The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1899-12-18
President Hills Plans for !
TfanspsciAc Steamer Line.
PORTLAND LINE D,scaED'rED'
AecSrains TO : Prominent Broker
J96Ae exhs~ lsaAt II ~ asnsraliy
Known Among those Interested
In Great Northern Deals That Mr..
Hin wiz Ask Government Ala
20 Develop Oriental Trade.

Il Il reported that President Hill, Of the
Great Northern, in connection with his
Inc Of steamers to be operated between
Seattle and Oriental ports. will ask con-
gress for a subsidy to permit the estab-
Nshment OF the Meet and its mainten-
ancc until such time as the trade OF the
Ear East il self-supporting.
The report now being circulated from
the Coast to the erect that the Union
Pacific contemplates the establishment OF
. tran1pacinc feet OF steamers to be OPP
Grated from Portland IN connection with
III transcontinental service Il not serious
" considered by railroad men either at
home or abroad. The general impression
- that the story emanates from the Ore
gon Railroad q Navigation Company. and
ID nothing more than an Individual opin-
ion Of what might be done with the con-
tinued expansion Of Oriental trade.
m speaking Of these matters yesterday
prominent financial broker OF the East
who u now In Seattle. said:
II such q thing was contemplated by
the Union Pacific ofiicially It 10 my opin-
Ion that would have heard something
about II. Certainly no such report -
ofIlcially known OF in financial circles. 1t
II q natural consequence that the Union
Pacific would be on the lookout Tor an out
let to the Orient, rs within q few years
the principal foreign business Of the United
States will come this way. Just now,
however. feel confident that the Union
Pacific II taking no decisive steps In that
direction.
.aThe first big new line Of Oriental ships
win undoubtedly be established by Presi-
dent Hill, to- be operated in connection
with his great transcontinental line., and
while things seem to be moving slowly
and quietly, this fact u doing moro than
all others to maintain the upward tend
ency OF Great Northern stock.
Zone thing not generally known IL that
Mr.. Hill will before very long. apply for
government subsidy for such line. In
fact. much work in this direction has al
ready been done and the matter may, come
up toward the latter part Of the present
session OF congress. 1t would be one OF
the greatest things that could happen for
the Pacific coast to have such q bill pass.
1t would mean that the line. operating
from Seattle, would be built at once. 1t
would give the Pacific coast sufficient
tonnage to care for the trade Of the Orient
ana Russia, as 1T Is now and. would be
fully adequate. according to Mr.. HIS
plans OF tonnage, to care for the business
in connection with the fleet now In. oper-
alton. for a few years at least.
The business Of the Orient is vet In IT,
infancy, and while there would be a large
amount OF freight going from here there.
the vessels would have little or very small
cargoes on their return trips. Therefore
the necessity for the question. how can
such tremendous investment be made
to pay? The only answer can be a govern
fnent subsidy until such q time. as the
trade ID sufficient to care for ITSELF. fs,a
such action on the part Of the govern
ment would pay for itself every year In
The expansion OF American commerce and
would result in causing demand abroad
that can otherwise only be cultivated
slowly. For ten years Mr.. Hill has been
encouraging the development Of trade with
the Orient. The time to act has now ar
rived, and among the first. or might say
the first subsidy bill to be considered by
congress will. In all probability, be- for
the establishment Of a big line Of rheet
steamships from Seattle to China. Japan
Siberia and other far Eastern countries"