Racing Steamers and Rough Seas: The Edmonds Commuter's Grievance
In 1892, residents of Edmonds clashed with boat captains who, in their rush to win the Puget Sound speed wars, were leaving passengers stranded on the docks.
The story, cleaned up
A cleaned-up reading of the newspaper page: spelling and layout repaired, one story lifted off a crowded page. It follows the original closely but it is not a transcription. The original page is below; read it if a detail matters.
The POST-INTELLIGENCER has received the following letter from a resident of Edmonds, complaining of the steamboat service the town is receiving: 'I would like to inquire through the columns of the POST-INTELLIGENCER if the steamers plying between Seattle and Everett are running for profit or fun. The Greyhound advertises to call at Edmonds and way ports, but on several occasions she has given Edmonds the go-by, to the great inconvenience of people who wanted to take passage on her. Especially is this the case when the State of Washington is in sight. The traveling public is well aware that the Greyhound is the fastest and this racing is getting monotonous. One boat is built for speed and the other for comfort with speed combined. Many complaints are in the air concerning this neglect on the part of these boats, and strong efforts are being made to have the Great Northern reduce its rates to certain points and put on another train for local trade.'
Claude Troup, one of the owners of the Greyhound, when asked about the matter, said: 'We have never passed Edmonds without stopping, except on three occasions since going on the route last December. Sometimes it is so windy we cannot land there. We have an arrangement with the wharfinger to flag us if he sees us heading past without stopping and there is anyone waiting there for the boat. I think the people there will agree that they have had very good service, but if they do not think so I have no apology to offer. We are running our own boat to suit ourselves, and try to be as accommodating as we possibly can be, consistent with our own interests.'
“The traveling public is well aware that the Greyhound is the fastest and this racing is getting monotonous.”
The 1890s rivalry between Sound steamers mirrors today’s frustration with regional transit reliability. Just as commuters in 1892 dealt with privatized boat 'racing,' modern Seattleites grapple with ferry cancellations and the delicate balance between transit accessibility and commercial priority.
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