The Railroad Beats the Steamboat on Puget Sound

The magnificent steamer Bailey Gatzert left Olympia at 3 o’clock this morning on its last run to and from this city, and will be laid up at Seattle until taken around to the Columbia river. Her run between Tacoma and Seattle will be taken by the new steamer The Flyer, but the Multnomah will have full control of the run between Olympia and Tacoma. The Northern Pacific railroad has made competition by the boats practically useless and the Gatzert stood it as long as possible. Many there are who regret this change, for the uniform courtesy of the officers and the many conveniences of the boat were appreciated.

The Gatzert has not been on the Olympia run many months, but succeeded the Fleetwood, which took the Tacoma-Port Townsend run after the changes made by the formation of the Columbia River & Puget Sound Navigation Company. The Fleetwood, which is also the property of this company, has seen good service here. She was brought around from Portland four years ago by Captain Messegee, in one of the worst gales that ever prevailed on the coast. Captain Messegee said this morning: ‘For twenty-six hours continuously I stood by that wheel. Everything on the boat was tied down and you can form some idea of the condition of things when I tell you that the Tillamook light on the Columbia is 90 feet high. On the top of this was a water tank, and the sea raged so high that it washed the tank away. That was one of the worst hurricanes I was ever in with such a craft. But she weathered it, and has made money for her owners since.’

The Fleetwood is now laid up at Seattle, and is being thoroughly overhauled. The schedule of the Multnomah may be changed, since she has no competition.

The Gatzert is one of the favorite steamers on the Sound, and also one of the fleetest, but the arrival of the steamer Flyer, of the same company on the Sound, has knocked out any need for the Gatzert as far as the Tacoma-Seattle run is concerned, and practically no business is the reason for her withdrawal from the Tacoma-Olympia run. Ever since the opening of the Northern Pacific railroad between Tacoma and Olympia there has been a falling off in the Gatzert’s business between the two places, and during the past two months the boat has been run at a loss. The reason is apparent for the loss of passenger trade when it is considered that it takes two and a half hours to travel the route by boat and but an hour and fifteen minutes by rail at a slightly higher rate in the latter case. The passenger list fell off so steadily that lately the boat has been going out frequently with but four or five passengers from Tacoma to Olympia.

It had been planned to put the Fleetwood on the Olympia run when the Flyer started on the Tacoma-Seattle route, but that idea has also been knocked out and the Fleetwood will keep the Gatzert company in a resting place for a time at least, as it is very probable that before long the Gatzert will go around to the Columbia river to be operated. The Flyer is to start running tomorrow, and it is very likely that competition will be started earnestly with the Greyhound right away. It is almost certain that both boats will run on the same schedule. Captain Struve has been ordered from the Gatzert to the Flyer, to take charge today.

The steamer Multnomah, which is left on the Olympia run, has withstood all opposition successfully for a long time. She proved too much for the Potter, which was succeeded by the Gatzert, and now the latter has been outrun. It had been reported that the libeling of the Gatzert at Seattle yesterday had something to do with the laying up of the Gatzert. She was libeled on account of machinery, etc., put in her, but Captain Struve stated that that was a matter between the builder of the machinery and John Leary, and the libellants, James Rees Co., and that the Gatzert itself was not immediately involved. Leary put up sufficient bonds and the boat was not delayed.