The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1899-04-11
F. M. JORDAN,
5 and 6 Colonial BisCk.

present case. hat which may. perhaps
have been overlooked by the Officer at
Washington who directed that the supplies
fer the Alaska expeditions De purchased
In San Francisco, loo miles south Of the
rendezvous point and port OF departure.
Article LY.. section 5ls, Of The regulations.
reads as follows.
Supplies required IN the various depart
,HeEts OF the army VIII he procured where
they can be had cheapest. quality and cost
Of transportation being considered
In the present instance the government
has purchased in a market that is not a
whit better able 70 supply the goods than
Seattle. and where some OF those most
needed have actually been shipped from this
port
THE Post-Intenlgencer can safely say
tina, the government Is out az pocket when
X Went 10 San Francisco 10 purchase sup
plies for the two Alaska expeditions" said
NJ. b. Augustine the First avenue grocer
yesterday. Think of il buying flour IL San
Francisco and shipping Il 10y fast freight
10 Seattle when the steamer Unaiilia went
from here to San Francisco few days ago,
loaded down with Hour and wheat. On
the canned goods and packing house prod :
ucts, Seattle is On terms OF equality with
the San Francisco merchants. More than
that. some OF the staples purchased by the
department in San Francisco have been
quoted lower here than at San F-ancisco
for some time past.
LAS to California canned goods and other
products OF that state. they could have been
obtained cheaper here than in San Fran
cisco with the freigh, added On the same
articles purchased IN San Francisco by
Seattle merchants. the latter are often in a
position TO take advantage OF cheap rates
by sailing vessels being able to lay the
goods down here at a price less than that
paid by the government in San Francisco
added TO the freight charges.
The action of the commissary depart
ment in ignoring these facts and purchas-
ing the supplies In San Francisco is mex
plcable except on the theory Of ignorance
of the large stocks carried by the mer-
chants of Seattle and the advantages pos :.
sessed by this city over other points on the
Pacific coast"
Isaac Cooper. OF Cooper & Levy the
grocers made the poin, that owing 10 the
railroad competition between Eas.er points
and Seattle. many articles are actually
sold at a less price here than in San Fran
cisco.
Packing house products can be pur.
chased here cheaper than in San Francis :
CO. he said. Rice. sugar and tea are
landed at our wharves from the Orient ana
flour Is made here and shipped in ouanti-
ties 10 California, Seattle merchants can
deliver their goods promptly and properly
packed FOR consumption in Alaska. | cam
not understand why the government should
pay freight on groceries from San Fran
cisco 10 Seattle for shipment to Alaska
when they can be purchased here as cheap.
" and in some Instances at lower cost than
at San Francisco"
Merchants Ask for Justice.
]. s Goldsmith. pfesiden- Of the Schwa-
tacher Grocery Company, has written u
letter 10 the commISsary general al Wash.
!ngton. calling his attention 10 the dis
elimination against Seattle In the matter
OF the purchase of army goods and request
ing THAI in future they he allowed 10 bid on
contracts for army stores. especially for
Alaskan expeditions. II have no doubt
that the merchants Of this city can sell
more cheaply than those OF San Francisco
or any other point on the Coast" Mr. Gold
smith wrote. He also mailed a copy OF the
letter to Senators Turner and Foster and
Representatives Cushman and Jones.
The commissary department has an agent
IN The department IF the Columbia who
could have purchased the supplies for
CaptS. Abercromhie and Glenn. He IS
Lieut.. i. II. Mccain, OF Vancouver Yes
terday Lieut.. Mccain was in Seattle p,tr-
chasing quantity Of canned cabbage
spinach. apples. lime juice and other arti-
cies for the relief of the Scurvy-stricken
miners Of the Copper river country. They
Will be sen. north with Cant AbercrorYlhfa