The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1899-01-14
important Conference to Be Held
in Seattle Today.
VARIOUS LINES REPRESENTED.
Dustponea FrOa Yesterday - Ac-
e0unf Of AAsence 81 SaDestsa<n~
aenf Hawkfns Of the White Pass
Il Yukcm H0ad-Pa~iAe Coast Go.
Traffic Ltnes 1T Gkagway.

A conferences was 20 have been hsid In
4fsts city yesterday between the various
Hines Interested Iii handling freight ard
passenger trafsic by way OF SkaS @ay. wsth
= sisw 10 entering into an agreement as 10
= uniform advancement 81 rates. I sse cot
4frcncs failed 10 esstefsalize owing efsleny
10 the aisence Of r.. a.. Hawkins. super
tniesdent Of the White Pass Yukon
road Who went yesterday morning to Fie-
4ofia OH business connected with the pro-
posed exclusion Of foreigners from toe
Attn district.
Such q conference viii 1nd0abSe0 De
held this morning. This ANNOUNCEMENT IL
absolutely authentic AMI reliable. despite
the streasDua dsnlals Inaae yesterday 81
Representatives OF the various companies
who for one reason or another desire 20
keen the matter secret, at least uhtst
definite conclusions have been rsackassi-
IL is an open secret that ever since last
season the Pacific Coast steamship COM
pany has been dissatisfied with the treat
0ent 1t claimed 10 have Received az the
hands Of iss competitors in Skaxway Dusi-
ness. An agreement as to rates was enter
Cd into. THIS agreement the Pacific Coast
6teamship Company claims to have keps
In good faith, charging al the sssrsie time
that equally good faith had not been Kept
By It's competitors Prom reliable sources
IN San Francisco II il known that repre-
eenfaftYes OF the Pacific Coast steamship
10 enter into any similar agreement for
tho coming season. The chief figure in
the promotion OF u conference has been
Hugh c. Wallace, Of Tacoma, who repre-
SCENTS az president. local transportation
jine. and also the trAmway at Skaxway
& He has acted 10 rome extent as an inter-
mediary between the White Pass h Yukon
people. the Pacific Coast Steamship com-
pany and others interested In Hkagway
traffic. and by following the matter up
Dersistentiy has gotten all hands TO cons
cent to n conference, aud that conference
will be he'd In Seattle today. There Is no
question that the chief aim Of the
consultation will be a uniform restoration
az higher rates via Ekagway. There In
equally little doubt that II such a compact
n entered into II viii involve very 4uo-
atanffat assurance from all parties that
&c will be observed In good faith.
1t IL by no means unlikely that one fea-
ture OF the conference VIII Do negotiations
looking to a consolidation of the trans
pcrtatian facilities at Skagway. 30 that
tho tranaways and the new railroad built
by the Whit. Pass a. Yukon Company
VIII either act in entire harmony. or that
tho tramways will be entirely suspended
for a time, the Pacific Coast Steamship
Company. of course. receiving propor-
tomato share Of the receipts OF the rail-
road.
From whatever point Il may be viewed
the conference today win be an important
one. 1t In probable that II Will virtually
settle the matter OF Skagway rates for the
coming season. Representatives, OF the
various companies have expressed them
selves individually as determined To pro-
ee4d In careful, conservative aud busi-
ness-ike manner. by saving that there
Is to be an advance In rates IL must rot
b. understood that anything like an ex-
Orbitant scale 81 charges win be adopted.
Ths companies themselves realize that
stfch proceeding would not he submitted
70 by The public. and that anything like
IN exorsdtant monopoly would he al
quickly resented ma "a lead to the forrnn-
ton of n rival concern that would smash
~! rates and undo the work OF any agree
ment between the sine. now exciting.