The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1892-05-05
SKAGIT COUNTY SEAT.
Anacortes Trying to Take 1t
From Mount Vernon.
WARNER MILLER IN PORTLAND.
The Spokane Democratic victory-strike
Of Laborers In New westmjnster-
Yakima Irrigation Boom.

AEAcoRTEs. May Especial J-ckagis
county promises to furnish one OF the live
lest county seat fights this fall ever seen,
and the skirmishing has already COM
menced. The citizens of this place have
been looking with hungry eyes toward the
big plum, and over a month ago they or
gained themselves into a secret club I'M
der the name of the "Anacortes BUSINESS
Mems Association" with the single object
of securing the county seat. The hrst
public move of this association was the
following circular letter, which was sent
out yesterday to every owner OF lot IN
the city:
ASAcoRrEs, April g, lsa2
Dear Sir-The Anacortes Business Mems Asso-
citation has been formed for the express purpose
OF removing the county seat OF skagit county
from Mount Vernon TO Anacortes.
This we will undertake to do II you viii give
Us your aid. The executive COMMITTEES have
deemed 1t advisable to request lot owners to
submit TO an assessment OF $40 lot in order to
create campaign fund to carry on this work,
and we hope you will see it TO your great al
vantage TO cheerfully respond.
The fight Will be ''hot one," but we can as
sure you Of its successful termination. provided
the necessary encouragement is given US. 1t Is
not necessary to go into detail as to the adyant-
ages 10 be gained by making Anacortes the per-
manent county seat of Skagit county; 1t is ap-
parent to ALL and 1t is conceded that it will be OF
inestimable benefit to the county at large.
Several months ago few gentlemen met In
formally and discussed this subject and con-
cluded our chances were good They increased
IN number from day to day, getting the ideas
of our best business men, until they gained in
strength and confidence sufficient TO warrant a
permanent organization, which was effected in
March after consultation with the managers
rff hal arAn s,ta bna ~
and guaranteed their financial aid. Our mem
bership now comprises all the business men of
the town. Politics are not sin it," We are q
unit, with only one purpose. The executive
committee have control OF affairs. They have
worked quietly and systematically, accomplish
ing all desired ends. vast amount of pre-
liminary work has been done. The committee
has no further desire for secrecy, and after a
careful canvass Of the county, are prepared to
say without hesitation that we will win the
fight with your helm
1t Is the duty OF the executive committee to
receive and disburse all moneys The we'll
known character of these gentlemen is a guar
antee TO you that the business in hand will re-
ceive most careful attention.
Kindly make your remirtances to Mr.. 7. B.
Childs, treasurer, or to Bank of Anacortes
Trusting you will give us prompt and favor
able reply, we are yours truly.
H. D. ALLISON, JOHN NJ. PLArr,
Secretary Elk. Com. President.
Following are the officers of the associa-
ton: President, John NJ. Plat; vice
president, Benjamin Goodwin; treasurer,
I. B. Childs; secretary, II. d. Allison; ex-
ecutive committee, G. H. Megguir, w. H.
Johnson, Captain A. Taylor, T. B. Fish,
w. r. Hagan, John NJ. Plat, Benjamin
Goodwin, II. D. Allison
There is considerable opposition already
manifested toward the assessment scheme
for raising funds, but if that plan fails the
leading officials in the Northern Pacific
and Oregon improvement Company have
signified their willingness to put a lot of
laborers at work here in time to make
them voters. Petitions are already in cir
culation at Hamilton, La Conner and
other places and it is thought that no
trouble will be experienced in securing the
necessary one-third of the voters in order
to ask for vote of the people upon the
question. The settling of the location of
the county seat this fall will fix it for four
years. and as Anacortes proposes to have
elegant county buildings when it gets the
county seat there will be no trouble about
keeping it here.
Sedro and Woolley combined are at
plcsthb tuc ouly tOWnS III the county
that Anacortes is in any way afraid of,
and if they can be kept out of the race
Anacortes will be sure to win. They will
probably start out in a few days to get up
petition for themselves and will urge
upon the voters the advantages of their
central position. 1t is believed that
Mount Vernon, if it sees the county seat
going anyway, will vote solidly for
Woolley and Sedro, and this may compli-
cate the situation. so that Anacortes will
have to fight pretty hard. Burlington,
the new town at the junction of the Seat
tie 4 Northern aud the Great Northern. is
also prospective candidate in the race,
and as it is the most centrally located
point in the county its advantages will
command some attention.
Anacortes, however. has more money to
spend than any of the other towns and
she will spend it lavshly, believing that it
will all come hack when onr sion opO conrt