Omaha daily bee., 1894-12-17
OPPORTUNITY FOR OMAHA
What Would Be Gained by Trading with
the Puget Sound People.
HOW AN OLD NEBRAsKAN LOOKS At II
Direct and Profitable Exchanges Could BE
Established that Would Greatly Enhance
Commercial Interests at this Point
sS The Promising Industries.

sssaS9 !, :. ~. 80 ,'r1e'
John p. Hartman, prominent lawyer
and banker Of Tacoma, was in the city a
few days ago. Mr.. Hartman was once a res
ident of Nebraska, having spent eighteen
years Of his life in Kearney. Several years
ago he removed to the state Of Washington
and now almost all of his interests are in
that state. He is on a trip TO the cast, and
he stopped over in this city to open the
eyes OF the jobbers of Omaha to the trade
that is open to them in the state that he
represents. There are number of indus
tries in the country about Puget sound
which are still in their infancy, but over
which Mr.. Hartman is very enthusiastic.
There is no reason in the world, Mr.. Hart
man thinks, why the products of these in
dustres should not be exchanged for the
industries of this state, and thus a very
advantageous trade be opened up between
the two states.
Some time ago." said Mr.. Hartman, "it
would have been impossible to start such
a trade but now the Burlington has ex-
tended its line TO Billings, where 1t con-
meets with the Northern Pacific, thus max
ing, practically, through line between
Puget sound and Omaha An agreement has
been entered into by the two roads by
which rate has been made. This rate
is the same to all Missouri river points
This gives Omaha jobbers access to a
territory that they should not overlook
The exchange of Nebraska corn and its
products for the lumber and other products
OF the Puget sound country would be mutu-
ally advantageous to both states. AS 1t is
now, st. Paul and Minneapolis are obtaining
fully one,half of the trade of the state.
The freight rates on the lines that now
connect Puget sound and Omaha would not
be greater than on the single Northern Pa
cfc line that connects that country with
st. Paul and Minneapolis.
"The greatest industry which the Puget
sound country possesses, but which is still
young is the lumber industry. | do not
know how large the timber district is, but
1t is fully 300 miles long and 200 wide.
This is very thickly covered with trees
that are over 100 feet in height The trees
are chiefly Washington fir, which is in many
ways adapted to take the place of oak. 1t
is fully as strong and is about one-thrd
lighter. The lumber is made from this, and
from its lightness is, Of course, much
cheaper to transport than oak. Then, we
are beginning to ship an enormous amount
Of shingles. They made from cedar, the
wood Of which is much more durable than
pine. During the first year Of the shingle
industry, in 1885, 100000 shingles were
shipped away. Up to the present time this
year 1000, ,000, 900 shingles have been shipped
with the prospect that the number will
year.
FISHING INDUSTRY IMPORTANT.
'Another industry which is still in it's in
fancy, but which will in time become great, IL
the fishing. The Japan current runs nortl
to the Aleutian islands, and then turns back
down the American coast right into Puge
sound The water is cooled by the floating
icebergs in the north, so that its temperatur
in the sound is between 40 and As degrees
not rising above the latter point even in tn
summer The water is stocked with sal
mon, sturgeon; halibut and other fish, ant
the coldness of the water makes the fest
of the fish firm and hard, more so than o
those caught on the Atlantic coast. After tn
fish are caught they are frozen, almost before
they are dead, and packed In ice houses tn
temperature of which is or degrees beloN
zero. When they reach the market they ar
fresh. They are shipped in refrigerator cars
Almost all that have been caught have bee
going to Chicago. When l was here yea
ago l hpticed some of these fish that wer
selling at 25 CENTS a pound. The storekeepe
told me that he had received them fror
Chicago They had been shipped there fror
Puget sound and then to Omaha. Now
these fish could be brought directly to Omah
and sold here at from 10 to IL cents poun'
as they are bought from the fishermen g
less than cents pound.
1.-The hop Industry is old and large Th
largest hop grower in the world is at til
sound He has 600 acres grown to hops an
SenuS OuJ dHHudliy uV,ouV paicS' SoSh va
weighing 200 pounds. He clears 500 an acr
net The state is peculiarly suited to til
cultivation of hops. There are only fe
countries that can grow them, these beir
England, Bavaria two places in Germany,
part of New York, a part of California ar
a part Of Oregon. The cost Of raising hol
in Washington is smaller than in any
these places.
Omaha is in position to get a part
this trade, and the attention of the jobbeI
should ha called to IT. We In WlshingtO
have no corn products and want to g
them. In return we are ready to give lun
ber hops, fish and fruit. The means of e
fecting the exchange Is at hand.'