The Vancouver independent. (Vancouver, W.T. [Wash.]) 1875-1910, 1883-05-24
VANCOUVER INDEPENDENT.
THURSDAY, MAY "a, 1883.
AN UNENTERPRISiNG TOWN.

ne people Oh dllCOuNef are Taking ana
talking and talking about railroads, but are
not building any and are not getting any
built, and they have been talking in this
strain for twenty years past. doing nothing
to help themselves in all that time, and see
ing other places with more SELF dependence
in them, spring up and pass them by. Why,
Vancouver was the first town in all this
North Pacific region, was known all over
the world thirty aid forty'years ago, and at
that time was the chief place of the upper
coast. 1t has a magnificent site aud has
been immensely favored, but the people
would not help themselves, and as is always
the result in such cases, they have seen
their advantages go for naught, and have
been badly distanced in the race. As late
as twenty years ago it was a rival to Port
land, and was the chief town in Washing
ton Territory. Now it is little better than
far distant suburb of Portland, while
towns in the Territory that then had no ex-
istencs lead it in population and wealth,
while at least one place exceeds it four times
over that then was less than half the ia
vored, proud and incident Vancouver They
have just been snubbed by Mr. Willard, who
would give them no assurance whatever OF
rail connection with the outer world,
good telling them he could not think OF
aiding people that were unwilling to aid
themselves. We write this with the most
friendly feeling for the unfortunate town,
with a view to the possible stirring up of its
citizens, and as a warning to other favored
towns to avoid their fate. Natural locations,
choice sites, outside help. fine surrounding
country, etc, are not alone sufficient to
build up cities, nor are they to be compared
with enthusiasm. enterprise. intelligent aim
and determined effort on the part of popula-
tions located at points in nowise compare
BILE.
The Olympia Transcript next takes up
the cudgel, and being more than half in
clned to defend our town brings in Olym.
pia for rap over the knuckles The Tran
script says:
The Post InteHigencer draws a parallel be.
tween Vancouver and Seattle, enc as an un-
enterprising place, and the other as wide
awake city. full of enterprises, and gives as
reason for the decay of one and the pros
perty of the other simply the enterprise of
its citizens. The parallel is not a fair one,
as Seattle has ten.fold the natural advantages
and resources that Vancouver ever possessed.
Taxing two places equally well situated.
however, and the one having wide-awake
class of people will outstrip the other. Sc
attic has been fortunate in possessing both,
and has made the most of it.-Other towns,
on Puget Sound, with good advantages and
resources, have never doomed their place as
Seattle. and consequently are far behind
her. We admire the action OF her citizens.
and wish that some other places had the en-
terprIse which her citizens possess. A
town to go ahead must invite aud assist
every enterprise that promises any benefit
IA -
and expect capital to come in unless there
is some inducement for it to come in. We
do not expect every town, like Seattle, to
give a subsidy OF 81 so 600 for a railroad. but
they can encourage. rather than drive away
business men who desire to come to their
towns. The little help which everybody
gave ia building the Tenino railroad saved
Olympia from belug ear SO desolate as Van
couver or SteiiacoOm although that road
has not yet accomplished as much as was
hoped for it. Olympia and vicinity has adj
vantages and natural resources unsurpassed
by any place. and Ii our citizens would stick
and work together more our towH would adj
vance more rapidly The stride of improve
msnt is now going on at greater pace than
ever befoe and every citizen should aid in
keeping 1t going ahead to the best of his
ability, both with hand and pocket Don't
let us wait for any more railroads or termi-
nus as they will come of their own accord
when we have business for them
Now, gentlemen OF Puget Sound, don't
get yourselves heated up over the apparent
backwardRess of Vancouver We have only
within year or two had our land titles set
tied, horrible drawback that no city on
the Sound has had to contend with, which
Is OF itself sufficient to account for all that
Vancouver has not done to make herself
blowhard city. Vancouver is not asleep,
nor is it without enterprise. 1t has sys-
TEN Of waterworks more extensive than in
any city on the coast except Portland, built
and owned by home capital The city as a
corporation does not owe a dollar, and has a
few hundreds in the treasury Its citizens
are commencing to manufacture, running
one saw-mill in the city and several more
near by. 1t h@ one logging tramway reach.
ing out into the timber for supplies. which
may yet be extended across the country. 1t
has good sash factory in operation. two
brickyards, and lots of minor industries
lts merchants keep as fine stocks of goods
a. can be sold. and one house cannot be sur
passed in either building or goods by any
6rm in Seattle. Our public buildsgs, some
now in process Of erection. will surpass those
OF Puget Sound in all respects. We have
large and prosperous farming community to
back us and give substantial foundation