The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1895-04-23
OCEAN STEAMER LINE.
q. X. L Y. Co.'S New Move May
Bring 1t 10 Seattle.
EFFECT or DIVORCE FROM U. p.
The Sound Not Only Gets Trade Of the
Interior. but win secure Pa
cltc steamers.

TIE seYerlng OF the Oregon Railroad &
Navigation Company's lines from the
Union Pacific system by The appointment
o. separate receivers has not only caused
a revolutionary change IN freight rates
from both Portland and the Sound, but
has brought about the establishment OF
a steamer line from China and Japan 10
Portland OF which the boats Viii prooa-
bly, call a Seattle and Tacoma This VIII
give the merchants Of this city the IA
ciligies for trans-Pacific traffic for which
they have long been agirating.
The separation OF the oregon Railroad
& Navigation Company from the Union
Pacific has changed II from division
% transcontfnentaI line which depend
81 chiefly on through tTattic into eompa-
ratiVely short line running from the sea-
bs.a I'd 10 the interior. Thus il is depend
emf mainly on traffic from its Coast ter
minus 20 its inland jefmini in Eastern
Washington and Idaho, and vice versa.
In order TO foster this traffic the ore
gon Railroad 4 Navigation receivers
made the recent radical reduction Of
freight rates from Portland to Spokane
and common points The effect Of these
viii be TO encourage the shipment OF
slow heavy freight from the East by
sailing ship around the Horn or by the
Panama route 10 Portland. whence the
Oregon Railroad & Navigation VIII haul
il to the interior. In this way the COM
pany Will secure the long haul, whereas
il the freight came by The all-ran route
from the East. IL would get much short
or haul and would have to divide the
rate with its Eastern connection More
over the great reduction in the cost OF
transportation will not only have the
Immediate effect OF Inducing the use or
the Ishmus and Cape Horn routes. but
will ultimately cause the building up
on the Coast OF industries in which the
Pacific coast people have hitherto been
unable to compete with the East, despite
the high overland freight rates. The re-
duction of rates from Portland 10 S2o-
kane 10 a figure one-half OF the rates
from St Paul 20 Spokane is equivalent
10 the levying Of a protective tariff OF
- per cent. of the 81. Paul rate on com
peting Eastern product. which viii ne
quite a consideration IN these days OF
low prices and close margin.
But the O. r. & y. is not satisfied with
the traffic II can obtain within the bound
airy Of the United States for II Is reach
ing out for the trade between the Orient
and the interior OF this country. The
rapid adoption Of Western customs in
the matter OF food and clothing III the
Orient stimulate ted by the great fall IN
prices OF the last few years, has devel-
oped an immense trade in -four and other
American staples between the Pacific
coast and the orient. Since the begin
ming of the war between China and ia
pan this traffic has experienced such an
enormous increase that the existing
steamer lines are entirely Inadequate 10
carry IL and steamship companies have
not only had all their space contracted
for several months ahead, but have resort
ell to the expedient of giving shippers
only a proportion of the space they de-
manded The .. r.. & y. has seized the
opportunity by arranging for the estah-
lishment of a steamer line TO Portland IN
connection with its railrad. The Chitta-
gong. tbs first steamer of this line will
sail from Hongkong for Portland on May
l. and other boats will follow monthly.
An these changes will directly benefit
Seattle and the other Sound cities, for the
| Northern Pacific and Great Nortern rail
/ roads are now direct competitors Of the
-. II. & y. FOR the trade OF Spokane and
/ its tributary country. and thus what ben
/ ents Portland equally benefits Seattle
/ and Tacoma. The .. r. & y no sooner
announced its reduction OF rates to the
! Interior than the Northern Pacific and tn
| Great Northern met the cut and thus
/ the trade of the Sound will experience
! the same changes for the better as that
| % Portland. with the addition II its su-
! perior and cheaper harhor facilities.
/ While the owners Of the Asjatic steam
/ crs which will run to Portland have traf-
| lie arrangements with the O. Il. & y. for
! the handling Of their freight al Portland
! railroad men consider IT certain that they
! viii readily send their steamers 10 Sc
! at,le should sufficient freight offer That
! IL will be found worth their while Is GER
/ tain from the continued demand (which
J Seattle merchants hava been making for
! direct trans~PaCihc steamer accommoda-
/ tion One OF the principal causes Of the
! organization Of the shippers association
/ I'm this city was the necessity OF hiring
/ inE pressure 10 hear on transportation
/ companies for a steamer line across the
/ Pacific, and the merchants intend - per
/ sist IN their demands until they are sat
isticd.