The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1891-07-17
THE sNooUALMIE ROADS.
County Commissioner Taylor Replies to
Critics Who Misrepresent Facts.

County Commissioners Taylor Replies to
Critics Who Misrepresent Facts.
SEATTLE, July IL, 1891.
To The EDITOR: As q county commissioner
and a. farmer of the Snoqualmie valley feel
it my duty 70 reply to the following communi-
cation, which appeared in Snohomish paper OF
recent date, which grossly misrepresented the
body of which am a member and vitality con-
Germs my section of the county:
REDMOND, June II.
To THE Editor: II seems as If the settlers OF
snoquslInie valley ara becoming tired OF WALK
ing Tor the county commissioners 10 DO some
thing IN their behalf. There is talk OF the var
ley becoming part OF Snohomish county. That
county proposes, II they can secure THIS poluon
OF King county, 10 build q turnpike wagon road
ers of this county have never done anything for
this people except 10 collect taxes from mem;
They have the same advantages that tney nao
twenty years ago. There is no way 70 cross the
river except by Indian canoes, and travel
over very rough and loggy trails. lney are
becoming very tired of this state OF analrs, as
other parts OF King county, Duwamisn ana
white river, Tor instance, tnaE represent no
larger acreage than the Snoqualmie, are DrluSeu
several times and complete network Oh
good roads II King county wants 70 f REAR.
this valley 10 Is just about time they were doing
something 10 help the settlers out OF their pres
ent predieamenL If not, they Will secede ana
join hands with one that Will, Snonomlsh
county. As understand there are TWO prom
inent men from Snohomish city trying TO tax
up an interest among the people in regard to
such move, but as TO their success am
unable TO say. There is no possible way u
present of marketing any of the products OF this
large valley. Ii potatoes, hay and cabbage were
selling at 500 per ton in Seattle ii would MAKE
no differences to the farmers OF Snoqualmle
valley, for they are completely barred out of
the Seattle market SNoQUALMIE FARMER.
The communication contains not WORD OF
truth. The statements are grossly false; are
without the slightest foundation How "sno-
Quaimie Farmer" could have concocted such
mass of Misrepresentation is beyond my COM
prehension. 1t certainly appears that the COM
munication was the product OF diseased brain.
and l am free to state my belief that the writer
was insane.
At all events, challenge "Snoquaimie Far
mer" to make known his identity. have been
farmer in the Snoqualmie valley for nineteen
years, and have bsen member of the board OF
county commissioners nearly three years, and
am competent to know the sentiment OF the peo-
pie in the section where I reside. They look
upon the vaporings of "Snoquamie Farmer as
huge, practical joke. But that the public may
not be misguided by his malicious statements
will give few figures:
l have journeyed up and down the snoqual-
mic river in an Indian canoe, have picket my
way across the hills on mountain trails and
know what that kind of life is; but that time
is past forever. Good wagon roads take the
place of mountain passes between Snoqualmie
valley and Seattle, and the farmers can bring the
products of their farms to market with four
horse teams.
They have been provided with every conceiv-
able improvement to aid travel and transporta-
ton, and they are now the most 1ourishing and
contented set OF farmers in King county.
Within the past three years money has been ex-
pended in the valley as follows: Bridge at Fall
City, $11 600; improvement of roads between
Tolt and Fail City, 500; protecting river bank,
500; rebuilding bridge over Tolt river, SLIGO;
road improvements along the Tolt river, $500;
grading road between Redmond and Snoqual-
ME. nearly $3.50; improving the Wilkeson
road, 81, 100; improving and grading the Leeper
road, which connects Cherry valley with
the railroad at Redmond, $1,000; grad
ing the Allan road, 500; building
road from Tolt to North Bend, OF King county,
$1,000 Other improvements on the county
reads that traverse the valley amount TO s., 4S7.
All OF these road Improvements are below the
falls, in the immediate vicinity OF where "Sno-
qualmis Farmer claims his residence.
Never have the snoqualmie farmers been so
disloyal as TO entertain thought OF secession.
1t needs but glance to convince the most
casual observer that "Snoqualmie Farmer" to
say the least, has attempted to handle q subject
about which he knows nothing.
As to the proposition that snohomish county
proposes to build wagon road up the valley, it
is fact that can be verified that King county
farmers have just made up q subscription OF
$3.50 TO open up half mile of road on the Suo-
qualmis side of the line, to connect with the
road already provided by King county, for the
reason that Snohomish county would not fur
ntsh one dollar to open up the road.
WILLIAM II. TAYLOR