Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1896-02-10
Special Correspondence.

fore, and the Future Bright.
Special Correspondence.
Seattle, Wash, February 3.-Notic-
ing in a recent issue of the Register an
interview giving a resume of the rapid
ly growing industries Of this north
western corner of the country, and
! ascribing this very satisfactory condi-
ton of affairs to the Wilson bill, write
you to endorse both statements most
heartily. Every branch of industry
and business in Washington and Ore
gon is booming-better than at any
time in our past history-and careful
and competent observers are a unit in
ascribing 1t to the Democratic tariff
policy. When the Wilson bill went into
operation trade was depressed industry
was languishing, commerce had fallen
OFF, values of all sorts OF property had
| deprecated, and many of our best bus
mess men were almost ready to de-
spair, while hundreds upon hundreds
nay, even thOusands-of the labOring
men and citizens of Tacoma, Seattle,
and other cities were out of employ
ment, and many of them we're in want.
With the change in national policy,
| however, there came a revival. At
first it was slow and the progress made
was scarcely to be discerned, but little
by little as confidence returned, the
! improvement became more marked, and
now compilations of the business Of
| 1895, as contrasted with previous years,
| show tremendous strides in every one
OF our material interests. There is now
| abundant employment for all at good
wages, and new enterprises, many OF
| them Of mammoth proportions, are be-
| ing inaugurated and put into operation.
! Commerce, both coastWise and to far
! eign points, has doubled what it was
two years ago, and gives every promise
OF further extension in the immediate
| future, the railroads are busy almost
beyond precedent, and general business
is both active and remunerative. AS
result of all this, real estate and other
values have either fully recovered to
| the top notch of three or four years ago,
or are rapidly soaring towards that
| point, and there is universal satisfac-
ton both with the present and the
| prospects for the future. The North
west has had an experience with tariff
| laws by both parties and the Wilson
| idea is good enough for us. We want
no more NcKinleyism in ours, if you
| please, and we will demonstrate this
by our ballots the first time we have
| chance to pass upon that direct issue.
Lumber is one Of the great products
! in Washington, and the condition Of
that industry is an unfailing barometer
by which to gauge the general situa-
ton. The Pacific Lumber Trade Jour-
nal has compiled the statistics for 1895,
as compared with 1894, and previous
years, with the result that the output
| of the Washington cargo mills for 1895
is found to be 524, ,558, ,25S feet of lum-
ber, 100, ,426,922 lath and $500, 100000
shingles, the largest ever known. For
| the year 1851 cars Of shingles were
shipped out Of the State, as against
1875 in 1894, 6,053 in 1893, and 6,341
in 1892; and 6,947 cars Of lumber were
shipped for 1895, against 4,283 ears in
! 1894 and 5,365 in 1893. so the increase in
this particular can be seen at glance.
Coastwise we shipped 246,929 909 Zee:
of lumber in 1895, as against but 197,-
| 640,0 900 feet in 1894, an increase Of 49,
2S9 900 feet, while foreign shipments
in 1895 were 147, ,140, ,924 feet, as against
| S6147, 100 feet in 1894 an increase OF
| GO. .993 .134 feet The rail shipments for
| 1895 show an increase 37303 600 feet
over 1894, and shingles by rail show
an increase of 236.1S0.000 over 1894,
and this, too, in the face Of the fact that
| the British Columbia lumber output has
also increased.
New mills With large capacity are
going up or are projected and the Cen
trail Lumber Company, of California,
with a capital of no less than s70,000,-
600, has just been formed, for the bet
ter control Of the trade and TO secure its
further extension. The first order OF
the new company was one advancing all
grades of lumber 80 per l 200 feet. and
wages will be advanced in proportion.
The Northern Pacific Steamship Com
pany has just given orders for the build
ing of two new steamers for the Tacoma
and Oriental trade, which is now very
large and promises greater extension.
Although this time of the year is con-
sidered the dul. part, so far as shipping
is concerned. the three regular liners
Hankow, Tacoma and Victoria-are
carrying full cargOes each way. Great
possibilities in the trade with the Orient
are foreseen and the business men are
not slow in taking advantage Of it.
Everything points to a greater trade
this wear than ever before. Seventy
five per cent. of the products Of the
Orient that come to the United States
across the Pacific ocean come over the
Tacoma wharves, and more steamships
are necessary to do the business.
In order to handle the immense tea
crop last year, the Northern Pacific
Steamship Company chartered the big
tramp steamers Strathneyis, Eyandale
and Eskdale. besides a fleet Of sailing
vessels 10 land the cargos here, in ad-
dition to loading their regular liners
to their utmost capacity. K. X.