The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1898-08-13
Boston & Alaska Transportation
Go. to Run It.
WILL PUT ON TWO STEAMERS.
Laurada and south Portland to He
10 Hawaii--Rnough Business Con-
traeted For Already to Furnish
tie II Preferred to San Francisco.

Seattle is gu. for the Hawaiian trade
All Pacific coast rivals, including San
Francisco, may as wen make note Of this
fact and set it down in their little books.
Three separate transportation companies
are already organized in this city. 70 begin
operations within the next thirty days di-
rect between Seattle and Honolulu
Two Of these have already been an
nounced In the Post-Inteligencer. The
Clipper line will start with the schooner
Hera. and viii feel IT'S way carefully to-
ward putting on first larger sailing vessels
and at length steamers IL the trade should
justify. The Seattle-Honolulu Steamship
Company has already put on the steam
ship City Of Columbia, which Is announced
TO sail on August Is, and which will give
a twenty-five-day service. As stated al
ready. this company contemplates putting
ON sister ship TO the City Of Columbia.
affording twelve-day service.
--latest to announce Itself. though not by
any means last in the field. is the Boston
and Alaska Transportation Company,
which viii put on two steamers, the Lau-
rada and the South Portland, as soon as
they return from their present Northern
run, which the company confidently ex-
poets Will be within two weeks. The third
steamer of the company. the Brixham. will
be continued on the run to st. Michael
during the summer or open season, and to
Dyea and Skagway during the winter
months. A. E. Cronenwett, general traffic
manager of the Boston and Alaska Trans
portation Company, yesterday made the
following statement as to the company's
plans:
The idea Of putting on a line Of steamers
from Seattle 10 Honolulu is not new one
with US by any means. We first took 1t
UP when the northbound traffic with Alas
ka began TO decline, with the conviction
tina. We might be able to use our steamers
or at least some Of them, to better advan-
tage on some other run.
Better Than San Francisco.
Our firH impulse was to make the run
from San Francisco to Honolulu, and We
made investigations with that plan In view,
both at San Francisco and at Honolulu.
We already have a representative at Homo
lulu. who has communicated to us freely
the result of his observations in the Ha-
Uaiian islands.
Meanwhile, as a result Of our investiga-
tons. We became convinced that Seattle,
and not San Francisco. is the true point
of departure for the Hawaiian islands. To
begin with. the difference in distance 10
onay little more than 800 miles in favor
of San Francisco. This distance is COM
pletely obliterated by the higher price of
coal In San Francisco. SO that in starting
from Seattle We shall be able to offer lower
freight rates than We could if We should
start from San Francisco
w hat are our prospects? Well they
a hot 4 oh
iactS sometimes speak a good deal louder
than rhetoric and generalities and specu-
Iations as TO what might be Now we
nave already contract for al the cargo
We can handle from Seattle for the NEXT
SIX months. We could as easily have made
II year, but We ourselves preferred to
draw the line at six months. Our Honolulu
representative assures as of a. return
cargo. On the Hera, the first vessel OF
the Clipper line, We expect TO send two
more men 10 Honolulu. or rather one to
Hilo and one to Honolulu
our board of directors has discussed tho
new plans very thoroughly and win ente,
upon them with the greatest degree Of
confidence"
From this statement several things ,r
clear. Seattle Is to make strong effort
10 secure a large share Of direct trade
with Honolulu by the simultaneous In.
auguration OF three separate lines OF trad.
ing vessels. At least one of these COM
panies has thoroughly investigated the
comparative merits of Seattle and San
Francisco as point OF arrival and deparr
ure, and after careful consideration it's
board Of directors has voted in favor Of
Seattle, for commercial reasons that an
pear TO ii entirely satisfactory.
Monopoly Is Broken.
For long time San Francisco has had
things pretty much her own way as IA,
as sales and shipments to and from the
Hawaiian islands were concerned. MANY
OF the smaller dealers and planters at
Honolulu and elsewhere in the islands.
whether justifiah'y or not feel that San
Francisco has taken advantage Of this
order OF things to create a monopoly in
both markets and shipping rates These
men VIII hail the prospect of a change
10 some other Pacific coast port with su-
preme satisfaction. They have for years
been fighting to no avail against the
prices OF san Francisco dealers and the
rates of the Pacidc Mail Steamship Com
pany, until they have grown tired OF kick
ing. With the installation OF the new
lires from Seattle there will be a new
c~@~r OF things. on many commodities
here can be no question but that the Ha-
waiians can secure better prices by deal
Ing directly with Seattle. This applies.
for instance. TO wheat and -four and feed
stuffs. great deal Of this class OF
freight At present has TO pay local rates
from here 10 san Francisco before enter
ing upon its ocean voyage. Then there
is the matter OF the cost Of fuel, which
has already been mentioned
That the merchants OF Seattle are heart
lily IN sympathy with the new and ac-
gresSive movement 10 capture share Of
Hawaiian commerce viii appear from a
few brief interviews which the Post-Tn,
jeliigenCsr prints this morning with men
who stand high il their several lines Of
trade.
Something o; the magnitude of the COM
nerce with Hawaii may 10 gathered from
the following summary - vessels which
entered and cleared at Honolulu during
the year ending June %. 1895:
Pas
Sailing. Steam Az.
Vessels cleared .......l~- Il a
Vessels cleared ......i&1 = 20
Passengers arrived ..Ss fG-9
Passengers departeG.-g-l 81
II is believed by representative men
f~f.stp hre.r "a -