The daily intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Territory [i.e. Wash.]) 1876-1881, 1878-07-04
Official Press of King County

That the people OF Eastern wash
ington labor under great disadvantages
owing to their want of that cheap and
expeditions means of transportation
which will in time be afforded them by
q railroad to the waters of Puget Sound,
aud are subjected to what are now re.
garded a. the most exorbitant charges
for freight to Portland, which were
ever exacted, for the same distance, by
any line of steamers or railroads in the
history of the country, except In the
early period Of the discovery of gold
ia California, there is no question.
That public sentiment there, should at
least, be aroused in favor of
any project which would bring
about change in this respect
is very sensible, and we are glad to see
it but that the companies who have
control of navigation upon the Column
bia river, and of speedy freightage to it,
should be denounced, as has been the
practice. as more soulless than corpora
tons usually are, or regarded as more
avsricious or selfish than any other men
would be under like circumstances. is
not sensible. They have afforded the
people in all that country, q. vast out
lay OF capital to them, the only means
Of transportation which they can have.
and most ample means too. aad they
have been, are now. and will continue
to be, until connection by rail is had
with Puget Sound, an indispensable
adjunct to the prosperity of that whole
country. l. is but fair. therefore, that
due credit instead of denunciation
should be accorded TO Bakers road as
we'll as the o. s. N. Co. for the advan-
tage they are. as is done in the follow
ing reference to them by the Dayton
Ners:
There is no doubt that DR.. Baker
has made money with the Wallula and
Walla Walla Railroad During the
business season it is quite certain that
he clears 81 900 day, and he probably
charges more for freight than he would
If there were competition. But, on the
other hand, it is equally true that his
railroad has been of great benefit to
this country, particularly Wslla Walls
and vicinity. 1t has enabled the far
mers to get their wheat to market far
more expeditiously and at much
cheaper rate than by the old method of
hauling by wagons, and it has aug.
mented the value of real estate. So
that while DR.. Baker is making some
money, and has q good thing. his rail-
road is immensely beneficial. financially
and otherwise, to the entire community.
We do not intend to be the especial
apologist of either the o. s. N. Co. or
Doctor Baker. We only state facts
which cannot be successfully denied.
We grant they are monopolies, and they
are making big money. but are they
not also benefitting this whole countryg
Pray tell-whst would this country be
now if there were no railroads nor
steamboats,? What would it DO if
goods had to DO hauled from Portland
by wagon How much would our far
mers make on their wheat, and wool,
and other surplus products. if they had
to take them to market by wagon 1t
seems to US that our true policy is to
encourage capitalists to come here and
build railroads, and aid in developing
the country. True, they may charge
rather high at first, but this evil is
much less than to be without any rail
road whatever"