The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1891-10-18

subject: Seattle has the advantage and can
hold it. OF course the canneries and the mines
which are run by San Francisco or Portland cap
italists will continue to buy their
supplies from those two cities, but
Seattle can easily secure the rest
of the business. l found. when 1 went up to
Alaska this summer, that the merchants there
did not actually know what we had here. We
can send supplies to all the points this side of
juneau; and, as the country is developing, our
business will develop with it. In our line,
groceries, the staples are demanded and a good
quality OF them. AS population comes into the
territory the quantity will. OF course, increase.
The business is, generally speaking. cash
trade. You send your goods BY one boat and
you get your money by the return one, or the
one after. One objection to selling to Alaska
merchants is that the streets are mar
row, the buildings of wood, and
no insurance is given up there by any COM
panies, so when fire comes everything is gone.
But the fact that no insurance can be obtained
renders the people careful, and very few fires
really do occur We are taking III return for our
goods the Alas kan products-furs and salmon.
OF course, fnrs are instantly convertible into
cash. and the canned salmon finds a ready sale.
We hope, by taking their goods in payment, to
get them into the habit of sending their prod
ucts to Seattle. as they have been sending them
to Portland and San Francisco Thus this city
q
and in return the output from there will
be marketed here A point to be
borne in mind.s that when the steamers come
down from Alaska they stop here first and then
go around to Portland. That gives us an advan-
tage in getting the order for goods soonest, and
since the steamer touches here again on her
way north We have the longest time for filling
the order. believe that steamer run between
here and the Southeastern Alaskan points
would make money"
Mr.. John Simpson, of the Seattle Har DWARF
Company, said: 'The trade is pretty ne arly on
a cash basis The difference of 81 a ton on
freight from Portland and S. from San Francisco
amounts to cents on a keg of nails in one
instance and TO Is cents in the other so
YOU see that in shipping large. amounts
OF freight Seattle is good way ahead, for
difference OF l cent on a seg of nails might be
enough 10 turn the tide in our favor The hard
ware trade with Alaska which might be reached
from here amounts. suppose to S75, 200 year.
The main trading points are Sitka, Juneau,
Fort Wrangel and New Metlakahtla"
4. P. Burwell, OF the same firm, declared:
seattle can supply Alaska with all the hard
ware she wants, except perhaps, some speeial-
ties needed at the canneries. We are getting
hold now and il the freight rates continue favor
able We shall have no trouble in holding our
own"
J. B. MaeDougall, president OF the MacDouenll
We sent into Alaska was very successful in cst-
ting orders for goods The trade is the best sort.
Tor 1t Is spot cash. or at any rate you do not have
10 wait more than thirty DAYS The merchants
do cash business with the Indians, and credit
Is almost unknown. Enough money is in circu-
lation TO satisfy the demands OF Commerce and
SO when you send A consignment the money
usually comes back by the return boat. There is
no question in my mind that the trade of Alaska
Will ultimately center here"
j. h Montgomery said: "We are not heavy
shippers TO Alaska, but have been doing a little
shipping there for some time past. We send
little on each steamer We have made no special
euori to work up the trade outside of writing
few letters and quoting prices Seattle is the
natural wholesale point for all north OF here
and look for a constant growth in the trade
nom that source. The only fruit We ship is
apples, rs other fruits are not hardy enough TO
stand the long voyage. We ship quite an
amount of potatoes ami that class Of yegefabl es.
IL IS good class OF trade, as the pay is prompt
One trouble IS the high rates Tor Transportation
George l. Adair, manager OF the Gordon Hard
ware Company, has been familiar with the
Alaska trade for soma years. He said: s'The
mining ana canning companies are very likely
10 get their supplies from the city which fur
nlshes the capital for the enterprise In this
way Portland and San Francisco have obtained
their hold For instance, the TreadwelI syndi-
cate buys It's goods at the latter city. Indepcnd-
ent merchants have been coming in at siska,
Juneau and Fort Wrangel, and they have often
left commissions with the pursers OF
the steamers The purse-s have naturally
bought at the cities wiSzs the steamer