The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1896-02-13
FOR SEATTLE MERCHANTS.
How They Can But d I'D Trade With
Central America.

Edward j. Fitzpatrick, who has had an
experience OF six or seven years IN Central
America. Is n; the Butler. on business
trip from San francisco, which he was
led to make by the Jealous remarks OF
the newspapers Of that city In regard TO
Seattle's budding trade with the countries
Of Central America Mr.. Fitzpatrick says
that the Pacific Mall takes cargo down
there every ten days valued at $1,000. and
that they are nearly three months behind
In their shipments because they have not
boats enough
Just before I started NORTH" said Mr..
Fitzpatrick, ''in an interview / had with
Mr.. Schweria. the general manager OF the
Pacific Mail Company. that gentleman
told me that he was contemplating putting
on more steamers as soon as he could pos
sibIy get them. 70 accommodate the
enormous growth Of the trade with those
Countries"
Mr.. Fitzpatrick produced a number Of
duplicate mansfests of the cargoes carried
south by the Pacific Mall Company. which
will be of great interest 10 Seattle mcr-
chants. They show. as be says, that there
Il market there for every commodity
and luxury needed by the civilized world
In the last six months $4,000 worth Of
carriages have been shipped from San
Francisco. Lumber OF all kinds and box
es, complete houses and cheap furniture
are In great demand: also lime. nails. wire.
leather. y
is a ready market. he says. for canned
and smoked salmon: tallow goes there
from. this country IN immense quantities,
and lighters, boats. cordage, anchors, all
sorts of machinery, sell at large margins
for profit
Mr. Fitzpatrick does not see why Seattle
should not have a goodly share OF this
trade even for other than native produc-
tIcns. as she can get such goods from tbs
East as cheap ss San Francisco can. But
so far as the market is concerned. there ia
no need Of competing with San Francisco.
That city has only Is per cent OF the trade.
the remainder being IN the hands OF the
English. French and Germans. particularly
the English, who have the disadvantage %
landing their goods on tire Atlantic side
and hacking them across the country. or
Of the cost OF transporting them across the
ssthnus and reshirpsng them At Panama
Z One important point that Mr.. Fitzpatrick
desires 20 point ont 20 the Seattle mer-
chants interested In the Central American
trade ia tnat the people Of tina; country
must ~ addressed In their own language
n business is 20 Ne done with them The
way England has built Up her enormous
fraas. Is BY means 90 newspapers published
In LONDON in the spanish language. Mr..
Fftzpasrtck Is the director OF n spanish
Journal gotten up with q special view 10
these Central American markets II is
sarserhly printed for a commercial Journal.
ard has a cover OF delicate colors. for the
reason. he claims. that the Spanish-Arler-
team peoples have an intulfive artistic taste
and a love Of elementary eolors. To Illus
trate this re told OF en- American frm that
was shipping plows cown there-plows
about which there was a good deal O. red
reinf. TIE business grew very large. and
ne firm went 10 \ little more expense In
turning oat their piowS, giving them
better surface and a coating of paint that
made them look hke steel The firms bus
InesS in piows Immediately fell or.