, 1882-02-24
PUGET SOUND ARGUS.
RAILROAD TO GRAY'S HARB0R.

observation-disclosures
a company has been organized in
this city to build a railroad from Pu
get Sound to Gray's Iaroor, with a
uomlna. capital OF S2,OO0,OOO,
Whether this company will do any
thing or not in the direction indlcat
ed by its title remains to be seen
Its plan, however, is extremely teas
,ble, aud we believe is capable of be-
ing put into easy and early execu'
,ion. Ii coutempates n direct cons
nection with this city aud the Che
halls Valley aud Gray's Harbor, and
it is said that the company has had
men OUT looking up route. Sew
eral routes are open. One is from
the Harbor east to Tenino, and
thence north to this city. Another
is from the Harbor ''across lots" to
some point-ou the western shore OF
,hs Sound, ten to twenty miles dis
tant from Seattle. A third route is
t, Olympia, or some other point at
the head Of Puget Sound. OF the
three routes he latter is the shortest,
and its use will require least time
and money. A settler at the head
of the Sound has shown US route
which lie saws is most thoroughly
practicable, and not onIy that but is
by long odds the best. 1t makes
what is known on the map as Totten
Inlet the Sound terminus. From
there a road can be built to the Che-
halls river over line of on y twenty
to twenty FIVE miles in length. A
steamer can be put on the river, and
another on the Sound, and by the
making of close connections it will
be easy enough to go from Seattle
to Gray's Harbor in a single day, the
distance being just one hundred
mi es. A narrow gage road can be
built there and equipped forS25O,0 1000,
and the steamers and all else need
not exceed $4,000. Three hundred
thousand dollars will cover every
em of expense. The railroad will
pass through one Of the finest pieces
of country in the Territory. 1t is
magni6cen,ly timbered, the soil is
good, and the land lays low and
level. The timber traffic alone over
that route will be sufficient to war
rant the roads building, and once
built will give it all the work it will
want for twenty years. In fact, it is
said that the Blakely Mill Company
owns $4,000 acres of land in that
region, and that it is now about to
commence stripping the timber from
them; for this purpose will build a
Trail iron road from the Inlet nam
ed, upon which they will put an en-.
gine and cars. If it will pay the
Mill Company to do this for timber
alone, it will surely pay the railroad
company to do the same or-timber,
farm produce, passenger traffic,
mails, SC. The Chehalis Valley is
inhabited already by population OF
producers sufficient in numbers to
give road heavy traffic, and we
believe that no line of equal length
will pay better than the one indicat-
ed. If the Company reaching for
that trade has plenty OF money, or
can get plenty, it can employ it in
extending the road on to trays
Harbor at once, distance of about
forty miles from Totten Inlet, and if
it further chooses it can come on to
Seattle. But, if it hasu't plenty Of
money, we believe with our infor-
mant that the route mapped out in
the foregoing is the best one that can
be adopted. AS far as this town
and the country generally are con.
cerned it will be far better to build
the short road and put on the steam.
boats this year, or next year, than it
will be to wait FIVE or ten years to
get the longer and through road.
1t is a common belief that dense
population will soon pour into the
Chehalis country, and that a great
future awaits Gray's Harbor. The
leading town of the Sound should
have close connection with so prom,
ising a section, and our people are
not moving day too soon to secure
it. That no unnecessary delays will
be permitted to intervene before at
least a partial accomplishment OF
their designs we may be permitted
to hope.
ANnrurn rassal with her valna q