, 1863-11-28
THE WASHINGTON STATESMAN
SATURDAY MORNING, NOV. %. 1868,

around Summit Hill, on the mountain be-
tween here and Grand Ronde valley, was
completed this week, and we are told by per-
sons who have travelled over it, that the
road now presents no obstacles to teams or
pack trains passing that way. Summit Hill
has heretofore been the only objection raised
against the new road In other respects it
has been pronounced a splendid mountain
read-in every way superior to the old emil
grant route, and now that this objection is
removed we may expect large addition to
the travel over it. Teamsters tell us that
there need be no "double-teaming now at
Summit Hill, and that loaded teams can
pass over with ease and go on their way
rejoicing. We are glad to hear this. 1t
gives this valley a good thoroughfare for its
products to one of the richest mining re-
gions on the Pacific coast, and it will be the
means of securing an amount of travel and
trade to our people that will compensate
them a thousand fold for the means expend-
ed towards the new road enterprise. The
only thing now which can prevent our get
ting a large share of the trade and travel to
and from the Boise mines, will be heavy
snow storms in the mountains, filling up the
road. 1t is a matter of great importance to
the business interests of the people of this
valley that the new road should be kept
open, if possible, during the coming winter
The spring trade will be heavy and it will
be an immense benefit to the point that can
secure this trade, The people on the Una
tilla road, and at UmatilIa city, are using
every means to enable them to secure the
great bulk of the spring trade and travel to
the Boise and surrounding mines They
appear to be exceedingly anxious about our
new road getting "snowed in" They seem
to think it ought to be filled with an
impossible barrier of snow and ice this win
ter, they believe-by they way they talk
that it will be, and for aught we know, pray
that it may be so obstructed yet
they fear it will not come to pass, SO they
endeavor to make gullible people believe
that it will be impossible to keep the new
road open, and therefore our people should
travel their road in order to make sure Of
keeping one route open. Now there would
be just as much propriety in our people
asking the Umatilla folks to travel our way
on the same grounds, but even if they were
invited to do so we cannot believe that they
are so silly that they would comply with the
request. We know that our people are not
ro,l;oL a-o,,e.L 4o,,>4,ls. nth 4hair eillrr
argument and invitation to come and keep
their road open for them. IF they will be
so foolish as to come and help us we will
not throw the slightest obstacle in the way
to prevent them. But as to the talk that
it will be impossible to keep the new road
open this winter" we regard that as the
silliest nonsense. Other mountain roads are
kept in passable condition in many locali-
ties, in the winter season, that have greater
altitude than ours, and which are covered
with more than double the amount of snow;
and so far as keeping the Walla Walla, or
the Umatilla road open, is concerned, we be-
lieve that either, or both of them can be
kept open the coming winter, if there is
constant daily travel over them 1t would
be very beneficial to the people of the Una
.tilla road, no doubt, if by any possibility
the Walla Walla road should become block
AIDED by snow. In that event, it could not
be opened until late in the spring and thus
the people along the line of the old road
would reap golden harvest by getting the
entire travel their way. This is why the
people on that route are so anxious that ours
shall become impracticable, and accounts for
some "disinterested" scheming on their
part to have our people keep their road
open-on the ground that but one can be
kept open, and that theirs should be THAT
ONE because it is not so high by several
feet (more or less) as the new road. Per
haps they would not be SO persistent in their
entreaties if the roads were an even thing,
but we have the advantage of them in this
respect in every essential particular. Our
road, being so much superior, if kept open,
will catch the travel, and this is "what's the
matter"
Now, it should be EXPRESSLY understood |
among our people that the Walla Walla |
road across the Blue mountains is to be |
kept open the coming winter, "the Lord per
mitting." Every one who is interested in
the prosperity of this valley must see the
benefits to accrue if our route is kept passa-
BILE, and so every one must see the disadvan-
tages which would arise from blockade
Yet, for all, we will not be so uncharitable
as to ask any one to "pray'' the Lord to is
sue an embargo of snow and ice upon our
Umatilla neighbors' pass. We are willing
that their road may he kent omen also If |