The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1896-10-28

expression in the building. almost iyume-
oiateiy. OF one Of the largest Touring
mills on the Pacific coast BY one of the
heaviest mning firms In Western America.
when the steamship hne was establish
ed there were many pess;nists who croalx-
&c disma,,y at the entrance into trans.
racine competition OF the ships Of the
great japanese commercial company. and
who predicted that il would be but shor.
time before the welcome held out 20 thu
foreign enterprise would be changed to
another tune, when il was seen that tho
Dement'S and profits would all be TO the
new company and not in any way to
Americans or American institutions of
business That question was disposed OF
beyond any reasonable suspicion OF doubt
by President J. j. Hill. OF the Great North
ern, when he last visited Seattle. at which
time ne was interviewed by Post Intel
Hgencer representative. During the inter-
view Mr.. HUI said that the road derived
great benefit by picking up along It's route
the freight and crops. destined Ter the
Orient. and delivering IL to the steamers
al Seattle In this respect the trans-Pa-
clrc company made IL possible for one OF
the great railroads OF the country to en-
sage IN an increased business. and for the
wheat grower of Eastern Washington and
the Middle West TO lind larger and bet
ter paving market.
A year ago Mr.. NORTH Thomson presf-
dent of the Centennial Mills Company. Of
Spokane, visited Seattle and investigated
the proposition OF constructing a medium
sized mill of limited capacity, to co-ore-
rate with the Spokane plant in supplying
the market found by the Northern Pacific
Steamship Company in the far East The
centennial mill has capacity Of 700 bar
reis per day, and by working seven days
week and night and day. 1t could not
Keep up with its orders. The Northern
Pacific Steamship Company was the Chi
ma and Japan agent Of the Centennial
mills. and all of the indirect benefit accru-
ing by the passage and handling of the
big cargoes went TO Tacoma.
The Site.
When the Nippon Yusen Kaisha came to
Seattle, the Centennial mill people began
to look toward the Queen city again, and
with the intention of investigating the
mill proposition at this point Mr.. Thorn
sen, for second fime. came over. and for
the past several days has been quietly
looking into the matter of sites. Several
have been offered and others looked after.
and with the assurance that a choice Will
be made within the next few days Mr..
Thomson returned to Spokane last night
at 10 o'clock over the Great Northern.
When seen by observation-disclosures re-
porter last evening at the Butler hotel, the
president of the Centennial Mil Company
said:
To he u Big One.
Yes, We are going TO put n a mill here,
and ii will be big one. with an output OF
Leu barrels a day, making its capacity
range with the heaviest on the Coast. The
biggest mill AT Tacoma has a forced ca
pacity OF 500 barrels per day. but they are
turning out only 600. There is noth.ng
now TO arrange for but a suitable site, and
several have been offered and considered.
Our company does not ask for free land
or bonus or any gift whatever. but we
do think that as our investment in the
mill, and an elevator that will be put up
by other parties. viii involve al expend.-
ture of $l25.000 to start with. that the
prices for suitable sites should be consist
ent with the times and the Importance TO
the city of an establishment OF this
nature. l have found n looking around
that real estate S held high, and people.
1t seems in many cases, would rather hold
their building sites and rott.ng wharves
than sell them for prices in keeping with
the condition of business in other lines.
What In Necessary.
I'VE must have trackage facilities
where We win not be compelled TO pay
switching charges. and we must be where
We can get readily with our output 10
the steamer wharves. We are offered ELL
gible sites In Tacoma for nothing. but we
prefer 10 come here and purchase our
building property, where we believe the
business is. Besides our disposition 10
connect our plant with the steamers OF
the Nippon Yusen Kaisha. we are do
ing large trade with Central American
countries via the Central American
steamship line, and each trip OF the
Transit has seen us heavily represented
by consignments OF flour, the output of
our Spokane mills.
With our big mill here 1t would be nee
essary for us TO be In closer connection
x-ith an efa fsf sfsfai hal will
lion bushels capacity. We couldn't do
business with that IN West Seattle, as the
haul across and back would amount 10
probably six dollars per car. ana
that we couldn't afford. With this
idea we have made proposition
10 ]. q. Adams & Co. the biggest grain
buyers along the line OF the Great North
ern. TO erect an elevator IN connection
with our mill. For this site with 600
feet frontage would be necessary, as the
building discussed is io0xioo feet. The mill
would be 1Doxloo feet on the ground and
for an Insurance proposition we would
want at least 100 feet OF space between
cur mill and the elevator. As 70 the char
aeter OF the building. n would depend up
on the location. II we built within the
fire district the structure would neces-
sariiy be Of brick or inconlbustibie ma
teriaI. and II are were outside the fire linn
It's the difference In insurance rates nigh,
SORT
Ing. A site has been offered TO ns at Kin
near park for nothing. but the teamsng for
delivery would probably cost so per day,
or 5000 per year. In the ten years the
5000 expended for teaming would have
purchased very desirable mill site much
nearer the place we want. After spend
ing the price OF good location we would
still be az she same distance from the
steamers and tracks as when we first
started
In regard to our output here being
shipped via the Northern Pacific Steam
ship line.'' continued Mr.. Thomson the
Northern Pacific people are simply our
foreign agents for a certain brand, or
sack The Seattle made -four would be-
specially packed for another trade" Mr..
Thomson then got hack TO the matter Of
Htes again. and said that the Stetson A.
Post Mil Company would SELL but that
their price would be over size 900.
The Chamber of Commerce will take the
matter up at its next meeting and the
trustees VIII probably discuss il at the
meeting this afternoon. when Edwin Car
ain, manager for ]. q. Adams A Co. Will
probably state the conditions OF the case
and give the hoard such information as
the discussions between his firm and the
/ Centennial Mill people regarding the plant
| have brought out
The Project . Big One.
The project is big one and must ap-
4 peal 70 every one Interested in the well
fare OF the city. The building OF the mill
and elevator xtii furnish employment for
many men during the coming winter. az
Ne. Thomson says that operations will be-
gin as soon as the matter of location
- decided After the completion Of ,ns
MIL and elevator buildings, the sstablish.
| msns OF the machinery and the perxns.
ncnt employment Of many men will mean