The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1900-02-23
/. FOSTER AND THE MINT.
,rstor Explains Why Tacoma
Has a Prior Claim.
- FOR A PACIFIC CABLE
..s the Northern Route, and IL
stsrt From This stntc-Branch
s.es to Alaskan Points, and One
~~- san Francisco to Hawaii
cssstruetion TO he In Hands Of
r.Ate Commission 10 BE Named.

In having been introduced in con-
r,ovIdtng for the construction of
- ~ Taeprna, Senator Foster says, rela-
- seattle'a claim for mint, that
~ ~. sn,ev of prior asserted or establish
= s,,Ins seems to be involved"
~ letter on the matter, written at
I1.s,neton February g. was considered by
- r-hsrnber Of Commerce Wednesday.
s,s,s,ary Prosch interpreted Mr.. Fosters
.'Ssveuee 10 mean that recognition OF the
sstm Of Tacoma in preference TO that OF
ss,ste was because a bill happens to
-. heen introduced before one was
'~s.rted for Seattle. Mr.. Prosch claims
~, such a precedent would be dan
s.sous one 10 establish. If carried out II
-, mean, he says, that the simple In
.-stscflon OF a bill providing for some
~scx,fion that would be foolish for ono
Es,,tv. would nullify all subsequent ac-
~ With reference TO a suitable place.
=, means that II blu was TO lie in
/ ,nAuced TO establish subtreasury at
| rsmunds. for instance. Il would prevent
.-s.dsration Of similar measure for Ia
80 or Seattle or any other place" said
n Prosch.
~ Foster wrote as follows concerning
~ mint proposition;
arsrly IN the session Senator Turner in
.yc5uced bill In the senate providing for
~ establishment Of a mint at Tacoma,
your sister city, and | take pleasure In at
,.sshine hereto a copy Of this bill for your
sonsideration. Presumably, however, You
ave already examined It's provisions. The
uolcy that admits OF recognition OF prior
sss<rted or established claims OF the va
Anus sections Of our state seems to be
Involved IN this case"
The BILL referred TO was introduced In
~ senate by Senator Turner December
4 II provides for the selection of a SUI
psfntendent. assayer. melter and Iefiner.
INA coiner. all TO be appointed by the
pfesident and confirmed by the senate;
ihs superintendent TO draw a salary %
r0p year, and the others mentioned
egD each The bin reads further as fol-
isw:
htrrhy authorized to rent suitable build
ha for use as n mint building, and for
I'll purposes in connection Herewith. until
he proposed government building at Ia
coma shall be completed.
THAT the sum OF $4,000 be, and the
sane Ii hereby appropriated out or any
money In the treasury not otherwise APP
wopriated, to carry into effect the pro-
ssfons OF this act, and to meet he ex-
Vnses Of the current year, and for the
htH year ending June 30 1901
Mr.. Foster mud the Cable.
Senator Foster has also introduced bill
H0stding for the construction OF the
tnnspacific cable by the northern route,
aarting from this state. IL embOdies the
main principles and route advocated by
harrington Emerson in his works on the
subject As a preface to the bin. the SEN
sssy has written as follows 10 tho Cham
sf OF Commerce;
In the cable matter I have been dis
utisfied with the prevailing sentiment
the senate and house favorable to what
htermed the southern route; For vari-
~ reasons there seems 10 be strong
n0vement to attempt the placing OF TINS
proposed cable along this southern route.
fhs distance would be greater, a greater
aspth Of water would be ensonntered, ana
The practical results would not be so
satisfactory as by way OF the northern
route, which | have advocated.
zone OF the reasons why | have adyo-
Gated the northern route Is because We
could thereby reach Alaska and establish
cable communication with Juneau, Skag-
my and other Lynn canal points, Douglas
Island. sitka. Dutch harbor and other
points.
sBut the two other practical points in
favor Of the Northern route are the items
u cost and the fa.forthle route followed.
The cost would probably be half what the
total outlay along the southern route
would be, and there would not be the dan
GER OF breaks and damage 70 the cable on
the northern route that evidently would
- encountered along the southern route.
WIN tuUlftiihk hNnl HHtN Alit lPtAiAtAh
pa.s would result In large revenues,
while the business from the southern
route points would not be OF much ae-
count, outside OF Honolulu and other Ha-
walian points and Manila and the Philip
pine island connections.
Accordingly. have prepared n bin pro-
nding Tor system OF cables along the
narthern route, that the materials shall
y OF American manufacture, aud that
she cable shall be fully tested before the
nme Is accepted Government ownership
q The cable seems TO be desired, but there
must BE- provisions 70 prevent schemes
% have the government do the work, and
hen allow the cables 20 slip into the
aands OF SPECTATORS"
The senator. nm.
Nj Fosters cable bill. which was in
uvdactd February u, and referred 20 The
committee on naval affairs. provides that
he cable l. 20 start from the coast 81
ne state Of Washington and To be laid In
ss~p sea 70 the westward via the Alaskan
coast. with stations AZ suitable tuterv ais
And short branch lines 10 Juneau and
1axway and other Alaskan commercial
eeaters 70 Dutch harbor. thence north OF
Ne Aientian Islands 20 tho island of Attn,
ihsaee either % the japan Russian ho1u-
sAfy, there branching 60 the siberian
eaast and the kurile islands 10 Japan. or
irer Aitg an all-AmoricRn cable 20 the
ftlltppine islands. with one or mote laud-
1<s On TIC small Pacific Islands Wing be-
tNven Attn aud the Philippines, and from
we M said island stations a branch cable
u japan, or such combination Of these
suates As shall be selected by the Pacific
s<sss submission, that there SHAH also
constructed a separate caale trom san
saaeiscp 10 the Hawaiian islands
Ahe Submission Is 10 consist OF tho
RstnAsteF general. the superintendent 81
~ e1art and ge0dstlc survey. ara officer
= Nc army an officer 90 the navy and
- ssprFiencet engineer from clvii ufe.
tae cables aro 90 hy Of American manu-
iAc,age and the main line as Tar az Attn
&c capable OF transmitting not less
80 iorty-nve words a minute. and the
sAseh Ahes 60 Alaska and the HAWattans
- lsss tasn ificea words a minute Halt
ms.sioa dollars IS to be Immediately
,Naaoie for carrying cut the provisions
Nc Proposed set. and the commission.
sSa y 70 have charge Of IRE ccnstrle-
lis ~. = 70 b aUjhogized 20 make contracts
I. :
Al