The San Juan islander. [volume] (Friday Harbor, Wash.) 1898-1914, 1911-03-17
Conditions Here and Elsewhere

them that the ISLANDER Is dUle "
fully impress upon its readers the
full Importance of this county's
position as regards its financial
standing and its present and fu ture
business outlook.
In Portland, Tacoma Seattle,
Everett, Bellingham and other cities
and towns of the Sound and coast,
manufacturers, merchants, whole
sale and retaiD real estate dealers,
brokers, bankers and others engag-
ed in business and financial pursuits
are all making the same complaint,
business quiet, collections slow
and real estate transactions few and
far between, as compared with what
they would be under normal or more
prosperous conditions. In Everett,
the mayor and city council have
ordered that the street lights be
"cut OUT, the office Of health officer
discontinued, the police force cut
down, certain street Improvement
projects abandoned and other
changes made in the way OF re-
trenchment, so that the city's annual
expense account will be cut more
than $4,000. The mayor is to be
commended highly for the recon-
mendations he has made. Without
the $4,000 license money paid for
the saloons before that city was
voted "dry" last fall, and without
the possibility of legally raising the
necessary money by taxation he
could readily see that the current
expenses could not possibly be met
unless this cut was made, and upon
his recommendation it was made
rather than burden the city with
additional debts.
In Bellingham similar conditions
exist. except that only portion of
the street lights have been ordered
discontinued. Business failures,
some of them heavy and among the
oldest established firms, have occur
red and With those still able to keep
their heads above water SO to speak,
close management is necessary to
enable them to pay their rents and
meet other current and necessary
expenses. Some may say that this
condition has been brought about by
the voting out of the saloons in
these two cities. In answer to this
the Islander most emphatically says
no, and its assertion is borne out
by the best business men of both
cities. They do not attribute the
cause to this but on the contrary
assert that this has had beneficial
effect.
Let US cite, for instance, the con-
ditions in Seattle, Tacoma, Portland
and Aberdeen, cities that are "soak-
ing wet" having saloons by the
score and where the wide open
policy is in full force and effect.
In these places business conditions
are nearly if not quite as bad.
Business failures and financial en-
barrassments are frequent and many
firms are operating under the direc-
ton of receiver or trustee. The
banks in all of these places are APP
parently sound and in healthy
financial condition but money is
close and it is only by most excellent
judgment and good management that
they are kept in such a state. and
it is to be hoped that they will con-
tinue in such a condition and that
nothing will arise to cause alarm
or shake the public's confidence in
them
In the four latter cities above re-
ferred to the finances available for
municipal purposes are at a low
ebb and retrenchment is the order
In every seeming possible instance.
Now for comparison. In our
little county of San JUAN the pros
poets were never brighter. The
county's finances are in a most
healthy and excellent condition.
1t has no warrant indebtedness, it's
bonded Indebtedness is so small that
it is hardly worth the mentioning
only $4,000. The two last bonds
paid were taken up before they were
due and this promises to be the case
with the other four still held by the
state. The San Juan County Bank.
one of the soundest private banking
institutions in the state, never issued
a better financial statement than
that published in this issue of the
Islander, and its individual deposits
have shown no decrease but on the
contrary are above the normal aver
age. Real estate transactions have
been many and the prices paid for
both farm lands and town property
are considerably higher thans.ver
before in the history of the county
and the demand for both does not
appear to be lessening. The mer.
camille business is bnt little II on,