The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1898-05-24

y AeeraI grants OF mineral claims, and by
SsI. .. ready exchange OF It's ce-tisicates
foT me miners product. Existing laws
| prove this statement, The reason is lha
deslre or the government to secure coin
Tor circulating medium.
t'heFe IS no known source of gold pro-
dNction SO rich as Alaska and the North-
western territory az Canada; the gold belts
OF southeastern Alaska and ce the Yukon
| rver. by the energy and enterprise cf
American citizens IN tho esta hlsshunent OF
zines OF transportation and trade. this un-
preeedenIedly rich gold producing area has
ot<a made tributary 70 .the United States.
iEe product 81 the year 1918, from tho
Nukon-klondike district alone is conserv-
attVeIy estimated at not less than slaaa-
100. and the total OF all Alaska and Nerth-
western territories at over $20.tes.oQo This
god has been produced chiefly by Ameri-
can citizens. Every possible effort. as
members Of the house well know, has been
put forth by Canada 70 divert the great
| trade, Which Is az tho basis of this product.
rom the United States to Canada. Tho
dominion parliament reports show both
| conservative and Liberal united TO this
end. Every obstacle possible has been put
IN the way OF the American miner and no
other need be considered. because the min
ers arr practically all Americans. and ev-
cry help has been extended 10 Canadian
merchants. Il is q known fact among
mining men that miners will trade. as u
rule. where they dispose Of their gold.
Heretefore they have traded in the United
States Now the Canadian government
has caused two branch banks-the Cana
cian Bank Of Commerce and the British
at Dawson. to bay and handle the Yukon
sold. Unless some step is taken 10 Offset
this Cana9ian movement, much OF tho
trade Is likely TO be lost Ia us. Such =
step is the establishment OF a United
States agency 10 buy gold-an assay office
AT the most available point.
THE establishment OF an assay office on
the Yukon is imprac;icable by reason OF
climatic conditions. by lack OF interior
minis; Seattle is the natural point for es-
tabishment OF such an office. 1t Is only
seventy-twe hours from Alaska. and half
a day from British Columbia father,
| not only the output of the Yukon Will 20.
hut that OF Southeastern Alaska. Of Cooks
inlet. Copper river. and other similar
proper IS first reached from Alaska. To
send gold from Cocks inlet, which last
year produced nearly $4,000, to the Yu-
Ken, would be an absnrdty. The estah-
llshInent OF an assay office at Juneau
would be open 10 the same objection. only
IN less degree. The government would
ton from Juneau, OF nearly 1000 miles, be-
sore the United States Is reached. There
is still another reason relating To the gold
product by itself. why. Seattle should he
selected. The gold and silver product OF
the state Of Washington itself Is already
important and increasing in value: The
secretary of the treasury. I'm his letter or
February Z. 1858. TO the house COMMITTEES
on coinage weights and measures. esti-
saoseo 'i for t isss and s5o.oco for isss. Add
this amount to the Alaska and Yukon
product and It will be seen that the bull
lion receipts at Seattle are of the first inn
portance. AT the present time, to turn
these into cash. the miners. who naturally
arrive at Seattle first. often. with no cash
in hand. must send their bullion TO tina
assay office Mt Helena. or TO the mint at
San Francisco. I'm either case causing q
delay and loss. of time 20 them of not less
than one week. This difference i'm time,
with Its costs and annoyaBces. are not UNI
likely 10 make him dispose % Ms gold In
Canada or in British Columbia. whereas
tx.. -ttnV1 xvA Mt an aFNf
at Seattle, the nearest point on Puget
sound he would go there.
THE Atlantic coast, With a minimum
gold product affords opportunities 10 ex-
change gold at assay. Offices or minis at
| either New York, Philadelphia. Charlotte.
| n, c.. or New orleans. The Rocky. noun
| Mt Deadwood, Roise, Denver, Carson and
Helena but the. Pacific coast. from tho
but one place where the citizen can secure
the stamp OF his government on his gold.
and that place Is 1900 miles distant from
the present central receiving point OF the
producing gold fields. Such a discrimiua-
ton. in view of the facts, IN unfair to en-
of gold from Seattle, by Grea. Northern
and Pacific express. to Helena and San
Francisco. eaualed one-fifth of all the gold
received at all the assay offices In tho
United States. They We're equal to two
thirds % the Boise deposits, and seven
times as large 80 the deposits at Charlotte.
This measure Is recommended by the
secretary OF the treasury. 1t has passed
the senate, IL y Of more than local inn
millions of gold into circulation. which
otherwise may so elsewhere: and IL will
surely retain a large percentage OF trace,
- net temporary but permanent. and
which has already amounted to millions Of
dollars.
'"rhe question may be asked. II Canada
establishes banks M Dawson TO buy gold,
why would not establishment or American
banks serve the same purpose? United
States ranks have no authority TO do bust
ness ia foreign country. Moreover. the
miners, being American citizens. naturally
prefer the stamp of the United States on
their metal our coin circu'atea IN Cam
ada. Canada has no coin and her bank
irs."s do not circulate here. but they Will
serve 10 buy goods with in Victoria and
Vancouver, and Il IL the purpose of the
Canadians to Try TO force or 10 induce
Americans TO trade there. rather than In
Seattle. which ~ present has Just enough
advantage in price over Canadian tariffs
10 induce prospectors 10 0utut in Seattle.
rather than IN British Columbia. With
facilities for dsposing of their gold liz
Canadian territory, which do not exist Tn
the Pacific Northwest many may be In
dsiced 10 make the British Columbia cities
the base ~ their supplies.
The question may be- also asked. what
viii become OF the gold II the assay Office
is not established on Puget sound?
There is little doubt that most of IL will
be sent 20 England for coinage there and
be lost TO Our circulation. The Canadian
Pacific railroad. II is well known has tho
closest possible connection with the Cana
dian government. Its rail lne crosses the
continent and IT'S steamer lines cross bota
the Atlantic ard the Pacific. II has been
q most vigorous advocate of the diversion
Of tho kiondike trade 10 Canada because
IL gets the long fransc0ntinental haul OF
all freg1ts 20 British Columbia The Cana
dian Quitting point for the Yukon, ana
IL also gets tho complete passenger haul.
Its desire TO get this trade can be seen by
ifs reduction Of rail passage from Boston,
Mass. to Victoria 10 s23. Heretofore since
the railroad hsa been built Canada has
produced 80 little gold To make It's con-
troll a matter OF little moment. Now that
II IL likely To amount 10 not less than no.
$4,000 year for years To como IL ~ an
stem worth securing by any nation. II
Canada by affording facilities for the pur-
chase OF this gold can both secure the
gold and divert the trade, there IL little
dOslbt that the Canadian Pacific railroad
will undertake 20 deliver It by its rail and
ocean lines TO the London mint at d NOM
inal figure IL IL could secure the trade
by dong ~ IL woul1 pay the Canadian Pa
cian railroad 10 haGl the gold free or ex-
u nse TO the Canadian banks. An idea OF
this trade can be formed WhsH II - Known
ysq4. dan 10 F.~ k1.Nk