The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1892-07-26
PAST AND PRESENT.
General Hazard Stevens Chats
About Old Times.
THE HOPES OF THE PIONEERS.
Son or the First Governor OF Washing
ton Territory Is Staying in
the City.

General Hazard Stevens and Robert w.
Wildes. of Boston, are at the Rainier ho-
tel. General Stevens is well known in
this state. where he holds considerable
property. He is a son of General Isaac
Ingalls, Stevens, the first governor of the
territory of Washington. The governor
came here in 1853, and Hazard Stevens.
then q lad of 10. followed year later.
From 1854 to 1857 the family resided at
Olympia. In the civil war, during which
Governor Stevens was killed while gal
lantIy leading charge, Hazard Stevens
served with distinction. and won promo
ton for bravery Massachusetts has been
his home since the war: and in that state
he has taken an active part in politics.
Six or seven years ago he was
in the legislature, being prominent
in the movement to reform the city gov
eminent OF Boston. General Stevens has
paid a number of visits to this state to at
tend to his business interests here. Last
October he was in Seattle for several
weeks.
Last night he said II have q vivid
recollection of the time when. as boy. L
first came to Puget sound. The country
was very beautiful then-the heavy forest
in its primeval state, almost untouched by
man. Yet even today the scenery as you
sail down the Sound is much the same as
then, for except Immediately around the
cities the trees are thick upon the banks
and the hills beyond.
In 1854, when | came, the people were
animated as they are now by the hope of a
great future for Washington. They knew
something of the resources of the region,
and felt that development of these riches
would make it one of the strongest parts
of the Union. That development they ex-
pected so soon has been q long time in
coming.
1.-THE government had just made its sur
veys for the railroads across the continent
TO the Pacific ocean, and il was supposed
that one of these lines to Puget sound
would speedily be built. The general plan
OF congress was for three subsidized roads,
for the promotion of which one bill
should be passed. The advantages OF the
northern route-the one to Puget sound
would have brought large immigration
into the Pacific Northwest and particu-
larry into Washington.
But the breaking on. of the civil war
put check or the time being on any
large enterprises for the development of
the country, and when the government
was finally able to take up the railroad
question all its attention was centered in
the Central Pacific and the Union Pacific.
Thus California was given a great start.
Had it not been for the civil war Wash
ington would have been twenty years
further ahead.
81 have noticed lately that some parts of
this state have been stoutlv opposing the
Lake Washington canal bill. The fact may
as well be accepted that the canal will be
built sooner or later. To my mind the
chief argument for the canal is that the
growth of the city will make necessary for
commerce all the dock room that can DE
secured on the bay and the lake.
THE opposition of any part of the state
to such strikes an outsider as being piece
of very short-sighted policy"