The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1900-01-06
soarHrRr PACIFIC ". srArrLs.

feastje, ian. 6 1900, :
To the Editor: ! was surprised TO read
IN this mornings Ppst-TnfellIgepcer In
the letters Of prefninent citizens that It "
their opinion that the Northern Pacific
Railway Company could not do anything
70 harm Seattle wtthout doing harm TO
the company. and. theretore, We could
yacate some OF our streets on the water
front, give them over 10 the Northern
Pacific Railway Company and trust that
that company would not so use them a. 10
fnjurs Seattle, The general statement
that a railway company viii not so carry
on its business AZ TO in3ure town where
1t Is seeking business Is plausible enough
on the face Of II, but In actual practice
1t Is not always sound.
Nobody knows better than ex-Gov. Nc
Graw or Dr. Calhoun mat their state
ment does not hold good IN regard TO the
conduct of the Northern 1'acifc Railway
Company either under the old or new
management. Thase gentlemen, a. well
as others familiar With the Northern Pa
cihc Railway Company, know that thair
line was laid from the Cascade mountains
to Tacoma In such q way az 70 be great
Injury to The company, and was so laid In
order to destroy Seattle. From the sum
NIT OF the Cascades TO Tacoma they have
to overcome at two different places grades
equal to mountain grades. and they built
their line over those two submits for no
other reason than TO avoid Seattle. Here
is q clear RECITATION OF wnat Gxs5ox. Mo
Draw and DR.. Calhoun say--that COM
pany will not work to it, own disadvant-
age for the purpose OF inJuring town
where Il expects to got business.
but they say that ths Northern Pacific
management has changed. and that the
new mana cement II guided by q policy of
enlightened selfishness. Let US zee: The
Northern Pacific Railroad. or Railway,
Company, whichever they choose to call
It. has been the owner Of one OF the best
wharve. In seattis-that Is the Yesier
wharf-for the last eight or nine years.
That wharf must have cost the company.
one way and another. more than &2o. 900.
Now, ever since they have had that wharf
they have been running steamers in the
Oriental trade from Tacoma to China.
They not only did not use Yesler wharf
IN that connection, but they did not land
a single one OF those steamers, and have
not to this day, at Seattle. But, worse
still. according to authentic reports OF
some Of our own people who have been In
the Orient, the Northern Pacific Railway
Company. while advertising Tacoma from
one end of the Orient to the other, never
allowed, SO far as they could help It, the
name OF Seattle to be heard Of In that
their steamship office at Hongkong to
make inquiry about Seattle, ten to one the
answer would be that the company knew
nothing about Seattle. but they could tell
you all about Tacoma. Now, this II not
ancient but recent history, and It Is what
IL going on practically today. Here IL a
plain case where with property In the
city this very company has been and Is
doing its best to prevent the city from
having any share In the great commerce
of the Orient. Theories are all very well,
but one fact h worth one hundred the
cries, and here Is the cold fact which
goes to show conclusively that today, not
withdrawing the Northern Pacific has
property In Seattle, II IL doing its best
to deprive Seattle OF the very commerce
that would do more 10 make Seattle a
great city than any other single thing.
The truth Of the business 10 that for ev-
cry dollar that the Northern Pacific has
In Seattle 1t has ten dollars In Tacoma,
and is going to take care OF the ten dol
lars at the expense of the one dollar.
The city OF Seattle will make the great
est mistake that II has ever made II 1t
vacates the streets on the water front and
gives them up to the Northern Pacific
Railway Company. when at this very time
the Northern Pacific Railway Company Is
doing It's best with a great line Of ocean
steamships to build up another port for
Oriental commerce at the expense OF Sc
attic. II we are to become a great city
we must command the Oriental trade. We
will never do It II we depend on the
Northern Pacific Railway Company.
A. l.. BROWN.