The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1899-03-07
Merchants Can Undersell Spokane
in Republic Camp.
sAuM GILL IS BENEFICIAL.


The Post-Inteligeneer has repeatedly
painted out the fact that with the ex-
pendi;u-e Of $7.0u on the wagon road tfon
Johnson creek. on the OkAnogAn river. to
Republic Seattle merchants will be- In bet
ter condition than ever TO control the trade
with the mining camp& The Baum bill
provides for an appropriation Of $lS.0M.
N.a0o to ne apporticned for the ccnstrue-
ton OF q road from Kettle Falls TO Rcpub-
lie. and the remainder for the Johnson
creek road
From the middle OF February to the last
OF October the OkAnogan river 10 open to
navigation as far a. Johnson creek. Tue
distance from johnson creek to Republic
Is about fifty-fve miieA With good GvAdss
and the roadbed that can Be- constructed
for E.o0o. freixhters viii be able to make
the trip IN considerably less tina than Il
takes from Kettle Falls 70 Republic. ON ac-
count OF the greater grades on the latter
road. These are few features In favor OF
shipping goods from Seattle, but they are
BY no means the most important.
The merchant at Republic wishing to
place an order with = Seattle house can
secure through rate To johnson creek. by
way Of the Great Northern 10 Wenatchec
and steamers from the latter place up tho
Columbia river to Virginia City and then
up the okanogan 10 johnson creek. AT
the latter place. which Il the terminus o1
signment and land It Ia Republic. Being
enabled TO get a return load of ore to John
son creek, consigned TO the smelters on tho
Sound. these teamssers can make q lower
rate than II they were compelled to make
the return trip light
Several Seattle houses have representa-
tives In the camp. and from the In.
creased orders last week Il In evident their
lahors are not In vain. On the contrary.
the outlook IS very bright for Seattle 20
control the trade Of the camp. especially
on heavy staple groceries and mining ma
chinery. as the local merchants can under
sell their Spokane competitors In nearly
every line. One OF the most prominent
wholesalers In this city asserted yestcr-
day that It was not only probable that
this city would get her share Of the hush
ness with Republic. but Il was positive
that she would practically control the
trade.
Many people realize that Spokane cap
itai has done much to develop the camp,
and that sentiment naturally favors that
city. but when II comes TO a saving In the
purchase OF necessarfes. not only In money
but In time, the city that can meet these
requirements Will get the trade.
Another feature that favors Seattle ID
the growing interest being taken by the
people OF this city in the camp. and the
Increased stock sales Well informed pec-
pls from Republic do not hesitate to say
that Seattle viii get q good share Of the
business to be carried on this summer =
fact which they attribute to the dif1culty
OF getting freight In by way Of Little
Falls and Marcus. on the line Of the 500.
kane Falls 4 Northern. This dtfYicuity
lies In tho heavy grades encountered ON
the wagon road from Marcus to the camp.
Should the United States government
make an appropriation to be used In re-
moving the snaRs from the Okanogan riv-
er II would then he possible TO run steam-
ers as far as Thompson creek the year
round. As II is now. steamers can run
as far as Virginia City. at tho Junction OF
the Columbia and Okanosan rivers. the
year round. and IL necessary goods can
be freishted from that point to Republic
over q fairly good road