Seattle daily post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, W.T. [Wash.]) 1881-1888, 1883-08-28

Wherever people Hnd il necessary to
transport themselves or their produce
70 different points throughout the ooan-
try. some Highway must be found. and
il there 10 no natural road. one must DO
created. A good turnpike road 10 indis-
psnssbls 70 the settlement Of q country
and % much . factor Of prosperity - q
rsitrosd. Washington Territory - Ia
mentally deaoisns in good public roads
Thsss 70 not Arst class coanty road N
the TERRITORY: not a well built, we'll
kept turnpike. In the eastern pof'ion
OF the Territory thh dos not % much
matter for the country 10 open and II 10
comparatively easy 70 ess from place 70
ri voc. Bot In western Washington'
With in dsnss thisksts and heavily tim
esrsd uplaads, public roads are daily
growing 70 b Indispensable. True
there are sems pretty fair short roads
on ths gravel psairiss back OF Tacoma
and OlympiA. Bat thsss are % simply
because bat litAis labor vas required 70
bald them. Fhsrs has rover bssn In
tbs Ysesitssy general system OF inter
eonnsoGing psblie roads. This In "sa
ern Wa6hinetoa II accounted fer BY the
fast thas ssttismsuts began On the
shores Of the Soond and the lakes 3D.
tassnt and rivers emptyine therein.
Almoss I'll TIE streams in this portion OF
the Territory are navigabls, and all
produce has been carried aud mainly
sil travelling besn done by boat. We
have relied on waller for our looomosson
nearly - mush ~ our pssdeosssors tn
ssttlsmsnl, The Biwashss.
THIS might eontinns II our population
we're 70 remain by the shores OF oar
lakes and rivers. Water transportation
10 ohsapsst and BEST. Bat onfoftunas'ly
there u mot roon, enough for them all
there. Everybody cannot live ON tbs
borders Of nsyiRable waters. Some
must 90 inland. 30 Il ocours that ~
over the country farms are being tsksn
up among the timber. on the uDlAnAs,
away from navigation and-th6s ,4ss-1
away from reads. ThegeaesSsss-and
they are many, and suCseaatiy inersas-
ing In numbsr-must - provided With
facilities for intsreommuntoattoo md
IN outlet 70 market for their surplus
psodaets. Hence the necessity for al
comprehensive and veil devised system
Of public highways 70 connect With
prominent tide water places and psas-
trxts tho interior In every direction.
King county, whiis moving aAsad In
every other direction With rapid strides.
while gaining pspelation daily. and b.
coming settled With wonderful rapidity, !
while large sons hsss bssn devoted 70
buiiding up and improving her county
seat, Ssattls, and establishing the grades
therein. has, In the matter Of public
roads for the convenience aud uss Of the
people. bsen lamentahly and exception
ally nsaliesnt. There 10 nst . decent
public highway In the county; not
good turnpike owned by the county.
The httls branch roads, not much wider
than . male trail. RAINING ont from
Seattle . few miles 10 tho south and
north. are not worthy being highways.
They are Of little value. There should
b at oncs constructed in King county
at lssst thres good turnpike roads.
Ono 70 the north, extending TO SnOho-
Dish City. The road 70 Renton should
be widensd and improved. and from
that place roads should. be built up the
Cedar, and over 10 6noqualmie, and
up the Green river. This would render
accessible large amount Of good farm
ing country much of which has BEEN al
ready located, and on considerable Of
which seetlsEs arc already Ut work. The
Board of County Commissioners are
here In session, and Il 10 good time 70
take some sensible and practical steps
toward buildiug needed county roads.
A We said 1t the osasst every body can
not live by the sids Of q navigabls
stream. Large areas of the bsst lands
in the county are iaaoosssibls BY any
means Of conveyance, mot even having
trails leading - them. A man Who
starts In 70 build home for himself
and family In the forest h entitled 10
proper facilities for inRrsss and sRrsss
for himself. family. purchases and pro-
duNea