Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1870-09-17
OLYMPIA. SATURDAY MORNING. sept. II. 1870.
The Railroad Terminus,

The Railroad Terminus.
We do not propose to discuss the ques-
ton as to the exact place upon Puget
Sound where the Northern Pacific Rail.
road will finally terminatc-for that is yet
to be determined, not by engineering skill
alone, but by considerations more nearly
affecting the pecuniary interests of the
corporation-but to controvert what seems
to be a prevailing idea, that the terminus
Of the railway at one point will destroy all
the other towns upon the Sound. All OBJ
servatiou and experience proves by analo.
gy that this is entirely a misrepresentation.
a railroad terminus at one point of the
navigable waters of the Sound cannot pos.
sibly take from any other point any advan-
tages now enjoyed, but on the contrary
will greatly increase the present CONNER.
cial facilities of all. Take Olympia for ex-
ample: Should the road by way Of the
Columbia river terminate at any other
point east or west of it, the main trunk
would be few miles distant, a link which
the geographical position of the town, as
the nearest access to the navigable waters
ofthe Sound, would demand and supply.
The railroad would not therefore take from
this town any material advantage which it
now enjoys, but on the contrary would
largely develope and augment such advan-
tages. The best agricultural portion of
Western Washington, lying west and south
Of Olympia, would still be tributary to this
place, and no part Of the internal CON-
merce which it could in any case com.
mand, could be diverted to any other point.
Goods destined for any portion Of the
country to which Olympia would be the
nearest seaport, would then as now come
to Olympia for transportation. This is
one Of the immutable laws of commerce.
Seattle is similarly situated in regard to
the main trunk road over the Cascade
mountains. 1t is the most eastern port
upon the Sound, and hence the nearest to
the Eastern trade. Its advantages of posi-
tion and its magnificent harbor have Sc.
cured to it the largest commerce of any
town upon the Sound, and these advan.
tages will in no degree be diminished by
terminating the railroad at some other
point, as a connection with that read can
be easily and readily made. This by no
means initiates against the idea that an
immense city will be built up at the termi.
nus of the road, for the foreign commerce
directed thereby, will secure that end.
But that such a city would detract at all
from the business or commercial prosperi-
ty of any other town now in existence upon
the Sound, is not sustained upon tenable
hypothesis. There have grown up around
the bay Of San Francisco five or six cities,
with populations of from 5000 to $4,000
Inhabitants, the growth and prosperity of
which have been 10 accordance with and a
reflection Of the growth and prosperity of
the metropolis. Towns sixty or hundred
miles apart, with equal general facilities.
may be affected favorably by an Interchange
of trade, but cannot be much affected BY
rivalres in trade, unless ono or the other
dissipstes its natural advantages by inert
neas and want Of enterprise. No town or
city ever yet prospered that had not euer.
gy or enterprise to back it.