Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1873-02-08
VlyIPIA. SATURDAY MORNING. PEB. 5. 1873.

Park How, New ORR.
OLYMPIA, SATURDAY uOkylNG. lEB 5. 1873.
WHAT SHALL We DO TO BE SAVED?
During the past fortnight various ru-
mors have been in circulation relating
to railroad movements, that if true Vi
tally affect the interests of our citizens.
They are repeated as rumors, of course,
and are conflicting and contradictory
in their nature, but that there may be
some truth in them is possible, and that
our people should rely less on possible
tiles and more upon themselves is as
apparent as that the first law of nature
Is that of self preservation. The latest
report is that a contract has already
been let for building forty miles Of
road from Tenino northward, soon as
Spring opens, and this comes in shape
to entitle it, at least, to careful consid-
Grafton, as affecting the future growth
and welfare of our town.
The question is the old fashioned,
orthodox one, What shall we do to be
saved? We say sarcd, for it is seldom
that town remains stationary while
the surrounding country is advancing
and rival points are putting forth their
best efforts to secure the favoring
currents that lead to prosperity. We
must apvance or retrograde. We must
develop such resources and advantages,
as we possess by some means, or allow
communities with more enterprise to
carry off the prize that we may have an
equal opportunity Of securing.
Our natural advantages are many,
and require but enterprise and capital
to make them available. Our location
is favorable, despite its few disadvan-
tages, and was so considered by the
railroad company when they selected it
as the first point of contact with ocean
navigation. Whatever considerations
may have induced them to reconsider
their acceptance Of the proposition of our
citizens (if .hey have done SOY does not
remove or weaken the position that
they considered it available as q place
of re-shipment, and q depot for the
great operations of o trans-continental
line of railroad.
While it is true that the company
have accepted our proposals, have COM
Piled with the terms so far, and may
intend to complete in good faith the
terms of the contract, their present op-
erations induce the belief, in the minds
of many, that they do not intend so to
do. This distrust has paralyzed oil ef-
fort, SO far, for the advancement of our
material interests. It has locked up
capital, ready for investment and held
by persons anxious to place it where
public as we'll as personal benefit would
accrue. How long is this state of things
to continue? Are we to wait until 1875,
and then be told that we must rely
upon our own unaided exertions? Must
We wait, as we have been waiting the
past two years, and sustain still more
damages--our lands locked up by legal
ties, binding only upon us, and Grip
ping our means of self-advancement?
We maintain that in view of all these
circumstances, we have q right to know
what the company intend to do in refer
ence to the proposition already accepted
by them. We cannot believe that they
would do SO gross an injustice, as to
abandon the route surveyed by them
te Budd's Inlet, and the location made,
after keeping our lands in their posses
sion SO long. That they, have o moral
right to do SO is not admitted by any
one. That they have legal right to
60 back upon their contract is not plain
to minds that can grasp the ordinary
principles of law. 1t will be remem-
bered that the first action had by our
people was to build a branch railroad
under an incorporation of their own,
and this plan was set aside by the init
nation of the accredited agents of the
Northern Pacific Railroad Company,
that such action would be inimical to
the interests, desires and purposes Of
company they represented.
Our first object, then, it appears to
us, should be to ascertain precisely what
the company intend to do. If their
purpose. is unchanged, then we will
have no further difficulty. If they do
not intend to give US railroad connec-
ton, then we will know what to do,
and at once set about doing it. In Ell