The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1898-05-18
WORKING FOR THE EXHIBIT.
URGENT EFFORT 10 HAVE SEAT
TILE REPRESENTED AT OMAHA.


The meeting OF citizens called for the
purpose OF deciding upon final arrange
ments for the Seattle portion OF the Wash
ington exhibit at the coming Omaha expo
sition was called to order In the city coun-
OF the Chamber Of Commerce, at $50
O'Clock last evening. Despite the publ
city given to the calling OF the meeting
and the desire Of the Chamber of Com
merce to have Ii wei attended. not many
persons were present, and only . few OF
them represented the larger business in
terests Of the city. 1t was decided by vote
to secure the cooperation Of the business
men OF the city in the effort to have Sc
at'ie properly represented with her sister
cities Of the state a, the Omaha congress
President Graves called the meeting to
order at $50 He said:
1T is useless to go over the ground of
the necessity Of this exhibit. for that was
fully exploited at the last meeting. My
position IA the Chamber Of Commerce has
been that We ought to give the people of
Seattle an opportunity to say whether or
not they wished to be represented. and in
asmuch as the chamber is focus around
which all the business interests OF the
city center, IL Sc ems to me that that body
should take the matter up. You can see
for yourselves the result of our iabors
in the attendance at this meeting. Now.
ed i feel that it lis not within our province
TO compel them to be, and We might as
We'll let the whole matter drop. OF course.
/ understand that IL is largely a matter
of money. IL the project is to be carried
through it will be necessary to raise a
good bit with which to meet the expenses.
Ii now seems doubtful IL we can do this
certainly the present prospects ars not
very cheering"
Mr.. Brookes, of the Chamber OF Com
merce finance committee. said:
IT for my part cannot conceal the fact
that 1 am greatly disappointed by the
manner in which the people have failed
to take hold Of a matter which so closely
concerns their best interests. The other
gentlemen of the COMMITTEES and / have
worked hard TO arouse some show OF in
terest hut / fear we have almost failed.
1t may be that the project to have Seattle
bear her part in the state exhibit will yet
be carried out, but it looks ! am sorry to
say, as though 1t would not. 1t looks, Mr..
Chairman. as though the citizens OF Seat
tle-progressive Seattle-were going to
back down. 1 still hope they will not. The
matter has been well advertised In the pa
pers, as well. think, as any public move
ment that has ever been set afoot In the
community. and / think with the chair
man that 1t is useless to try to force 1t
upon the people IL they have decided that
they Will not be represented"
II would ask Mr. Brookes, said Mr..
Graves, s'if he has gotten any satisfactory
information from the railroad people as
to the rates they are willing to make for
the transportation of lumber"
Mr. Brookes replied: 81 have called up
on the Great Northern and the Northern
Pacific people They agreed to take the
matter up with the officials ct ST. Paul
and give US rates by tonight. bat as they
have failed TO do so. imagine nothing has
been done.
Mr. Moore. of the Chamber OF Com
merce transportation committee: Il have
been at the railroad people for ten days
irving to get from them ar expression as
10 whether they would carry free to Omaha.
hut they have put ,ne Off and L have been
unable 10 get any satisfaction. They in
,imated their willingness to carry one way.
hut said that as the exhibit material would
not be returned they could not make spe-
cfal rates. / told them they were propes-
ing a dead cinch' game. and that they
had already done more to Kill enthusiasm
in the movement than everything else COM
hired inasrnuch as they are the first 10
reap the benefits of such an undertaking"
Mr.. George W. Stetson, of the Stetson
Mil Company: 81 have received several
letters from manufacturers throughout the
state. and they are not willing to take the
matter up until they are guaranteed trans
uortation. II looks to me very much as
though we would have TO go down into our
rockets I myself am willing TO pay Tor
three cars rather than see the undertaking
drop through for I am convinced that
ana s,ete exhibit such as Washington
could put up would prove the biggest
boom for this and all other sections of the
state that could be set afoot-"
Mr. Ward OF the finance committee. SAID:
az believe that II the present finance COM
mi,tee were reinforced by several more live
business men and they were 70 devote two
and one-haif or three hours each day to
visiting commercial and mercantile men,
they could succeed In arousing a Sufficient
interest to enable the project TO be carried
through I.umheunen throughout the state
have agreed to go in If transportation Is
procured and We also have warm assur-
auces of cooperation from fishery and
mining men everywhere. If they do ex-
hibit. they will do SO in princeiy style, and
they may be looked 10 for subscription or
funds. I understand that Spokane has
pledged s5eo or $4,000 II necessary. to Sc
cure her part tn the exhibition. Now, IL
this IL SO. and ! have yet TO hear Ii con-
,radicted. then surely Seattle can do as
much. she has already caused plans 10 be
made and has even sent an architect to
Omaha 70 choose site for the building.
and that is going too far 10 allow any
such thing as backing down al this stage
OF the proceedings l feel sure that IL the
matter is properly submitted TO the railroad
people they will come promptly 10 the front
with transportation"
After some further remarks, Mr.. Robin
son moved that six representative business
men OF the city be added 10 the finance
committee 10 compose committee which
should take up the matter and see finally
what could be done. The motion was sec
ended by MIR. Ward.
Mr.. Moore moved 10 amend by adding ten
instead Of six 10 the committee. Mr..
Rrookess seconded. The motion was car
r.ei