Seattle daily post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, W.T. [Wash.]) 1881-1888, 1884-04-26
DAILY PoST.IN1Ell|GENCfR.
p.OCv AND N1sNAN.
ACEMENT.


their business, enhancing their pronts
and strengthening their credit We
should be derelict to duty as journal
of the people, and an advocate 81 the
interests of those from whom an nm
trarnmelled newspaper must derive sup
port did We no. call attention to the
injurious effects of the procrastinatihg
policy and Encouragement IN winch ~
We conceive, the present operations Oh
those companies are conducted lhsse
bnrtful results are reciprocal; tne7 AZ
feet not alone our city and its business
but the credit aud revenues OF the com
panies themselves.
The Oregon Improvement Company
no ito DELAYS in the development OF It's
coal mines, and their consequent i'Hi'eo
output has already lost, and 10 no.
being deprived Of the sale OF no.
less than 1900 tons OF coal per
month, and q large amount OF othef
trpde incidentally connected there~ith-
Coal has been up in price aud IN extra
ordinary demand, 80 much 30 tha' Al
most ANYTHING that bears sernbiance
IN that necessary article has found
ready market. Yet the company al
times has not been able to supply the
Necessities OF it's own lins OF steamer
lint has been compelled to send them
avay from its bunkers and this city iof
fuel. By the incorporation OF ith ne"
railroads. it has also been deprived 81
an immense way traffic, notably tue
transportation of the ColHan and BLACK
D;amond coal. To this may be also
added the loss by non employment OF
the ships owned by the company. IL
has. moreover, lost by inaction, anu
the apparently deliberate non-fuihil-
ment of its contract with the people OF
this city. the opportunity OF securing
the xl5O. 600 subsidy fund subscribed IN
aid of the extension of its railroad to the
Green river coal mines. Furthermore
by failure to take proper steps to secure
it's claim to certain coal lands claimed
nv tho Northern Pacific Railroad Com
papy under its land grant. it has put 1t
self in a fair way TO lose not only the
money already expended. but the lands
themselves. Finally.by its inaction and
unexplained delays, it 10 alternating the
regard and losing the confidence OF our
citizens who have always been It's
staunoh supporters, and are now almost
its only remaining friends.
Tho Oregon Railway and Navigation
Company is pursuing course almost
equally unbusiness like. 1t has fur
nished great part OF the funds 70
build a costly section Of railroad oon-
Meeting with the Northern Pacific at
Stuck Junction, which it now refuses, or
at least neglects, to operate. 1t has
made alterations in its schedules, which
materially inconvenience its patrons,
and are resulting in great loss OF trade
and revenue. II discriminates III favor
Of one city as against another. and
thereby works injury to long establish
ed business arrangements. II ID safe to
SAY that during the past thirty DAYS
this company's expenses, in this
section of country, have been in
creased twenty five per cent. while it's
revenues have been diminished in equal
proportion. Managed in this manner.
it cannot be regarded as surprising that
opposition lines have been inaugurated;
that they are increasing in number; that
they are popular and we'll patrOnized,
and are becoming firmly established Mt
the expense of that company. Neither
il it strange that under influence of such
a policy, producing suoh results. the
stock of the Oregon Railway and Navi-
cation Company, which used to be
scarce at $l75 per share, is now but
$40 in Wall street; nor that its divi-
dends have been reduced from 10 to 8
per cent. per annum. These reductions
are the legitimate &. suits of its i'll chosen
policy, and must continue unless rad
ical change is instituted.
Locally, there are grave grounds of
complaint against these companies.
Farms have been cut by the construc-
ton Of railroads not operated, wagon
roads injured and rendered unsafe for
travel. and our CITY front has been
fenced in, greatly to the public detri
ment. without any corresponding or re-
sultant benefit. All these annoyancss
and injuries could. and would be, over
looked and tolerated, were the railroads
and steamboats, Of these companies
operated intellieentlv, as they should
be, and M was originally intended.
They cannot and will not, however, be
quietly endured, unless manifest
change is coon apparent. Our people
will not sit quietly under discrimina-
tions and needless annovanoes. They
will not suffer business which has been
erected and built up by their enterprise
and labor. to be causelessly. and by
oompulsion, diverted into other chan
nels and to other cities. They are be-
coming FESTIVE and indignant, and ere
long will adopt such measures rs will
insure the safety and protection Of their
business interests. and compel fair
treatm mt Our people depreoate con
flict with these two companies. with
whom they have ever been on friendly
terms. II rightly and intelliHcntly
managed, mutual benefit would result.
As at present operated. they are fast be-
coming odious TO the whole community.
A GROWING INDUSTRY.