The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1897-12-21
WONDERFUL DIFFERENCE.
An Observing Omaha Man Tells His
People About Hustling Seat
tie. Depressed Tacoma.

DR.. W. l. Seymour a well-known lee
turer OF Omaha, has recently returned 10
thai city after tour of the Pacific North-
west. during which he visited Butte. Spo-
kane. Seattle. Tacoma. Portland and other
cities. He had some interesting things 10
say TO a Worid-Herald reporter on his OBJ
servations. OF Seattle and the klondihe
movement he says:
AT Seattle you hear Gold. Gold.
Goldr constantly Everybody is excited;
business men are making preparations for
the next rush. Great wholesale houses are
going up, and while the first few months
of this winter will be quiet. comparatively
speaking. still there is no DOUBT, In my
mind. but the rush to the klorAike in the
spring will be something unprecedented
The gold rush in ~ will hardly be cir
had the good fortune to meet an old school
friend who had just returned from the gold
fields of Alaska. He had been in business
III Seattle for some few years, and caught
the klondke fever. He sold out. joined
forces with a friend and spent $1,000 buy
ing outfits such as would De necessary 10
ed in crossing the Chilkoot pass and were
within three days of Dawson City when
they We're so unfortunate as 10 have their
outhts stolen from them. As X was getting
late in the year and they had neither
clothes nor provisions, they retraced their
steps. and in order 10 secure the means TO
goods over the trail on their backs, max
ing as much as $40 in a single day.
My friend Informed me that provisions
were cheaper at the Alaska port than at
Seattle at the tine he left as there had
been so many VINO had QUILTED themselves
and then turned back. selling their provi-
slons at any price rather than bring them
home. /. for one, do not believe there will
be any suffering in that country this win
ter. 1t Is not as far north as many believe.
being almost directly west from Seattle
and while the thermometer falls very low
al times, the cold Is not as penetrating al
II Is near the coast. | met man going to
San Francisco who had spent the last
summer In Dawson. and gained many in
teresting facts from him. He had been
fairly successful in his mining ventures,
but had made his money in buying claims
and developing them slightly and selling
them again at an Increased value He had
many beautiful specimens with him. and
although not an enthusiast, was very san
guine regarding the future of Dawson and
the immediate surroundings. While the
people of Seattle. Tacoma, Portland and
other seaport towns all expect a grand
rush in the spring. yet do not believe that
any OF them realize how many are really
going
BESIDES Americans there are a great
many foreigners going to the klondike, for
this region is well advertised.
Il went by boat from Seattle to Tacoma
anG / must say ] cannot account for the
difference In business In the two towns
which are equally well situated on the
Sound. Tacoma Is very pretty CITY and
has been a sharp rival of Seattle Times
are very depressed there at present and
although the town Is finely built rents are
cheap and people are bitterly complaining
of the hard times"