The San Juan islander. [volume] (Friday Harbor, Wash.) 1898-1914, 1902-04-24
TRADE OF SAN JUAN
TELEPHONE SERVICE THE ONE
GREAT NEI-D OF THE ISLANDS
The Daily Herald's Report of the Address
of the Editor of the Islander Before
the WEatcom Commercial Club
Steamboat Service and Rates.

The Bellingham Bay papers all
devoted considerable space to the adj
dress of the editor Of the ISLANDER be-
fore the Commercial Club ut Whatcom
last week on the sHhject of trade re-
lations with the San Juan islands, and
the Reveille. Blade and Fairhaven
Times made very friendly and favor
able comment upon it edtorally. The
most extended local report was given
toy the Daily Herald, which also
printed in connection with it the
ISLANDERS map of the county. Feel
ing that the people of the county have
a right to know what was said by Mr.
concern their interests, we publish the
substance of his talk as taken from the
Herald's report. He prefaced his re-
marks with Whit lie called little
"ancient history" about the Thompson
steamboat service ana the growth Of
the county's trade with Seattle, the
facts stated being new to most of his
hearers. He said:
Eight years ago, when the then
owners OF the steamer Lydia TnOmp-
son secured the contract for carry
ing the mail on the Port Townsend
Whatcom route, Capt. Thompson
came mere and sought the co-opera-
| tion of the board of trade in an effort
| to obtain sureties upon his bond for
| carrying the mail proposing, in re-
| turn for the favor to hail his steam
| er from here, buy his supplies here
and in fact make Whstcom his home
and the headquarters Of his company.
| He told me a few months ago that
Cniy one man of the many who were
| approached expressed a willingness 10
| render any assistance in the matter,
| even though it did not involve the
payment of single cent OF money.
| He then went to Seattle where he had
no difficulty in obtaining not only the
surety accommodation asked but also
| had ample funds offered him VITA
which to complete his steamer ano
make her suitable for her new SER
vice. And it should be borne in mind
that this contract ther called tor car
rying the mail only to and from Port
Townsend, nearly fifty miles down the
sound from Seattle, and that prior to
that time the islands mad the benefit
af CT
| Seattle only once week and then on
Saturday nights-the most unfavora-
BILE time possible for the shipment of
| fruit or any perishable products. The
| Thompson very soon began running
through to Seattle every trip. The
passenger fare and freight rates were
materially reduced and the volume Of
business rapidly increased. Seattle
jobbers and retailers worked for the
trade of the islands and they sue
ceeded in getting very large part or
it, notwithstanding the fact that dur
ing all these years the bay cities, ly-
ing at the very gateway of the archi-
pelago have had the advantage of a
freight rate fifty per cent lower botn
to and from all island points and OF
correspondingly lower passenger
fares, and have had two steamers,
affording a daily service, wherea'
there has been only a tri-weekly sell
Vice to and from Seattle.
Within a few days both steamers
have put into effect an advance in
rates from certain points, which is a
discrimination against Whatcom. The
Seattle rates remain unchanged. In
defense of this acquiescence In this
advance. Mr.. Newhall, owner of the
Buckeye. says that during the past
few years the cost of steamboat opera
tion has increased more than fifty
per cent. without any corresponding
increase in the amount of his business
with-the bay cities.
Business worth having is worth
making some effort to get. Trade is
very largely matter of exchange. II
Bellingham Bay merchants are desir"