The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1890-07-26
The BAY CITIES.
Abolition Of Sehome-Tax Collections
Electric Railways.


WHATcox, July 2o.-There Is considerable In.
terest manifested on Beliingham bay relative to
posfomce changes A postofice has been esfab-
lished ct Eliza island, and the Sehome postofdce.
at New Whatcom. has been discontinued By or
ders from Washington City, 70 take effect An
gust L Naturally enough the people of New
Whateom are indignant No explanation from
headquarters accompanies the order, but it 10
Eurmised that Assistant Postmas,er-General
clarkson and Special Agent Stodoard are re-
spoAsible Tor the discontinuance of the 6ehome
once. They recently visited Beliingham bay
together to examine into the efficiency OF the
postal service, and promised TO make necessary
changes. No one dreamed what the changes
would be. and the surprise is great. They no
doubt reasoned that New and Old Whascon
would consolidate In the coming election; that
there should not be two pos Offices In the same
town within half mile of each other: that by
consolidation the free mail delivery system
could soon be secured. The name of sehome
town was recently changed to New Whatcom,
and the mails OF the two towns have been badly
eonfounded since the change. Perhaps these.
were the reasons which led the department OH
Gals to make the change. During the visit of
the Ciarkson party the peop-e OF New Whatcom
rendered them handsome reception. little
dreaming of the impending order to discontinue
their postofice.
J. S Norton, of Ferndale, will be the Repub-
licaa candidate for county treasurer this fall
The present incumbent, Morris Mccarthy. will
retire.
Several large new business buildings-frame,
brick and ktone-are In prospect In the neigh
borhood OF Broadway: and street car line viii
be extended from Broadway west TO Lummi.
The full amount OF revenue collected In the
city Of Whatcom for the past year. including
city taxes and licenses Of all kinds. was less
than $4,000. This amount does not quite pay
the general expenses of the city, because II ex-
ravagance. Beside salaries the city officers get
fees, and no vigilance is exercised in collecting
legitimate licenses and city revenues. Dur ng
the past six months only fourteen dog taxes
have been collected. The Cold Tea saloon raa
for four months without license; gambling
places run wide open and pay no fines; the city
treasurer recently called attention of the couu-
ell TO the fact that no billiard table licenses had
been turned into the treasury this year. No
financial statement Of the city's inonces is ever
made. County officers occupy the city council
rooms and pay no rent, while the city FIRE de-
partment is hampered for room ALI the city's
revenues are eaten up by high salaries and fees,
and the general financial management OF the
city is bad. The city council at its last meeting
refused 10 instruct the marshal to emf rec the
law against the gambling-houses. The city will
soen bond its small indebtedness of SIS. COO In
their haste to make money our business men
are overlooking the Importance of good city
government The town of New whatcom de.
rives about $1,000 from all revenue sources and
1t nearly all goes for salaries and expenses
Consolidation, our people hope, will give the
Twin Cities more economical administration.
William T. Coleman, OF San Francisco, the
famous merchant, is here.
The Bennett Company. through Attorney
Thompson. last evening requested the New
Whatcom city council to grant to said company
an electric street railway franchise TO extend
from Fairhaven through New Whatcom via
Forest, Chestnut, Dock, Magnolia and Champion
streets to Seventeenth and Broadway in What
com. Cornwall and associates have secured Q
franchise on parallel streets through New and
Old Whatcom, but not through Fairhaven. The
rival companies now propose to apply the reci-
procity theory. The Cornwall company oppose
the granting of the Bennett Franchise through
New Whatcom unless Fairhaven viii grant
them tthe Cornwall company similar street
railway franchise. The public want both COM
panies to have nghtof-way through all the Bay
cities. because opposition will secure better SER
vice on both lines A reciprocity treaty is now
in progress
The Bellingham Bay Iron Works. Foundry and
Machine Shops are an assured fact Messrs. J.
w. Allen. ]. l. Galloway and G. NJ. Walden are
now preparing the grounds for the works on the
corner OF Railroad avenue and Maple street.
near the Byron hotel The plant will cost 900
and will be ready for all kinds of iron and brass
work within sixty days. At present two build
ing will be erected-foundry 40x50, and machine
shop s5x60; boiler house will re separate. All
kinds of castings will be made for steamboats,,
sswmills asd farm machinery. Coke will be
used from the East until suitable coal can be
found. The nearest sand for castings is found
at Cedar mountain in King county. Lime will
come from San Juan kilns and most OF the iron
ore will come from Texada or skagit river
mines This il the first foundry established in
Whatcom county, and viii be q great conven-
fence to persons requiring castings As neces-
sity is the mother OF invention, so will necessity
be compelled to find cokng coal and sand
nearer home than King county. The boasted
iron and coal mines of Whatcom and Skagit
county must furnish the elements for foundry
consumption.