The Tacoma times. [volume] (Tacoma, Wash.) 1903-1949, 1904-07-26
Win Discuss Possibility OfExtending the
Great Northern TO This City--An
interesting Letter Just Re-
CeiVeC by The Times

The collective letters" sent out
from Tacoma to three railway presi-
dents, asking them to build their
lines to this city, have not been un-
heeded.
Two of them have been answered,
enc by j. Kruttschnitt, director of
maintenance and operation of the
Hartman lines, speaking for his
chief, and the other by James j. Hill
himself.
The third collective letter"-the
une addressed to President Earling
OF the Milwaukee, remains man-
swered up to this date, fact regard
ed as significant by those who have
been Following the recent tide-fiat
deals in Tacoma.
1t win be recalled by all citizens of
Tacoma who were readers of The
Times last May that this paper pre-
pared three letters. one to James J.
Hill, one to E. H. Hartman and the
other to A. J. Earring, asking each
to extend his railway system to this
city, stating the needs of Tacoma
in the way of additional transporta-
uOn facilities and pledging generous
freight traffic etc.
Were Heartily Endorsed.
These letters were circulated in
the city and were signed by the
Chamber of Commerce and nearly all
of the heavy shippers and merchants;
ALSO by such we'll known citizens as
United States Senator Foster, pres
ent Mayer Wright and ex-MayoT
Campbell, aEld scores of others rep
Resenting all professions, industries
and trades
No such letters ever went out of
Tacoma before, and the answers were
awaited with keen interest.
A couple of weeks later mysteri-
oHs dealings IN tide-fiat lands, both
at Tacoma and Seattle, were re-
vealed. The Times forthwith gave
the facts exclusively to the public
before other papers woke up to what
was going ON.
The Times was certain that these
tide-fiat dealings related to a trans
continental railway enterprise, and
soon narrowed the matter down to
the Milwaukee road.
A Complex Situation.
At the same time the fact was not
overlooked that both Hartman and
Hill were contending for the mas
terry of the Northern Pacific, and
that the one who lost in the courts
was very liable to extend his own
system of railroads to Tacoma.
1t was therefore believed to be pos
sib1e that more than one railway
president was securing tide-land. op-
tions against a day of need.
The conditions being so extraor-
dinary, there was little reason to
hope that either Hartman or Hill
would answer the letters sent by Ia
coma shippers with full statements
of what would or would not be done.
It would be giving other roads infor-
nation at stage in the game when
secrecy was altogether desirable.
Hartman Takes Action.
However, Mr.. Hartman sent the
letter addressed to him to Mr.. Krutt-
schnitt, who replied as follows:
June 10, 1904.
"Mr. E. H. Wells, Manager The Ia
coma Times, Tacoma, Washington.
Dear Sir; Your letter of May "a,
to MIR. Hartman, transmitting a joint
letter signed by yourself, the Tacoma
Chamber of Commerce, and by nu-
merous other persons, representing
as you say three-fourths of the ship
ping interests of your cfty, soliciting
an additional transcOntinental rail
road connection for your city, has
been referred to me.
The information contained in
these communications, together with
the offer of the united support OF
your people in furnishing additional
information and assistance toward
the desired end, have been noted
with considerable interest, and in
thanking you for bringing the mat
ter to our attention will say that this
data will be kept before us, and
should we contemplate anything in
the direction indicated in the future
we will communicate with you fur
ther. Yours truly,
-. KRUTTSCHNITT."
They Were Thinking.
Then came long silence. Neither
Mr.. Hill nor MF. Earring replied, al
though a private assurance from st
Paul was received at The Times Of
fee to the effect that the letter ad
dressed TO Mr.. Hill had been for
warded to him in New York.
Finally efforts were made by Th'
Times to locate Mr.. Earling, presl
dent of the Milwaukee road. and I
telegram was sent him, calling at
tention to the letter and asking 70
Q definite reply. A wire came bacl