The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1898-02-09
Great Northern's Gen. Supt. Ar
rives in the City.
WHAT HILL WILL NOT DO,
Has No Intention of Coming Into Sc
attic Over the Tracks Of the Seat
tie d International, M Great
Northern Is Getting Relief by Hy-
Not Likely to Build Elevators.

Sunday night from S.. Paul, on one OF ais
regular tours of inspection Of the COM
panys property. Mr.. Harding is very
much under the weather. suffering from
4 severe cold, and spent the greater part
of Monday in his comfortable private car.
which was sidetracked in the yards be-
tween Columbia and Marion streets. He
was accompanied by ". C. Watrous. of
the general superintendent office. 81.
Paul, whose official duties are in relation
TO the assignment of rolling stock. Mr..
Watrous was making his first visit TO the
Sound and pursued his observations dur
ing his stay in Seattle through the
opaque sheets of raia.stLat blew gustily
against the car windows.
Mr.. Harding, in answer TO a question
Put TO him by a POsl-Inteligencer re-
porter, stated that there was no intention
on the part of the GreatyNershern TO en-
ter Seattle over the tracks of the Seattle
& International. as was sent out from ST.
Paul at the time Of the Northern Pacific
purchase of the Seattle & international
bonds. The story undoubtedly arose lover
of the Seattle & international. which led
10 speculation as TO i possible joint oc-
cupancy Of the Seattle & International by
the Northern Pacific ard Great Northern.
Mr.. Harding stated that the trouble ex-
perienced by the Great Northern has not
been on its coast line so much as in the
mountains and that the Seattle & Inter-
national offered no advantages over the
company's own line from Snohomish The
rise in water and the melting snow and
rains had furnished the mountain slides
that had interfered with traffic which
cause, Mr.. Harding says, has been happily
removed by hydraulic work al Sultan and
Index, the points hitherto most affected.
The High Water Liar.
The trouble OF high water is the same
that railroad companies building across
the Red river valley have experienced and
Mr.. Harding describes it in this way:
When a railroad is bfildng the engineers
locating the route are obliged to go very
largely upon the statements of the in
habitants of the region through which the
road Will pass and the records for high
water which the years have established.
For instance: In the Red river valley our
engineers located the line several feet
above the high water mark and Went
largely upon the stories of the oldest in
habitant.s who had been lying about high
water for years. Well, along came a flood
and the tracks were covered. The old
liars who had told of the floods of ISL.
1875. 1882. 1855 and 1890 sat back in amaze
ment and had TO give way TO a new crop
OF liars who worked on stories of the last
flood Then another spring came. with
Figh water, that covered the tracks three
n
planted by a crowd Of younger and
brighter faoricators. who are still work
ing on the theme. 1t Is that way on the
Snohomsh and Skykomish rivers and the
trouble lies in not having located the road
fifty feet above the most fantastic high
water lire marked by the most expert and
imaginative old liars in the Snohomish and
Skykomish valleys.
'One Of the reasons for an annual in
crease in the amount of water that seeks
the lower levels by the river channels Is
the cutting OF timber. which IS great
absorbent Of water. There is annually a
greater rainfall In the mountains and he
tween them and the sea. The reports OF
the Seattle branch OF the United States
weather service shows this 10 be true
November was record-hreaking month
and February promises 10 be- and Mr.
Harding looked out at the driving storm.
THE greatest rainfall is that of the pres
ent winter In the mountains there has not
passed a single period Of twenty-folr
hours in three months whom II has not
rained and this rainfall and the melting
SHOWS Of the upper levels are what choke
Up the rivers"
Hfirs Future Intentions.
MT Harding then satisfied himself by
saying that the trouble has been largely
done away with by the hydraulic process
of washing down hin or two. thus pre-
venting n recurrence of the water coming
down upon the road from some nameess
lake up in the mountains above Index.
lie was then asked concerning Presi-
dent Hili's intentions regarding the vau-
able water frontage OF the road ard
whether Il WAS part Of them to build
wharves and warehouses and II such con-
struction would be ample enough TO &C.
commodate a general traffic. Mr.. Hard
ing replied thar he had not discussed such
"A proposition with Mr. Hiu While the
Great Northern might eventually build
for its own accommodation and that
~ its trans-Paeific steamship con-
nections Il was doubtful il il
would compete with private enter
prise for general business. lie vas not
sure that Mr. Hin knew OF the present
great demand Tor Wharfage facilities. but
should he appreciate the necessities Il
the com petition referred TO. He repeated
that ne had never discussed such 4 con-
tiuEsDcy with Mr. Hill II il his idea
however that reliable corporations or In
dividuNlS. who would agree 90 ccustrBct
wharves and warehouses can easily obtain
the frontage from the Great Northern
Mr.. Harding believes that local COM
ranics ehop'A oa organized 10 erect ele-
Nators in Sea-tie TO take care % the
WASHINGTON product that is tributary 30
this ci.y. and which j. now sent elsewhere
for Jack 81 accommodation. II vas suE-
gested u Ny HaEdirE that ;he Gres,
Northern l;s.lf haa erected elevators 81 It's /
owI. notably in guTalo whore possibly
the Hnoss complete elevator in the world
+ conspicuous feature in The c0mpany's
property NJ Harding admitted such -
DE the case. hBf said that Il was done in
order u n1aiata.1 SIS position IN competi-
ton Should ire Great Northern build
wha~ves and warehouses in Seattle for
general accommodation & could only 70
suit IN antsEonizng local Interests and e.
would 0e said tEat fhey, were built in or
der 20 divert everything 70 the Great