The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1900-07-29

Bank Ciearances and Business.
The bank clearances Of Seattle In the
week which has just passed reached
new high water mark. going to s4.549.-
s96. the percentage of increase being
over 40. During The same period the
bank clearances Of the cities OF the
United States collectively decreased
nearly 10 per cent In percentage Of
increase, Seattle again led all the coun-
try. considerably more than doubling
the percentage Of the next highest city.
In standing based on the volume Of
bank clearances. Seattle ranks eight
eenth among the cities OF the United
States, having for the first time passed
such places as Providence. Milwaukee.
St Paul and Buffalo. and following
closely after Detroit. Omaha and In
dianapolis.
As compared with the other cities of
the Northwest. the volume OF the bank
ciearances OF Seattle was nearly three
times as great as that Of Portland,
nearly I'VE times az great az that OF
Spokane or that Of Tacoma. and nearly
two millions greater than the aggregate
OF the clearings OF the three other cit
les collectively.
The wonderful increase in the bank
clearances for the present week can
hardly be attributed to anything tran
silent or temporary. The bulk OF the
so-called rush to Cape Nome Is over
for the season, and the passenger travel
northward promises to be relatively
light. The business growing out Of the
Cape Nome rush is Of course RESPONSE
BILE for large share of the increase.
as the business growing out OF the
Klondike rush has been responsible for
the steady growth OF bank clearances
for tho past four years. The business
which Is represented by those clear
ance figures Is not Of temporary char
aoter. however. The result of the Nome
rush. following upon the discovery of
the great plaeers OF that region, has
been to establish permanently on the
shores OF Boring sea a large popula-
ton, the trade Of which win be abso-
iutely controlled by Seattle: as the re-
suit OF the Klendike rush was 70 es-
tablisn permanently a large population
on the Canadian Yukon. with which Sc
attic stin carries on a very large and
profitable commerce.
When the bank clearances OF Seattle
FIRST commenced to expand in a phe-
nomenal manner. four years ago. the
cities which then thought themselves
its rivals took pains to point out that
the business represented by those ig-
ures was purely OF a local and tempo
rary character. due to the rush north
ward: and that as soon as that rush
was over the figures would drop back
TO the old standard. II Is interesting
20 note that so far from those predic-
tons having been justified. the Alas
kan business has grown steadily all OF
the time. and that the average sales
and shipments Of goods to Alaskan
ports. entirely aside from the shipments
10 Nome. are absolutely greater today
than they we're when the Klondlke
rush was at It's height
There are actually as many or more
people new settled as new but perua-
nent residents in Alaskan tiaewater
towns. and on the Yukon and its trlbu-
taries. as passed through Seattle and
eutitted here In the year OF the first
Klondlke rush. Each Of those perma-
nsnt residents q Alaska Is. Ia effect.
as good customer Of Seattle mer-
chants as be was when he purchased
his first OUTFIT for his Journey 10 the
uorthward, There is no rush about the
business OF supplying the people Of
| Alaska, as there was when fifteen or
twenty thousand men were engaged In
outitting themselves with provisions
ana clothing for year and all Of them
had to be handled within a few weeks.
| The business In the aggregate has