Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1874-01-10
ADDRESS OF TEE OLYMPIA RAIL
ROAD Union


vague promises of strangers aud have
no faith in yourselves, ana who expect
to be enriched by others without an ef-
fort of your own; all ye who suffer the
imagination to take captive the reason,
who make up for the poverty of your
resources by the maoniticence of your
schemes, and who would count upon a
subscription list as though it were cash
in hand; all We who clog the wheels of
progress with doubts and objections,
who project nothing, but are great at
frustrating the plans of others, who re-
gard all things as frauds, except your
own doings, and mildew with the breath
of suspicion, and the blight of SANDER,
the purest motives, the most unselfsh
ends; listen to the voice of the
OLYMPIA RAILROAD UNION.
Hear the reasons which led to it's
creation. Learn its objects, and how
they are to be attained, and act then,
rs may become men who have cast aside
prejudice and are guided by common
sense.
Olympia feels her impending decay.
The trade of Lewis county is lost. The
grist-mills OF Tumwater stand idle, for
the grain of the Chchalis, which once
fed them, now flows to Portland. Mails.
passengers and freight for all points
north of Budd's Inlet, now pass through
Tacoma, and Olympia is cut off from
the main highway of travel. The Cap
ital and Public Offices will assuredly
seek more accessible point, and with
them she loses half her population,
and can no longer furnish a market
for the products of the surrounding
country. Is this picture over-drawn
Ask the first stranger, and he will
tell you that it portrays the inevitable.
Fifteen miles of railroad will connect
Olympia with the highway to the Co
lumbia by Il line twenty-five miles shorter
than that from Tacoma. Only fifteen
miles of railroad will pour the grain of
Lewis county into the Tumwater mills,
will stimulate the rising manufactures
of the Dcschutes, will restore Olym-
pia's self-reliance, and will enable her
to retain the Capital with firm grasp.
1t may develope great coal trade.
Should the Northern Pacific Railroad
Company become bankrupt and pass
into other hands, it may even lead to
the abandonment of the road to Taco
ma and the concentration of the whole
traffic, over the shorter line to Budd's
Inlet. Such action would save twenty
five miles of railroad, and secure the
business and support of two thousand
people, instead of their opposition.
Last fall California Company Of
fered to build a narrow gauge road to
Tenino for subsidy of $50, GOO in
county bonds, and the same lands that
were offered to the Northern Pacific
Railroad Company, viz: 5000 acres
and 1900 town lots. The people of
Thurston county voted TO ask Congress
to authorize their County Commission
ers to issue and grant bonds, not OK
ceeding 5000 600, to any party for u
broad-gause road. Some of the prin-
cipal land donors refuse to cede their
land. The California Company very
sensibly decline to renew negotiations
until the Commissioners are empowered
by Congress to issue bonds. Thus
! after four months of negotiations, not Il
single point is definitely fixed. Neither
the gauge, whether wide or narrow, nor
the amount of bonds, nor the quantity
of land, nor who is to give land, nor
the conditions and terms are deter
mined, and no two men agree. Nor
can any result be reached until--1st,
Congress passes an act; 81, The Califor-
MIA Company offer fair terms; Sd, The
Commissioners and people agree to
them and bind themselves to issue
bonds, and 4th, the land owners grant
their land. Decide in your own mind
how YOU would settle these points,
and then see how many will agree with
YOU, and thus learn that results can
never be gained by negotiations so slug
gishly pressed; that the crisis of Olym
pia's destiny will come and pass, and
the die be cast against her, while her
people are wrangling over gauge" or
"bonds."
} Every one realizes the absolute neces-
, sity of this railroad. Nearly every man
in Thurston County is willing to con-
tribute something to build it. On this
basis all can unite. All can place to-
gether in q common fund everything
whether money, materials, labor or
lands, that they are willing to contrib
} ute to this end, and thus build up a
!. capital, managed and directed by your
selves, that will confer power, and make
YOU masters of the situation.
The Olympia Railroad Union propos-
es to ascertain the cost of the road
calculate it's actual and prospective bus
mess, investigate fully and determine
every factor in the problem, bring the
California company to time at the ear
Hest practical moment, and decide upon
the most judicious measures and carry
them out with vigor and rapidity.
BY the LIST of March the Union should
: have capital of 500, 900. 1t will I'M
derstand the question in all it's bearings.
It will know the best terms and offers,
| ILL aa,, l,o ol,4ninol fro,n others If