Seattle daily post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, W.T. [Wash.]) 1881-1888, 1882-11-23
CHAMBER OF COMMERCE.

CHAMBER OF COMMERCE.
INTERESTING MEETING HELD LAST
NIGHT.
The speedy Bsilding Of Road from
seattle, to Tap the Cedar River
Csai Fields. SsreaHiy Urged.
A full attendance of the members Of
the Seattle Chamber Of Commerce was
had at the regular meeting held last
evening. Judge Burke, on behalf Of the
COMMITTEES, made the following report;
To the Chamber Of Commerce of the CITY
Of Seattle:
Your committee, TO whom was referred
the question of transportation by rail
from the bituminOus coal fields and irou
mines between the Cedar and Green
Rivers, respectfully submit the follow
ing report:
The extensive bituminous coal fields
at the point named are from 20 to ~
miles distant from on. city, and about
IS miles beyond are 70 BE- found the
most extensive deposits Of iron that
have as yet been found ON the Pacific
Slope.
An easy grade can be had for the
whole distance, and along the whole line
there il an abundance Of the most excel
lent timber.
The natural route for such road is up
the Cedar River Valley, by which the
distance is some fifteen miles less than
any other line yet found, and is also on
the direct line through the Cascade
Mountains by way of the Snoqualmie
Pass, a pass less difficult to build road
Cascade Mountains.
In our opinion the business interests
of Seattle demand not only the early
construction Of standard gage road
TO the coal and iron mines In question,
but also across the Cascade range to the
great wheat fields of Eastern Washing
ton.
Our citizens have the means at hand
to secure the building Of such road, and
We recommend that our people take i'm
mediate steps ~ procure the funds ne
cessary to construct the.tirst 40 miles of
such, road at a. early day as possible.
j. Il. LEWIS,
Chairman.
H. l.. YEsLER.
II. Is. BA0LEY.
THOMAS BURKE.
Before the adoption Of the report of
the committee some very interesting
remarks were made by different men,
bers Of the Chamber. The first speaker
was
JUDGE JACOBS,
Who spoke in substance as follows:
ave are the pioneer guardians of this
city, and are charged with the important
duty of laying the foundation of this
town, which Ii destined to be the Queen
CITY of the Pacific coast if We perform
our duty faithfully and we'll. Here is
the natural outlet of the vast fields of
coal and iron lying back of US in King
county, and here these great sources of
wealth should find their outlet to the
of the world; but If We prove
to our trust aud derelict In
our duty as guardians of the interests
of this embryo city, and allow that
which naturally belongs to her, which,
if looked after, will insure her future
wealth aud greatness to go elsewhere,
We will be making great mistake. We
have the natural advantages of short |
ness of distance, practicability of route,
10 the ocean, etc., III our favor,
and should take advantage of them. |
prompts great corporations
~ well ~ individuals, ana no ono can
blame the Northern Pacific Railroad
Company for attempting to Build up
Tacoma at the expense Of Seattle and
King county. as they are dong, but We
should not, as custodians Of this city,
sat idly by and allow them to do it. Our
people have made two great mistakes.
The first WAS the selling of the Seattle
and Walla Walla Railroad, and the sec
ond was the buying of tho right Of way
for the Northern Pacific Railroad. oyer
which to run their line to the Green
river coal fields, and build up Tacoma
ut tho expense of Seattle. 1t Is now
high time the people of Seattle were
DOING something for themselves, and If
they would act ~ unit they could 40
almost sny undertaking or
carry through almost any enterprise"
MI. LEARY,
Who had spent considerable time and
money III obtaining facts and figures
the cost and practicability of |
! road from Seattle to Cedar river mines
was called on. and said: "MOst Of Won
lro aware that last spring Mr.. Yesler, |
Judge Burke, Judge Lewis, DR.. Bagley, |
George Harris and myself got together |
10 talk over the prospects and feasibil- |
ny Ut building railroad from Seattle,
VIA the kenton and Cedar river coal |
fields and over the Snoqualmie Pass.
After studying the subject we thought |
The matter feasible, and put engineers |
IN the field to see If q practicable route |
,0uld be found. We desired to 90 by |
way Of Cedar river, where We knew vast |
1eldS Of bltuminous GOALS existed, which |
are IN demand in the markets Of the |
world. We reasoned that If road was |
built TO tap these fields by a foreign COL
poration, that they might discriminate |
IL freight rates 30 that she mines owned |
BY others than themselves would be |
valueless. aud the great OBJ |
lect Of the country thereby thwarted. |
We felt that II the people could DO made
10 feel an interest IN this matter, q road
might be- built and owned by the peo-
pie, on which there would be no dis
Our engineers found a
good route by tunneling through the
hogs lback III Judkins' addition, a dis
lance Of sixteen hundred feet, thence 70
Lake Washington through vast forests |
u hue timber, ON up To Renton, being
Two miles shorter than the present line
Of the Columbia and Puget sound Rail-
road. From kcnton we found q prac-
licable and easy route to the Cedar river |
mines. which are on the direct line 20
the Snoqualinie Pass. DIR. BaRley, Mr..
iesler and myself then went 70 San
francisco and laid the matter before
Mr.. Cornwall, owner Of the Black Dia.
mond mine, who looked favorably on
our project, and promised us five hun.
dred tons Of coal per day to transport
1t the rate Of two cents per ton per mile
within year after tue complexion Of
our road. MIR. ID. u. Mills, who was
present at the interview, said: If the
people Of Seattle viii grade and tie the
irst forty miles Of the road, will fur
nish all the money required for stock
Ing aud equipplnR the road, taking 70
security first mortgage bonds, bearing
six per cent. interest For = ktime We
did not PRESS the matter, as the people
we're building their hopes on the prom
lses Of Mr.. Willard; bot they now learn
that instead OF giving u tho promised
road the Northern Pacifc Company u