Lewiston teller. [volume] (Lewiston, North Idaho) 1878-1900, 1883-04-05
MUTUALLY OF INTEREST.

MUTUALLY OF INTEREST.
1t is admitted by all who know the re
sources of the Sound country and thos'
of Eastern Washington and North Idaho
the natural products of the two sections
are such that interchange of traffic be
tween the two sections east and west OF
the Cascade range would be Of advantage
to each. The lumber, the coal, and the
fish of the west side are needed on the
east side, while the wheat and other grains
and the live stock of the east side are
equally needed on the west either for
home consumption or for shipment. That
is one of the reasons why the people of
the west side have become imbued with
a strong desire that North Idaho should
form part of the State Of Washington.
Adding thereto rich mineral belt this
side of the summit of the Bitter Root
range. This state of things is also the
reason why the people Of both east and
west Of the Cascades, are so urgent to
have a railroad cross the Cascade noun
tains directly rather than to 60 via Port
land. Another reason is that general
merchandise from San Francisco, the
Sandwich Islands and China may be
loaded at the towns on the Sound and
shipped by rail East, to supply the de-
mands of the people east of the mountains,
which shipment can be made safer, quick
er and with less expense than via. the
mouth of the Columbia river and Portland
to the valley of the upper Columbia. But
50 far from some cause the majority Of
the people of the two sections have not
acted with that harmony, and used that
concentrated effort to open railway across
the Cascades, so as to secure the object which
both sections DESIRE This has in a great
part been owing to lack of definite infor-
nation among the people in regard to the
advantages and resources Of the two sec
tions A gentleman who spent the last
winter in the different towns along the
Sound, told us this week, that though
living in Idaho for Is years and reading
the newspapers much, he was perfectly
astonished when he went over the Sound
country to find the advantages and re-
sources Of that section SO great, and the
products of such character as to be
greatly needed by the people east Of the
mountains. He said he also found humid
reds Of people along the Sound, who seem
ed to have no definite conception Of the
magnitude Of the resources Of Eastern
Washington and more especially Of North
idaho. We would like to see some Of the
editors Of the Sound journals come up
this way and make note in their journals
Of what they observe Of the country here,
its extent, its fertility, its capacity to yield
the cereals, and the great advantage it
would be to both sections to have rail
road directly across the Cascades. They
now favor the measure but not with half
the zeal with which they would be in
spired, could they personally inspect this
country. Some Of them write as though
they supposed that the Walla Walla Val
ley and the country bordering on the
Northern Pacific Railroad constituted the
best and the greater portion Of the good
country east of the Columbia river, when
in fact it is about the poorest, and not
one-twentieth Of the quantity. The Clear
water Valley alone including the border
ing table lands has six times the quantity
Of good arabic wheat lands, which can be
found in all the Walla Walla Valley.
Even the projectors Of the Seattle and
Walla Walla Railroad, seem to have
moved with the view Of projecting to
Baker City, where they could not find
one-third as much arabic land as they
could by extending-thcir road up Snake
and Clearwater river, and seek for con-
nection with the Utah Northern through
the Bitter Root range and thus obtain
their Eastern outlet. But so far as We
now can forcsee the Seattle and Walla
Walla road lacks backing, and probably
will be slow coach. We suggest that
the people of the Sound turn their atten-
ton to the Oregon Short Line, which is
to come down Snake river to Lewiston and
thence in the direction of the Sound by
some feasible pass Of the Cascades. BY
doing SO you can hasten the construction
of this road, and when constructed it will
hive the advantage Of any other road
leading from the Northwest coast to tho
Eastern cities and towns. This road when
l.