The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1890-01-01
WHITES CRUSADE.
A second Effort go Recover Urearned
Lands.

A Second Effort 60 Recover rEearned
Lands
During 1854 the agitation was continued
and Hon. w. II. White was sent 20 Wash
ington 70 impress upon congress the justice
OF declaring the Northern Pacific deIin-
guent in its charter obligations. Judge
Whites able argument before the commit
Tee Of the House on public lands embraced
the most salient features of the eontro-
versy. President Harris on March q. 1ss4.
telsgraphed 20 James Mcknight, who had
then become the attorney Of the road, that
1t was the intention of the company to
push the Cascade division 70 completion:
that the pass best adapted for the purpose
would be selected without regard to the in
terests OF any special point, and that IL
would be the aim OF the company 70 serve
the business Of Seattle with all fairness.
This was read at public meeting in Seat
tie then being deld at Yesler's hall, pre-
sided over by Judge Jacobs and addressed
by Mayor Struye. John Kinnear. Judge
Thomas Burke. G. K. Jenner. Judge
Lewis and w. II. White. At an adjourned
meeting, ct which DIR. York, George
Venable Smith, II. L. Yesler, r. Osborn,
DIR. Minor. Z. Adams and Captain Gilmore
we're among the active participants. the
sum OF 81 900 was subscribed with which
10 send w. III. White, as q delegate, TO
Washington.
The telegram from Robert Harris failed
TO avert the threatened attack. The good
faith Of the company had been brought
into question by their action IN selecting a
pass. While engineers from the time of
General Stevens had reported favorahly
upon the Snoqualmie pass as perfectly
practicable for 6 railroad, and. indeed, the
best and safest in the Cascades, the GEM
pany was making arrangements to cross by
the Matches pass, which. so far back as the
time when George B. Mcclellan was captain
Of engineers. had been condemned by him
as expensive and practically unavailable
The government had spent $60,000 in
building road through this defle which
had to be abandoned and soon after became
barely a mountain path. Eatchez pass
led directly 20 Tacoma. Snoquaimie pass 10
Seattle. Nevertheless. Seattle, as usual,
offered 10 compromise, and did subscribe
$4,000 toward road crossing by way of
the Stampede pass, the point selected by
Willard as Offering mean distance and .
reasonably practicable route.
While w. II. White was on bis way 10
Washington City The news reached Seattle
that President Arthur had. at the instiga-
ton OF the railroad. appointed three COM
missioners 20 examine the PuyalIup road,
although seven years had elapsed and it had
never been pretended that this little branch
20 the coal fields was part Of the main line
aud entitled 10 land endowment The OBJ
Jet was ostensihly 70 issue $625. 600 addi-
tonal bonds. but really to secure $4,000
acres of land valued At 1000 90, all situ-
ated in King county. The Chamber Of
Commerce, under the Craftsmanship of A.
Macintosh, met April IL, 1854. and tele-
graphed q most eloquent appeal TO the
president. representing that 10 turn ever
the land in question would he gross in
justice" The Chamber OF Commerce also
rescinded IT'S former resolutions Of Fehru-
AIRY Is. upon the ground that "the repre-
sensations made 70 the chamber were false.
and the company was not acting in good
faith. and this action was ratified BY an
enthusiastic mAss-meeting held q few DAYS
later at Yezlers hall