The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1899-08-22
CITY OFFICIAL PAPER.
SEATTLE, TUESDAY, AUGUST ~.
THE PASSING OF PORTLAND.


1t IL remarkable that the Portland
Ore9onian. conducted by veteran news
paper men. could possibly make such
fool OF itself as to print the editorial on
THE Alaska Trade" which appeared in
It's issue Of last Sunday morning. The
Post-Intelligencer reprints the article In
order to show that the oregonian fully
realizes that II can no longer even hope
for Portland to share In the great Alas
ka trade. and seeks by subterfuge and
deception to injure a successful sister
city.
The editorial Is reprinted In its entire
ty SO that the people Of Seattle may see
TO what extremities the Portland BUSH
ness men have been reduced:
1.-THE trade Of the Yukon yalley--in other
words, the Klondika trsde-has been large
thing during the past TWO years, as the
producers and merchants of California,
Oregon and Puget sound well know. For
the cities OF the Sound it has been literal
" Il Klondike.' for II came at a time when
their business was at ebb-tide. and II has
aided them 10 busting prosperity. To an
extent II has repaired the losses by the
great boom. and today IL probably makes
In one form or another half Of their ex-
changes In Oregon. the Alaska trade has
been an appreciabie factor In our business
life, but We have, perhaps. had less OF II
than the Sound cit!ea-less certainly In a
direct way-while. since our general busi-
mess Ia 90 much greater. II makes smaller
relative figure in our dealings. San Fran
La Il
than Oregon and Washington together: bat
IN go great mart that no one element In
conspicuous or essential to local prosperity.
I'll matters largely 10 us all whether this
trade IL or L. not TO be permanent: and
there is natural concern about the circum-
stances. which Indicate that IL II not. II
Is now generally confessed that there have
been no large discoveries since the Ronan-
IA creek mud. upon which the kfondke
hoom was based. and that the thousands
who f'ocked 10 the supposed Eaorado are
leaving the country bitterly disappointed
and poorer than when they went in An
other year. IL II said. and he population
OF the Yukon basin win be reduced one
half or more compared with the period
Of greatest immigration, now already past
Again there are intimations that the placer
ground. after The fashion Of placer ground
everywhere. Is petering out. ana 1; e the
cpfuio- OF experts ihas the future Of tho
Yukon district is 20 he "A milling propasi-
ton like the Treadwslt mine ON Douglas
island and hike gnld mining pretty much
the world over. Here n a prospect not
encouraging 20 hopes founded upon the
Alaska trade. for while the district may
continue to be highly productive. Its lahors
VIII require relatively few hands.
Again recent developments In respect 10
transportation threaten te leave the Yukon
basin almost dspepulated during the long
winter season. this, Of course. being the
time OF greatest consumption Of supplies
I, takes now but few days 10 make the
passage from Dawson 10 the states and
this renders Il easily possible Ger persons
holding interests in ihe Yukon h1tsin To-
abandon the country during the long win
ter season.
These several circumstances. ia GENUINE
ton with thu facs that there IL growing
up ia she Yukon a local trade organization
locking IA = home supply Of all that miners
need. and drawing supplies from original
sources makes the outlook for gae Alaska
trade dubious ems. There will OF course
always hc business IN Alasxa FOR the es.sss
al the coast. hut I; has probably reached
and passed us rotn, OF highest Develop
ment"
This silly attempt hy the oregonlan In
throw cold water upon The Alaska trad.
and mining interests is made all the
more apparent when the saci Ia recalled
Of how that newspaper demanded abo,sr
two years age that It's pet transqogta-
iion company tthe q. II. II y, put on Il
line OF steamers between Portland am
Skagway so that that city could secure
a portion ot the trade. Loud and loag
did the editorial columns reSourd with
tho wonderful possibilities ~ fright
ana passenger facilities. The nanager
Of the said pes company finally aeee;ea
to the demand. AMI steamer was DIS
patched to Alaska. one or two ,rfr~.
however were sufficient, and the steam
or was soon Withdrawn because of lack
~ patronage, notwithstanding the
boosting ef the Greg ntsn. and the ac-
,ivity az a paid l0ssay in CAseagc aai
other Eastern cities. sent oa. hy me
business men II Portland Then follow
cd the joke of the whole thing. whieh
would certainly have heen enjoyed by
THE people ~ Seattle had they been Ia
,eresied enough 20 have given the Ore
gonlan any attention Tire raiicy WAS
changed from booming Alaska 10 intar-
~s. IL. The gold fields were heisEsiei