The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1898-02-06

tween Seattle ard the ports on the south
eastern coast OK Alaska. Today there are
nearly n dozen. II the seasons of lsss-1
the Pacific Coast Steamship Company en-
gagged In a war with an opposition com
pany operating the steamer Willapa. but
the wreck of that vessel a year ago put
a stop 10 all the competition.
AT the sea walls III Puget sound there
were moored until the rush began last
fall = dozen or more handsome costly and
well-bullt steamers They We're modern
in every respect anc well adapted tc serv-
ice III Alaskan waters. Some Of these yes
sells were 5u!it ia the palmy days OF the
boom when every avenue ana highway
or travel was taxed to the utmost 10 han.
die the crowds of investors. spectators
and home-seekers that congregated mere
from every section Of the country. As
after every no0d-tide there Is an ebb. 50
II WAS then. and atter the real nome
builders had settled down IN the state 20
subdue the forests az giant nT and make
Washington the glorious commonwealth
IL is. the palatia. steamers were bereft OF
passengers, and one by one, they were
tied up and put out OF commission.
Some of the little fellows. too, Were TO
longer needed, ara they were brought
up alongside their bigger brethren. There
both were to remain until the mag.ca
word klondike was 20 stir into energy
and activity the pulse beats OF commerce.
Every man who had been in the ship
ping business on the Sound longed TO own
or charter a steam or sailing craft Of
some description with which 10 gather
Ia a share OF the shower OF sheaela. The
first frantic rush If seld-hunters from The
East nearly carried the transportation
men or their fee There was hasty
scramble for steamers by individuals. COM
pauics ard shipping agcncIes. New com
panles were organized and fires were start
cd under the boilers CT steamers that had
been smokeltsS fer three ard four vars.
Sailing vessels OF every kind came into
great demand. The regularly established
line strengthened the service OF us oXeur-
sion steamers for into the fan 70 handle
tho crowds. Golfers were pressed into
service and fitted up TO handle passengers
ana I've stock Yet with All this rush ana
hasty preparation not single life WAS
lest.
Hardly had the first big sweep OF tho
KlCndikers subSidea before the conpan-
les already in the field began 10 figure Tor
the business OF tS9S. whlca ala conceded
would brush aside all previous records
fer travel. New companies were con
stanily added. Men q means embarked
into the steaul5o&ting business and orse-s
began 20 pour In on the b0atbuudtng
FIRMS fcF new steam vessels.
TIE money thus subscribed sought IN
vesImcut In two chgune's or rooies-rgver
;rarsnctt4tloa on the Yukon and ocean
tTatfc between Seattle, pyel and Skag-
WAY. The y y T = T. COMPANY set fhe
pace hy ordering four river steamers q
Moran Bros. and then the Yukon Conl-
pary followed by contraCttn for THE e9n-
stre3ction az twelve steamers ana twenty
-four barce> t0r che YuEen The SNIP
building yards sg Ballard were made ma
Steal with The sound of the saw and the
hammer e thu busy shipwg,Ehts ara FRI
4 lew weeks ths water front a,aue tr.
edge of TIRE bty a@d ~ West seattle
gieamed wt,h tie pro~S ana rios % th.
rev steamers tha- are ~ bear hundreds
q eager seavceers for gold up the Yukon
- the placer fields