The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1897-04-22

DQaTu OF trustees or the CnGmpeF OF 1cffi-
/ merce, presided yesterday afternoon at its
I meeting In the absence OF President Z. o.
{ Graves. After the reading Of the minutes
( OF the meeting of a week ago. the discus
sion OF the chamber interest in the COM
| ing Fourth OF July celebration was taken
up. and at the request Of the committee
the chamber decided TO request the navy
department through the states represen-
| tatives In congress. for the presence in
Seattle harbor during the celebration OF
such men-of-war as were available. The
invitation for vessels Will also be made TO
the authorities at Esquimalt for the visit
at the same time of English ships of war.
The special committee appointed week
ago 10 cooperate with the committee on
state and national affairs in the matter of
securing a government assay office in this
city. had acted upon both memorial and
bill which were drawn by Secretary Ling.
and sent the documents 10 the chamber
with their approval The memorial was
read Snd adopted by the board of trustees.
and was as follows:
ITO the Honorable the Senate and House
OF Representatives Of the United States
IN Congress Assembled: The Chamber of
Commerce OF the city of Seattle respect
fully represents and petitions your honor
able body as follows:
That Seattle is the principal and natu-
RAJ distributing point for commercial sup
pies for Alaska That its commerce with
that territory for the last mining season
amounted to over one million dollars.
That In the early springs of the past
Few years hundreds of miners purchased
In Seattle their outfits and provisions pre-
paratory 10 their search for gold and pre-
cious metals in Alaska Hundreds OF
miners returned TO Seattle in the falls OF
the past few years with the results of
their labors, with gold dust and precious
of dollars.
That small portion of this gold dust
was purchased by the bankers and Jewell
ers in Seattle: but that the greater num-
Der of these gol1 producers were unable
TO exchange their gold dust and precious
metals by reason of the want of a gov
eminent assay office here. and. therefore.
hundreds of thousands of dollars have
been lost TO this city and state,
THAT many thousands of dollars worth
OF gold dust ana precious metals had TO
be exchanged at the government assay
office at San Francisco. while part there
of found its way East thus submitting
these Alaskan miners to the needless in
convenience and expense OF long journey
from Seattle to San Francisco when most
Of their debts existed in Seattle. where
they secured their outfits. and depriving
Seattle of the benefit of such exchange,
which she should have enjoyed as being
the distributing point for Alaska.
That this season, 1897. the number of
miners who have left Seattle for Alaska
is In excess of previous years. Every yes
sci which has left this port this season
has been heavily laden with supplies, and
cOEpelied 10 re1uSe many passengers and
much freight: notably the Mexico. one OF
the Pacific Coast Steamship Company's
liners to Alaska, was compelled TO refuse
large passenger list for want of suf-
ficient passenger accommodation. and this
condition has existed as to almost every
vessel leaving this port for Alaskan min
ing fields.
'That in the fall of this year the greater
Seattle. and seek to exchange the gold
dust which they have mined in Alaska.
urgent demand. and which will benefit this
rapidly increasing commerce. be obtained.
there viii necessarily follow a serious loss
to our merchants as well as to our miners.
Two instances have come under the per-
sonal knowledge OF the members OF this
chamber. financfers Of the city. where
about $4,000 and ahout $4,000 respectively
were compelled TO so out of this state by
reason of the lack Of sufficient facilities
to accurately determine the value OF the
products OF the Alaskan mines.
THAT Seattle is the railroad and steam
boat center of Puget Sound and that an
office of this description Will be essential
to the convenience md welfare of the
other ports Of Puget Sound and the North
west
That there exists vast mineral belt
from the Kootenai mining district in Brit
ish Columbia running southwesterly
through the state Of Washington 10 the
waters Of Puget Sound which is being ex-
plored and developed at all seasons OF the
year and that some of these properties
a net output Of from s25ooo to $4,000
monthly.
'sThat Il is the belief of this chamber
that these considerations should commend
TO your honorable body the urgency and
necessity Of fostering and encouraging
this important industry. in order that II
may produce the best results through the
economical method suggested.
THAT this chamber believes that
urgency OF action uron the part OF your
honorable body should be impelicd bv the
important fact that these miners viii re-
turn 20 Seattle before the regular meeting
Of congress IN December 1897. and we
pray that the earnest and immediate con-
sideration of your honorable body be given
this matter. and that government assay
office be established at this point during
the present session of your honorable
body.
And We shall ever pray. etc.
SEATTLE CHAMBER OF COM
''Bv f. o Graves. President.
Attest. Ernest f ling. Secretary.
Adopted April n. 1897"
Mr. Ling then stated that he had drawn
the bill after similar papers that had
brought about the establishing Of assay
Offices AT Butte Cs5oeop and ST. Louis
tsl0 e00l. In canvassing the matter he had
decided that Seattle would stand better
chance II SO GO were asked. rather than
the larger sum. Tire chamber, after
brief discussion. concurred with Mr.. Ling.
The draft Of the bill was as follows
An act t. establish an assay ONCE at
Seattle. in the state Of Washington.
"Be Il enacted by the senate and house
Of Representatives u the United States OF
America in congress assembled.
section I. That the secretary ~ the
treasury Is hereby authorized and required
10 establish assay ONCE at Seattle. IN
che state of Washington. That said ASSAY
ONCE be conducted under the provisions Of
an act entitled An act revising and
amending the laws relative tn the minis
and assay offices and coinage OF the
United States approved February i, 1873.
sec . That the secretary Of the treas
urv Is hereby authorized and directed 20
cause TO b. secured some suitable build
ing ~ Seattle IN the state Of Washington.
for fke uurpcse OF said assay office, 70
provide the same with the necessary FIX
tUreS and apparatus az a cost not exceed
ing SIC co which sum - hereby appTo-
priated out 81 any money In the treasury,
rot otherwise appropriated
TIE cost ~ maintenance q the once
after its establishment requires another
bill. The hi1 vas also adopted az read.
on the subject IL ar application 20 the
secretary az the treasury for the Invest
ulens Of sub nor1 deputy collectors ~ Gus
toms Win greater power. Mr. Ling said
that he had discussed the matter again
with Mr.. Bush and the letter had been
prepared. The petition was addressed 10
the secretary az the treasury and said
Your petitioner respectfully represents
thar there Is more customs business Trans
acted AZ tae port OF Seattle than ~ any
ether port N ire United states. other Than
PRINCIPAL port % entr-. with the excsp-
ton OF two.
Your petitioner. therefore. rrays that
the department pursu8 AZ 20 the authority
conferred ~ sscrfon 1S8 p 5 cloghe the
deputy collector q customs 81 this port
with az fce powers Of has principal Ap-