The Nonpartisan Leader Newspaper, December 23, 1915, Page 9

THE NONPARTISAN LEADER L el NINE The Publicly Owned Port of Seattle In the fall of 1911 the people of King County, Washington, in which the city of Seattle is located, by pop- ular vote, provided for and created the “Port of Seattle”” The Port of Seattle is a municipality separate and apart from either King County or the city of Seattle. It is presided over by three commissioners who serve without compensation. The commis- sioners are elected by the people, one every three years. Including the original and subse- quent bonds voted for the Port, near- ly five and a half million dollars have been appropriated ¥or construction purposes. At the present time the Port of Seattle is operating the following terminal facilities: Units of Porf of Seattle. 1. Smith’s Cove dock, for lumber, heavy machinery and general mer- chandise. 2. Bell Street Public Wharf and Transit Shed. 3. Bell Street Concrete Ware- house and Cold Storage Plant. 4. Stacy Street Wharves and Transit Sheds. 5. Whatcom Warehouse. 6. Handford Street Wharf and Transit Shed. _7. Handford Street Public Grain Elevator. 8. Spokane Street Wharf and Transit Shed. 9. Spokane Street Public Fruit Cold Storage Warhouse. 10. Spokane Street Public Fish Avenue Concrete "Cold Storage Plant. 11. - Salmon Bay Wharf, Net Ware- house and Fishing Boat Moorage. 12. Elliot Bay Ferry and Land- ings. 13.. Washington Ferry.and Land- ings. In addition to these the Port Com- mission has built ‘several miles of belt line railroad to facilitate trans- fer and to kill off high switching charges levied by railroads. Broke Back of Trust. The enabling statute which creat- ed the Port of Seattle provided that all these public facilities should be operated at cost and should not make a profit. The result has been that wharfage rates, storage rates and handling charges have been materially reduced. For example, at the Salmon Bay Wharf, Net Warehouse and Fishing Boat Moorage, small independent fishermen who bring in their catch- . es are not obliged to sell them on a glutted market but may store them at the-cold storage plant, at a nom- inal cost. They may also dry and mend their nets in the net ware- house at practically no cost. The Port of Seattle has broken the back of the Terminal Trust which , held the people of that section in its grip. - Wharfage, storage and other terminal charges all fall on, the produec- - er and the ultimate consumer. It is a charge that the shipper pays di- rectly: but the consumer pays indi- rectly. Modern in Every Respect. The buildings and wharves of the Port of Seattle are mostly of concrete. which make them permanent, and are equipped with all the most mod- CORN SHOW OPENED. St. Paul, Minn., Dec. 21.—The first national corn show opened its doors here last week. Corn from North Dakota, occupied a prominent posi- tion, along with exhibits from Minne- sota, South Dakota, Montana, Wash- ington, Oregon, Idaho and, Wisconsin. g 1,500 Exhibits in Place Over 1,600 ten ear exhibits were placed. - The exhibit comprises every variety “of ithe grain, and includes some in- teresting = specimers. Many _ colors, are also being displayed. The “boys’ Tcrminal Facilities of Great Sea Port---La -gest Publzc ‘ Institution in the Country. ern appliances known to the indus- - try. All of which results in a sav- ing in time, money and labor requir- ed in handling and storing. Every one of the twelve units of this great institution have been passed upon and the locations ap- proved by the people at the ballot PORT COMMISSION’S GR AT PUBLIC ELEVATOR, Capacity 500,000 Bushels. A Tidewater Terminal to cerve the Entire Northwest. ‘A’ thing of interest in connection with the Port of Seattle enterprise box. The commission had no power to locate a single unit without in- is the intelligence with which the structions by the majority vote of people deal with cuch a problem, (On Whatcom Ave. the people. This explodes the old bunk about the people not being able to act intelligently. Conspiracy of Silence. Another thing which characterized these efforts of the people was the unanmity with which the inter- terests oprpsed. them. Seattle’s two great daily papers refused to give publicity to the proposition. Not only so but they knocked it all they could. For example, in the last election certain propositions were submitted to the voters. They propos- ed an additional expenditure of $338,000 for a belt line railroad. Ex- tensive materials were prepared by the commission and submitted to these papers but, as the commission ~in its latest bulletin says, “they printed not a dozen lines.” The com- mission, because of this conspiracv to close the channels of publicity, were obliged to publish the propo- sitions in pamrphlet form and distri- bute them among the voters. This idea of publicly owned util- ities is spreading. The people are coming to see the importance and necessity of it. Just as they did in Seattle, so every where else the “In- terests” oppose and fight every move the public makes in this direction. The Interests see that once the pub- lic is awakened and aroused on this subject that nothing can save them their graft. Others Can and Will. To read certain newspapers and to hear certain people talk one would be led to believe that a state like North Dakota, or any other state for that matter, could, not erect, own and op- erate such public institutions. Yet, here is the proof that it can be done. Seattle has done it. Tacoma has done -it. Los Angeles has done it. New Orleans has done it. Montreal has done it. Others have and others will do it. The only thing necessary is for the people to know that it can be done and then make up their minds to do it. The people can do anything when they will to do it. The main question that confronts the peoeple of North Dakota is. will we do it? Once that question is settled the rest is easy. ONE OF THE SEATTLE PORT COM MiSSION'S FIREPROOF WAREHOUSES— View fro Stacy- Lander Slip. from the ordinary pearl like corn to different shades of golden, bronze and brown are represented. Large Ears From West Some of the corn sent from Wash- . ington and Cregon is grown on such large ears that specially constructed racks had to be provided to exhibit it. = The fact that no entrance fee is re- quired has resulted in a much larger number of exhibits: than otherwise could have been obtained. silver trophy cups, valued -at $5,000 The 36° corn sfiow,” in connection with the main show, is a feature. About 225 boys have entered exhibits. UNGLE SAWS TELEGRAPHS Last winter a “musher” with a dog team and sled was on his way. over- land on the Chitina-Fairbanks trail Alaska. He fell and injured himself severely. Night was coming on, and he was in danger of freezing to death. he dragged himself to the nearest telegraph pole, reached the wire and _cut it. In less than an hour two of the enlisted men of theUnited States army. signal corps.were on the spot to find the “trouble,” on the tele- graph line. They saved, the man’s life. This story illustrates the story of the telegraph service in Alaska, BUILT, OWNED AND OPERATED BY UNCLE SAM. Pretty soon .the big biz orators will be urging us to drop the organ- ization work for fear the North Dakota farmers will violate come= merclal neutrahty. e e pom g b e S s A TN SR