The San Juan islander. [volume] (Friday Harbor, Wash.) 1898-1914, 1908-03-28
The Question of
Transportation

OAN0A OIB oooAO A0ou LILO OcAA-
ingham Herald declares that the
"steamer Valentine which. by the
way. is gasoline launch, "will fll
long felt want operating daily
between Friday Harbor and Belling-
ham. and the further enthusiastic
statement is made that '"The mer-
chants Of both this city and those on
the islands have long worked for such
u scheme. and to have boat that will
leave for this city at 6:30 O'Clock
every morning arriving here at 11:15
in the morning will be great boon
to all lines of trade
II the Herald would 60 little fur
ther and publish the names of some Of
the merchants in this county who
have ''long worked for such q
scheme" the information would be
appreciated by other merchants who
have not lain awake nights devising
schemes to divert trade to the cities,
and also by steamboat owners who are
watching with more or less compla
cency the inroads which gasoline
launches are making upon their bust
ness.
The Islander suspects that the en-
couragement which the public seems
ever ready to extend to small craft is
responsible in no small measure for
the fact that there has been no marked
permanent improvement for several
years in the steamboat service on the
Seattle and Bellingham mail routes.
There has been large increase during
the past three or four years in passen-
ger travel between the islands and
mainland points. as we'll as amung the
islands, but the steamboat men say
that their passenger receipts are little,
if any, larger than they we're several
years ago. because of the fact that a
great many people travel now IN
launches which are not required to
undergo inspection or carry licensed
masters or engineers. The steamboat
inspection law does not apply to
motor boats Of less than fifteen gross
tons burden, and there is not one in
the county that is not under this linn
it. Nearly all OF them are licensed
to carry passengers and 80 many people
find it convenient to travel in this
manner that it must have very ap
preciable effect upon steamboat pas
senger receipts. The launches have
just as much right upon the waters,
within bounds of safety. as the steam
boats. and properly so. but when
people become clamorous for better
steamer service. especially during
rough weather. it is we'll enough to
consider the question a little from
the standpoint of the steamboat men.
as we'll as from that of the travelling
public.
In this connection it may not be
out of place to note that another Bell
ingham paper. in it's issue of last Sat-
udray, reported the steamer Lydia
Thompson as having had a narrow
escape from wreck on the straits the
day before. The report furnished
to the paper by one Of the passengers.
was little exaggerated, the state-
ments. for instance, that ''the hold
soon filled with water'' and s.the boat
was finally beached", being untrue.
The facts are that strong southwest
erly gale. struck the vessel about mid
way between Port Townsend and
Smiths island, and by the time the
island was reached it was blowing SO
hard that it was impossible to put the
lighthouse-keeper. who was aboard,
ashore. About midway between the
island and Iceberg point Capt Hanson
turned and headed up Rosario strait,
running with the wind. OFF Watmough
head the circulating pump gave out
and sail was run up to keep the
steamer of shore while the pump was
being patched up. No further diff
Q lty was experienced until the steam.
.,r was leaving Lopez, when. through
some miscalculation. she ran aground
on q shoal and was Obliged to remain
there until the rising tide floated her
off. She was quite heavily loaded
and some of her cargo was consider
ably damaged.
There has been good deal Of com
plant about the vessel for long time
and the travelling public undoubtedly
entertains strong belief, in which
steamboat men themselves concur,
that she is no longer suitable for the
route across the straits. / { the com.
pany cares very much abont the good
will Of the people Of this county sht
will soon Be replaced BY the Rosalie,
or some other equally staunch and