The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1889-11-17
HOPE long DEFERRED
Unfuliilled Railroad Prophecy
Of Gov. /. /. Stevens.
= PUGET SOUND LINE ~ 1858
'sconslng % Is Fast Eass<h sovss-Ini
eFsdailay Of the Eass 8. 10 walk
lngtsa ycgsaatisn-


ise Of ra<lsoad connecting Pnga& saand
NlsA Lake Superior vas frst made. Many
Who INDUCED the hope Of witnessing tbs
completion Of this great work ased quar-
ter of century ago. Or nearly twenty
years before rs eonsnanmAti0n. While more
th8a thirty years have elapsed since II was
g have been finished. 4 generation has
passed away Ia The inteFIm. only a small
remnant now remains OF these whose
hearts were exalted ard giaadened By the
prediction.
In the fail 81 is53 Isaae L Stevens, the
first governor Of Washington territory.
reached PUGET sound. fresh from bis pre-
hnsinary survey OF the r9ats for slans-
continental railroad The FEASIBILITY Of a
railroad spanning the continent was
no longer pFubiemasieal. he had
solved the problem, and of its feas-
insAsy there vas not particle
81 doubt III the height 81
hls enthusiasm he predicted that tive years
from that slma fvix. 1889 would witness
the completion Of the longest railroad in
tie world the terminus OF hich was TO be
Seattle. In I've years the shEll thistle Of
the locomotive would awaken the echoes Of
the Snoqualmie pass and Feverberate
through the timber Of the foothills. His
sangnlne temperament would rot permit
hint 70 loresee any osstac Ia the way of
the accomplishment Of so vast 8 work.
which 80 completely oycFshadowed any
ihsag Of tbs kind previously conceived or
undertaken in Europe or AmeFiea. Rail-
road building was still Ii is infancy in
the United States. and set. according 10
our ffst governor. this stupendous enter
prise was 10 be- initiated and completed in
the short space Of five years. It viii thus
be seen that Governor Stevens was inclined
70 Dc visionary though doubtless the most
intellectual man that filled the gnher-
Material Office of our territory during the
first twenty years OF its existence
Fer nearly thirty years did our people
wait for the fuitiliment OF this prophecy.
Only twenty years elapsed. however. before
the building OF a branch of this long hoped
for road. the los miles al road connecting
Columbia river with Puget sound having
hsen finished I'M 1875. IL was not until ten
years later that the road promised by cur
governor was completed. During this long
period 'tthe hope deferred prompted many
20 seek elsewhere more inviting fields
pIAces whore there was more growth. more
progress, more improvement than Wash
ingt5n territory then gave promise of ex-
hihiting
IL afforded no solaee to our pebble to re-
ceiye, as they did by every mail for many
years. letters from the East inqasring If
there were any railroads in the territory,
or If there was any prospect Of ever being
able 10 get here by rAil So remote aud
inaccessible was il that many DESTROYS OF
coming were deferred from so doing by the
dangers ding the migration. They
lacked the courage 10 brave che perils Of
Journey that rr-11-.4sed six months 10 &C.
eompiish. and which exposed them to the
attacks Of numerous bands of uierciless
saYages. And the perils OF tbs deep had
equal terrors for them. else some Of the
tinaid ones DESTROYS OF migration would
have come by way OF the Isthmus of Pan
anna, which consumed about two months
and was far the most comfortable route.
But this, again. was rather expensive for
large families, and involved the necessity
OF leaving behind their live stock. much of
which they could take with them on the
longer overland journey. The reader can
thus see at = glance the obstacles in the
Nay OF early popuiasing this inviting re-
eion. and the urgent need Of = transconti.
mental railroad.
The early settlers, with Few exceptions.
maintained regular CORES ondence with
their Eastern relatives and friends. In
their letters they portrayed the salient
features OF shis country. It's resources, cli-
mate, etc.. ard aroused q deep interest In
the minds Of Eastern people concerning IT,
lin addition 10 letters they also sent papers
containing articles descriptive Of the
country. The receipt Of these was seknow-
lodged by letters which stated that the
contents we're dsyonred not only BY indi-
yidnals. bet BY ssSemblages, with the ut
most avidity: the course adopted being 20
collect ali the neighhors in one place and
have somebody read aloud to them ali that
the paper contained. Including sometimes
even tAe advertisements Tie paper was
then borrowed and passed from hand 10
hand. peFasad and reperusea unttl il was
literally worn ~ shFesls. and still the peo-
pie continued reading as long as = shred re
aasned. No zen eoaid more forelhfy de-
pges the interest felt in tha East respecting
Washington territory than IS exhibited in
tins caesrness 90 obtain information re-
speetins IL
Sorie * the letters detailing the products
ard character al The country wege az s
Hatsre - Gathering. set true withzi. that
the PERSONS receiving them we're increda-
aessz and thoaeh1 the writer's guilty of ex-
aRreratian or absolute falsehecsa one 81
these unhsiisying persons. a well-to-do
farxaer IN Western state, after perasing n
letter lust received from fried and old a..
onasntSnee here. said 20 seigAhuFs
New. / woaid ike 10 believe whAs this
letter saws bat I cant. Before the writer
leFt ior tire Pacific coast be vas ere 81 the
most truthful men ever knew bat since
he has been hEing II Washington Territory
BE las got 10 be sach har thss cant be-
issve him. ! woala give tho best yoke 81
oxen | have II ! wNs aaiy certain he told tlse
txath ia shis lester
Acres apaa AEzes x rutahAsa tnFnlps
wrewn here averaged three 80 sAe hAshei. in
wesvat, occasionally single furuBps seFe
dug weighing QStEe ensass. East Of the
gscSv naaunEasns silssy -es$F%zea net more
taan thyce pounds Zach. asels. gsaaer and
iuscy have been grown here weighing afsy
rsaagssss. Ii TIE East tisey rarely reach Gre
yssagssis sissiias contrasts &re presented
aiaA respsgt u ether eTeps.
Twensy enc OF teo years $50. wasse living
ia Olympia, friena cAlsed tha wrissys s.,
ssasscn ~ an tSens IA a paper Sass received
fresa sassa. in which toe editor aekacssei
tfse rseespt fgoSa a gAfEsev q .axge 2aa
heaasssas ea1gssre wssshfag tea pean3sta
eNuw. sAis say irseEl. - ara egsrsaas 10
See naw tAai EeRa eahh&ee nsUs n&vrs MsaA
shssss gvuHn Aere Coszae wssA ase 10 Tlgo~
sevas nsaTksf. wnsr0 ! sSM gsle & eahaaEs
il nzxssns a1A S4gl have sogae IS aAsza
avsEAN8
f2spa5rtne - shs snaskst. Mr.. neosey Gas
ss...ssss4 -, vsssss.sss Ss,glsa ~ 49, kssz ga-