The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1891-01-01

expected at the beginning Of the year !:
on the other hand the county trade has
been amazing. When the railroad Is
opened through the Chehaiis country
there viii be an active rivalry between Sc
attic and Tacoma The enterprise of the
former viii be pitted against the advan-
tage offered the latter By closer proximity.
A jobbing clothing establishment is
among SeattIe's necessities. With the ex-
cepfion Of one establishment, which Is a
branch Of a house so extensively engaged
In the clothing business that it has all the
advantages of a wholesale establishment
the trade il entirely retail. The stocks
held here are worth some s5O0.o0 and
there are thirty-one houses engaged
IN the business This does not include
tailoring establishments or mems furnish
ing goods, which would be worth about
$20D,000 more
The boot and shoe trade il very well
represented. There are three establish
ments in the ..hndings' and about thirty
i've exclusively engaged in the retail
trade, not counting custom makers. One
stock IL claimed to represent $4,000. and
there are several reaching $4,000. The
total value is about $4,000.
Drug stores are multiplying at rate
almost SURPRISING that of clothiers and shoe
stores There are at least twenty such
shops One wholesale house has an old
established business, and another carries
very large stock The business is break
ing up more. as what were adjuncts now
become leading lines. For instance. paints,
photographers supplies, fancy goods, and
artists materials once dealt in by these
establishments are now represented by
distinct stores. The stocks cannot be
worth less than $3.50, 600; and to these
must be added such specialties as are in
dicated.
Furniture is almost entirely imported,
but the manufacture of certain lines is in
creasing, and before another year this will
become one of the important industries of
the city. The native woods are well
adapted 70 turning and construction, and
the advent of factories making such ac-
cessories as are needed will induce dealers
to save freight by having homemade goods.
This business is often, especially in the
suburbs, included in general stores, but
there are fourteen houses in the direct line,
with stocks roughly valued at 900 to
perhaps 100000. This does not represent
fairly the bulk Of business done tits gem
orally calculated that merchant in heavy
goods turns over his stock four times
year. bat to that calculation must be added,
in this business, the large quantities Of
office furniture which have been shipped
directly to consumers from the East upon
orders taken by peripateiic agents.
Seattle has as handsome jewelry stores
as any CITY of 10000. and the extent of
their stocks is altogether beyond the ap-
rr.1o & <~ss -1.rs- -
are thirteen arms engaged exclusively in
Of $4,000 to $4,000
The hardware trade he's increased to
such an extent that it is not easy to make
comparison with former years. The
three or four hardware stores of four years
ago are succeeded by about seyenty-isye es-
adjustments, either entirely or partially
engaged in the business. carrying stocks
worth from $4,000 to 500 600 Besides
the principal establishments there are
three carrying stocks to the value of
90, and then declining to $4,000 and
under. The entire value of hard
ware, tinware. agricultural implements,
plumbers material. etc.. is not less than
81 ,2j0. 900: and if the boiler-plate, copper
nttiuZs, ctC. uScu ny iOuu0cIs anu SHIP
wrights be added, it will be nearer 81 400
900. 1t is within the mark to say that
100000 is the value of business in this
branch during the year.
The Oregon Improvement Company has
sent ont of the state and principally out OF
King county during the year $1,000 tons,
including coal, and has brought in 5000
tons of general merchandise This is
ntr 4 -
year on the imports but not so much on
the exports The Northern Pacinc traffic
shows about the same increase The in
coming freight by that road amounted to
4,0s0 tons. and that sent out was about
5000 tons. The increase can be shown by
conn ing the returns for November of
1889 and 1890:
Pounds Pounds
Inward 1888 so6sl-5 2s
These figures are only of interest as
showing the increase on every side, but
they cannot be effectually used in compil-
ing totals of the actual volume of mer-
chandise. Part of the inward" for in
stance, is goods transported from the East
to Seattle for consumption here; much Of
it is goods collected on the way for ship
ment abroad, and figures again as ocean
exports, and some is King county pro-
duce-not much, comparatively, it is true
handled locally. A large proportion of
the importations for Seattle comes by
steamer, and the bulk of the exports is by
water This fact forms basis for the most
sanguine anticipations of Seattle's future.
Its trade with China, Japan, Australia
and the Hawaiian islands is growing stead
lily. and il only needs manufactures 10 ex-
tend that to enormous proportions. There
is large Eieet of steamers engaged in ira
lie which originates in England and at pres
ent terminates in Japan. which could be ex-
tended to Seattle if they could be sure of
return cargoes. They take out full cargo
from British ports and form .Ioating ware
houses, stopping at the principal ports on
their way through the Mediterranean sea
and Indian ocean, disposing of their wares
and replacing them by exchangeable COM
modities. By traffic and barter they trade
on the way, fetching up at Yokohama
with portion of their original cargo of
rails, manufactured iron, ETC., and take. in
their stead, rice, silks and other
japanese wares These cargoes are then
taken back to England, broken up and
some of it transferred to the United States,
where some of the goods reach the West
by means of this circuitous route When
Seattle, which is comparatively so much
nearer Japan by water, can give some of
those steamers a return cargo, they will
convey their wares from the Indian ocean.
China and Japan TO Seattle and there for
ward such IS there is demand for in the
United States. The opening of the Nicara-