Seattle daily post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, W.T. [Wash.]) 1881-1888, 1884-08-17

TIE Oeeefvoft0ns ana IN pFe<8t00S 81
MIS- Visit 20 Victoria
Last evening q reporter Of the PosT-
IxTHLIGEScxs called upon AsyorLeary,
Who had jas; returned from Victoria, 70
&c. from him statement Of his obser
vstions On the trip, and the manner IN
which he and bis party we're entertained
while there. Mr.. Leary's story vas
quite interesting. hence We viii % blish
il IN full. he said:
On Thursday, August 7th, Bailey Cat
cert aud wife. Miss GatZsrt, of Chicago.
Miss Alice wasssrmsn. Of Portland.
Mrs Learv and myself boarded the
Uiymp.an for Victoria. whittier We we're
going to spend a week or ten days. The
weather Was fine, and oar trip was de
li2htfaL On arriving At Victoria we
took rooms AZ the Drlard House, where
we remained for eight days Victoria
az yoa are aware. Il a very beautiful
city, with picturesque surroundings and
charming drives TIE various inlsts
en- ering from the east side OF the Isl
and. requiring bridge spans. together
With Its gorges and waterfalls. make Il
mast romantic resort. In fact the
suburas are natural parks. Nature has
done great deal for the city aEd IT'S
Surroundings. while It's cltIz ms have
done very little.
When I first visited Victoria, in 1853.
e was a city of 5000 people, and
well buiit- IL ~ nov, after Is years, a
city of 1000 people only, and has not
made the strides IN population that toe
towns of this Territory have beeE favor
ed WITH. as the following comparison
vill Sd ~: On my ARRIVAL In Seattle IN
the fall of 1863. found population Of
about so peopis, With bat few stores.
no streets, no manufactures, or In fact
any of the requirements of = town with
the exception Of the Yesler slwmIli.
No ., as you are aware, We have popu-
lation of about 1900 people, with al
ssssssable valuation Of property of S.
500 600. rated al 60 per cent on the dol
lar; with 80 miles of graded strests, a
fair sewerage system, with gas works
co>tinR $5O0.U00; With a system of "a
ter works costing a quarter of million
dollars with mAon .ficent schoolhoQses,
colleges and universities orownine our
bill tops with s4vmills of a camoined
czpacIIy of 10000 feet of lumber per
day; with iron foundries, machine
shops, furniture manufactures, boiler
works, aud many other Industries. Oar
railroads Eow penetrate our coal fields
and agricultural districts and connect
with the great transoontinental North
ern Pacific Railroad line; with the
White, Dawamish, Cedar and Green
River valleys, together with the shores
of Lake Washington, inhabited with
thrifty and prosperous people. engaged
IN the growing of hops anc other equal
~ prof able products, amounting annu-
ally to not less than three million dol
lars. DOR agricultural lands adjacent
to this city are capasle of sustaining a
population of 5000 people, and l ex-
pect within the next i've years 70 see
that number of persons happily settled
in those agricultural districts. Seattle
has heretofore held its Is per cent. of
the population of the Puget Sound dis
trict, and in my opinion il will continue
30 to do. The great drawback in a new
Territory Is the scarcity of money
We paid all the way FROM to "a per
cent. per annum for the moneys re-
quired TO develop our mines. build our
railroads, start mp our manufactures,
and for general purposes, whilst in Vic
toria money has never commanded
more during the period above spoken of
than 3 per cent. per annum. and [ was
reliably informed that the citv of Vic
toria could today borrow money on the
city debentures at par, at AZ per cent.
per amman, and on first class paper and
city real estate securities. money can be
had today at from 6 to per cent. |
was farther informed that the Victoria
banks have deposits of "a 10000, and
refuse TO pay interest on further sums
deposited. The Canadian Savings
Bank 10 refusing to allow interest on
sums exceeding 5000, and is paving the
low rate OF per cent. per annum on &C
cepted deposits Ibis showing proves
that the financial condition of Victoria
and British Columbia Is sound, and that
all that Is required is energy on behalf
of its people TO develop its resources in
coal, timber aud manufactures. With
this surplus money in the banks at Sc
attic, We would make our city and coun-
ty hun With active industry and thrift.
Within the last twelve months Vic
toria has improved considerably-in
fact, nearly all the improvements made
during the past fiftesn years have BEEN
made daring that time. The building
of the Canadian Pacifc Railroad on
the mainland has left millions of dol
lars IN the provinces. and has ereates a
propertlonats demand for merchandise
and agricultural products, thus giving a
great impetus TO the business Interests
Of the province. The agreement en-
tered into also by the loca. government
with Mr.. Dnnsmair. of British Co,um-
ois, and Aessrs- Crocker 4 Co. of San
Francisco, for the building of thu
Island line from EsqaimAlt to Depart
ure Bay. has tended TO stimulats bust
ness. This road Will be sixty miles
long. raining north and south along
the islsnd. and it 10 estimated 10 cost
$l.SO.09. The contractors are 70 re-
ceive IS q Subsidy from the local COW
eminent. tT5Q, u0 and 8 600 600 acres of
lakd. Surveys are to be Commenced at
once. and the entire line TO be COM
pleted within two years. The grant
lands are said 10 contain immense de-
posits of coal and iron. and a fir pro.
portion of IL Is suitable for agriculture.
The subsidy 10 said 70 be of far greater
value thsn the entire cost Of building
and equipping the road.
The requirements 81 the city OF VIC
toFls nov are a better system of water
works and sewerage. Az present the
sewerage 10 conducted by surface drains
and - 80 imperfect and unsatisfactory
rs to throw great discrsdrt upoe the
municipality. Il is stencil in the nos
trlls OF civilized beings and should be
Immediately remedied. The healthy
location OF the city snd its Surround
,ngs are all that prevent its cisizens
from being stricken With malaria and
kindred Diseases
The water works are owned by she
city. and we're introduced nc a cost ex-
ceeding $4,000. The water IL strongly
impreenated with vegetable matter, and
The pipe connectioos throughout the
city are not Of sufficient sixs 10 supply
the inhabitants with reasonable GUAM
tity Of water. hence q great deal of CON-
paint is heard from the people in that
respecl Arrangements are nov being
made BY the city 20 enlarge the vorks.
cleanse the reservoirs and reuredy the
existing evils
Mr.. HieRins. Of the Co,ssisf, deserves
great credit for his efforts Ia behalf of
the city Of Victoria and iis people, al
vel as the people of the entire Prov
ince. IN nrgsnR all matters that tend 20
their political and commercial advance
ment.