The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1895-10-15
WHEATFR0M BIGBEND
1t Ought to Come TO Seattle,
Where Cargo Rate Is Low.
PERMIT FOR G. N. IMPROVEMENTS
InterIockfng Switch for Yesier Avenue
The 6unboat Sfte-Pfles Moves
To o. I. Office.

4 seems
Seattle. Lake Shore & Eastern railroad
ana the .. r. a. N CO. for the acquisi-
ton OF the Central Washington, and as
the one or the other may gam It's o01ect
the trade CT Eastern Washington viii De
thrown TO Seattle or 10 Portland Inc
possibilities OF the rich and fertile coun-
try OF the Big Bend were indicated 5y the
Post-inteliigencer yesterday in an inter-
view with Fred McDeFmott. of Wateryille,
and he spoke OF the particular need OF
that section as railway extension Al
present Waterv.lle. forty-flve miles from
Coulee City the western terminus or the
Central Washington, Is badly Handicapped
in respect 10 transportation facilities, ana
the rate 10 export wheat ana other pro-
ducts is so high as 10 be absolutely pro-
hibitive Ii costs the farmer and shipper
Of Materville cents busneI 10 snip
wheat by boat 10 Orondo nine miles
away. and consequently the productive
soil Of the Big Bend is of little value 10
the outside world
But there soon will be a change in this
condition of affairs, and ii will be made
by the construction OF railway. mat
done, the harvests OF one OF the richest
agricultural sections OF the state VIII ne
given 10 the outside market. If the O. X.
a. " Co. could secure the Central WASH
ington a little construction work would
send the grain down the Columbia TO De
shipped from Portland. Gould 1t be
brought 10 Seattle. there Is no reason
why the elevator now here. and still an
other elevator. should not be filed
seattle a Cheaper Point.
Just think OF the situation" was a re-
mark made yesterday by railroad man.
Seattle is at least a cent and half
cheaper for cargOes than its competitor.
yet in the face of that fact two-thirds of
the harvest of the PaIouse country and
Eastern Washington is carried ~ Inc
o. r. d n That country is tributary 10
Seattle and the grain by natural right
should come here. Seattle is nearer ana
transportation is materially cheaper
When the matter of railroad rates was
before the last legislature the roads
pleaded that to make a lower rate would
bankrupt them: yet ii is in evidence tnat
last winter the O. X. < y. Co. paid no.
nus of $780, coo for the grain traffic, ana that
the money was handed over TO a Port
land firm / claim that IL the railroad
can pay that amount II should he forced
to make a reduction in the rate. When
the transcontinental lines were Quilt
everything was sacrificed 10 easy grades,
the theory being that feeders could oe
built into the productive sections. ne
time has come when the great trunk llheS
appear to be robhing the small corpora
tions OF their legitimate share of the
grain traffic.
Connect the Local Lines.
What the state needs is a good LEGAL
railroad system. and the opportunity Ter
such a system at the present time was
never better. Less than 200 miles OF road
would connect the Central W dshlnetoh
with the Lake Shore Al Woolley. and an
extension of only eleven miles at the
eastern end would connect the line with
the Spokane & Palouse. BY taking proper
steps Seattle could gain the entire trade
OF A section naturally tributary 10 1t, nut
which at present sends only 70 per cent.
OF Us products here. The competition
would be strong, but Seattle, with It's low
rate for shipping. ought 10 gain the day.
Portland. Il is true, has FIVE grain ship
ping houses. two of them branches of
houses in San Francisco: but II is fact
that as matters now stand some OF the
grain Of Eastern Washington Is sent to
San Francisco before being put aboard
ship.
VIII Prove washipGton's Wealth.
Il would say In reference 70 the North
ern Pacific receivership that the breaking
Of the road in two will prove the great
productive wealth Of Washington. Here
iofore the eastern end OF that system has
been credited with shower!ng upon the
road its wealth, while the western end
has been called poor and far from SELF
sustaining | am prepared 70 say that
each mile OF road in Washington Is worth
twenty miles IN many portions of the
route through the states eastward. and
this separate receivership will show 70 the
world the place Washington should occu-
py as a productive state. And vet the
Northern Pacific has never given us any
thing but an Office building. II has lugged
all our products away. and has given the
credit for producing them 10 the eastern
end OF the system The time has come
when this state can AFFORD - he tnde-
pendsnt. Let there be A clash Of re-
ce.vers II would not affect as. Gould we
not maintain eastern connections through
the Burlington at Billings? II there
should be 4 disagreement, traffic from this
state would not be interrupted for an in
slant bur would flow on 10 Chicago and
the Atlantic Seahoard serenely independ-
ten Of the part Of the system through the
pakotas Minnesota and Wisconsin.