The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1894-06-20
NEW STEAMER LINE.
For Trade Between Seattle and
Central America.
FINE FIELDS FOR COMMERCE
The Interstate Fair-The Chamber to
Aid the Enterprfse-A Picture OF
Chief Seattle Wanted.

the ratification of the election of the board
Of trustees, the election of secretary, the
appointment of a com mittee 10 procure
picture of Chief Seattle for the big fair
and the appointment of a committee TO
look into the matter of building up trade
between Seattle and Central America.
Messrs. Burke and Leary declined TO
serve as trustees, and j. ID. Lowman ana
L. +. Sweeney were selected IN their
places.
w. III. w. Lillberry was reelected secre-
tarY without a dissenting voice.
A communication was read from James
Wickersham, superintendent of the ethno-
logical department. on behalf OF the Inter
state fair, of Tacoma. asking that Seattle
shall furnish photographs and paintings
of prominent Indians. especially one OF
Chief Seattle. Messrs. Crawford and
Whittlessey were appointed a COMMITTEES
to procure portrait of Chief Seattle.
Relative to the matter of assisting the
Interstate fair. the members of the cham
Der were requested to do all they can to
swell the audience when Col. Fife and his
company produce "Virginius" in this city
for the benefit of the fair fund.
A communication was read from Sur
veyor General w. p. Watson, requesting
the chamber to exert itself TO secure a
good-sized appropriation for the survey of
public lands of Washington.
Changes in the bylaws were read and
adopted.
Mr.. ]. E. Chilberg, who returned last
week from Central America, where he
spent the last year. appeared before the
board. He addressed the chamber on the
subject of the ACCESSIBILITY of establishing
a steamship line between Central America
and Seattle, and said:
''In distance Central America and Mex
leo are our nearest foreign neighbors, ex-
cepting only Canada and the Sandwich
islands. From a geographical standpoint
our opportunities for business are good.
The population of Central America is
about 100000, living in five republics,
namely Guatemala, San Salvador Hon
duras, Nicaragua and Costa Riea. The
governments of these republics are some
good and some bad. The revolutions of
which We read so much are simply the
Spanish-American manner of electing a
president, and much less bloodshed results
from such elections than we are led to
believe from published reports. They are
not serious hindrance to business. ex-
cepting in the immediate vicinities of bat
ties and armies; outside of that business
goes on uninterrupted.
Sat present Central America has but
one line of steamships plying between the
Pacific coast and their country. which Is
the Pacific Nail to San Francisco. The
business men OF Central America are not
fayorably disposed toward the Pacific
Mail, and are anxious for competition.
They will be glad of an opportunity TO
iiberate themselves from the extortUns Of
the San Francisco commission houses,
with which they are compelled to do bust
ness at present
"The exports from San Francisco to
Central America at present amount to
about 5000, 900 year. The imports from
Central America to San Francisco will
reach 100000. The total exports FROM
the United States to Central America
amount TO over Sc. coz, 900. and from there
TO the United States to over 100000.
"Of the exports from San Francisco to
Central America Puget sound can compete
favorably on all articles excepting Cali
fornia wines, beans and salt In flour and
lumber, with line of ships from Seattle
TO Central America, we will be able TO I'M
dersell San Francisco.
"The principal articles exported from
the Pacific coast to Central America are
flour, coal, lumber, potatoes, tea, China
rice. farming implements. hardware,
furniture. drugs, groceries, provisions,
canned meats and fish, brooms, brushes,
machinery. powder, arms and ammuni-
ton. corrugated iron, barbed wire, oats,
barley, hops. malt, wheat, liquors, beer,
etc.
1.-THE heaviest business, of course. would
be in -four and lumber At present
these countries are buying $4,000 bar
rels of Hour month. Until within
fifteen months ago this was California
-four. Since then, by shipping through
San francisco. the Dayton. WASH, mills
and the G. x {. mills of Spokane have
been enabled to build up trade en- their
-four of about zoo barrels month, or a
third of the whole.
Central Americans are buying our
lumber at present through the San Fran
cisco commission houses from the lumber
yards there. paying from s. to 81 thou
sand more than il would cost TO buy il
here. So it is safe to say that our -four
and luEs Der business alone would be large
enough TO load a 900 ton vessel monthly
froUl Seattle, to say nothing of the other
items.
The exports from Central America 10
the Pacific coast are coffees, sugar, cacao,
mahogany. Spanish cedar, tropical fruits
and hides.
The coffee, on which We would have 10
depend largely for return cargoes, is
shipped to all points in Europe and the
United States on consignment, and II is
safe 10 say that if We can show the Central
Ameflcans a good market for the sale OF
their cofiees that we would receive our
share or a fair share of these consien-
ments. Our railroad advantages will en-
able Us to compete as far as Chicago with
coffee shipped to New York via the
sthmus.
The present freight rates from San
Francisco 10 Central America are s.. 80 to
SSa ton. From New. YORK To Central
America SIS TO SO a ton. The number of
ports from which We would derive the
most business are the. three southernmost
Mexican ports and the ten Pacific coast
ports in Central America
Almost all of the business of the Gen.
trial American states is done through the
Pacific coast ports, there being almost no
connection with the Atlantic coast and
the interior"
c. ]. Smith. of the Oregon Improvement
Company, said the result which Mr.. Chill
berg desires could be brought about by the
extension of his company's steamship line
TO the south. The Oregon Improvement
Company now runs one steamer a month
TO Graymas and Maxailan and the extern
sion could be made BY having another
steamer run 10 Central American points
II the trade Was there TO justify it this
could easily be done.
The chairman was authorized. as the
matter was considered important. to APP
ont special committee 10 look into the
possibilities OF the matter as outlined oy
Ar. Chaberg.
Sir. Graves appointed Messrs. Smith.
Goldsmith. Clapp. Hummer and Sweeney.
sENr FOR REINFORCEMENT.
Catcher Wmftoa and Third