, 1874-05-07
gugst Sanud 9ispateb.

8ngft %oi.l1d Sispateh.
Railroad Work Begun. "
Friday, May 1, 1874, will never be
forgotten by any of the present inhabit:
ants a. the most remarkable day in the
annals of the town. By previous an.
nouncement that day was set apart for
the Inauguration Of work on the Seattle
and Walla Walla Railroad, in which all
the people were invited to participate,
and the response can be but little more
general. in this city, to the sound of the
last trumpet. 1
The initial point was at the south
bend of the Duwamish Bay. three miles
from the city, to which point the road is
to be built on trestle-work by Mr.. Yes
ier. The day opened lowery, with oc-
casional showers, which continued at
Intervals throughout the day. At S
O'Clock people commenced moving to-
wards the scene of the days work, on
foot, on horseback and in vehicles.
Every available means of conveyance
was brought into requisition. At z
O'Clock. the steamer Comet left Atkins
wharf with the scow G. G. Perkins in
tow, with about IS men and large
number Of women on board, but owing
to the receding tide. got stuck ON the
fats. half mile from shore, and those
on board were not landed at the work
until the return tide, at o'clock in the
afternoon. By 9o'clock the town was
almost completely deserted; nearly eve
~ store, shop, saloon, and other places
of business were deserted. There was
probably thousand men and women
actively engaged upon the railroad line
in the course Of the dsy-the men in
welding the axe, pick, spade, mattock.
and wheel-barrow, and the women at
tending to the culinary department. We
never witnessed a more exhilerating or
animated scene than was presented on
the occasion. Two hundred and fifty
men in one gang, including the Chief
Justice of the Territory. prominent
clergymen, teachers. lawyers, bankers,
merchants. clerks. printers, mechanics,
saloon keepers and gentlemen of leis-
ure. with their coats off and the perspi-
ration streaming from their forheads
were pitching in as if their salvation in
this world was depending upon theil
efforts. Never. perhaps, were before
seen in any gang of railroad laborers, SC
many soft hands, white shirts and gold
chnins: and we doubt if ever a like
number of hands accomplished an equa
amount of work upon any railroad grade
in the same number of hours. The re-
suit astonished the most sanyuine. The
way they walked through the work was
almost marvellous. Tall trees, two feel
in diameter at the but, were rooted out
and cleared from the track as if carried
away by tornado. But few feet less
than one mile of track was cleared,
grubbed and graded, ready for the ties,
during the day. all by volunteer labor.
The value of the work thus accomplish
ed is variously. estimated. Experienced
engineers give it as their opinion, that
an equal amount of work could not be
procured on contract, for less than one
thousand dollars. A great additional
advantage of this days labor. is its in
estimable moral effect. Nothing has
done 80 much to unite this community
and interest all the people in the work.
1t has inspired a spirit in community
which was needed to give such an i'm
petus to the undertaking as will dispel
all misgivings as to its ultimate success.
A gentleman now visiting here, an
experienced and successful railroad op-
orator. remarked. that if the people Of
Seattle would build and equip fifteen
miles of this road without municipal
bonds or foreign aid, they need never
stop the work till the entire line il
completed, for the want Of means; it
would be sufficient guarantee to Carl
talists to command all the money need
ed. on reasonable terms; and we fully
concur in that opinion.
In this connection we would suggest
that proposals will be received until the
18th inst. for grubbing AMI grading any
distance. from 100 feet to S miles, and
offers an opportunity not only to all
who desire work at remunerative wages.
but especially to those who wish to aid
the work and have not the money to
invest. 5i5s --. -...i g.-.,..s,
BIsHoP BAGLEY.-The Cdurier says:
Tho Seattle D1spATcH has dubbed the
Rev. Mr.. Bagley with the title of Bish-
OPP" implying that we applied that term
to him ironically. or - . nickname.
We have too high a personal regard for
that gentleman to entertain any inten-
ton of casting reproach or ridicule upon
. q