Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1873-08-30
THE OLYMPIA RAILROAD.

lie agreement between the .ii.tlN
Committee and the agents Of the o,yn-
pia Railway anl Mining Company. in
the preliminary measures to secure
connection between Olympia and the
Northern Pacific Railroad. warrant Ii,
in the belief tha: we viii have rail-
road after all. The time for action is
Mt hand, and as we understand it. tlis
is the last and only chance to bring a
road into Olympia. No doubt q large
majority of our citizens see Tie imlor-
lance of speedy action, and will do all
in their power TO aid this enterprise.
T,cso citizens appreciate the great ne
ccssity for such road. and clearly see
the benefits and advantages - I've de
rived from it. But We learn there are
people here who are opposed TO the
building of railroads: others would Ike
one, but do not wish to be taxed for it,
Some want wide gauge. others want
n narrow gauge; some want it to run
down the wharf, others on the cast and
others down on the west side. Fol the
success Of this measure, which we con-
slider the SALVATION OF OIYlIIA, VIC hope
these little differences will be laid
aside, and all unite in the good work
and save our fine and beautiful Little
city from stagnation ana decay.
The extensive coal-fields of the Olym-
pia Railway and Mining Company arc
located about mile south of Tcnino.
The company intends to begin work at
the mines at once, and will soon ship
coal by way of Kalama to Portland. II
they cannot find an outlet for their coal
at Olympia, they will lie compelled to
contract with the Northern Pacific Rail
road Company fol the shipment of coal
10 Tacoma. The Board of Directors
have resolved to build or purchase two
lirst-class prorellers, to transport the
coal from Puget Sound to San Francis
co. If these ships should make their
regular trips to Tacoma instead of
Olympia, it would do more to build up
that town than the Northern Pacific
Railroad can do, with all its shops, de-
pots and offices. We are assured that
these steamers will run to Olympia if
the railroad is built, and this important
consideration alone should be sufficient
to make the proposition of the Olympia
Railway and Mining Company accopta-
bic to every one.
The mines of the company and the
road will give employment to three
hundred men, who will reside in our
county, creating a home market for
the products of the farmers in this sec
ton of the country, and bringing a
great deal of additional trade of every
kind to Olympia. Every man, no mat
ter what his occupation may be, will
be benefited by the enterprise, and the
capital brought from San Francisco
and other places, will be expended
here, and our merchants, farmers and
mechanics will reap the benefits.
Three hundred men, Who will earn
from fifteen to thirty dollars week,
and whose natural market place will be
Olympia, will soon make themselves
felt in this community. Their wages
at fifteen dollars q man would be S4,-
500 per week, or 1924 900 year, which
is certainly a very acceptable item for
our tradesmen and mechanics. Some
of our people hesitate in their support
of this movement on account of the
additional taxes it will create. This, it
seems to us, is an objection more east
" disposed of than any other. The
taxable property that will be added to
this county will far outweigh the s15,-
600 interest required annually, and
with the valuation and rate of taxation
of the present year, We will not only
be able to pay the interest but have a
surplus in the treasury, and if our
county expenses are not increased, We
will very soon see reduction of our
taxes, which will be due entirely to
the increase of taxable property created
by the Olympia Railway and Mining
Company.
We hope our citizens will consider
this important subject in all its bear
ings. We are satisfied that this is our
golden opportunity, and if we allow it
to pass by, we will regret it as long as
there is vestige of the town of Olym-
pia left, which we fear will not be long.
If the people, however, convinced of
the necessity of railroad communica-