Fairhaven herald. [volume] (Fairhaven, Wash.) 1890-????, 1893-05-19
Weather bureau Foreoasts
AN IMPORTANT TRANSACTION.

Within few days the leading Off
cials of the Canadian Pacific and Bel
bingham Bay & British Columbia rail
roads will meet i'm New Whatcom fol
the purpose of completing arrangements
for the transfer of the latter road to the
former, or at least Of controlling ill.,
terest, the result in either case being
the operation of the road by the Can
adian Pacific. While no one can as
yet absolutely predict what will lie the
outcome of the conference, the prevail
ing belief is that an issue favorable to
the Canadian Pacific will be reached.
The indications pointing in that direc-
ton are numerous. The Canadian Pa
cific is on Bellingham bay to stay. Its
operations are each day assuming more
definite and permanent shape. With
the first of June it will put boat on
the run from Bellingham bay to Ia
coma in order to accommodate its
transcontinental freight and passenger
service. Its present only means of
operating from British Columbia into
American ports on the Pacific by rail
is the Belllngham Bay q British
Columbia road which it is now using.
The Bellingham Bay Improvement
company, better known, perhaps, as
the Cornwall company, is willing to
get rid of its railroad in order to devote
more attention to the improvement of
Its New Whatcom property, and espe-
cially that it might develop its promis-
ing coal mines. These and other
reasons support the belief that the deal
between the companies will be consum-
mated, thus giving the Canadian Pa
cific absolutely what it now possesses
tentatively-an American basis Of
operations on the Pacific coast.
That such an arrangement will prove
beneficial to the interests of both the
Bellingham bay cities there can be no
question. The first benefit to arise will
consist in the extra Improvements ne
cessitated by the Canadian Pacific
itself, which are of so obvious nature
as to need no comment. A strong, in
benefit will flow from the fact
that if the road is controlled by the Ca
madam Pacific, the Northern Pacific,
which now realizes considerable traffic
by means Of the b. b. d b. c., will be
shut out from the Bay altogether, and
will be forced to obtain entrance by
some other channel, which means the
construction of a new road from Wick
ersham, for that the Northern Pacific
will remain content to lose the rapidly
growing trade of the Bay cities is
simply out Of the question. 1t may be
confidently relied upon that within
short period after the signing of the
papers giving the Canadian Pacific con-
troll of the b. b. & b. C.. road, the
Northern Pacific will be in the field for
right-of-way to the Bay-in which it
will meet with few obstacles.
Another benefit to arise from the
will flow along the line of
Great Northern activity. 1t is impos-
slble just yet to predict definite actions
for Mr.. Hill. The ability to do so
would rank the successful prophet
as among the foremost of observers.
Mr.. Hill is thus far free lance, for
whose patronage several cities on the
Sound are coqueting. The history of
Mr.. Hill's railroad movements, how
ever, does not indicate that he sits
quietly in his office while other COM
panies carry Off the traffic and enjoy
accumulating profits. Why do the
Canadian Pacific and Northern Pacific
roads look so earnestly towards Bell
ingham bay? Obviously because of its
growing importance as a point of tran
shipment-New York's principal merit
and because of its rich tributary
country. Is Mr.. Hill blind, and only
the officials Of these other roads have
eyes to see that this is the strategic
point of the whole Sound country?
Clearly, increased activities on the part
of the other two transcontinental lines
must necessitate a corresponding in
crease on the part of the Great North
ern, unless for all time it relinquishes
all desire for the most promising and
profitable traffic Of the Pacific coast
to obtain which Mr.. Hill has built
westward.