, 1869-10-16
4500
S25.5OO


Already, although l am uncertain as
to the exact correctness of this state.
ment, about S25, 500 have been expend-
ed in constructing about seventy miles
of road-over $500 per mile! \ road
without bridge of the cheapest con-
struction, and entirely impossible for
wagons, except during the dry seasons
of the year. And still worse, after all
this expense to King county, and ad.
joining counties, and to Washington
Territory, certainly sufficient to justify
the presumption that it was for the
public, and not private road, it has
been SHUT up, closed with bars and
gates, against the travelling public for
the last two years, and God knows how
long to continue, in its passage through
the premises of the friend of the ruling
County Commissioners. Shut UP, by
order of the County Commissioners of
King county-an outrage which the
Roman people would not have toera>
ted even uDder the tyrannical rule of
Nero, As | journeyed up Yakima, my
attention was arrested at the crossing
OF every brook or stream, by notices
with painted arrows, on newly carved
posts, addressed to persons supposed
to be travelling in the rear. They usu,
ally read as follow: "CJme on to the
next crossing, we will wait for you
there" t"Come on to Matches river,
we will stop there a day" Come on
to hititass Valley, we will stop there
and recruit" "Come on to tLe
store, we will stop there two
or three days" From the store
of Mr.. Splawn, in Kititass Valley.
along the road through the Pass, we
saw very numerous upright CARED posts,
but the " come on " notices were gone.
or Obliterated; the writer's, l judge,
have long ago came to the conclusion
that " come>on" sticks are of no avail
on a road like this. When we left the
prospecting camp, (the once prairie, now
lake. rain, tar more chilling than
snow, was falling heavily, and it had
been raining, no, pouring down, for
seven days past, and the surrounding
mountains, not in the Pass, but above,
were covered with deep snow. Mr..
Murry, with his pack train, (one animal
nearly dead with cold,) started back to
Kititass Valley, having learned by sad
experience, on the portion of the road
already Travelled, that to proceed farther
would at least be to risk the lives Of all
his horses. Ga reaching the Sunni: we
found young, deep rivers starting there
and rushing down the mountain. The
rain, almost snow, still came down in
torrents, and as we trudged on foot.
waded, wallowed down the mountain
urging forward our once sprighty steed,,
now pouruful and dispirited, our ears
were saluted BY loud roaring cascades
and cataracts, which solved the uncer-
tain problem. We knew then we must
SWIM the numerous crossings of the
Snoqualmie river, or delay our journey,
and perhaps perish with hunger.
Down the beds of rocky gulcaes,
which a month ago afforded no moisture
TO relieve thirst, now rushed across our
way, deep, dangerous, boiling rivers
At o'clocki in approaching darkness.
we bad made the crossings, swan and
foundered through the drifts and very
swirl currents, ourselves and horses
cold, shaking, wet, dripping with the
icy water of the river and chilling rain
yet, with brighter prospects, continued
our journey, hoping to reach Snoqualmie
Prairie. Thick darkness made allthinos
invisible, our voices and the clatter of
our horses hoofs alone assured us we
were journeying together. Recklessly
onward few miles further, we found
ourselves of the trail, stumbling among
big logs and thick huge timber, peIted