Seattle daily post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, W.T. [Wash.]) 1881-1888, 1886-02-19
GRAND RAILROAD PRoyECT.

The Yakima S,g,al brings 10 n the
following tidings Of great JOY;
Puget Sound has always been the OBJ
jective point for a number Of railroads
which have been headed this way, but
10 date the Cascade range remains IN
apannsd. IL is true that the Northern
Pacific people claim they are about to
drive the tannel through and push their
road to completion TO tidewater, bat
this IL not looked forward 10 With that
JOYOUS expectancy which should oharao-
,erize the fulfillment of a project Of shis
.pagnituds; for the history Of the North
ern Pacific company IN the northwest Is
sneh that many fear the completion of
the work will only the firmer bind the
manacles which this corporation has
been forging On the settler. The life Of
the Northern Pacific company has been
made up Of arrogance, imposition, cor
Tuption and interference in politics and
free expression Of public opinion.
The time has come, however, when q
land grant is not an essential induce
ment to tempt capital to oonAect the
timbered belt Of the Sound with the
fertile and prolific grain fields OF East
ern Washington by means of steel
bands. Where the producer raises more
OF marketable products than 10 neees-
sary for home consumption, then carry
| ing facilities are In dema nd; and where
there is demand and an assurance of
good returns on Investments, there will
| capital reach out. That there is q de
mand for means II transportation is
| evidenced by the report that the q. X.
& N. Co. received from Eastern Wash
inRton and Oregon, daring the past
year, over two millions of dollars In
payment for freight and passenger
transportation. such huge returns
caused the market price of u. K. 4 N.
stock TO take great leaps upwards from
the hole in which 1t was left on the fall
of Willard. But there vas better re-
suit shan the mere enrichment of stock
dabblers, for the entioing earnings OF
| the road directed the eyes Of capital TO
the wants and possibilities Of the unde-
veioped northwest.
The Uuien Pacific, unsatisfied with
the traffic arrangements which its pro
se9e. the Oregon Short Line, maintains
With the %. II. Il N. Co.. 10 about TO send
oat force of engineers 10 secure fea-
sible route TO tidewster, and en- high an
tbority the Signal has 10 that an indie
pendent Eastern company has BEEN
formed With adequate capitalization to
build with all possible despatch 9 rail
road from Pennington or p House Juno
| ton TO Seattle.
This will be good news 10 the Terri.
tory at large and especially good 10 the
people Of this section, for all roads from
the East 10 tidevater on the Sound M ust
pass within tvo miles Of North Yakima.
1kis Is an actual fact, and can be veri-
| fed by a review Of the reports of all
| engineers who have examined the differ
ent mountain passes and the approaches
thereto. The practicable outlet OF the
Big Bend country he via Yakima. al
though by building loop similar 70 that
over the Tehachapi Summit In Califos.
MIA an entrance might be gained directly
into kittitas valley. bat at an enormous
cost.
The new Eastern company which has
been formed. and which has nov repre-
sentatives IN the Territory busily and
quietly looking after its interests, con-
templates starting at 8 point IN the Pa
lonse country and tapping that immense
grain country extending 20 Waite Bluffs
then pushing through the ecalse TO the
Colsnabis river. where there are several
feasible crossings. thence ascending on
= gradual grade 10 the divide between
the Mckee and the Columbia rivsr-ths
elevation OF which 10 only hoo feet
above the SEA and 200 feet above North
fskims-and from the divide down the
Mckee valley and up the Yakima through
kittitss valley aud 10 the sound via the
Snooualmis Pass. By this roste the
road vosld compete on the west Of the
Columbia fer tne trade Of The Mckee
country, which - composed Of GO, loo
sores Of agricultural and grazing lands:
The valley of tie Yakima and It's radi-
atine feeders; the rich garden Of the
hitutas, which has 5000 acres Of A.
ricultursl lands susceptible OF the high
est cultivation; the silver. copper apd
coal mines OF the Cle-el an. and CON
pistely eoatrsi the output Of the irou,
eeppes. silver and gold minss Of the
Saoqaalmis and she fness timber coun-
Try IN the world. beinx far sapsrios to
any along shs line OF the Nortssrn Pa
eise road