The San Juan islander. [volume] (Friday Harbor, Wash.) 1898-1914, 1910-10-07
The Island Mail Service


Our new mail service, or as it may
be more appropriately termed lack
of service, has been bitter disap-
pointment to the patrons of the
various postoffices of the county,
and much just criticism is heard
from all sides. From Saturday
morning until Thursday there was
no mail boat from Seattle, and no
mail came from there until the Bur-
tons arrival Tuesday afternoon, and
this came by way of Bellingham.
The fact that the company con-
tracing to carry the mail has been
losing a considerable amount of
money on the route does not appease
the people Of this county for the
treatmnet they have been getting.
1t seemed practically certain at the
time the new service was inaugur-
ated that the proposition would be
a losing one, the Islander having
stated repeatedly that there was not
business enough on the run to justi-
fy the operation of more than one
good steamer in addition to the ex-
cellent service given by the steamer
Islander on the Belhngham-Ana-
cortes- islands route. The sched-
ules and routes of the mail steamers
have changed so often that at no
time have the people known what to
depend upon.
Several weeks ago the Islander
urged that the people be patient and
give the new company time to ac-
quire equipment and perfect its SER
vice before passing judgment upon
it, but we now feel that sufficient
time has been given and that the
people have right to expect and
receive what was promised them.
The rural route between here and
Roche Harbor was discontinued,
causing its patrons much inconveni-
ence, and the route through the val
ley recommended by agents of the
post office department seems to have
long been forgotten. The cry
went up for a better service and the
people of the county are familiar
enough with the whole story to know
where that cry came from. What
have we got? The government is
paying $13, $50 for the present SER
vice as against So, 100 paid for the
excellent service rendered by the
steamers Rosalie and Islander and
for the stage service between here
and Roche Harbor. The people
along the route between here and
Anacortes were left without freight
accommodations and only for the
consideration shown them by the
company operating the steamer
Rosalie, which now calls at Port
Stanley, they would still be in the
same predicament in spite of the
fact that they were promised bet
ter service than they had ever had
and by one who was instrumental in
getting the new service inaugurated
and who is said to be interested in
the company now carrying the mails.
At the time the present service
was suggested and long before it
became effective the Islander felt
and said that the service then being
given by the steamers Resale and
Islander was all that the business of
the county would justify and was all
that should reasonably be expected
and we have not yet been convinced
that our argument was not good.
The Islander is reliably informed
that the steamers now carrying the
mails have lost money from the first
and at time Of the year when the
business of the route is at its best,
and it is reasonable to expect that
the losses will be more during the
next few months rather than less,
How long the present conditions
will continue to exist can only be
SurmiSed.
This paper has only the most
friendly feeling toward the new
company and especially toward it.
manager whom the editor has known
for years and who is one of the mos
capable and popular steamboat mer
on the sound. It looks, however .,
if he were up against" condition,
which he could not anticipate and
for which he is not responsible AMI
that the gentlemen who were in
duced to take the daily contract an,
enter a field whose business was al
ready well handled must have bee,
misled as to what they might reas
onably expect.
The government ordered the ser
vice upon the recommendation of
special agent who stated here tina
ne found little dissatisfaction wit
the old service, and the advice Of til
best posted man in mail matters 4