The daily intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Territory [i.e. Wash.]) 1876-1881, 1877-02-09
FROM KITTITAS.
PLEAS MT Or sTE. ,
YAKIMA Co. W T.

ED. lSEELLiGtNC En- ae question
ii the extension Of time - the North
ern Pacidc Railroad Co. i the great
item OF news TO most people in our i'm
d.4,c locality. The question concern.
ing this people, Is as IA the retention Of
the and already with irawn. or the re-
vertiny OF the same back 70 the Gener
al Government sublecting them TO
settlement by virtue Of the presumption
aud homestead laws. Many are in
hopes that the extension ot time Will be
granted 20 the company and that they
kill have the full benefits Of the land
grants, both As Ia the main AMI branch
lines. as originally intended. while 9th
ers deem 1t far preferable and more
beneficial for this immediate section
that the company will work Q forfeit
ure under the act of last Congress, re-
storing the land in July. 1877, provided
the railroad has not complied with GER
tain conditions obligatory by its char
ter. There is no doubt that if all the
land, in this valley, now withheld IN
der contingencies tor the benefit of the
railroad, were open to settlement, that
it would be great benefit 10 this val
ley in every respect. Il would open to
settlement thou sands Of acres Of good
agricultural lands As 1t now stands,
parties do not feel justified 10 settle up
on ana improve under such circum-
stances. Again VT don want "A rail road
Through the >nC9ualmie Pass u much
as We do wagon road. The wagon
road We can have to much less cost. and
receive better returns than could posi-
bly, be secured 10 Us hv railroad I ne
wages earned by teamsters is partly
expended with us. Horses and mules
must have hay AMI grain 1t requires
/ L greater number OF men and animals
TO carry Ola the freigh,iug, ali of which
would be supplied by the producer.
The railroad company centralize their
labor, and the earnings of the company,
which is wrung FROM the producer by
extortiOnate rates Of freight, are very
seldom distributed in the rural districts
Should company determine To build Il
railroad through oar valley we VIII
give them hearty welcome, and hail
the event with Joy and exultingly ccle-
brate the day Of completion AS an era
marked for prosperity. However, it
will be some time before we have the
railroad, ami our only alternative now
/ is the wagon road The co.t would not
be so great as calculated by many. The
expense from this valley to the SUM-
nit would be mere nominal sum com
paredwith the results and gains to be
derived by those interested. Seattle
certainly could meet us half way If
the public cannot take sufficient inter-
est let some of the enterprising men of
your city, in combination with Others
on this side organize under the general
incorporation avs, and build u toll-road.
The building Of . road through the
SnOqualmie Pass is the only hope for
US. aud until that day W. must lay dor
mant and inactive. AS our country
settles, our market instead of becoming
better grows worse. There is no de-.
mand for our surplus. 4 passsble road
will divert the trade of this entire
country from the Columbia river to.
ward Seattle. and as We increase in
population, we will add comparatively
to yoar trade and wealth. In the build
ing of u wagon road we have no lack
of material along the whole line. The
best OF material for bridge building,
and the planking Of the road wherever
it is needed The grade on both sides
of the mountains Is gradual. the ma
tural rise is slight compared with many
other localities which have been over
I fh,s aud
tries. Austria for the benefit of com
merce and by necessity-althoush the
poverty of her people WAS great and
the object WAS to give her people a
means Of support through the avenues
Of trade. has constructed through sixty
passes of the Alps and other mountain
ranges commodious wagon roads. from
which her people derive greater bane-
fits than from her railroads and sea
boards combined Through the Sno-
qualmie We have no such barriers TO
contend with that would bear a compar-
ison with the Carniols range Of
mountains IN south eastern Austria.
Another Item that interests us as
well As concerns yoar city. is . mail
route through from your city to this
place Have your citizens circul .te a
petition. and we will act with you TO
the end. Agitate road and a mail
route No doubt but either or both of
thees projects will meet with croakers,
GROWERS and grumblers on your side of
the hills IS will be found on our side
Not ~ithstanding opposition which We
may and expect To meet, We can ONLY
reply 10 such a. Ben Butler did to
Sunset" Cox. and say. "Shoo hy, don t
bother us" This cant and don't
care" kind we can willingly lie. alone ::
for il they even did sanction by an act
OF willingness AID kind disposition. i,
would be through selfish motive. and
Zine chances out Of ten if their coun.
sci WAS given and needed it would be
detrimental 10 the undertaking.