Seattle daily post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, W.T. [Wash.]) 1881-1888, 1882-05-03

NO MACHINE SHOPS HERE.

Dr.. Blalock and Major Truax, dele.
gates sent TO Portland by the Walla
" ala Board of Trade. TO consult with
the managers Of the y. X d y. Co.. ID
regard TO the erection of workshops In
tais city, succeeded III obtaining posi-
tive answer 20 tue petition of our citi-
zens, and fnrther talk about machine
shops at this place will only be a waste
OF words. The managers of the compa-
NJ informed oy;r delegates that Prescott
offered better inducements for the erec-
ton of machine shops. and that there
they would be built. We are no. sur
prised at the result of the conference
are not TO be located here, We have no
hesitancy In stating our reasons for not
being in any degree surprised at the de-
cision of the q. Il. d n. Co. Several
weeks ago contractor on the q. X. d
\. Co.'S lines was passing over the road
from Portland to Texas Ferry on
train on which were several prominent
officers of the .. Il. & n. Co. The Off
GERS were discussing within hearing of
the contractor, referred to, the future of
the various towns along the road, aud
especially Walla Walia. Among other
things they said that the citizens of
Walia Walla had never exhibited
friendly feeling toward the o. Il. & n.
Co., which they seemed to regard as a
grinding monopoly instead OF a compa-
ny which was doing all III its power to
dcy elop the country. and which had
ever been willing 10 cooperate with our
citizens in any enterprise which would
further our interests: our citizens had
shown no disposition 10 encourage them
IN their efforts to make our city a prom
inent railway center: they remembered
quite distinctly that not long since. when
the company desired 10 secure water to
be used for machine shop purposes, the
favor of the grant of such water was
Geried by a leading citizen: that thev
had met With similar opposition on va
rious occasions. They now proposed
to reward our enterprising(!) communi-
~ by making Walla Walla way sta
tion: they would build mammoth ho-
tel on the banks of the Columbia, and
erect their machine shops in an up
country town. These facts were stated
to friend of the writer by the gentle
man wan overheard tie conversation:
we made 10 mention of the informa-
ton a. the time, bu. awaited develop
menIS. How well the managers of the
company are carrying out their deter
is painfully apparent. The
action of the Board Of Trade in send
ing delegates to confer with tie mana
gers of the company showed disposi-
ton to do all that was possible to secure
the location of the shops ct Walia Walla.
The only mistake our citizens made
was in not taking active measures in
that direction long ago. The location
Of the shops at Prescott was probably
agreed upon by the managers of the
long before the Board of
Trade thought of sehding an embassy
to confer with them in regard TO the mat |
ter. The proposed machins shops would |
have been great advantage 10 this city |
ana it is a matter of deep regret that |
cur ambassadors were Unsuccessful. |
However. Walia Walla has other advan- |
tages which will always render it the |
leading city of this section. and the ac-
tion of the y. II. & n. Co. in declining
to furnish it with the proposed machine |
shops will have little to do with its con- |
tinued prosperity and ultimate great |
ness. s.-Stdtes1tdH.