The daily intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Territory [i.e. Wash.]) 1876-1881, 1880-10-29
THE SEATTLE AND waLLA
wALLA RAILROAD.

Under the above heading, the walla
Walla Statesman gets of the following
sensibls article:
As indicated by the telegraphic dis
patches. the Seattle & Wslls Walla
Railroad has finally passed into the
hands Of Mr. Willard aud bis associates.
The price paid for the property. which
consists Of the narrow gage road from
Seattle to Newcastle. with its rolling
stock. shops. wharves. etc. is $3.50, 900.
As We all know. the Oregon Railway
& Navigation Company 10 very strong
corporation. It occupies field of IN
told resources and unlimited profit. Its
credit is good. and it pays heavy divl-
dends with strict regularity. and its
bonds are above par, They have
brought much money into the oountry
and have been the cole cause of the
great growth Of our city the pssttwelve
months. and therefore we all feel under
great obligations To them for their en-
terprise, and the gratitude Of our cIti.
zens is shown ia the fact that they
appear only too wiling TO advance
their interest by granting right Of way
and other privileges ALI the company
has TO do apparently is to express Il
wish. and II it is 10 their power our
people willingly grant it. The last
dispatches say that the road is TO be
extended to the Carbon Hill coal mines.
which is, we believe, more. 'on the North
Pacific road towards Matches Pass than
towards the Snoqualmie. which is the
pass mapped out for the Seattle Il
WaIls Wslla road to become in fact
its name implies We know that Con
Tannatt. who consummated the sale. i.
favorably impressed with the advan-
tsges Of 3 road direct from Seattle to
Walla WAlla, and. 80 far as he himself
is concerned, nothing would suit him
better than to see the extension toward
this CITY commenced at once Ii is but
q question OF time when We must have
direct Communication. The talk about
the Columbis being the natural high
way 20 the see is all humbug Such
talk is good for children and ignorant
or bigoted people who cannot or will
not understand that there Can I've no
natural highway to the sea as long as
ships drawing only II feet Of water run
aground in numerous and various chan
nels along that natural highway
The Columbia might be natural
highway to Portland. aud it is a very
po'r one even to that mslsrious spot.
and SO long as tho people of the upper
country remain content. just so long
aud no longer will they have TO remain
with that sole outlet. Now our millers
ship Walla Wslla Il Inr tn Portllhd;
from thence. by reason OF it's superlori-
ty.it goes still further To Sac Francisco.
and from thence Il is shippei back to
Seattle. within $50 miles of the locality
where 1t grew. 1t is only one instance
of a terrible waste of time and money
! which could be saved by means of a
railroad direct. Our country could
supply the whole of the Sound with
ease II provided with this road. All
their cured meats aud breadstuffs to the
extent of nearly quarter million tons
are ct present purchased either in the
Willamette Valley or else ~ California.
while our own products up here are
rotting for the want of a market. 1t is
our firm belief that tbe company know
all this and much more, aud chat at no
very distant day we shall be congratu-
ls,ing each other in this city ON the
com pletion Of the Seattle 81 Walla
Walla Railroad. Until we have direct
business communication with our
brethren of the Sound. just go long
shall we be in measure alienated. but
when they receive our grain. -four. live
stock. fruit. and hundred other OF
our natural products. and in return
they send US coal. iron. lumber. fish and
direct freight.iwe can begin to think
that our interests are identical. As it
now stands we might just as well be
separated by the Pacific Ocean for ali
the use we. ARE to each other. Will the
o Rs N Co build it? We think they
viii in self defence. E.s.f