The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1898-02-22
SEATTLE LEADS THEM ALL.
MORE PHONES IN Use HERE THAN
ANYWHERE IN NORTHWEST.
President John I. sabin Tells of Ies-
proyemeEt> in Prospec: for This
Section scattlc-san Francisco

Jchn l. Sabins president OF the Sunset
Telephone & Telegraph Company. OF san
Francisco, ana also president OF the allied
companies operating on the Pacific coast.
is IL Seattle 10 inquire into the business
Of the company AT this point and 70 pave
the way for important improvements
which the company has in prospect. lie
Is accompanied by John j. Lawrence. OF
san Francisco. vice-president OF the In
land Telephone & Telegraph Company,
with headquarters At Spokane.
Ar. Sab.n yesterday tod = Post-Intei-
ligeneeT reporter that Seattle is now the
most important point In the Northwest
in reference 10 the operations Of the tel
ephone companies of wkicA he is the
head. Seattle. he says, has 200 more
subscribers than Portland The COM
paHy WILL within a month. undertake the
construction Of a new line from san
Francisco 10 Seattle. building first 10
Portland with very heavy copper wire.
ana thence with the same character OF
completed conversation between Seattle
and San Francisco. Los Angeles San
Diego and other lower California points
may be carried on with ease. The line
VIII be similar in construction TO that con-
Meeting New York and Chicago. The
contemplated Improvements viii cost the
company, when completed, some thing like
500 coo.
You can say through the Post-Intelh-
Eencer that we thoroughly realize the
Importance OF this city in relation 10 the
development Of commerce and all kinds
Of business in the Northwest, and be-
tween this section and Alaska. No point
on the Pacific coast has shown such a
gain in business during The last SIX months
10 .@ss f,.a
scribers than Portland. In that city our
lists show thai there are LOO phones III
use. In Seattle We have 1850 names On
our list Of subscribers and the business
is daily increasing.
1T Is the intention of this company to
give the people Of Seattle the benefit of
the very latest improvements. and the
best possible service We are now put
ting in additional switch boards and
building branch lines 10 new subscribers.
The most important Improvement We
have In prospect is the building Of the
long distance line between Seattle and
San Francisco. For this line. copper WIRE
nearly three times the size OF the ordi-
nary wire Will be used. II weighs 49,
pounds 10 the mile. The wire is now on
the way from the East. and the poles for
the line have been cut and are being dis
trihuted. We viii begin work between
San Francisco and Portland within the
next month and expect to have the lire
bu'lt 10 Portland within three months
1T has been three years since / last
visited Seattle Since that time this city
mas improved wonderfully. II IS evident
to me that Seattle has the first whack.
so % speak AT the KIondike business. II
this conceded in San Francisco Yes. by
those who look at in a sensible light"
The company has purchased a lot 50Xl@1
on Third avenue and Spring street. At
some rot Gar distant time the company
VIII build on this ground establishing
there its main Office. In doing this the
company is simply carrying - Seattle the
policy /. pursues in California OF erect
irg and owning SIS own office buildings.
Mr. Sabin's business I'm the Northwest
Included a visit 20 Portland Tacoma and
Spokane. In Portland and Spokane he
attended the annual meeting Of the side
corporations through which the main COM
pRny operates from san Francisco. In
reminiscent mood yesterday. Nh. Sabi1
recalled his first visit II Seattle. This
WAS IN 1851 when the exchange was first
established IN this city. Mr.. Sabn told
the people of Solttlc that ne would es-
tahiish m office 2 twenty subscri6ecs
were obtained. lie left a man in charge
of the work - gettinE subscribers and IN
dur course ~ time the necessary names
were secured Today the Seattle office
Il the company Is the largest In the
Northwest.