The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1897-11-23
THE PASSING THRONG.

gold mines Of the NORTH
1t was Mr.. B. T. Dyer. the travelling
representative of q number Of Eastern
wholesale houses. who spoke as aboss
quoted. Mr.. Dyer came West for the one
purpose OF getting acquainted with trade
conditions on the Pacific coast, and in
the Northwest IN particular. His especial
line is in Alaska Quitting and he was
amazed TO learn OF the splendid way in
which this branch Of trade is handled by
tho Seattle merchants.
Mr.. Dyer spent two days In investigating
prices and stocks carried by Seattle mer-
chants. He learned that prices were low
e. here than In any other city where Alas
ka outfits can be purchased, and that the
merchants OF this city are more thorough
" In touch with the trade and understand
the needs OF the Alaska miners better
than those Of any city In the West.
Before left the East" said Mr.. Dyer.
II was requested by . number Of people
In Grand Rapids and other places In Michi-
gan to ascertain for them where clothing.
groceries and miners supplies could be
purchased to the best advantage. After
looking the ground over. I have come to
the conclusion that Seattle Is the legiti-
mate center for this business and that 1t
is mere foolishness for people to talk of
buying their clothing and supplies in the
East. have so informed my Eastern
correspondents.
"a party Of twenty prominent residents
or Grand Rapids. including one or two
members OF the city administration, are
organizing q party to go to the Klondike
as early In the spring as possible. They
have had a steamer built In Grand Rapids,
designing to ship It to Seattle in sections,
to send 1t from here to the mouth OF the
Yukon and put It together there for the
trip 70 the gold fields. They could have
saved money had they waited till they got
to Seattle to build their boat. I have
written them advising them to dispose Of
their steamer on as good terms as possi-
BILE and to order one built in Seattle. They
will save money II they follow my advice.
to say nothing OF the cost OF freighting
their craft across the continent.
I'm the staple articles required by the
gold hunter bound for the north. Seattle
merchants easily lead those OF any city
IN the country. Take Alaska shoes. for
instance. found that I had never seen
a shoe fit for use in that country until
came to Seattle. The merchants of East
ern cities, who expect to sell many of the
prospective klondikers their supplies OF
clothing, know nothing about the articles
required for an outfit. The same Is true
OF caps, mackinaws and mittens. It is
the same way In the hardware line. There
are no suitable stocks In the East from
which an Alaska gold hunter could pick
his outfit.
''No one in the section Of the country
from which / come thinks Of going to San
Francisco or Portland to take an Alaska
steamer. They look on San Francisco as
near the tropics. and who would so to
the tropics to begin Journey to the Arc
| tic circle? The suggestion is preposterous.
st will say frankly that Seattle Is by far
he has, L. ~s& he De,
cific coast. Hundreds and thousands of
men living in the thickly settled portions
| of the East and Middle West are prepar-
| ing to go to the Klondike. They are eager
! to learn everything possible concerning
| Alaska and Seattle. and every item of
news that appears In the Eastern papers
| dated from Seattle Is greediiy read.
"The party of twenty that spoke Of as
| preparing to leave Grand Rapids is not
! the only one In that city that is being
| organized for Alaska. There are several
| others. smaller In numbers. look for a
| large movement in immigration westward
| from that section OF the country during
/ the next year"
Mr.. Dyer is the guest Of e. B. Burwell
! at his residence on Seventh avenue. Al
| though young man, Mr.. Dyer is an up.
to-dats business man. His purpose In VISIT
| ing Seattle was to study the demands and
| conditions OF the Alaska trade from the
| point OF view Of a business man. and his
/ Judgment may be regarded accordingly.
| George 7. Myers. OF the firm OF George r.
| Myers & Co., canned salmon packers OF
| this city. was seen at his office In the can.
| merry yesterday and remarked that his
firm had made an ordinary pack this year
THE sockeye rum" said Mr.. Myers
| was the largest ever known In the history
| OF canning and packing salmon, not only
on Puget sound, but on Fraser river. Had
the canneries been supplied with help the
| pack no doubt would have been double
! what II was. think the pack Of sockeye,
| on Puget sound will amount to about 325,
| 900 cases. I attribute this immense run tc
artificial propagation by the Canadian gov.
| eminent, which has for the last four years
| given a great deal OF attention TO the estab.
fishing of hatcneries for artificial propaga.
| ton OF salmon on Fraser river. This was
the year that those In charge OF the hatch.
| cries expected results from the first plant.
| ing OF spawn four years ago. Their work
was an astounding success, and they look
| for future years to be a repetition. Can.
/ ada's American cousins received also a
| great benefit from this work, as all tbs
| sockeyes that were used by the Puget
sound Gamers We're caught before they
came to the boundary line. The state fist
commissioner by the collection OF licenses
| from fishermen and Gamers has now quite
fund that should be used altogether fol
| establishing Ash hatcheries. The sockeyes
| are seldom found further up the Sound
| than Fraser river. Two years ago Mr.
| Crawford late fish commissioner, put IN a
hatchery on the Skagit. A great many
| spawn have been turned out and repeti.
ton may be expected there two years
hence. as scientists say the young fry re.
turn the forth year.
Gall - Inn Aa nd
this year has not been nearly as large a.
last year
Hon. Charles r. CIapp. OF Port Towns
end, returned yesterday from a business
| trip to San Francisco Mr.. Ciapp says
that the merchants Of the city by tbs
Golden Gate admit on the quiet that Sc
| aAtle's position with reference TO the
I Alaska trade Is such as TO place the bust.
( ness practically In the hands OF the mer.
| chants of this city. Mr.. Ciapp told thu
! business men Of San Francisco some
pointed truths IN interviews secured witt
him by the local papers. He told them
that instead OF chertsh,ng a hostile spirit
: towards Seattle, the San Francisco mer
chants would fare better IN the end Il
they would adopt a policy OF Cancellation
and goodwin: that Seattle's railroad IA
4 ctlities with three ranscontinensai iinet
entering the city. and with the Aiaska
{ steamer lines having their hesdquarters
here. put her merchants in q position not
10 be dictated 10 by the commercial inter
/ ests OF any city IN the country.
ST believe that many Of the larges
] houses In San rrancfsco are willing enough
! 20 recognize Ssattie's supremacy IN IN.
| Alaska trade" ne said, "and If they could
+ would show openly the friendly spirit the,
feel, believing that they would profit NOR.