Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1873-05-24
OLYMPIA. SATURDAY MORNING. NAY q. 1878.
OUR RAILROAD PROSPECTS.

It really appears as if the Railroad
company had literally held the prom
Use to the ear to break it to the under
standing if we accept the popular
construction placed upon the recent
acts of the company, and the cores
pondence that has passed between the
citizens Committee through their agent,
Mr.. Williams and the magnates Of the
company in New York. Under date of
the oath ult., Mr.. Williams writes that
Mr.. Cass, the President of the COM
pany, ignored all present intention of
connecting with the Sound on Budd's
Inlet; but says that the company has
not yet determined where the termini
will be, that " local agents had no pow
er to decide the locality OF the road;
that every one should know that the
directors, at regular meetings, with
full surveyors reports before them, to-
gether with all other statistical and geo.
graphical facts bearing upon the case,
alone treated the road and declared
termini; that there was no shadow of
contract whatever on the part of the
company, in which they promised to
locate such, on Budd's Inlet" This
language appears conclusive, and at
first glance to shut out all hope of
favorable solution of our difficulties.
When it is considered, however, that
the terms of the charter are so worded
as to absolutely terminate the grant
soon as any point on Puget Sound is
reached by the companys road, we can
find some excuse and palliation for the
reticence of the directors and the
declaration of the President that the
matter is still held in allegiance. The
action of the agents of the Company in
December, 1871, was doubtless regard
ed by it as virtual abandonment of
the subsidy beyond the point selected
by them, and the blunder could only
be corrected by totally ignoring the
contract-a choice of evils, which has
led to our discomforture as commu-
nifty. What will be the ultimate action
of the company, we can only infer from
circumstances. If the bid of our citi-
zens was sufficient to induce the prom
Use of railroad connection in 1871, it
will doubtless be ample for that pur-
pose when the company is not ham,
pered by legal restraints. Then it was
not only considered a liberal subsidy,
but the agents of the company init
mated that Independent action of our
citizens, or the building of a branch
road under a Territorial charter would
be considered ihimical to the interests
of the company, who reserved the right
to build branches to all the available
points along their line of road. It was
this intimation that led to the dissolu.
ton of the company already incorpor-
ated and the abandonment of their
project for branch road.
In conclusion, we must express our
earnest conviction that the Northern
Pacific Railroad Company will give US
railroad connection soon as it suits its
convenience to do so. It is controlled
by precisely the objects that govern all
corporations, to make the most money
possible out of the franchise, and to
do it in the least given time. If our
people pay for the whistle, they may
confidently expect to have the privilege
Of blowing it, especially when they are
willing to pay twice its value.