The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1889-09-27

Tn sir Tgs,ss gT u fSsssssgssH: IN eol'aiu,
=. this tine before the peopse OF the terri
,nry with our reasons for asking that TINS
city shsll be made the capital, We have. OF
es,.,rse Il, present syain some Escts that are
sl-saiy familiar 10 all who may read. 1t i
y,.,. necessary to assume any mystery N
the matter. or 20 assume that our TRENDS
in the territory are not already aware o.
The advantages presented oy NoTtn aA-
ira as 8 rs,rnt for tie capital These mat
fsrs are very well understood They are
better understood by the old settlers than
f,v those who have cone IN later: Tor u
may he said without fear OF contradiction,
that The old settlers OF Washington terri
tory. now the state o. Washington, nave
/ ALWAYS cherished a ieeling that sooner or
O,vrnyia 10 North Yakima. In this con-
nsctson we viii call attention TO statements
wh;ch follow. showing our &c ntral location
ard The readiness with viii ch this point
can he reached BY rail and the natural adj
vantsceS which make II now and forever
hereafter the central point Of the state
Nature has made here beautiful piain,
surrounded By spars Of the Cascade mount
ans. midway between the Cascades and
the Columbia river and in the exact center
o. state between east anu west. Nature
has further provided great open valley
here With iavors OF climate and accessinii-
itv 70 he found nowhere else III the state.
CATION. aided by the hand OF man, has
stepped in and besUtitiec the city III a
manner 20 make IL remarkably attractive
70 all who pass between the Mississippi val
ley and the Cascade range. Whatever may
Re said Ia contradiction OF this, or fer the
purpose OF bringing forward other points,
Will be easily set aside by personal exam
nation. In fact. so far as we have the
benefit OF personal opinion, there IS no
doubt nor reason Tor an attempt at con-
yineing arguments. We have only TO re-
mind our old friedds IN the terri ory,
and TO state 10 those who know
less of our locality. OF these
important poip rs in our favor. In addition
10 matters mentioned below IN detail, there
are many points of interest which might re
elaborated As matter OF fact We have 70
the west OF Us, only twenty miles distant,
beautiful park. equal IN every RESPECT and
beauty to the great Yellowstone park. II IS
kne@n - the oio Ssi,erS SHd those WEo
have visited II s. toe Iletan ba>In. Fie-e
may he fOUnd hot springs gushing fron
the earth at the soct Il cliffs. rising 10 the
height o. thousands OF feet, beautiful
stretches of park with trees OF every kind.
ana elk, dear, bear, ana AL tnss IS lert OF
animal nature from the eacroachment o,
man: in fact, this is the western-most bar
rier OF civilization. on the other side OF
the mountains civilization again begins.
ana the siope goes TO the water s edge, leav-
inC the wildiess OF animal nature ex-
hausted by the advancement OF modern
progress.
The extent of this great Yakima valley is
not generally understood throughout the
state since il includes eight valleys con-
yerging at this point. Here irrigation has
done more than at any point in the United
States outside of California and Colorado.
We have the mos, 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 peculiarities OF the valley with
rs railroad connections and position as re-
CARDS the advantages for placing the capt.
tai here. There can be no reas enable 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 it is found to be almost, if not
quite, the center Of population, and al
though somewhat south of the center geo.
graphically, by making a reasonable al
lowance for the mountainous country in
the north 10 fill up, il will only place North
Yakima that much nearer the center Of
population, thus making the location fair
one for all sections ana all directions in the
state. IL is obvious that while the argu-
ment founded On central location is a
strong one, the Typographical position of
North Yakima furnishes stronger reasons
for the establishment of the capital here.
The town is situated in the Yakima val
ley, which is less than 200 miles in length.
Through this valley runs the Yakima
river about leo miles from the mouth of
" IL Tod he Iaf.
Immediately above the town the Nstcheez
river empties into the Yakima, and the
Iietan flows into the Natcheez about
twelve miles above its confluence with the
lakima; and about four miles below the
town the Ahtanum river joins the Yakima.
Each OF these rivers leads 20 mountain
passes; the Natcheez to what is
known as the Natcheez pass, the very
best railroad route across the Cascades.
and twenty eight miles shorter 10 Puget
sound than the Stampede pass, through
which the Northern Pacific tinds its outlet
To the coast. The Tietan leads to the Cow
liz and tispuS passes by its north fork;
and by its south fork 10 the Klickitat pass:
the Ahtanum opens the way To the Klicki-
tat pass through the Sincoe gap. Thus by
THESE various passes the way is open for
steel highways To various parts of Puget
sound. the Columbia river. Vancouver ard
trays harbor. The Yakima river leads
former OF which now runs the Northern
Pacific railroad tmain linet
10y means OF the Northern Pacific rail
road North Gakima has now direct COM
mEnlcatlon with Pasco, and pv means of
the Northern Pacific. Oregon Railway a
Navigation, and the Hunt systems. il has
communication with Dayton, Walia Wana
and al points south OF the Snake river, and
also oy the Northern Pacific with Spokane
rams toliax and all points east of the Co
iuinola riyer. North Yakima has an avail
Die railroad route to Priests rapids, by way
OF tue Mckee coulee. and thence through
"atsrvlile. Davenport and the Big Bend
country and all points north and north
east; and southwark. across the Yakima
lhaidh reservation TO Goidendale These
various passes. all available Tor railroad
routes, have all actually been surveyed
anu tested by the most competent err
glheers on the coast and are actually exist
ING, feasible levels through which railroads
VIII IN few years be buiit. Thus il willie
seen that North Yakima is the natural
railroad center OF the future state Itwfii
be borne in mind that in the cnnstr1Ictinn
OF railroads through mountainous regio,ra
me water course must lie followed m owe
sl1e ana down the other in crossiul, tho
ranges, anu II Is equally true thai when
fo1 ONCE ascend the stream from the MAR,
BASIN Or principal valley OF any watershed
YOU are taen confined TO that stream ain,e,''
N crossing the mountain ridge where II
Uses. North Yakima is situated where ali
ne tributaries OF great basin meet and
she Is not confined To any Of fher, g.
available railroad lines. but she hsz -
vantage OF them al, and 10 railroad co,,I4
ever re constructed through any OF tha
passes named and avoid the toyvr,
AS II - well known 4 -ailrnad has -