, 1867-11-15
uaIInla Corresnondence.

WALLuLA, November IL, 1867.
Enron SrArEsMAN:-The weather in this pre-
ciuct has been anything but pleasant for some
time past; high winds, with considerable rain.
The whole thing may be summed up In q ie"
words!
COLD, RAW WEATHER.
Itbas usually been the case, when November
gives ms this kind of weather, that we may look
out for considerable snow during the winter; at
least such has been my experience during the
eight wears have resided at this point So, as
the almanac says,
LOOK OUT FOR SQUALLS.
Large amounts of freight are coming in from
below. Pack trains are loading here for Mons
tana. From thirty-6ve to forty teams arrive ev-
cry day loaded with -four and grain from the
Walla Walla Valley. The o. s. N. Co.'s large
warehouse is chuck. a,block with -four and grain
awaiting shipment to Portland. At the rate
the o. S. N. Co. are now removing this -four and
grain, they will not be able to clear their ware
house before navigation closes. In fact, daily
boat could not more than do it. Shippers will
be compelled to stop for want of transportation
down the river.
THE wALLULA ROAD,
Speaking of the number of teams engaged on
the walla walla and Walluls wagon road, re-
minds me that something should be done to the
road Immediately. Near sixteen miles of this
road, at this end, is just as nature made it, and
in fact the whole road is disgrace to the coun,
ty. During the summer season you can drive
anywhere, but just at this time, when the road
is most needed-Fall and Spring-it is almost
impossible save on horseback. The bridge
over Mill creek, on the upper, or county road,
about four and half miles west of Walla
Walla city, can be reached in the fall and spring
by wading through water for about one hundred
feet from either side. The creek Immediately
above the bridge, has been permitted to fill up
with gravel, where the stream once flowed, and
it is now high gravel bank, which divides the
stream and causes it to flow both sides of the
bridge, at even an ordinary stage of water. The
bed of the stream for about thirty feet above the
bridge, needs clearing out, the gravel thrown
on each bank, and the approach to the bridge
from the east, wants throwing up for about one
hundred yards, and the approach from the west
cut round the base of the hill, and take the road
out of the muddy bottom for about the same dis
tance. With these improvements at this point
within FIVE miles of the city of WalIa Walla
then small bridge across the slough on the
west side of the Touchet bridge on the same
road, at McElhaney's, will greatly facilitate
transportation. The lower, or Schuebly road,
has had more work done on it, by Mr. Schneb.
ly, alone, than has ever been done on the
county road by the county officials. But this
| lower road, from the Touchet river, west runs
through low fat to the hills, for about a mile,
and the bend of the river just above the bridge,
causes quite a large portion of this fiat, near
the bridge, to overflow, and this will continue
to be the case every spring, uGtil the slough
lead Y from the bend of the river through the
field op the, spulh of the road. is deeDened and
bridsed, and the road through the fiat is thrown
up sufficiently high to be above high water
mark.
1t is an astonishing fact, that the main thor.
oughfa!e leading from the Columbia river into
the large and flourishng agricultural valley of
| Walla Walla, has been SO long suffered to take
care of itself 10 fact, | may say that to this
day, this main artery of trade, is but little bet
ter improved than it was when first passed over
by government teams, at the establishing of
roTL hdlld hhla OOi. OleptOeI |
clined to think, that if the old government
bridge, put across the Touchet at the McEIhas
ney crossing, by Charley Russell, could possibly
have withstood the tooth of time, to the pres
eut, it would have been all the bridge across
the Tonchet on the county road to this day
For shame, county officials, wake up, and do
your duty; pat this road in good travelling cons
diton for every man and child in the Valley is
interested in its being good road. 1t should be
the paramount duty of every citizen to urge this
matter upon our county officials until it is done.
Road taxes are collected from all property
holders, and it is the duty of the County Com,
missioners to see that this fnnd is properly ex
pended. Here is road over which the whole
Valley draws its supplies and clears itself of all
its surplus products, Why not let the County
Surveyor survey this road, note the different
points needing repairs, estimate the cost of same,
and report to the County Commissioners then
let the Commissioners advertise for proposals to
repair the road, under the superutendeuce of
the County Surveyor? Would the county not
build Jail or Court House in this way and is
not this road of as much importance to the whole
people of the valley, as either of those build.
iDgs? CUMrUx
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