, 1862-04-26
Editorial Ink-Drops.


WA1LULA, April Is, 1862.
am told that am in earnestly,
gravely, the enunciation is made. Don't
laugh nor stand aghast with astonishment,
l tell you, the folks here all believe it. For
a whole day l have been trying to find it,
and the abortive effort has made me incred
ulous. l ask them to . show it to me,
and they point only to the old adobe walls
that have been beaten by the winds near
half century, and are now fast crumbling
to the dust from which they were reared
somebody says, perhaps truthfuily, that
change is written upon all things; but |
have tried in vain to find any marks Of
change upon the venerable brow of old
Fort Walla Walla The glorious old Stars
and Stripes float as proudly as ever from the
same diminutive flagstaff; the old IRON can
non stiH occupies its lonely sentinel-place
on the beach; the same frowning hills and
drifting sands surround the $ city" Even
the landlords-the ever-obliging aud afa-
BILE Vansyckle, is just as obliging and afa-
BILE as ever; the irrepressibe Tatem is Just
as irrepressible as when he first came among
the people of the north Pacific; Justly cell
ebrated for keeping good house, am
pleased to find no change here, notwith-
standing the difficulties in supplying the
culinary department. Now | am aware
that it isn't polite to ridcule mems honest
belief, and for this reason I'll come out . on
the square" and boldly assert that there is
mary essential change in Fort Walla
Walla. The folks here won't like it. but
then | have clinching argument to sup
port my assertion Why didn't you ''show
it 70 me when I asked you; The ilssagi,i.
alton of interested parties have simply con-
jured up the idea that there is a town here
and a chance for mammoth city Forty.
blocks of lots have been laid off, and the
prices of lots range from one hundred to
fifteen hundred dollars.
Seriously, don't think this place will
make a mammoth city; neither do I believe
it is the desire of tie owners of the town
site that it should, very soon. Vide the
price placed upon the lots.) 1t is already
talked of as the rival Of Walla
Walla; and this suggests the fact that the
people of that city, and of the county.
should be reminded of their shortcomings
in failing to secure advantageous approach
es to their town. Among town builders
and those Interested, the present moment
prompts the exercise of the keenest per-
ception and shrewdest speculation and
while believe that this town or that will
rise or fall through the force of natural
causes, yet many circumstances within our
control may be turned to the advantage of
the party or place that wields them. To-
illustrate: Somebody has discovered a trail
rom here to Lewiston which intersects the
wagon road, am told, at the Touchet,
leaving Walla Walla to the right in the /
passage thence. l have closely in
4uired into its merits, and find from the \
statements of those acquainted with the
acts, that the trail is no nearer than the
-oad by Walla Walla, and not so desirable
rom the fact that twenty miles of it, after
eaying this place, passes over heavy sand
through which it is impossible to
lsnl = loaded wagon. ! aminformed that
t makes a bend out Of the course to tits II
eft as much as the road does 20 the right.
hus securing no advantage in distance
Yet men will travel it, and why; This IS L
heir starting point so far as the cutoff IS
Men doing business here a1t
naturally interested in the new route, and
doubtless think it the best. The route
long the river from the Dalles has become
popular one, bringing large proportion
# the travellers directly to this point Ar
living here they naturally inquire for the
)est route in advance of them. OF course
hey are told by all means to take the cut
IF; "it is fifteen or twenty miles nearer,
good road, - &c. and finally they are told
hat they will avoid all toll-bridges This
linches the argument; the traveller at once
his outfit or replenishes it, as
nay be, and proceeds on his way. Coming
his far, they have become tired of paying
oils, and the advance in the prices of arti-
les here in comparison to that of the low
II country, admonishes them that they had
better buy before the go farther
Thus from the simple facs that the neg
ect or positive mismanagemento of our coun-
y affairs has allowed a oll-bridge to be
,rected on an important thoroughfare, we