon alter
! nate days, is it not pl@in that obed-
ience to the gratuitoua advice of this
law-editor of the Datly Post, who
asks questions in its columns one
day, and answers them the next
would absolutely necessitate one
days storage at Tacoma of all freight
destined for Seattle and other Sound
ports? The only advantages which
would result from my putting on ar
extra boat to run from Seattle at
A. NJ, and connect with Tacoma
would allow the few Seattle Port
land-bound passengers to sleep par
of the night al Seattle, and the Sc
attic Daily Post could be supplied
each morning at s o'clock to its nu