The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1898-04-28

pec4e4- IN fhe repces a cemnnftfee ap-
pointed b. . ra1xS-messzns ~ the ciss3ens
OF juneau On The ig1h dAy OF February
last to prepare statistics ard other data
showing the advantages os thAt city tor
Tia location of Un.sed States assay Of
Zee Il = said that conservative estimate
or the present bullion output % Juneau Is
/ $saaaae this being produced from 50
sfAnpe.
Contracts hare been let and assurances
received thar within twelve months the
utary TO Juneau viii exceed i.i0. which
VII make Jansau's bullion ouspa; excsed
the sum Of s. 3d. go per annum-
TIE committee further state that they
are c~edih.y informed that there Ii now
on hand In Dawson g. 80 ooo in gold. TO
which win be added by this springs clean
up another s. snco GO.
The gold fields OF Alaska are mach
greater IN extent and Doubtless quite as
rich AZ those cf the Northwest British Ter
rstory. and a constantly increased pro-
ductson can reasonably be expected. all
or most Of which will ultimately come 10
the United States by way OF Seattle,
Portland. San Francisco and ether cities
On our Western coast
The purpose OF an Away ONCE as con-
tsmp.ated by law Is.
The receipt OF gold end silver bullion
for melting and assaysrg. to be returned
10 depoeitors OF the same IN bars with the
weight and fsneness stamped thereon"
Under section s5ls of the devised Stat
For the purpose Of ent1bisnE the m.nts
and assay Offices TO make returns 70 de-
positers with as little delay as possible. IL
In such nrints and assay Offices. WHEN the
state Of the treasury will admit thereof.
sach an amount Of public money, or bal
ff1Vx a~G~X Hr~ ~. ~ al
judge Convenient ' and nessssary. A out mai Of
which those who bring bullion to said
m.nts and assay offices may be paid the
practicable after the value has been as
certained On payment thereof being made
the bullion SO deposited shall become The
property or the United States
THE principal object In the establish
mens of an assay Office Is the bensfi. and
encouragement Of the miner and producer
OF gold and silver. Here the precious
metals are parted from baser materials:
rendered more convenient for handling.
their weight and fineness determined and
stamped thereon by the highest authority.
The miner. often poor and OF little edu-
cation. Is thus assured OF their value and
protected against AL possible imposition
from every source. The government
makes very small charge for assaying,
but Its receipts from this source usually
pay small proportion OF the expense Of
running an assay Office.
The government. however receives an
Indirect benefit in having the precious
metal wherever produced, stamped and
marked as a product OF its own, and the
locality OF the mint is especially bene-
| fitted by the attraction OF trade and busi-
Hess as q result Of the increased facilities
offered to the producers OF gold and silver
to dispose of the same.
Seattle is fiourishsng seaport city. To-
a. nm -f ID.,s~n .fsA
estimate population Of 5000 or 1o,00o the
largest city On the Pacific Northwest coast
II Is the center of a large and increasing
coastwise and foreign as well as domestic
commerce. and Is the distributing point
sor large and growing mining industry.
1t has great transportation facilities by
land and water. 1t has two direct trans
continental railway lines. and is also
reached by the Canadian Pacific and Union
Pacific over leased lines. At Seattle there
are two lines OF express service reaching
direcfiy or by connections all important
business points of the country The Seal
tie Pos:t-lntei!igeUcer of February "a. ls3S,
gives list OF thirtyfour companies oper-
ating IN all eighty-six vessels between Se-
attic. Alaska and intermediate points.
On February q. 1855. IL Is authoritatively
stated that twenty-three vessels were load
ing at Seattle for Alaskan ports. and on
the same day FIVE arrived at that place
on their return trip.
THE water transportation of Seattle Is
not by any means confined to the Northern
trade, but extends in every direction.
Your committee has been furnished with
a large Est OF vessels in addition TO the
above, which will increase Seattle's Alas
kan feet later in the season.
Seattle Is said 10 have engaged first in
the business of furnishing and Quitting
minsrs for the Alaskan and Kiondike re-
gions. and she still furnishes and VIII con-
tinue 10 furnish very large proportion
or all the supplies and equipment of those
who are now going or viii go there in
the future.
From all the Information obtasnable
your committee has beer led 70 believe
that more people going to and returning
from the Alaskan and Klondike gold fields
travel by way OF Seattle than by any other
route. and the movement OF mine products
viii, as rule. be by the route which those
who have dug Il take In going and com-
ing.
'Of the gold produced In Alaska and the
kiondike from placer deposits. at least Is
or 50 per cent. ig said 10 come down tina
Yukon river In steamers, a very large
proportion of which is landed at Seattle:
but whether coming by water via the Yu-
kon river. or by any of what are known
as the overland passageways. Seattle for
some time at least. and probably always
Will continue 10 be the great receiving de-
pot for Alaskan and British American
gold, provided an assay Office shall be es-
tabiished at that rcint.
Should the United States fan to estab-
lish All assay office at Seattle or at some
place which VIII nsee. the convenience of
the mining people OF Alaska and the K,on-
dixie. the Canadian government can easily
secure much, IL not practically all, OF this
business by the establishment Of n Cana
dian offfee at Victoria or some other suit
able place. Such 4 location would serve
the needs az the new gold country better
than San Francisco or Helena each OF
which Is nearly 1000 mics away.
Your committee therefore recommend
that the bill do pass
Crfspf IL Stiii In Power