The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1897-12-31
Carrying Capacity of Puget
Sound Alaska Steamers.
ELEVEN VESSELS AVAILABLE.
How the Vast Army of Gold Seekers
now Turning Their Eyes Toward
Seattle and the kIondike From All
Parts Of the World VIII Be Trans
ported NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS. Based
on the Facilities In sight.

The question has been so often asked.
VIII the steamship lines 10 the Alaskan
ports. on the various routes 10 the Yukon.
be able to carry the hordes Of gold hunt
ers from Scatter" that the Pos;-In;eIli-
geneer. with the aid of the men most
prominently interested in the various
steamship Lines. has compiled some figures
showing something of the number OF peo-
pie that can be taken aorth per month.
The estimate made is based on facilities
now actually in sight, and does not take
INTO consideration the steamers that are
being built or to be built for the various
lines to Dyea and to ST. Michael.
From figures supplied by Manager C.
j. Smith, OF the Pacific Coast Company.
owners of the Pacific Coast Steamship
Company, c. FL. ]. Stoitenberg, OF the
Washington & Alaska Steamship Com
pany. and others. it is estimated
that the lines from Puget sound
are now in a position TO carry
$500 people per month 10 Dyea
and Skaguay. and other points on the
southeastern coast of Alaska. OF course
1t is not to be understood that this great
capacity is now on the Sound. The fig
ures represent eleven steamships. all OF
which are either on the Sound or on the
Pacific coast, so that within a week or
ten days they could be brought here and
placed in service.
In addition the lines which will be es-
tablished IN business between Seattle and
ST. Michael by May /. viii be able to
move at least $500 people per month, and
these figures are made III the most con-
sentative way Indeed. it is almost GER
tain that this number will be increased TO
5,e3 as soon as the season opens. with
a possibly greater Increase in midsummer.
c. j. Smith was asked yesterday what
plans his company has made to carry the
multitudes who will flock 10 the new Ell
dorado of the north in search of fortune.
II have never doubted the capacity OF
the steamer lines leaving Puget sound for
carrying all who may go TO Alaska" he
said in reply. "At the least. the lines
running from Seattle and Portland will be
equipped at the beginning of the season
with means for carrying 10000 people
every month. OF course these figures
may be amplified as the season progress
es. and doubtless will be.
These are the steamers that will
Coast Steamship Company's line from Sc
attic to Dyea and Skaguay: City of To-
peka. Al-ki Corona, Cottage City,
Curacao. Queen, with possibly the VIII
lamette and the new steamship Senator
now b0ilding at San Francisco. Three OF
these steamers will be placed on the reg
ular schedule. while the others will be
placed on express service. The Queen
will so on the run as soon as the weather
settles, in the spring.
'The steamer Queen will be able to
make three trips per month, carrying on
an average of 400 passengers each trip.
Both the Curacao and the Cottage City
should make an equal number of trips
per month. The others will average two
trips per month. This viii give us a
steamer every other day from Seattle at
the least.
THE steamers Oregon. Elder and the
Victoria. plying between Portland and
Alaskan ports on the southeast coast. will
be operated by the Pacific Coast Steam
ship Company. Each will make two
trips per month, giving five days ser
vice
ut is easy enough to see capacity of
carrying over 700 passengers per month
10 Dyea and Skagnay from the Sound
and Portland together, by the steamers OF
the Pacific Coast steamship Company.
The other lines running from Seattle 10
Dyea and Skaguay ought 10 bring the to-
tai capacity OF all tines 10 these points up
10 10000 at the least.
The company has two lighters of $50
tons each at Dyea and wharf a. skag
uay with two warehouses, one 50xl50 feet
and the other 5Qxl00 feet. The lighters
at Dyea Will be handled by the tug Lady
Lake. Prepare tons are being made 10
care for the handling of both freight and
pass myers at terminal points with dis
{ patch and comfort. Owing to the long
approaches that would have TO be con-
| s,r1cted 10 a wharf st Dyea. this COM
! pany has found il iuadvisable to build
| there.
plans are now being drawn for the
| erection Of brick or stone warehouse 10
| the cast Of Tho Ocean dock The new
| sheds built on this dock have increased
| The warehouse capacity about 10 or 30 per
| cent"
I'VE will be IN shape 10 transport $500
| passengers every month 10 Skaguay and
| Dyea" said e. H. J. Steitenberg. ctsy
| ticket agent of the Washington & Alaska
! Steamship Company yesterday. The
| Seattle viii make at least two Trips per
| north ard We arc f'guring ar securing
| another boat for the run, Of The same ca
| paci.g as the Seattle
| The ocean lines 20 81 Michael row or
| eanrzet and prepared 20 do business on
| he Scattle-St. Michael route. lee Wig out
| o. calculation those companies that have
| rot vet secured or built their Stea mships
| rave en- apparent capacity Of 80 pas
| sengers Ter month Unt1 ihe plans ~ the
| vaIfau- c3,ns an5es that have lately en-
| tered the field arc nearer completion. II
/ Will 10 Impossible TO make correct es-
/ innate.