The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1897-12-24

I We are in the closing days Of the
/ Christmas begin TO lay cur plans for
| the influx OF people generally believed 10
/ be certain within thirty 70 sixty days
/ Our visitors viii have to be divided
| into two classes. the undesirable and
/ the desirable: and each OF them VIII
| tax our resources. Eastern Washing
ton papers announce the arrival on
| their way here OF small army OF
tramps. We dare not ignore this men
ace The climate Is comparatively mild,
| and the tramp can put up with any
| thing but cold No ordinary means viii
suffice to deal with this threatened
evil, and the city council must help the
police 20 grapple with IL. We must rid
ourselves OF this pest. even II an ordi-
nance has To be passed making mendi-
cancy a misdemeanor punishable with
a cold bath every morning. II we can
not drive them ont we can at least In
sfst that they shall be clean. The sim
plest way TO accomplish both objects is
TO invite the aid of the fire department
and let the matutinal wash take place
with a hose
Even the desirable visitors must be
provided for, and II will not do TO leave
their entertainment TO chance, or the
city will suffer most seriously. No mat
ter how many thousands we might pro-
vide for. IL mere handful had
| reason TO complain of accommodations,
the news would be spread abroad.
We have not yet begun to realize what
Ii is We have to face. We have talked
in vague way about so. 600 people pass
ing through the city within sixty days.
They will not all pass through. Many
OF them will stay: probably a sufficient
number to occupy all the vacant houses.
Assuming that one hotel can accom-
| modate Goo night. and that a visitor
only stays five days. that would be an
| accommodation for 1900 persons. There
are not more than four hotels capable
of accommodating that number, but
even II there are the great rush will
be before each outgoing steamer At
best this is only providing for $4,000.
Smaller hotels can take care of as
many more. Still that is only $4,000.
and it is assumed that visitors will
conveniently arrange themselves equal
ly over the days
But suppose that we have been alto
gether too modest in our estimates and
the number should be 100 o00 The gov
| ernor OF North Dakota estimates that
ooo.ooo people viii go north next spring.
1t Is very moderate estimate that one
fifth will go from here. We know that
| the railroad companies are prenaring
to transport 100000: and our only COM
petitors are San Francisco and Van
couver. the termini respectively Of the
Southern Pacific and the Canadian Pa
| c'hc. while we have two railroads ter
| minating here.
When a convention is talked of as
likely to meet in this city with an ex-
pected gathering OF 1000 or 5000, a can
vass is made so that the visitors may
| have the assurance OF being provided
| for This should be done now.
| Seattle can accommodate $4,000 peo-
pie with very little planning. Charles
| Z. Crane proposed to the Chamber Of
| Commerce that hotels and lodging
| houses and private houses should fur
| nish the chamber with a list of the
| number they can accommodate. SO that
/ II the rush Ct visitors should be con-
! fined 10 short period and the normal
resources Of the city be taxed. visitors
| might lie entertained. Many private
! houses would no doubt be glad OF the
| opportunity tn make q little money for
! month or so at small Inconvenience.
Ii any hotel finds its business falling off
| through this arrangement and makes
| the fact known 1t will be time to can
! Gel the list The Chamber Of Commerce
| did not consider this a part OF It's bust
| ness. Nevertheless, It must be done.
| The city council might do IL through
the labor bureau. bu, the probability is
that a special arrangement viii have
| to be made.
Few ~ rs have ever stopped 10 con-
slider the magnitude of the business
| that The nation Is pyophesying for us.
II ioo. o3a people oG,at in Seattle. spend-
ms altogether for accommodations ami
outfit $500 each which Is a very low
estimate. IL means n total Of sso0on 70
oea. E}ut saprose it is only s0.Alo. tina,
will he $,5.ooo o0o. We DO no, want -
send more e it away than we can helm.
through our own Observation-Disclosures In
making arrangements,
The amount Of money 80 be sren.. = -
eordIng 10 these estimates. IN Seattle
alone. Il reported as being In Alaska
woal4 set TIE world on fire.