The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1898-04-24

John F. Stevens. OF ST. Paul. chief en-
gineer Of the Great Northern railway. ar
rived in Seattle yesterday in his private
car, after having made a general insrec-
ton OF the main line OF the road and OF
the Montana Central. part OF the Great
Northern system Mr.. Stevens stated 20
a Post-Inteligencer reporter last night
that he would undoubtedly spend several
weeks on company business west Of KALI
spell. In answer TO a question as TO the
companys intentions in relation 10 its
recent requirement of water frontage. the
two blocks intersected by Mercer street,
Mr.. Stevens rsplied that the understand
ing was that when the property was Sc
cured Il should be improved.
While President Hill has not given spe-
ciiic instructions in regard to wharf and
warehouse building, the company will
proceed to carry out his ideas as pro-
mulgared when the purchase of the prop
erty was under consideration. Mr.. Stew
ems says that the Great Northern will
build wharf with water frontage OF
from 1000 to loo feet. The soundings
have shown that piles Of from fifty TO six
~ feet in length. the ordinary length IN
Use along the Seattle water front. viii be
sufficient to meet the requirements Of con-
struction. No plans for the wharf have
yet been prepared. and no estimates Of
the number Of piles necessary have been
made. This work will be done in st. Paul,
and Mr.. Stevens visit At this particular
time is due largely to his need of looking
the situation over and studying the vari-
Gus problems in connection with such
piece OF work.
Mr.. Stevens stated that the warehouse
might be built, but that the wharf would
surely go ahead during the present year.
The buildings that are q part of the
general scheme OF Improvement are
unique in their way. inasmuch as they
are intended to combine the latest fea-
lures of warehouse and elevator con-
struction. The warehouse will be built
on the wharf level and the elevator above
Mr.. Stevens stated that he Is not an ele-
vator man, but that his idea Of the build
ing would be to provide for handling
wheat In bulk and a sackIng and Cleaning
plant
The difference In the mode OF handling
wheat on the Pacific coast and at the
company's elevators in the east would re-
quire different building. Shipments from
Duluth, West Superior st. Paul or Buffalo
are all made in bulk 10 Atlantic coast
points for Europe no sweating" in grain
occurring III cdESDeS tnat do not crrSS the
equator. The Pacific coast shipments are
nearly all destined for points that require
vessels to cross the equator and for that
reason grain must be sacked
When asked IL the proposed elevator
would include many of the features Of the
Great Northern elevator in BuTalo-con-
sdered the finest elevator IN the world
Mr.. Stevens said that he did not think 1t
would. The Buffalo elevator is made cf a
number of huge steel tubes set UP on end
and the machinery for handling grain is
of the latest pattern, but made Tor use In
connection with the general idea of the
unusual construction. Mr.. Stevens saws
that the style of elevator In use by his
company in Buffalo Is being built at other
points and elevator men say that the steel
tubes are the coming elevators. The Great
Northern Will build a similar elevator 1T
West Superior. having capacity If two
and a half million bushels.
Mr. Stevens spoke last night of the new
work the road is putting in along the
Skykomish river and thinks that wnsn the