The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1897-05-11

The recently developed disposition OF
the merch ants OF Portland TO go after a
share 90 the Alaska business. which found
an expression in a big meeting held AT the
Commercial Club IN the wehfoot town
last Friday. is undoubtedly justified from
the Portland standpoint, but IL Is unlikely
that any share OF the business that
logically comes 10 Seattle will De divid-
cd no matter what action is taken by
the Portland Commercial Club.
This fact was emphasized yesterday by
tho arrival in this city from Chicago of
Mr.. c. III. Hamilton. secretary and as
sistant manager OF the North American
Trading s. Transportation Company, who
Immediately proceeded To install his Of
fee in the front part of the city Offices OF
the Oregon Railway Navigation Com
pany and the Union Pacific in Pioneer
place. Mr.. Hamilton az once rolled up
his sleeves and announced that he is GO
ing to capture his share of the Alaska
business for his company. This an
nouncement will be particularly interest
ing TO the Portland Commercial Club. as
IL IS accompanied ~ the further state
ment that the steamship Portland has
been chartered and June 10 she will sail
Tor the North. The cargo space has al
ready been engaged. and Mr.. Hamilton
says that he has been trying to figure out
more passenger accommodations. At
present there are rooms for fifty-four sa-
loon passengers and 10 steerage passen-
gers.
What will make the statement Interest,"
ing to Portland people is that the steam
er that is named after their city is the
old Haytian Republic that was so init
mateiy connected with the Portland SNUG
Cling ring. and which lay in the Will
lamette river for months. with the grass
and crawfish accommodating on her bot
tom. until she was sold by the United
States marshal.
Before the Portland goes North, the
Fred f. Sander will sail with a full
cargo. part of which viii be material
that VIII enter into the construction of
the new river boat which Robert Moran
OF this city is building for the North
American Trading Transportation Com
pany. The Sander sails May %. but before
getting away she will go to the Quarter
master harbor dry dock.
The Portland has been thoroughly over
hauled and remodeled as far as her ac-
commodations and upper works are con-
eerned. and has had new engines and
boilers put In. She will connect at ST.
Michaels with the river fleet of the char
tering company.
The remaining material for the new
Yukon boat win go up in the Portland
This new boat. according 10 Mr.. Hamii-
ton. will be first class passenger boat
with accommodations for 100 saloon and
800 second class passengers. She will be
lighted by electricity and heated by steam,
having all other modern conveniences
The fare from Seattle to Circle City Fort
Cudahy or Klondike will be $50. which
will include meals and berths.
All of the transcontinental roads enter
ing Seattle are selling the tickets of the
North American Trading & Transporta-
ton Company at their offices along the
lines. and through billing on freight is
made.
Heterogeneous report of the meeting at
the Commercial Club last Friday says that
f. A. Spencer stated that he was a resi-
dent of Seattle In 1894, at which time the
steamer connections with Alaska were
every two weeks but, when there last
week. steamers were sailing every five
days. besides tramp steamers and various
sailing vessels The day before leaving
the city one steamer sailed. and several
retail establishments in the city had post
ed notices that they could not fill any
more steamer orders. as they were ex-
hausted. Wholesale houses were compelled
10 do a retail business TO supply the de-
mands and the steamer was taxed to its
utmost. This. he was informed. was 10
unusual occurrence. Seattle's conn
merce was thriving. and Mr.. Spencer said
Alaska was the shipping point for the
bulk OF it, An earnest plea was then
made for Portland 10 regain the business
that she had once possessed. and TO take
a fair share Of the trade that should come
TO that port
Mr. H. Wittenberz made vigorous
talk for aggressive work by Portland mer-
chants to secure share In the northern
f.s 4s~of .yfrtf
TO the Sound he had found the export
trade fiourishing. Seattle had absorbed
the commerce OF the entire territory 10
the north and. as the Yukon region was
opening up an immense demand was
growing rapidly. Rates from Seattle 10
Alaska were sE and SIS for first class
passengers. and are now $40 while
freight rates had doubled. and yet the
carrying capacity OF the vessels was con-
tinualiy burdened He attributed this adj
vantage Seattle had gained over Port
land simply TO united action there. and
non-acfion here. Merchants there or
gsnized and were aggressive. while those
here remained inert Efforts had been
made before TO have the Oregon Railway
& Navigation Company or the Pacific
Coast Steamship Company put on boats
between Alaska and Portland, which had
resulted in nothing The speaker said
he had heard II minated that a COM
pact existed between the oregon Railway
& Navigation Company and the Pacific
Coast Steamship Company that the form
er would not attempt 10 run boats 10
Alaska and the latter. having a monopoly
OF the trade from Seattle. was Indifferent
as 20 whether any OF IL came through
this port.
Mr. Spadone remarked that he had
been a member OF a committee that con-
ferred with the navigation people. and
the final conclusion was reached that,
owing 20 the necessity OF coaling on the
Sound. there was an Increased cost OF
running ships 20 this port. which was es-
timated AZ from 8, 80 10 $3.50 per month
II this would ne covered In the form OF
subsidy By Portland merchants. the COM
panv was willing 70 put on line 10 Port
land
'sArr. wiftenberg stated that coal was
obtained at Nanaimo or Tacoma, and the
Increased cost OF operating line 10 Port
land could NOT 20 80 much as mentioned.
The matter was referred 10 the transpor-
tation committee for investigation.
Al present the North American Trans
porfstion 4 Trading Company are run
ming two steamers on the Yukon. the
portus r weare and the John j. Healy.
which will continue ia operation "a long
as the river remains open. The new
steamer win greatly iraprove the service
between s.. Michaels and the head o. nav