Seattle daily post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, W.T. [Wash.]) 1881-1888, 1882-04-21

The COMMITTEES of the Chamber OF
Commerce. to whom was referred the
matter Of the Sitka mail contract, re-
ported at the meeting last night as
follows:
Your COMMITTEES. to whom Was referred
the matter of the carrying OF the
United States mails between Port Town
send and Siika. in Alaska beg leave to
submit the following report:
LIST. The law requires that tho steamer
in which the mails are carried should be
"safe, suitable and satisfactory to the
Postmaster General" In the consider
alton of these qualities thu Postmaster
General has not heretofore aid ought
not in the future TO look to the carriage
of the mails alone. That is. OF course.
the principal consideration; but IT Ii Incl
dent, to the opening up and Development
of commerce. and, rs necessary lnci-
dent to that, the affording facilities for
travelling p not ignored, nor indeed
shonld it be. No steamer would be ac-
cepted by the Postmaster General as
suitable, nor should it be, unless II was
reasonably cominodious. not only for the
safe carriage of the mails bot also suit
able for the safe carriage of passengers
and freight. In fact the one implies the
other. We are gratified to learn that
it is the intention and purpose OF MIR.
Ludlow, tho contractor. 10 furnlsh sacn
| a steamer. Much has been said about
the suitablsness of tho steamer Ivan
gel" Jor that purpose. We arc author
| lied to state that sho has never been Of
ferel fo...that serves. and all attempts
| by our Portland friends to raise an Issue
| upon that point is unauthorlzsd and IN
| warranted. When she il offered TO the
| GOVERNMENT for that purpose II will be
| time enough TO discuss her merits o,
demands for that service. Mr.. Ludlow
| ia able, and designs TO pu; q snltabl'
steamer ON that route, one that Will b:
| fully satisfactory to the Pos.mastei
C ieral. The discussion OF tbs ne 1t-
or snitableness Of this steamer or that
whether old or new, before they arr
offered. is wholly out of place. You
committee supposes 1t might be possibi'
/ To find steamers 50 old and rotten TIA
they would not be accepted. or If new
| that they would not be suitable, bat the
discussion of their qualities would u
| ont Of place until they were offered b,
the contractor. We are authorized t,
state that il is not the purpose OF Mr.
Ludlow at the commencement OF hii
contract to offer the " Eyangel 70
that service. and possibly never: bu
after she 10 heightened ont and fully fin
ishsd, if found safe, suitable and salts
factory he may or may not offer her TO
that service.
2nd. The law requires the mails to b.
carried with certainty, CELEBRITY ana So
curity. This one, An ocean route, re
quires staunch and seaworthy steamer
we'll fitted in all her appliances, for tn
purpose. We are assured that such
steamer will be supplied by the con
tractor.
Bird. We submit herewith the draft o
| a letter to the Postmaster General.
| 4th. We recommend that the CORES
ponding secretary be requested to cal
our delegates attention to this lette
and its subject matter, and that his co
operation in its purpose and object be
earnestly solicited.
| 9Th. We recommend that telegram
be sent by tho Chamber to the Post
master General, reque4 ting him to sta.
all unfavorable action on the subject un
| til our letter is received.
BY order of the Committee,
| 4. JACoBs,
| Chairman.