Great Falls tribune., 1889-07-03
THE NEW ROUTE.

President Hill and his associates have
resolved to place fleet Of steel passenger
steamers on the great lakes. These
steamers are to be fast-going, large and
comfortable. They will be as much as
skill and money can make floating pal
aces, combining the luxuries of a first
class hotel with the pleasure which sail
ing on the rolling deep imparts. The
passenger traffic on the lakes is already
large, but it can be greatly augmented by
the proposed steamers, which will excel
those immense "boats" that leave New
York daily full Of passengers for Albany,
Providence and Boston. Mr.. Hill speaks
clearly on this subject.
II will not rest" says Mr.. Hill, "untl
have succeeded in drawing off from the
Chicago lines and Chicago railways all
the traffic, both freight and passenger,
that rightfully belongs to the upper lakes
and landing at Duluth. I have not begun
as early as | might in forcing the issue,
but now that it is started there will be no
backing down in rates or other conces-
sions made to the lines, either rail or
steamship, that center at Chicago. The
Manitoba has no interest down there. We
could only get the business of the Chica
go and ST. Paul lines by competition with
Il half dozen. Here we compete with
one line for the west or two for St. Paul"
"Why should Chicago enter into my
calculations in any way?" continued Mr..
Hill. "The entry Of three or more of
such passenger ships as the Northern
Steamship company will build into the
Duluth trade, making the round trip in
lime days, elegantly appointed and per-
fectly equipped will mark u revolution in
the passenger travel between Duluth and
the lower lake ports. Passenger ships
have in the past ten Or fifteen years fallen
behind the freight steamers in point Of
constructive excellence and now while
there are hundreds of magnificent speci-
mems Of new marine architecture carry
ing freight to our docks, there are less
than half dozen passenger ships of any
thing like recent build or convenience"
1t will be seen that the new passenger
boats are part Of comprehensive plan
which has been some time maturing. The
Chicago lines have retired from the fight:
sooner, perhaps, than Mr.. Hill expected
They have resolved to cultivate freight
traffic with st. Paul, and the Manitoba and
Northern Pacific countries" on local
basis, leaving the through traffic from
the east to the natural routes BY way of
West Superior and Duluth. Henceforth,
dry goods or hardware from New York
for Great Falls will be sent by railroad to
Buffalo; thence by steamer to Duluth or
West Superior, and from there by the
Manitoba railroad to this city, Fast
freight would be sent by the railroad
route composed in part Of the Canadian
Pacific and of the Duluth, South Shore
and Atlantic, Hitherto the goods would
have been sent by railroad to Chicago
and thence to st. Paul, whence they
would come over the Manitoba to their
destination. The people of the twin
cities are pleased at this railroad revolu
ton. 1t emancipates them from depend.
ence on Chicago and establishes a cheap
route en- which there will be abundant
competition. Great Falls has also reason
to rejoice, for it ensures US like benefits
and must lead to Pacific extension from
here up the Sun river.