Seattle daily post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, W.T. [Wash.]) 1881-1888, 1884-08-26

Pacific coast, 10 Wit: San Francisco
and San Diego. That there will Be
competition between these lines 10 sb-
solutsly esrt,in. Il cannot be perms-
nsntly avoided The effect has already
been to reduce frsi9hts between the
Mississippi river and San Francisco to .
marked degree. Again The Canadian
Pscihe Railroad has nov less than 80
miles TO build 10 complete its full trans
Continental Inns. This 1ncomHlstsd
section lies between the Cascades and
Rocky Mountains. and 10 comparatively
inexpensive of construction Il will
be b1ilt and in operation in less than
eighteen months, and probably within
q year, from nov. Has any one OF
our rea 3ers who IL nov trembling
at the hobgoblin OF possible inilry by
an angry and hostile railroad manage
ment ever paused TO think what the
completion Of this northern railroad
signifies; what its inevitable effect must
be? IL has cost q vast sum of money.
IL must be operated Its main depend
enes must be upon through freight and
passenger traffic, because IL runs for the
most part through wild and unsettled
country, affording scanty local busi
mesa Il will at once compete with all
the other roads across the continent for
business. Il must secure its portion,
otherwise it cannot pay for operation.
Thus, on the south and north, before
the end OF another year, there will be
two new lines Of railroad competing
with those already built, in carrying
freight and passengers across the con
tinent, With the inevitable result of re.
ducing freights to the Pacific coast. We
make the broad assertion shat any such
reduction is of direct benefit TO this and
every other enterprising city on tide
water. Can we be Injured, having at our
option the choice of four or five rail
roads upon which to bestow our patron
age, each of which is anxious and in
reality compelled TO bid for our custom
Before the first day Of January, 1886
the Northern Pacific Railroad Company
will not only be operating q connected
line into this city. but will be beegine
our merchants to bestow their patron
age upon it. 1t will even invoke the
sentiment Ut National pride in its be
half, and urge our people that it is theil
duty to paironizs home institutions.
There is still another feature of tn,
situation TO which We have before ad
verted. II the Northern Pacific Rail
road Company secures control of til,
Oregon Railway and Navigation Com
pany's property by lease or Otherwise
it will not be compelled to build th,
Cascade division until forced by com
pstition. IL IL fail to secure that leas'
and the Union Pacific is successful il
so doing. il must build the road at ono,
to secure an open way to tide water. II
the Union Pacific fail to secure an out
let via the Columbia river by lease o
the o. K. d N. Co.'S line, it must devils
way to get ont of the interior and Owe
to this coast. 1t will come this way. l
can do nothing else so safely and with
30 good promise Of permanent aud re-
munerative business. 1t was said OF tn
great city upon her seven hills that "al
roads lead to Rome" To as it appears
not that all roads across the con
tinent lead to this city but that by al
of them We shall be directly and great
ly benefited; that so far from being a
the mercy Of any single corporation tn,
city OF Seattle, and all the other citie
and dwellers along the shores of PuRe
Sound have now and must forever hav
ample means Of self protection agains
any single corporation; that to al
threats OF discrimination it can be re
piled, "'thus far shalt thou go and n,
further We will patronizs anothe
line"