Seattle daily post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, W.T. [Wash.]) 1881-1888, 1883-11-18
TnE eREces unPRovEnxxr ceM-
PANY.
what one Cerpsr.iiea has Done for
seattle.


PANT.
what One Corpsraitea has Done for
seattle.
About three years ago the Oregon lui-
provement Company came into posses
sion of the mining. railroad and other
property belonging to the Seattle and
waila Walla Railroad Company. Since
that time the business as handled by
the new management has witnessed an
increase almost beyond belief. 1t is
no. too much to say that the Oregon
improvement Company has been more
instrumental than any other one agency
il bringing about the marvellous growth
and prosperity Of Seattle. This state
ment will not &c surprising to those of
our citizens who reNember what our
water front was three or four years ago
and compare its then condition with
the present splendid array of docks.
warehouses and coal bunkers, remem-
berirc that all these structures were
erected by the Oregon Improvement
Company, or BY the Columbia and Puget
Sound railroad, which it owns and COR
trols.
But this is not the only way in which
the city has been benefited by this cor
poration, and We cite the wonderful i'm
provement in our water front only "a an
indication of the numberless benefits
conferred upon Seattle. The Oregon
Improvement Company has always pur-
sued the policy of procuring as great an
amount as possible of its supplies and
materials from our home dealers, and
thus the money that would otherwise be
drawn away has remained with rs and
gone far toward building up the city.
OF course if is impossible to trace the
indirect results of such q policy; only
those which are at once obvious can
be pointed out, but few of those may
be taken as indicative of the many fol-
lowing as direct consequences.
In the construction of the coal wharf
lumber was used costing $13, 900. All
of this was bought and sawn here. Iron
castings to the amount of 5000 were
procured of our local founders and iron
dealers, while the pile drivers received
1920 for work in the construction of
the coal wharf and $4l00 in the con-
struction of the Ocean Dock. The
amount paid out for labor ON the coal
wharf, all to Seattle carpenters and me-
chanics, was $16,5O0. The new Ocean
Dock and warehouse, now about CON-
ple;ed, cost $50, O00; of which more than
$4,000 Was spent right in SEATTLE. In
addition to all this. the company has
had on its pay roll from May last until
the present time. an average force Of
$50 men, and will employ steadily in
the future about $50 men. Is is needless
to point out Whist an enormous gain
this is to city; it means an addition to
population of five times that number
and vast increase III the steady work
ing force.
In regard to the magnificent build.
ings and docks erected, which serve as
potent factors in the development of
our trade and commerce but little need
be said. The coal wharf and Ocean
dock have recently been fully described
10 our columns. They may be seen at
any time, as they stand enduring menu-
ments of the work which the Oregon
improvement Company has done in our
midst. There is absolutely no compari-
son between our shipping facilities OF
today and those of three years ago, and
there is but little Improvements in this
respect taat is not due directly to this
one corporation. In this connection il
may also be we'll to remember that it il
this company which owns the iron COL
Tiers, carrying our coal to San Francisco
and Portland.
The work done by the company in
other directions 10 eQualled, almost sur
passed, by the vast improvement in the
nature Of work done at the oeal mines
and the increase of the output. The
company is nov operating three mines,
two Of which are directly tributary TO
Seattle, all their coal being shipped
from our harbor. The Newcastle mine
has now facilities for an output of 1000
tons per day. Indeed, the average
monthly production approaches $4,000
tons. In addition, about $1,000 per
month il being spent in the develop
ment Of the Green River mines, and ID
10 the expectation TO have these mines
capable Of an output equal to that of
the Newcastle mines, BY the time the
railroad Is ready TO haul the coal to
market. The development Of the
Green River fields is entirely owing to
this ono company.
OF course coal was handled hero and
shipped from our harbor before tho Or
egon improvement Company began its
operations in our midst, bus the efforts
made were insignificant and tho result
small. when compared with the maRni6-
cent GOAL trade Of today, when five
trains carrying l00O tons Of coal are run
every twenty-four hours. A comparison
Of figures will tell more than words. In
the mouth Of July. 1881, 95l7 tons vi
GOAL were received hero from tn. min IS;
the month of October, 1883, showed an
output of 20,560 tons, or more tn III
twice the former amount. The increase
In the meantime has been steady and
natural. Tie expenses show an equal
increase from July. 1881, until tho pres
emit, or more exactly, an increase from
Sl5, 536 to 81, 464.
These few figures are sufficient to es-
lablish the fact shat the Oregon I'M
provement Company, az now managed
and conducted, is one of the most i'm
portant mainstays Of Seattle's prosper
ity. and one Of the most powerful Of the
forces which impel the city forward 70
her manifest DESTINY.