The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1903-04-06

San Francisco was easily the queen
city of Western America. and not only
| on account of the great wealth and
| equally great enterprise of the Califor-
mans, but because it was the only
Western city. it became the terminus OF
the first Pacific Railroad. built in an
era when roads were constructed to
enrich the promoters and not to make
money, out Of operation On the old
Pacific road, now so differently man
aged, there was one determining fac
tor; namely. the competition from sail
ing vessels around Cape Horn.
WHEN TRADE DIVORCED.
Mr.. Huntington imagined that by oc-
cupying the narrowest part OF the
United States between the Atlantic and
Pacific he would always be able to con-
troll the trans-American traffic. little
foreseeing that a constructive instead
of monopolistic policy would be able to
carry cotton from Texas to Puget
Sound at cheaper rate than his road
would carry it from Galveston to San
Diego. The era of monopoly ended
with the construction of competing
lines to the Pacific coast, which have
resulted not only in the substitution of
American manufacturers for British in
California, but also in the development
of the California fruit trade. The Pa
cific Mail. aided by a subsidy for the
mails, maintained freight and passen-
ger relations between Hawaii and the
United States and relied for large
part of its income on the Chinese coolie
trade first to California and them to
Hawaii; but it brought also silks. tea
and curios, thus making a beginning of
a Pacific and Oriental traffic and trade.
In the meantime the bonanza wheat
farms of North Dakota had stimulated
and aided by the largest railroad land
grant ever given, about $4,000 square
miles, one of these roads pushed
through to the Pacific, making its ter
minus at Tacoma, on Puget Sound
which is by far the best harbor on the
Pacific coast. This was still IN the |
era of speculative railroad building, !
and it is not unfair to say that the
Northern Pacific was built, not for the |
sake of any traffic Immediately il |
sight, but to capture the land grant. |
The Canadian Pacific. from Montreal to
Vancouver. paralleling the Northern
Pacific at distance of 300 miles ard I
playing on the idea of international
rivalry. was also built by grants ana
subsidies, and it became a competitor
of the first Importance. because, being
subsidized and wholly beyond Ameri-
can control and largely beyond Ameri-
can pooling arrangements. with its ter
minaI boat service it could and did
reach every American Pacific coast
city. and made strong bids for share
Of the traffic.
GREAT NORTHERN ROADS.
There was, however. a stronger force
yet to change the future, and one that
distinctly inaugurated new era. The
Great Northern Railroad. wheat road
If Minnesota and North Dakota, had
been developed and made by one man,
Mr.. James ]. Hill, who. living on the
inc of his roads, from the very first ,
quilt not for the sake of bonds or sub
iidies, but for the immediate and pros
)ective traffic. Having made a great
success of prairie roads, just when .
peculative building in American roads
lad ended, Mr.. Hill began to reach out ,
oward the Pacific and completed his ,
through line in the darkest days OF
when steel and labor were at their low
st. ,
All other transcontinental railroads +
ad been constructed with an eye TO
vest bound traffic. Mr.. Hills road was +
uilt for east-bound traffic. The wheat =
airs. filled to overlooking at the crop
moving seasons of the year and then !
landing idle on side tracks of Dakota. +
ouId be utilized all the year through q
0 carry Washington lumber east !
ard 6
The terminus of his road was Seattle, a
lso on Puget Sound, and also with i
reat natural terminal facilities. The $
Empress line" from the terminus of
ne Canadian Pacific at Vancouver had n
ecome the fastest and best-patronized "
ne across the Pacific. At Vancouver r
ere unlimited supplies of good coal at d
cry low price, and the route to Yoko- I
anna. Honglxong and India is over Il
miles shorter than the first O
established route via Hawaii Seattle a
nd Tacoma have at their back doors ii
pal fields more extensive than those e
Z Vancouver. These two cities are as n
ear to the Orient as the Canadian Pa S
hc terminus. so Mr.. Hill, feeling sure II
lat he could divert part at least F
: the tea and silk trade to his own g.
i II