The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1900-05-24
Talks of Northern Pacific I'M
provements at Seattle.
WILL NOT JOIN TERMINAL PLAN.
Says President Hill Cannot Garry
Out Depot Promises Because
Northern Pacific Owns Part of
Proposed site-Company Ready to
Build a Union Depot Adequate for
All When Permission Is Given.

c. S. Mellen. president; ]. w. Kendrick.
second vicepresdent, and +. II.
McHenry chief engineer. of the
Northern Pacific Railway Company, ar
rived in the city at noon yesterday They
will remain here until today at noon and
then proceed to Portland, where they Will
make brief stay and then continue their
journey to st. Paul. The object of their
present trip is to look over the water
front improvements now being made
here, and consult with General Manager
Miller, of the Seattle & International. re-
garding contemplated betterments along
that line. and the building of the Airing
tUn-Darrington branch. The party will
not go north from Seattle.
President Melen, when seen in his pri-
vate car yesterday afternoon. talked brief
ly regarding his mission to the Coast
This is hurried trip he said, AS
must be in St. Paul on Wednesday next,
when / leave for New York. l am going
to spend a day at Portland and go over
the Clearwater extension before return
ing.
II don't know that there is anything
new regarding our intentions toward Sc
attic other than is contained in my letter
to the secretary of the Chamber Of Com
merce. which was published in the Post
InteIligencer. We are doing everything
Seattle will allow us to do for the city.
We are at present engaged in spending
tZlb,uu mere III water lTpnl improvements
and when our docks are completed we
will furnish more dockroom for the So
called mosquito feet and oceansgoing yes
sells than Seattle ever before possessed.
I'VE would like very much TO get a track
to our docks as per the petition now
pending before the city council. But I
don't know what will be done about 1t
l can only say that l hope 1t will be
granted.
Company Not to Blame.
This will say, and that is Seattle must
not blame the Northern Pacific for not
furnishing proper depot facilities here
We are doing the very best we can. We
are ready and willing to do more just as
soon as the city will permit us. At pres
ent our hands are tied
1.-The Northern Pacific railway Will new
err go into any terminal agreement that
will have as its object the building OF
union depot at any other point than was
mentioned in our offer to the city OF Seat
tie. / don't care what Mr.. HIN says, it
will never come to pass. The depot We
offered Seattle was intended for union
depot. The Great Northern, the Union
Pacific or any other road that might come
to Seattle would have been permitted to
use ii on an equal footing with our own
line. The Northern Pacific will build and
own its depot. but II will not turn the
property 1t has acquired over to termi-
nal company.
is the only railroad company capable OF
carrying out the provisions OF its offer.
The Great Northern can never build a
union or private depot on the ground Mr..
Hill promised the citizens OF this city he
would at the time our proposition was re-
jected. for the reason the Northern Pa
cinc owns a considerable portion of the
proposed Great Northern site. We have
property enough here of our own. and
there Is no reason why We should go into
terminal agreement and we Will not.
We will build depot adequate to the
needs of ali roads that are now here. or
may come to Seattle just as soon as the
city will give us permission.
THE hue and cry against the Northern
Pacific blocking up the water front is
foolish The Northern Pacific owns much
| of the water front. There our road will do
its business. Could anybody suppose I'M
| der these conditions we would seek to
| block up the water front? on the contrary
1t is to our interest TO keep 1t open
There is absolutely nothing we can
! do until the city sees fit to meet us half
| way Then we are ready to go ahead and
put into execution the plans We submitted
| and more too.
Everett's Growing Importance.
The interest taken by the Northern
| Pacific in Everett is due entirely 10 the
growing importance of that place, and
| The trade We must look after there. We
| will increase our water front facilities
| there, put in several new side tracks, etc,
so as to be able 10 accommodate several
| new industries.
probably fifteen miles Of the Arlington
| Darlington line viii be built and put in
| operation this year. One survey has been
| made. but II will probably not he the
! right of way. We Will shortly begin active
! building operations on it.
| THE Northern Pacific never had any
| intention OF purchasing the Bcllingham
| Bay x British Columbia road. We have
| a close traffic arrangement with that line
| which we must maintain In order to reach
| Whatcom and other points. The Canadian
| Pacific has the same arrangement for the
| same purpose. The contract between the
| seattle Il International and Canadian Pa
| cihc / think runs until year from next
! fall II is however, a running contract.
! and can be renewed and extended TO any
| time There j. no objection to its eN-
! tension on the part Of the Northern Pa
| cIGc. and / believe none on the part Of the
| Canadian Pacific The Northern Pacific,
| therefore does not want to shut the Cana
I dian Pacific cut OF this territory, as re-
| ported.
There Will be no further extension work
| done on the Clearwater branch this year.
| AS regards tho admission Of the Union
| Pacific over our tracks from Portland,
| that has only been informally discussed.
| We want to reach Portland over the Ore
| Ean Railway & Navigation tracks. frol
| Wauaia junction. aud the Union Pa
| cliffs wants To reach Seattle. Whether
/ either company IS ready 20 enter into
| such an arra ngrmcnt has not been talk
/ Cd over yet Some day there Is no doubt.
! the Union Pacific VIII come 10 Seattle.
I nrArTnm nan arm Unnnn