The San Juan islander. [volume] (Friday Harbor, Wash.) 1898-1914, 1910-02-25
More Misrepresentation
OF Steamboat Servie

The papers of Bellingham seem Eo.
have gone "daffy" over the matterpf
San Juan county's TRANSFORMATION a.
cilities. In frequent issues of bdh
the Herald and the American an
Reveille some reporter, who imagins
be has the burden of this countys
imaginary troubles upon bis sbou-
ders. harps about our inadequate bot
service and advances some new methd
I by which the dear people of tbs
county can be helped out. In lat
Sunday issue of the Herald appear
ed an article along this line. and this
time it is President Gazzam, Of the
Kitsap County Transportation Co. (,
who is to come to our rescue. Among
other things the paper says:
''Citizens of San Juan island and
other islands which have heretofore
been dependent upon the Inland Nav
igation Company and other vessels
for transportation to and from their
homes to Bellingham. have not been
satisfied with the means of service
accorded them in the past.
cit is pointed out by men familiar
with the circumstances that peoL le
living among the islands need more
vesse.s and that those now plying Oh
that route are not able to meet the
demand.
"President Gazzam stated that it
was not the intention of his company
at the present time to plsce vessels
upon that route, but stated that he
would always be willing to take up a
project which would reflect to the
credit of the people either in this city
or among the island towns.
"Some dissension has been voiced
by the press of San Juan island re
garding the placing Of vessel on the
route between Beliingham and island
points, but by the people who have
the best interests of the island at
heart it is pointed out that they want
all the steamers they can get. The
attitude Of the press which is antsg-
onistic to the movement is explained
by the fact that the publication is in
terested in the steamship lines which
now operate between the city and the
islands.
"President Gazzam stated that be
would willingly take up the matter
of furnishing better transportation
for the San Juan islands when it was
seen how the Kitsap would come out
on tie Bellingham Seattle run"
II its reference to the press of the
county being antagonistic to any
proposition to improve our boat ser
vice, on account of the papers being
interested in the steam boat lines, re-
fers in any way to the Islander. it has
the wrong 'hunch !" We are in the
newspaper business only and never
have had and have not now any de
sire to share the troubles of the steam
boat owners. We have always endeav-
ored to do what we could to further
the interests of the county and its
people and when there is need for
more boats on the Bell!ngham run we
will have no hesitancy in doing what
we can to get them. It is doubtful
whether the boats now running are
paying operating expenses. although
they are giving good service.
Passenger launches will doubtlessl
be put on the run in the summer and
may be operated at profit, but tH
people should not lose sight Of tip
fact that it is equally important 70
have good freight carrying facilitiSs
as we'll as passenger Service boSts
that can be depended upon to operate
at all seasons of the year.