Seattle daily post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, W.T. [Wash.]) 1881-1888, 1884-04-16

district, washington Ieflitofy' potts" u
delivery:
Re il enacted BY the Senate and House
Of Representatives Of the United states
of America Ia Congress assembled. hat
each of the cities of Tacoma and seat
tie. in the Puget Sound customs district,
in Washington Territory. La hereby made
a mort of delivery: and deputy collector
of cnstoms shall be stationed at each OF
them. who shall receive such compensa-
ton, not exceeding the sum OF one thou
sand eight hundred dollars per annum.
ss the Secretary of the Treasury shall
prescribe.
On the 9Th Of March Mr. Dolph. from |
the Committee on Commerce, submit
ted the report following Oh the above
bill:
That the following statistics shog the
commercial Importance of the Puget
sound collection district:
The shipping Of the district already
exceeds that Of four-hfihs Of all the
customs districts III the United States.
Durinp the quarter ending september
20. Iss3, there were 1873 vessels 'cu-
mented in the district. - steam ana
| % sail. with an aggregate tonnage OF
| 40 565.4l tons. During the wear ending
| June -. 1883, the number of vessels en-
tered and cleared at the custom house
| in the district WAS 1914. aggreeAtihe
| eI3 g;2 tons. During the last fiscal year
the tonnage of American vessels IN the
foreign trade which entered and cleared
al Port Townsend WAS exceeded At at
six of said ports. Only one port III the
United States exceeds Port Townsend
IN American ocean steam vessels IL for
eipn trade, and the tonnage OF foreign
ocean steamers in said trade ia exceeaed
by only seven of said ports. A large
number of vessels engaged IN the coast
inc trade are also entered and cleared
Lat this port. Over OOUO,UO feet OF
lumber. 10000 tons Of coal, l.oOoOuo
cans of salmon, large quantities OF pto-
duce and various domestic commodities
are annually exported from this DIS
trict. The valHe of these exports FOR
the last wear is estimated at not less than
xl2.0cO,tUO.
That the commercial Importance of
the city of Seattle and the necessity of
making it a port OF delivery are fully
40, forth in memorial of the Chamber
of Commerce of that city to Congress,
prayinp that said city may be constl-
tuted port of delivery, of which me
mortal the following Is Al extract:
That the city of Seattle contains f.
900 inhabitants: that the value OF prop
ertv owned by said inhabitants IS 81
OOO.OOO: that the said city Is now the
center of trade for district containing
1880 inhabitants, and lt5 trade Will
| soon be greatly augmented by the COM
pletion of railroad connection with the
vast agricultural and mining regions
situated between the Cascade ana Rocky
ranges of mountains, and with the East
ern states; that the population and com
MERGE OF the country now and hereafter
to be tributary to Seattle is rapidly in-
creasing: that Seattle is most eligibly
situated for great commercial city. be
ing supported by a country having re-
sources. and having itself natural facll-
tiles sufficient to build up and maintain
a vast foreign commerce; that SAID CITY
IL fronted on one side by Elliot Bay, be-
ing An arm of Puget Sound, and com
modious, accessible and safe saltwater
harbor, and on another side 10y fresh
water lake % miles in length and from
two % five miles In width, and having a
gradually sloping beach from its shores
to a depth in the deepest parts OF from
60 to 100 fathoms. Connec zion between
the BAY and lake by means of "A ship
canal with locks is practicable, and can
be accomplished at cost not exceeding
xJOO,VOO. THIS enterprise has already
been undertaken by the citizens of Sc
attic, and will be completed. thus all 'rd-
ing the city a perfectly land locked and
commodious fresh water harbOr, easily
accessible to the largest class of vessels.
Ii IL therefore 20 eXaGgaration to say
that the harbor of Seattle has no supe-
rior, and will of itself attract and alb
sorb a large portion of the cotuiuerca
of Puget Sound and of tie Pacific
coast.
That at present there are thirty rner-
camille houses IN Seattle dealing IN Itn-
ported dutiAble goods. aud the present
volume of business III such goods done
by said houses amounts to S5D0oU per
annum; and in addition to this the bu i
ness in domestic liquors subject to IN
ternal revenue tax done by Seattle
Wholesale liquor dealers amounts to
$1,000 per annum: that the whole an
nual mercantile business Of the CT y
amounts to So GOO.
That the custom house for this @ leo
ton district ia situated AT Port Towns
end. distant fifty miles from Seattle,
and there is AT present no bonded ware
house in said collection district: that
responsible citizens of Seattle are will
ing to Immediately erect at Seattle and
maintain as a bonded warehouse. &C
cording to law, first class fireproot
building of suitable dimensions for the
business of said city: that port of te-
livery and bonded warehouse at Seattle
are necessary to afford the people aud
merchants of Seattle facilities for the
convenient transact ion of their business
equal to those afforded by the Govern
ment to otl er places OF no greater I'M
portance As commercial centers, anu will
be of great public utility.
Tacoma is situated about thirty miles
up the Sound frair Seattle. The larges,
ships and steamers come To itswh arves
Ii has population of about 200. IT.
growth during the last two years IN.
been marked and rapid. The coal fields
In the vicinity of Carbonado, at thu
base Of the Cascade Mountains, are trib
utary to it.
The ports of Portland. Oregon. and
Port Townsend. Washington. have heeu
designated, IN pursuance of section 2s6i
of the Revised Statutes of the nIted
States, ~ ports from which imported
merchandise may he shipped in bond iu
VI
from the British Possessions in North
America, by such routes and under such
regulations as the Secretary Of the Trea
sury may prescribe. One prescribed
route is via the Northern Pacific Rail
road to Tacoma, aud thence by steam
boats to Victoria. British Columbia, anu
AZ soon AS the extension or branch OF
said railroad tn Seattle is fully in opera
tion. another designated route will be by
rail to Seattle, and thence by steamboats,
to Victoria.
An inspector is now required tn be sta
toned At Tacoma To supervise the trans
shipment of merchandise shipped in
bond to aud from the British Posses
sions, and Al inspector is also required
at Seattle. Should ports of delivery be
created at Tacoma and Seattle, anG
deputy collectors be stationed there
inspectors at these points may be dis
pensed with. and the Government e1
penditures in the district need not be
| greatly increased by the creation o.
said ports of delivery. The dIschsrg,
Of merchandise destined for Seattle and
| Tacoma AT Port Townsend the poYf Al,