The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1897-11-16
SEATTLE AND THE GREAT NORTH


SEATTLE AND THE GREAT NORTH-
ERN.
IL seemed like hazardous undertake
ing when James J. Hill announced that
he was going to build railroad to the
Pacific coast. II Is not altogether cor
rect to say that he announced 1t - an.
nouncements are usually made. be-
cause he generally has his work well
under way before he tells anybody ne
is going to do II. Even In Seattle.
which was to be 50 much interested in
the result, few people knew there was
a transcontinental railroad heading
this way. When 1t was determined TO
make the last span between the biank
end OF the tracks and tide water, no
provision seemed to have been maae
In the city OF Seattle for terminus.
In one nights session OF the city coun-
Gil a franchise was secured which gave
room for four tracks. and before the
ink was dry on the mayors signature,
the tracks were being laid.
Although President Hill attends to
every detail of his business, he Is
small In nothing. He wants every
thing on a large scale. Had he asked
the council In a modest way for room
on Railrosd avenue TO lay one track
he probably would have been unsuc-
cessful; sbut when, he asked for about
three-quarters OF II at one swoop. an
awed and dased community gave II up
without q word. President Hill aud
his legal representatives here are very
modest about their accomplishments,
but nothing they have achieved was
greater in its way than this
II was not surprising that people
looked with misgiving upon the
venture. The Union Pacific was in
trouble, the Northern Pacific had piled
up an enormous debt and its value as q
security was low In the markets. The
Central Pacific was supposed to be lit
tie more than streak Of rust across
the continent, and that II 1t had ever
possessed value az railroad. indie
pendent of It's value as land subsidy
getter, 1t had long been transferred to
the Southern Pacific. The transconti-
mental roads were regarded as tinan-
cial failures, notwithstanding the large
amounts of money obtained from the
government to aid them. How Mr..
Hill expected. to meet all that competi-
ton with no aid but his own capital
was beyond the calculation OF most peo-
pie.
Two years ago 1t would have been re-
garded as preposterous to say that be-
fore long Seattle would be one OF the
principal cotton exporting places In
the country. The idea Of having a
Japanese steamship line trading from
this port was regarded as a dream.
The arrival of the first vessel was
made the occasion for great rejoicing,
and the whole town turned out to well
come IL. Now the steamers come so
rapidly that they have become a mat
ter OF course; but slowly and surely
they are increasing their traffic. and
one now rarely leaves the dock with
all the freight intended for it on board
More frequently and with larger
steamers the trip Is made II Is only
a few months ago that President Hill
| made a statement which created quite
sensation. he told what vast mar
het WAS open in the Orient for Ameri-
can flour, and how IL Gould be export
| cd from Seattle. But while he was
talking wheat he was working cotton
and probably the most surprised PEG.
/ pie 81 the news made public today will
| he the railroad men who have hitherto
| handled The eottoa crop and expected
1t this year rs q matter Of course.
The reason why Seattle is bound te
become great commercial point-it
no other reason existed lis because Il
Is The terminus of the Great Northern
| Mr.. Hill has railroad tracks aud depot.
4! and cars and employees: he believes in
keeping them all occupied: IL he hsf
his way bis road would he one con,
tinuous train. That Is how he make:
| his railroads pay; and that Is why thi,
| viii become a busy port.