The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1889-09-24
FOR THE CAPITAL:
NORTH YAKIMA.

tory with or reasons for asking that this
city shall be made the capital We have. O.
course 10 present again some facts 1aaI are
already familiar % al who may read IL IS
not r,ecesSarv ID assume any mystery II
he matter. or 20 assume THAI our friends
in the TERRITORY are not already aware q
tie advantages presented by No-fa AZ
ina Is poIat Tor the capital. These mat
tiers are very vel understood. taey are
k~stfer understood BY the old settlers than
h ihose uso have come in later. for il
NAV he said, without fear 81 contradiction
that the old settlers of Washington terri
tory. now the state OF Washington, have
ALWAYS cherished feeling that sooner O.
later the capital would be uoyed from
OLYMPIA 10 North Yakima IL this con-
nection we will cali attention 70 statements
which follow. showing our &c niral iocaelo'l
and the re a1iress with which this point
can be- reached ey rail and the natural Aa-
vaatages which make * now ard forever
he-eafte. the central point o. the state,
Nature has n ade here teaGutnl pam,
surrounded by spurs oE the cascade flio1sas-
ans midway between the Cascades and
the Columbia river and in the exact center
OF state between east and west Nature
has further provides great OPEN valley
here with savSrs OF climate and ACCESSIBLE
ty TO be found nowhere else N the state
In addition To what nature has Gene isfl-
CATION, aided by the hand OIL man, mas
mariner to make il remarkably attractive
TO all who pass between the MISSISSIPPI va
lev and the Cascade range Whatever may
be said in contradiction OF this, or tor the
purpose OF bringing forward OTHER points,
vii be easily set aside By personal exam
ination- In fact. % Tar as We nave lne
benefit OF personal opinion, there IS no
doubt nor reason for an attempt AZ con-
yineirg arguru ents. We have only To re-
mind cur old friedds in the territory,
and TO state TO those who know
less OF DER locality, Of these
important points IN oar favor In ADDITION
to matters mentioned below in detail, there
are many points of interest which might Re
elaborated As a matter Of fact We have %
the west of US, only twenty miles distant,
beautiful park equal in every respect anu
beauty 10 the grea, Yellowstone park- III =
knexn 10 the old settlers and those Who
have visited il as the Tietan basin Here
the earth at the foot Of cliffs, rising TO the
height of thousands OF feet, beautiful
stretches of park with trees of every kind.
and elk dear, bear. and ali that Is lett OF
animal nature from the encroacnment OF
man: in fact, this Is the western-inost bar.
rier of civilization. On the other side oil
the mountains civilization again begins
ana the slope goes to the waters edge, lesv-
ing the wildi-ess of animal nature eI-
hausied BY the advancement OF modern
progress. ,
The extent of this grest Yakima valley Is
not generally understood throughout the
state, since it includes eight valleys con-
verging al this point. Here irrigation has
done more than at any point in the nited
States, outside of California and Colorado.
We have the most beautiful gardens on
every hand. with everything growing that
may be cultivated in the temperate zone.
including corn. tobacco, sweet potatoes,
melons and fruits of every kind.
Below are more definite statements OF the
extent and peculiari;ies of the valley with
its railroad connections and position as re-
CARDS the advantages for placing the capt.
tai here There can be no reasonable doubt
in the minds OF any who may carefully ex-
anime the matter OF the business Of our
claim.
For years the opinion has been general
that the permanent seat of government
would be located here. The situation is
central; by measurement il Is found to be
the exact center from east To west and by
census IL is found 20 be almost. if not
quite. the center OF population. and al
though somewhat south of the center geo.
graphically, by making a reasonable al
lowsnce for the mountainous country in
the north TO I'LL mp, il will only place North
Yakima that much nearer the center of
population. thus making the location a fair
one for all sections and all directions in the
state. IL is obvious that while the argu-
meat founded on central location is
strong one. the Typographical position of
North Yakima furnishes stronger reasons
for the establishment ri the capital here.
The town is situsted in the Yakima val
ley, which is less than 10 miles in length.
Through this valley runs the Yakima
river, about 10 miles from the mouth of
which IS located the town, on its LEFT bank
Immediately ABOVE the town the Natcheez
river empties into the Yakima, and the
Tietan flows into the Nateheez about
twelve miles above its confluence with the
Yakima; and about four miles below the
town the Ahtanum river joins the Yakima.
Each OF these rivers leads 20 mountain
passes; the Na:chcez To what is
known a. the Natcheez pass. the very
best railroad route across the Cascades.
and t1enty-elght miles shorter 10 Puget
sound than the Stampede pass, through
which the Northern Pacific flnds its outlet
10 the coast. The Tietan leads To the Cow
htz and eispgs passes by its north fork:
aud by its south fork to the klickitat pass;
the Ahtsnum opens the way 10 the klicki-
tat pass through the Sincoe gap. Thus by
these various passes the way Is open Tor
steel highways to various parts of Puget
sound, the Columbia river. Vancouver and
Gray's harbor. The Yakima river leads
the way 10 the Stampede pass, through the
former OF which now runs the Northern
Pacific railroad imain linel
by means Of the Northern Pacific rail-
road North Yakima has noS direct COM
inunicatlon with PaSco. and py means of
lne Northern Pacific, Oregon Railway &
Navigation, and the Hunt systems. il has
communication with Dayton, W ALA Walla
and all points south of the snake river and
also by the Northern Pacific with Spokane
Fails. Co!fax and all points east of the Co.
lumoia river. North Yakima has an avail
Die railroad route TO Priests rapids. BY way
oi the Mckee coulee. and thence through
" aterviHe. Davenport and the Big Bend
country and all points north ana north
east; and southwark. across the Yakima
lG@lan reservation - Gui4endgle These
various passes, ali available for railroad
routes, have all actually been surveyed
ana tested by the most coutr,e;ent en-
elneers on the coast and are actually exist
lhg, feasible levels through which railroads
VIII IN 4 few years be butt. Thus IL viii he
seen that North Yakima is the natural
fsliroad center Of the future state twill
DC borne IN mind that in the construction
OF railroads through mountainous regions
we water course must he followed up one
sue and down the other in crossing the
ranges, and IL Is equally true that when
you once ascend the stream from the main
oasia or principal valley OF any watershed
foh are then confined 10 that stream alone
III crossing The mountain ridge where II
Ii>es. North Yakima Is situated where all
tne tributaries OF great basin meet and
sne - Hot confined To any Of them for
sNa!-hoie railroad lines, but size has the adj
Fent4ge OF them all, and no railroad couId
.seI 'e constructed through any OF the
passes named ard avoid the town
TEsl4 -n@E-