The daily intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Territory [i.e. Wash.]) 1876-1881, 1878-08-03
THE DAILY ISTEYI.IGEyCER fl
THE WEEKLY lNTELLIGENeER.
Official Press Of King County.
Saturday, August 8, 1878.
THE RAILROAD QUESTION.

Under the above head, the Port
Townsend Argus cogently handles the
subject of railroad communication be-
tween the Sound and the eastern basin,
as follows:
That the great need Of both East
srn and Western Washington il con-
Meeting railroad is 50 palpsble that
popular sentiment Of the people Is be-
ing gradually concentrated upon de-
termination 10 secure one at any cost.
Its advantages are foreshadowed In
many ways, among which arc few
that may be referred to with profit.
A gentleman just from Walla Walla
informs us that settlers in that section
think nothing of hsuling fencing
twenty or thirty miles and that where
saw mills are at work there are nalfa-
dozen buyers for every plank before it
is turned out. Had we railroad COM
muncation with them undoubtedly q
large portion of the lumber which is
so plentiful Oil Puget Sound. and
which is being crowded into the glutted
market at San Francisco. would go
across the Cascades to be converted in
to houses, barns. fences, etc. by the
farmers of those large and fertile val
legs. Many settlers over there build
their houses of small willow poles, with
mud and straw thatching-and why !!
Simply because lumber (Which is ship
ped from here TO San Francisco only to
bring $ll to $l2 per No. landed at
their doors costs from $50 to $40 per
IN. The price, for them. is SO rulnous-
ly high. that even the possession OF so
greatly needed an article must be post
poned until opulence renders their con-
dition such rs to warrant the purchase.
Cord wood which sells here for g. so
To $3 per cord. over there brings from
IS. 80 to $40; while coal, which we buy
and sell for about $500 to 5000 per
ton, is bought by them for mechanical
purposes only at even more enormous
prices proportionate to its value.
Take n look ut the other side Of the
picture. Our Eastern farmers think
themselves especially fortunate when
forty cents per bushel can be realized
for their wheat, while the same article
placed on ono Of our Puget Sound
docks. will bring from 81 20 to 81 so
per bnshel. Other articles of produce
can, of course, be expected to be in pro-
portion.
What difference now can tho "iron
horse Il" makes in these prices. and what
will be tho effect produced by rail
road connecting the waters of Puget
Sound with the many broad and fertile
valleys thus hemmed in and hampered
in their growth? Indeed is any argu-
ment required to demonstrate this great
necessity? While, at a casual glance,
the advantages would seem to accrue
principally to Eastern Washington, q
careful survey of the matter cannot fail
to demonstrate that she will get no
more than her share. for Puget Sound,
the natural outlet for q whole king.
dom of inland territory. cannot fail
to reap respectable fee from every
cargo of grain shipped through her
waters. The necessity of 30 many citi-
zens becomes the necessity of the Terri
tory; and these necessities, considered
in the aggregate. give rise to the uni
versal cry. I'VE must have . railroad"
The people of the Sound are general,
ly pleased to know that the enterprise
known as the Seattle and Walla Walla
Railroad is about to meet with success.
not from any desire to benefit Seattle
in particular. but because that enter
prise seems the most feasible of auy
promising the desired end. 1t matters
little, Cor the public good. what partic-
nlar point is made the terminus so that
the road is built. Let all take courage,
and improve the opportunity by a con-
cert of action without which we labor
in vain.