The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1897-12-01

tnefe looking for locations to open an bust
LESS OF ali kinds. The hotels are fun.
O1cs rooms are scarce and no Desirable
ps@css are TO be had. Rents are away cp
noses are building annexes and preparing
Ior the big rush that il 10 begin early IN
February FOR Alaska.
Sealtie ID headquarters at this tine for
suppnes OF all kinds for Alaskan trade on
ne racine coast, and the merchants viii
soc mat San Francisco or Portland viii not
shAsen u Away from them. Sac IL today
sne 0esl advertised city in the United
states. Inquiries from all ever the world
sone 70 Seattle. 1 have II from good au-
'hosity that twenty merchants agreed sew
efAi mouths ago to spend $i00 per month
Tor SIX months for no other purpose than
advertising the city. % far b,.t IS 90 have
psea spent In newspapers throughout che
East, and 1t has had the desired effect.
1900 more wifi be spent for pamphlets,
booklets and Alaskan literature, Besides
the fund made up by the twenty mer-
chants, over sJet0 was expended by indi-
vfdual 1rms Ia advertising the advantages
OF their city. San Francisco and other
Coast towns realize that they have been
outwftted by their sister city. and are now
blaming themselves for not spending their
money In similar manner. They are now
holding mass meetings for ways and
means. but It Is conceded that they are
too late for the coming seasons trade and
the big runs to Alaska VIII 60 to Seattle.
Many Of the larger business houses of
that city have dispatched agents to Alaska
to learn and ascertain just what IL wanted.
a number OF them having returned and
claim TO be prepared by February TO I'LL
all wants. Many people have no idea OF
the many articles. different from the ordi-
nary. that are required for this new coun-
try. but there fs not a mercantile house,
manufacturer or neutrality-suspicious.
SArX L. H.
adapted for the gold fields in Alaska. l
counted over forty signs in the city of
kIondIke Outfits, aad I certainly did
not get them all. One house. dealing in
dogs and dog supplies, is exhibiting dog
harness. dog shoes. dog food. dog medicine
and dng all around. and 50 everything else
is brought out to meet the country's trade.
Three reputable transportation compa-
MES. with large capital and good backing.
are already doing large business answer
Ing inquiries. booking parties. chartering
steamers, building boats. remodeling YES
sells for steam power and getting ready Tor
the rush."
Hon. John 6. Mcmillan, of the Roche
Harbor Lime Company. arrived In the city
last night from down Sound. and, with his
wife. IL q guest at the Butler. Times are
picking up wonderfully with u.s." he said
last night Business Is improving stead
lily and the indications are that the upward
trend OF business matters In this section or
the country Is a permanent thing
"You may think that / am something or
a optimist. hut I believe that a new conf
mercial era has dawrsf upon the North
west and the state Of Washington In par
ticular 1t is my belief that the improve
ment In all lines OF business which has
begun In destined to continue for some
years to come. I do not look for such ex-
tremes of speculation as were common In
this section several years ago. nor do
hone for such condition Of affairs The
development Of the gold mines OF Alaska
and the Northwest territory will be fac
tor IN the new growth that Is before us.
but Il will not be all Of 1t by any means.
There seems to be every reason In the
world for believing that steady and
rapid development OF the real resources
of this state is to be had. This Will do us
more good than anything else. While
some people lost sight OF the fact, never
theiess Il IS true that our natural re-
sources and advantages were Just as good
through the hard times as they are now.
People are now beginning to recognize the
latent wealth OF this state During the
depression that followed the crash. the
good and the bad suffered aiIke-men who
had legitimate enterprises under way were
left high and dry and suffered In much
the same way as the wildcat spectators.
gun. capital win take hold OF the natural
sources OF wealth In Washington and will
develop them In a legitimate way. This
will have a beneficial effect on all lines
OF business. When the next storm comes,
III we ever have another one the people
of Washington win have surplus with
which to tide them over until Il has
passed.
ST see that Seattle Is in the very van OF
progressive and prosperous cities I can
see that business f. very good here. aud Il
is almost certain that the city Will ex-
perierce season OF business life ard
activity during the nex' few years, never
equaled In itz past history"
Among the men IN Seattle who have
soiourned for q time I'm Alaska perhaps
none ~ better acquainted with the actual
condition OF affairs roundabout SkagIay
and pyea taan George Rice. From his
practical knowiedge or the trails Mr.
Rice often smiles sereneiy at the strange
stories that are rnlrnei on on an un-
souhtsticated public. although Of these
stories he has heard not a few thai have
never appeared IN print.
For instance" sstd Mr.. Rice the other
dav. IT was IN Victoria and CHANGED 20
nsek IN a New Zealand newspaper Inn
asine my surprise 20 see substantially the
following statement: The real starting
roins for the kiondIke Is Spokane. There
the traveller takes a canoe. BY which he
VOYAGES 10 Vancouver. r. G. A: the lat
ter roInt he takes a sailing vessel direct
for Dawson CITY,
Then the crowd around Mr.. Rice smiled
quietly. Seattle has had various cities
"a nose as her rivals FOR Alaska trade,
hu. Spokane has never hitherto essased
10 MAY that rols.
..Nha. Is stsIl worse" continued Mr..
Rice. ~ was In Tacoma the other day,
and I saw n man exhibiting patent sirs'
whose virtues he was extolllng. II can
he taken all 10 pieces said he. ard re-
al .,,stsd into useful articles of furniture.
Hare voa. sec you can knock IL down
and with simple Encouragement you
can make a bed out OF II. Knock Il
scw, again snd nat n together In an
other shane and here ven see you have
= handy hat rack Fancy hat rack
sn Alaska
Ana then the crowd around Mr.. Rice
mfled aloud.
y W Frost. formerly an engineer IN IRE
sY,,pIcxr,ent of the hoard 81 public works
- New York whose talents are new en-
r,1,ves in Alaskan enterprises. has return
"a from a prospecting trsn through south
eastern Alaska. Mr. Frost has had sSTefai
wears experience In mining and Was one
81 shs Messengers OF the Steamer Et'za An
gs.-sar -. that this knowledge Is hacked
un nv an acquaintance With the sea.
Fr- - 40 -.