Seattle daily post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, W.T. [Wash.]) 1881-1888, 1884-12-21
-v,r AsD THE seRTnERx
PACIFIC.

< .nhfeh town sIt6 81 Ah1kMo pofapnht
rcced Of directors of the railroad
.rSsfiors and their personal friends
\ <IIouers had large proprietary in
-s~ From that time on until the
2,sss:on OF the celebrated blind
.'i :, ma conseQuent change Of man.
- az the Northern Pacific, thc
&s= a that company had been, By
.-.,}.r,nafion in various ways and by
"a .-;oht OF It's influence, to build up
9. ....-s5srciai city at Tacoma. at the ex
',c~ n its older rivals On Puget
...a Against Seattle, az the nearest.
<.,-ss< Ana most entsrpriGing OF these,
& ~ ~ hoafility especially directed. As
<f.~t tirne It's trauscoufinental line
~ yesobed the boundaries OF
s7-.k,rsfou Territory, and the only
~ ~ ia lice constructed was the
..h from Portland IN Tacoma, and
:. ~ urIncipal purchasing point for
~ Tc,fbuest was San Francisco, which
.s.iS - reached by steamship lines en-
::ssss ;,,depepdent of the railroad, the
eS-<1litv vas more in the nature Of q
--<ss warfare than serious attempt 10
xss,k cat the business OF thriving
& s.~n and WAS confined, principally, 10
<~sll exaeti0Ds, mfreprssentations, IN
-cr,<nisnt time schedules, and per-
s;<ssnt ignoring Of the existence OF such
rlsea as Seattle In their maps, pamph
~ ma reports. Their hostility was ot
Z tlnd more calculated 10 spoil the tenn.
! - a The eitizens OF this city than to
~siouaIy injure their business
ruuDNe Up a FINE TRADE.
Il The meantime the Seattle people,
153lno they had no favors 10 expect
5ssm fbe Northern Pac DC, set about de
s-lonino the resources aud reaching
s1I~s sh4 1, ade tLat could be made tribu.
nry 10 the city, and by an uncommon
1ISolay OF energy, enterprise and busi-
1ase 1oQacity, In few years succesded
= oontrolIing the major part OF the
>rdnexs OF the Paget Sound basin. had
eeet Of some forty small steamboats,
a11uinQ this rs their home port aud
rl1]De On waters in all directions, and
- opaned and developed two large
~ mines, and built narrow gage
nI|road. SOME twenty miles ia length,
e sarry the product OF tho same to iide
valer. Aud this was done without the
Isssstment, practically, OF any outside
mnjtti. The increase IN manufactures
topt pace With the conmercial exten-
aion, aud the reputation OF Seattle was
u0on established az one OF the most
solve, enterprising and aggressive little
cities In the country. fhsn Henry VII
I4rd tame on the scene. Alter obtain
he control Of the limited railroad and
Steamship transportation lines OF Ore.
eon, and extending the same up tho To-
lumbia to the country east OF the Cas-
oade mountains, be turned his attention
% the sound. purchased the coal mines
and railroad of Seattle though his
"Ureqon improvement Company 40
Qcired valuable water front property
here and built o fleet OF steam colliers
20 ply between this citj and San Fran
eisco. Large sums were spent in i'm.
growing and developing his property in
SEATTLE and King county. Then fol
loxed the blind pool and the acuui-
tlion by Willard of q controlling inter
Il In the Northern Pacific. The news
4 this was received by the citizens OF
8eaitle with the most unbounded en-
ihnsasm. For the first time since the
aaanization Of the company II seemed
s. Il the interests of she gigantic COR
poration, whose land grant overshad-
owed onr whole Territory, were to be-
eome Identical with those of the com.
msrolal metropolis of that Territory,
md durinQ Mr.. Villard's whole admin
iatfaiion OF that road these expectations
we're justified, He publicly and private
h gave notice that he Was Dot In the
tovn-site business and proposed to fol-
lox strictly policy Of non discrimina
iion, and during the whole OF his ad-
ninistration his promises In this re
specs we're strictly kept.
xrFEcrs or yrLLARD's rALr-
While MIR. Willard held aud acted on
the belief that Tacoma was the true ter.
minus OF the Northern Pacific Railroad
en& that, having once been selected NJ
u1ch, the company had no right, under
Ilseharter, TO build 10 any point on tide
water farther north, he recognized the
iact that a city of the size, command
INC position and business strength and
Enterprise OF Seattle could not be ig
bored BY any railroad conducted cu
business principles. and must be con
nected with the line of the Northern
facfc. To this end he incorporated n
new company, known as the Puget Sound
More Line, TO build from Seattle to a
sanction with the line TO Tacoma.
ln,s line WAS under construction at the
ume OF the ESQ oalled) completion OF
We Northern Pacific. and was finished
Just about, or shortly after, the time
snen the crash came and Willard fell.
fne eontro. of the road passed again
INTO The hands of the old directorate,
friendly 10 Tacoma. because personally
m1erestfd therein, and hostile Co Sc
st'lc. The rad connecting Seattle with
me Northern Pacific lay idle for
months. the Northern Pacific refusing
g operate it, and the Shore Line owners
portion Of il unable TO do 50, hsv-
iaR no rolling stock. At length a TRAFFIC
eontract was entered into between the
w companies and the road put in cpcr-
snon. IL paid at once, and well, for, la
souition 90 the through freight and
M&enger traffic, the read runs through
see oest agricultural section of Western
Warrington. For the space of six
1seks Seattle was the praciicsi terminus
VA frasscontinentgi line of railway,
sueh, Without any intimation as to the
susc thereof, the trains were with
sAvn, and the road has never since
operated, and remains idle 10 this
~, and Is rapidly becoming nothing
~ Two ssreaks of rust and right of
N Tie people Of Seattle have had
sesufn 20 the steamboat era, and re
sm Their freight from the East after
skakin2 bulk and undergoing two or
se landings, with the consequent
onse, annoyance, and loss of time.
satisfactory reason was ever given
sas withdrawal of the trains. The
Aie Chamber of Commerce has re-
sSNuiy - laid the matter before the
asis Of the Northern Pacific, and
- ncsived no satisfactory assurances
~. 49, u ever, the road will be reoper-
SRRKSrH OF kNxI-MoN0poLY.
!. aais was a climax 80 the series of pst +
eftions and sneannesses that had
resumed Immediately after Willard
~ oested, and the wrath OF the people
~ 49, eat strong and uadisguised. AS
49, ootn pany bad recomus snef i hostiIi-
s sae policy of lighting back as hard
poss.ole was adopted. Mossings
eaued and resolutions addressed e
fs;sse1ss were passed demanding for
soss1 Of all 1nearsed lands OF the
anS Ana the Chamber of Commerce
s;c-sA Aindres bodies also adopted resolu-
n,ssa 70 the same tenor. A sum was
fon = and delegate sent tn Washing
~ 49, 70 urge such action before the o0r,.
EksaHt