The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1890-05-23
PORT TOwNsEND,s CLAIMS.
They Are to the Eject That Union r.
cilBc Terminals Must Come.

They Are to the Eject That Union Pa
ci9c Terminals Must Come.
Posr TOWNSEND. May sL--{Leadex -
Port Townsend presents advantages for
the Union Pacific railway which no other
port on the Northwest coast can equal. In
the ifst placc. having ahsofted ths Port
Townsend Southern. the Union Pacific
would here have the center OF the entire
commercial wealth OF the Northwest
coast for its system without q competitor;
whereas Seattle, Tacoma and other towns
are already supplied with terminal facili-
ties. Then, Port Townsend has the best
harhor on the Sound for the protection OF
shipping. ships sailing in here and finding
good anchorage ground without the cost OF
tug service, while such vessels have to
pay excessive costs for being towed
TO Seattle or Tacoma, and the harb0rage OF
each OF these cities Is unsafe for
anchorage. Portland does not present
favorable conditions for an ocean termi-
nus, and 1t is necessary for the Union Pa
cific system that it should have . termi-
nus on Puget sound. The company will
either have to build to Astoria, the
Southern Pacific terminus, or come to
Puget sound. The line to Port Town.
send must be preferred to that Of Astoria.
for the sufficient reason that Puget sound
is the only harbor north Of San Francisco
that Is worthy OF the name. The Columbia
bar will always remain an obstacle to
commerce and q great port of entry.
Every transcontinental railway north of
the 10th parallel must have feeders on
Puget sound in order 10 maintain its foot
ing with competitors and control share of
~ 49,. n. g.
merce, which must have their commercial
base somewhere on this inland sea. And
Port Townsend can have no compet-
itor to the north. for the two great reasons
that we have the only safe harbor where
ships can lie at anchor. and that. owing
to the land environment of The Straits of
Juan de Fuca, the line Of government
defenses will have TO be located near our
city. leaving towns to the north outside
of the line OF government Notifications.
Also, Port Townsend Is a great strategic
point This viii be seen at a glance by
looking at the map. when it is fonnd that
our city Is the nearest point for crossing the
Straits OF Fuca by any down coast railway
from British Columbia and Alaska. The
Northern Pacific management have
learned this, having purchased terminal
grounds on Whidhey Island. whence a
line of ferry boats can be thrown across to
this point And the Southern Pacific
will. in time. bridge the Columbia and
come here from Astoria. Port Town
send is the natural seaport for Portland In
preference TO Astoria or Tacoma or Seat
tie. for the reasons aforementioned. This
must be the shipping point for the wheat
Of the great Columbia river basin. on
account OF the easy grades down the
Columbia compared with the excessively
steep grades Of the Cascade railways
The Uniou Pacific ought 10 come here at
once. IN order 10 capture the very
center of the railway situation on this
coast. IL must ship its wheat To Puget
sound ard contest with the Northern
Pacific FOR share of the business Of this
country. IL IS compelled TO divide the
business OF Portland with two or three
other roads, and it should compel its great
rival to give up share of les business ON
Puget sound And here is the natural
outlet.
1t is plain that Port Townsend offers
superior advantages for natural harbor
facilities ta any other city on the Sound
waters. Vessels sail IN here freely and
safely lie at &neAoy in oar splendid
harssor. sheltered from storms Here will
the government arsenal and supply
station. naval station. dockyards and
Notifications he established, and here faust
ultimately cofne the trade OF China aax.
Japan and the North Pacific fish sup
plies for shipment TO Eassern markets.
We believe that tie Eaipa Pacific
managers who are nos here clearly discern
these advantages. and viii decide TO extend
their line To Puget SQUAD and make Port
Townsend their export and import ter
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