The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1897-10-13

There are other lines which are not
shown In this schedule, namely. lumber
and shingles, vast quantity Of both OF
these articles being shipped by rail and
water.
seattle's Banking Concerns.
Seattle has six national banks. with q
capital stock aggregsting $4,000 II has
in addition two savings banks, the large
private banking house of Dexter Horton
& Co.. and the Observation-Disclosures
bank.
The capital invested In the National
banks OF the city IS as follows: Puget
Sound National. SOS 600: First National.
$4,000; National Bank OF Commerce. $780,
600; Washington National. 10000; Boston
National $4,000; Seattle National. s250.00
The paid-up capital stock Of the Seattle
Savings bank is $4,000. and that of the
Peoples Savings bank. s60.o0o. Dexter
Horton & Cos bank has a paid-up capt.
tai stock OF $4,000. and the Scandinavian
American bank paiG-up capital Of $751;.
CO.
The banks all report greater activity
during the present year than has been
known since 1898 and the outlook for 1885
Is exceedingly promising. These banks
ars accustomed TO the Alaska business
and their advice can be depended upon by
customers.
The Retail Trade.
In the matter OF retail establishments.
In every line. Il can be truthfully said that
Seattle stores are larger and carry heavier
stocks than are usually found In a city
Of the population of Seattle. In fact. take
any branch Of business IN the city, and
stocks OF goods will be found as large as
would be carried IN cities OF from 80, 900
TO 80. 600 population IN the eastern states.
There are good and sufficient reasons for
these large stocks. The hrst end principal
one Is that the retail trade Of the city Of
Seattle Is not confined. by any means.
solely TO the residents Of this city. but
fully one-half Of IL comes from adjoining
towns and Alaska. The second reason IS
that. being so far from the eastern mar
kets, merchants here necessarily have 10
carry a larger stock than an eastern re-
taller would. who Is but few hours dis
tant from the manufacturing centers.
A point that win particularly strike
strangers visiting the city. aside from the
size OF the establishments in each line
viii be the fittings AM general appearance
Of the retail stores OF this city. There IS
no doubt about Seattle having as fine re-
tail stores as viii be found in any part OF
the United States. The store rooms. IN
themselves are almost Invariably COM
modlous. wen lighted and fitted up with
all the latest modern convenicnces for the
transaction Of business Seattle retailers
the times. They are liberal advertisers.
and advertisers the world over are rec0g-
nized as progressive. pushing Business
men. In their business methods the mer-
chants Of this city have. almost without
exception. adopted those methods which
have been found the recet satisfactory IN
the eastern cities. Retailing here fl nee
essarily done on 3 broader scale than IA
the east The ma torlty Of the stores do
practically a cash business. those which
give credit employing a system OF sc-
counts which makes the same practically
equivalent 10 a cash basis.
Large Tributary Country.
Seattle has within its limits a population
OF s. no people; n Is really tho retaH place
FOR more than double that population.
The situa ton Of the city r. vuch that
transportation charges 20 II from the al
Joining towns and surrounding country
are practically nothing In comparison with
the distances which out Of town people
NAV come At the cost Of only a dollar or
so Tire hundreds ~ small steamers ply
ing 70 all parts of Puget sound bring pas
sengers from distances up 20 IS miles and
more. and Il Is seldom that tire fare ex~
reeds 81 FOR such a trip This brings
irto the city larger proportion " outside
trade than would Be secured in the or
IN a city OF 100 90 population A. a result os
the low fares and quick methods - trans
pCrtatlon. an unusually iarEe proportion
Of the outside trade comes direct 20 thls
city. The merchants. approaching this
fact. use every endeavor 20 handle this
business in ? manner thoroughly satlsf8c-
tory 70 their out-cf-town patrons
IL - hardly necessary TO say that ths
personnel OF the merchants or Seattle g.
OF 2 high character. Business 81 carried
Oh here between the merchants upon an
unusually liberal basis Competition
while az al times energetic. f. almost
without exception or a friendly basis and
the merchants are ever ready % protect
one another from irnposltlons and 20 at
ell times work in harmony. not only FOR
their Individual Interests but for the good
OF the city a. large.
- IL. -rE--