The daily intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Territory [i.e. Wash.]) 1876-1881, 1877-10-20
Official Press Of King County.
Saturday, October 20. 1877.
uNFAITHFUL.

Tie Walls Wulla UHion shows ia
covert hostility to the cause OF direct
communication across our Territory on
our own soil. by copying the following
Snoqualmie road item from the Van
couver LndPerdent.
.DoST Do IT."-.'The people of
Seattle failing in their terminus expec-
tstions-Tacoma having carried away
that honor-are now casting around
them for other sources of greatness and
metropolitan Importance. They are
anxious for connection by wagon road
with Yakima and Walla Walla counties,
and to this end have recently organized
a toll road company. aud will ask the
Legislature fer an appropriation OF ten
thousand dollars to assist the enterprise.
We are informed the people Of Yakima
county are willing and anxious TO assist
the project"
The Statesman is more pronouaced IN
its inimicsl opposition aud cbaracterizes
the effort as the "Snoqualmie Road
Swindle." This is the way it treats the
subject
money appropriated to the Snoqual-
ME Pass may possibly benefit few
men in King county. but so far as OPEN
ing q road is concerned, it IS all moon
chine. As early as 1867. some five
thousand dollars Of the peoples money
was thus appropriated, but it served no
good purpose and might just a. well
have been thrown away. To make
road over the Cascades requires more
money than the Territory has to spare
sfd to commence it in a small way
is to waste the public revenue without
accomplishing any good purpose. Mem
bcrs from the eastern counties will be
careful how they place themselves on
record as favoring the Snoqualmic
Swindle."
We are happy to know that such are
not the sentiments of the people Of the
Eastern counties of the Territory. We
have first-class authentic information
through private sources that such il
not the case. Therefore, we feel
encouraged to believe that their rep.
resentstives in the Legislature will not
prove recreant to the interests OF
Washington Territory and the measures
proposed for its development, even
though their journals should be SC
blind to the dictates of loyalty to their
interests a. well. as to do so.
However it may suit the profits OF
the Statssman and Uaioa, it does not
suit either the interests or the ideas
of the people Of Walla Walla
Stevens, Whitman and Columbia. that
those great counties should forever re.
main the mere tributary vassals of a
distant inland town in = rival State,
instead Of becoming focal and equal
centers of wealth and influence in a
great. independent State. We know
that the citizens of every part of Wash
ington Territory, whether dwelling in
the west or in the east, have common
feeling Of esprit du corps and common
local pride Of home and patriotism.
which will make them vote and strive
together on questions that aifec. the
common welfare.
The issue on which hinges the pros
pect of our Statehood aud prosperity
10 that of direct communication bet ween
the Sound aud Wslla Wslla by way
of the Snoqualmie Pass. ultimately by
the iron track and steam. but in the
first place. to pioneer the way, a wagon
road. The people of Seattle have faith
in it. and have given to the undertak-
ing without stint or hesitation their
money and energy; aud already have
nearly put in operation twenty miles of
the railroad in this direction.
Abiding to tho expenditure upon
this route Of $1,000 in 1867, the States
asdn characterizes the appropriation Is
having done no good and practically
been thrown away. This is no: 50. That
expenditure then made. opened way
that has permitted the settlement of the
important county of Yakima. and also
opened the extensive markets of the
Sound and British Columbia to walla
Walla beef cattle. When . good work
has been well begun we are by all
means in favor of carrying il through
to successful completion.