The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1898-12-22

President James J. Hiil. of the Great
Northern. has taken one more step in tho
direction of the great transconunental and
tFans0cean'c traffic policy which il is said
10 be The ambition of his life TO bring to
a consgmmaton.
Beginning with January l. n week from
next Sunday, the Great Northern viii pat
on fas; mail train which viii bring let
ters ana passengers from Chicago 20 Ss-
attic just twelve hours more quickly than
they can come now.
II happens tha, on that date the Eastern
lines shorten the mail train schedule from
all Eastern points 10 Chicago and ST Paul.
The Great Northern takes advantage ct
this by making immediate connection with
the fast mails from the East at Chicago.
and with probably a government contract
back OF It. bringing them through 10 Sc
attic.
While this shortening Of time IL probably
not planned by Mr.. lInl With any direct
reference TO Seattle. yet like many of his
other plans. it Will incidentally benefit this
city. not only by giving 1t 81 quicker ana
better mail service from all Eastern points.
but by placing IL Just twelve hours nearer
as a connecting point between the Atian-
tic seaboard and the nations OF the Orient.
No one who has studied Mr. Hiifs far
sighted grasp of Asiatle commerce can
doubt for an instant that in establishing
this reduced schedule he has In view the
heading off Of san Francisco and other
Pacific coast ports which are now bidding
for trade with the orient. He WAS proba-
bly, the first OF American railroad men TO
perceive the real significance and far
reac hing development of that trade, and
70 take prompt steps toward cutivating II
II Is now more than TWO years since he
sgrlesi a contract with the Nippon Yusen
Kaisha which enabled him TO give and
take through bills OF lad!ng between Hong
kong, China, and Buffalo. y. Y. While
others were dreaming Of possible intcrna-
,ional relationships admiring the expan-
sive commercial energy of Japan. or pre-
dieting that the commerce of the Pacific
would In some distant century exceed that
of the Atlantic. Mr.. IIln was neither
dreaming nor prophesying bat acting. In
the words Of rough and ready evangelist.
while others were preaching tho Gospel of
the sweet hy and by" he was puacticing
that OF the sweet now and nov" Other
railroad men are now seeing what Mr..
they had seeu 1t then.
while Mr.. Hill ls constantly planning for
an ULTIMATE closer connection with the
Orient ne mas other things In view. When
no sees the Eastern lines are abbreeiaiing
their westward time cards. he thinks just
as quickly OF the value OF an Alaska matt
contract as he does of Yokohama or Shang-
hai Incidentally, he plans advantages for
ss.la
est schedule Of the Great Northern brings
passengers over the Cascades at an hour
when the beautiful scenery Of the summit.
the marvellous approaches which nature
built 10 II, ana the mysterious fas~cinations
OF tho Switchback are all veiIed In dark
ness. The present train. arriving in Seat
tie at o'clock u. III. passes the tunnel At
midnight. The new schedule Will gise the
traveller the advantage Of seeing tas gor-
geous views and sublime landscapes q no
mountains by daylight.
Twelve a0,ws' time saved in a transcon-
tsnentA journey Is no small matter wheth-
or the tariff Of travel be a postage stamp
or tourists ticket. The new hednls
Will mean much 70 Seattle IN the way OF
better mall cl,nncctions. and quicker pas
scuger service.
Not r word has yet been eaiG about ths
return service east ward. but II rs the opn-
ion of local railroad men that that VIII fol-
iow "a 4 matter ~ course. How tha
twelve hours VIII be saved Is explained In
the following presa dispatch received last
night:
WASHINGTON. Dec el.~The change
~ time "a take place January by Eastern
3}ntes u shortening the u84! train ssEi&ee
from Wash ugt0a, New York, Boston and
ai point r1asr to ChIcaEo ard 81. Psnl xiii
bs. ori th4- Same date continued 10 Montana
and tne Pacific coast by an Important
change made iu tbe schedule Of Tho Great
Northern railway. that company having de-
ciied 80 put "A limited iraiU on that date
ieavsrR 81 paul AZ 8 e. m, Immediately
mon the arrival ~ 'l4e fat mail ard Tim
ite1 tralrs fyou C1ieago and tae East
This viii shorten ne train service 70 Mon
taHst ard al po!afs West by twelve hours.
making tne delivery Qs the mails posss bic
az HeleFa ard Butte the second night from
Chicago. arriving at Seattls and Coast
c3tl~s the tfssd night. thas making IA con-
t4Ruous service 10 Puget sound and
Portland for passengers ard the rn4ted
States mails It's second Cos4si train will
leave 81 Paul al 2. daily. thus giving
a txutatss. services sr0fn y. Paul and Chicago
10 Montana aid all Western poin;g"
Schedules for the New Service.
sT. pAUF.. Dec 2i~Tae Great Northern
tlway xii celebrate the rev year by put-
t.ag an d second franseonslnental train.
ami AZ the same time cutting Z big alice