Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1902-12-05
INCREASE IN COMMERCE
SENATOR FOSTER ON ACTIVITY
AT PUGET SOUND.
Great Shipment Of Breadstuffs-Heavy
Lumber Industry-Farmers Reap
ing Rich Harvest.

Senator Foster of Washington says that
the commerce of Puget sound is increasing
more rapidly than that of any other portion
of the United States.
During the ten months ended with Oc-
tober,'' the senator stated today, 1.-The ex-
ports from the port of Tacoma were valued
at over s15,5O0090, an increase of over Y
per cent over the corresponding period for
1901. The port of Seattle has also shown
remarkable increase in its exports, and has
been the banner city of the United States
in the number of new houses built for the
year In the matter of the shipment of
bread stuffs Puget sound shows an increase
of over Al per cent, and that district is
lifted from the ninth to the sixth place and
now ranks well up with New York, Balti-
more and Philadelphia
With reference to the tariff Senator Fos-
ter says that the times are too good to I'M
dertake any revision at this time. All lines
of business are crowded, he says, in the
state of Washington and in the natter of
lumber, for instance with which he is d.
rectly connected, he states that many of
the mills are absolutely unable to fill their
orders. 1t is not a question of securing
more trade, but of filling the orders that
are sent from all parts of the United States
and in filling the orders by steamers and
sailing vessels to foreign parts.
Great Lumber Industry.
In this connection" said Senator Foster
it may be interesting to note that Tacoma
has the largest sawmill plant in the world
There may be other concerns managing a
number of sawmill plants in different parts
of the country which have a larger capacity
than the St. Paul and Tacoma Lumber
Company, but that concern. nevertheless
has a greater capacity than any sawmill
plant in the world, and while there are
other plants of almost equal capacity locat-
ed at Port Blakely and elsewhere through
ont t1n tot of Voc hi
able to fill all the orders crowding in upon
them for fir, spruce and cedar lumber.
"A few weeks ago a sash and door factory
located near the plant in which l am inter-
ested near Tacoma burned and inside of
two weeks after the property was destroyed
the company had on file orders for more
than $4,000 cedar doors, to say nothing of
other housefurnishing materials.
Farmers Reaping Rich Harvests.
1.-The farmers of Washington, particular
ly the wheat and hop farmers have been
reaping a rich harvest, and having paid
off their mortgages long ago. are now pur-
chasing many of the luXuries of life and
taking trips to visit their friends in the
east during Thanksgiving and holiday
times. Our state will receive a large sum
of money under the irrigation law, and the
irrigable tracts of the state will be utilized
for the home seekers who have been COM
ing in by the train load during the past
year and have been locating on all of the
| available land to be had.
The fishing industry is also increasing
in volume and the coal output continues
normal, Notwithstanding the extensive use
of oil in California One of the large mines
controlled by the Southern Pacific railroad
was closed for a time. and it was feared
| that it might remain permanently idle, but
1t has recently been opened at its full ca
pacity in order to supply the demands of
| the company which operates it. The min
! ing business continues active, and about the
time l left the state of the smelterS
| located at Tacoma had just closed con-
| tract for treating and smelling something
| like from five to seven millions of dollars
| of gold-bearing ores per year from British
! Columbia.
| Business Generally Flourishing.
Thus you will see that business general
| " throughout the Pacific northwest is very
hourishing and that we have no time to
/ think of tariff revision or seek any change
from the present prosperous conditions.
Prosperity seems to increase the republi-
| can vote, and our state made very graft
| fying showing at the last election. One
| of our congressman, Mr.. w. L. Jones, car
ried every county in the state. and in my
own county many precincts which have al
ways gone democratic were overturned and
| republican majorities secured. Out OF a
| total vote of approximately $1,000 we rolled
| I'D a republican majority of $4,000. This
will / believe, compare well in proportion
| to the vote cast with any state In the
| Union"