The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1897-04-21

An increase In rates TO Alaska was an
nounced yesterday by the PACING coast
Steamship Company. telegram received
from San Francisco fixed the following
schedule; To Juneau. So first class. 81
second class: 10 Wrangel. IS and 80. The
rate TO Sitka was not announced, but Will
probably De about SO and g. A change
VIII also be made in freight charges,
though OF just what extent Is not yet de-
cIded.
The new rates will go into effect on the
steamship Mexico. scheduled to sail from
here Saturday morning. The Al-hi, san
ing this morning will not be affected on
the up trip but coming back the rates viii
be the same on her as on the other boats
A number of people who had engaged
passage ahead on the Mexico switched 10
the AI-ki as soon as they heard OF the
change, and Ticket Agent Carl stoiten-
berg spent several miserable hours during
the day staving of protests from indig-
nant passengers.
Il don't know what they have to COM
plain about" he said yesterday at the
close of warm session with passenger
''The company has never guaranteed TO
continue the cut rates, and tickets We're
never sold far in advance. The rate Is
even now decided cut from the rate in
effect prior to 1885.
The rise in the rates announced yester-
wrecking of the steamship Willapa re-
moved the only opposition encountered by
the Pacific Coast Steamship Company on
the Alaska route. Ii will be noticed that
no through rate is made 10 Dyea. This -
because. the lateness of the season has
caused this business 10 fan off, and the
Al-ki will be the last boat TO go through
this spring TO Dyea. The regular steam
ers running between Juneau and Dyea
are amply able TO care for the business
renewal of the competition offered by
the Alaska Steamship Company Is hardly
TO be expected for the present. If at all
The Pacific Coast Steamship Company
has really the same kind of a cinch on
juneau that the Northern Pacific rail-
road has on Tacoma. or the Southern Pa
cific on San Francisco The Oregon I'm
provement Company has. in the last few
months. acquired the ownership or the
three wharves at Juneau and also all the
desirable sites on the water front where
a wharf could be profitably constructed.
This enables the steamship company TO
exclude opposition boats by refusing 10
allow them a landing save upon pay
ment of an exorbitant rent.
II has been admitted by all in a position
to know that under the cut rates which
have existed since the spring of 1888 the
Pacific Coast Steamship Company has
steadily lost money. The rates that have
the Topeka and Mexico. to Juneau. SIS
and $50, to Wrangel, $40 and So: to
Sitka, so. so and si2.50. The last tate was
raised just short time ago from $50 and
$40
on the Al-Ki the rate has been: To Ju-
neau $40 and S.; to Wrangel 81 and $3.50.
The rate of $40 and So to Juneau was re-
Gently raised to sl2 and S. On the
through run to Dyea the rate has been so
first class and sli second
II VIII be seen that the new rates are
over twice as much the cut rates. But
compared to the rates in force before the
reduction in the spring of 1895 they are
reasonable. Up TO that time the rate was
$3.50 first class and s32 second class to
either Juneau or Sitka. The first cut
was announced In 1895 as follows: To Ju-
neau, $40 and $50. to Wrangel $50 and
SIS; to Sitka, so and $3.50 Freight
which was 81 a ton and upwards tapered
down to 50. and afterward went up to the
present rate, s. per ton.
The Al-ki, which will sail at Q o'clock
this morning. is the last steamship that
will run through TO Dyea this spring.
The next boat TO sail will be the Mexico
on April q, and with her the new sched-
ule goes into effect.