The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1894-12-11
THE CASCADE TRAIL.
Cannot Be Constructed North of
Mount Baker.
COMMISSIONERS ADMIT THIS.
They Want the state Legisiasure to APP
proprfste Thirty-nvs thousand
Dollars for Wagon Roads.

sAfS tine o. It's SfgABlxetkoa. IN the srrlog
of Is93. until the conclusion Of its la5or..
IL IL accompanied by carefully prepared
msps OF the regions in which the greatest
difficulties Of the commission have been
encountered. and BY a series of twenty
eight Photographic views OF the so-calIed
Hannegan and Austin passes and their
approaches. and other points Of interest
on the route OF exploration taken by the
Huntoon and Weliman cruising party.
The reports Of the men In charge Of the
various explorations are given in detail,
as well as clear statement of the investi-
cations made By the commissioners
IN person; also an itemlzed state
ment o AL expenditures, and the CON-
missions recommendations as TO future
work. The report fully substantiates
ali the statements made IN the Whatcom
correspondence of the Posi- INTELLIGENCE
on the 18th of August as 10 the utter i'm
practiesbiiity OF the proposed route north
OF Mount Baker" and also stating that
the only feasible route is by way of the
south fork Of the Eooksaek and the great
canyon of the upper skagit. The work ac-
complished is briefly stated Dy the commits
sioners as follows:
"We have built new road and pack trail,
ia existence. from Marcus on the Column
bia river 10 point on the MethOw i've
miles east Of the main range OF the Cas-
cedes. distance of lS3 miles. OF this dis
lance sixty-foar miles was constructed by
the commissioners. thirty-seven miles be-
ing between the Columbia river and the
Curiew valley, fifteen miles between the
Curlew and the head of Bonaparte creek,
and twelve miles between Conconully
and the main range of the Cascade y.
On the west side We have constructed
twenty miles Of wagon roads and pack
trails from the point on Glacier creek
specified by the Law, and have also greatly
improved four miles of county roads. We
have also made thorough exploration of
the wild country intervening between the
ends of the road. To have made a accu-
rate survey and man from the mouth of
Glacier creek to Marcus, the initial and
final part OF the road, would have more
than exhausted the entire appropriation,
as the distance in an air line is 40 miles,
and by the route that would OF necessity
have To be followed 20 avoid mountain
ranges, 275 miles more. This oil through
an unsettled country except that portion
between the 0kanogan and Upper Methow
rivers in Okanogan county"
Concerning the failure of the commission
TO build the road north Of Mount Baker,
the report says:
Eve believe the examination has been
so complete that there is no possibility
that pass exists through the Baker range
that is available for commercial road or
highway. The men employed for this
work were men trained in their profession
and about whose ability and honor there
could be no question. Much of the ground
has been personally examined by mem
bers OF the c ON mission. The result of
these examinations and reports of en-
gineers employed has led TO the abandon
ment OF the route laid down by the law,
north Of Mount Baker While il would
be possible 10 carry out the letter of the
law and build the trail north of Mount
Baker, il would require far more than the
total appropriation for the section between
the head OF Ruth creek and the lower Big
Beaver creek, and when built that section
would not be passanle two months in the
year, If al all. because of snow and slides.
Conditions in the Baker range are so diff
ferens from those supposed 20 exist when
the law was passed that we respectfully
refer the matter To ths legislature for their
consideration"
In conclusion the commission makes
the following recommendations:
"First-That an Appropriation of 5000
be made for q wagon road from the end OF
the present wagon road west OF Marcus
10 the Curlew valley. being distance OF
about twenty-five miles. This would open
up direct wagon road from the nearest
railroad point TO near the center OF the
land TO be thrown open 10 sediment in the
Colyille Indian reservation.
'Second-An appropriation of $1,000 for
a wagon road from the present wagon
road on the Meihow 10 the summit of the
Cascade mountains, then connecting with
a road leading down 10 the Skagit. This
would give chance 10 haul freight into
the mining district a. the summit IS well
4.ar. . ha al~af 80 70
the Sound
"Third-An appropriation of s. 600 for a
trail from tho summit of the Cascade
mountains. connecting with the Methow
road and reaching the Skagit river. thus
making connecting link IN the road from
Eastern 10 Western Washington.
"Fuurth-An appropriation of $4,000
for tho Improvement OF the present trail
up the Skagit river from Goodall TO
the mouth 81 Ruby creek, and the build
ing of u bridge across the river at the last
named place. This IS the most vitality
needed of all Improvements. and without
10 sill other state roads built vest OF the
Cascades viii be valusless We cannot too
strongly urge the building Of this road. by
which ali present trails coming down the
upper Skagit, Ruby and thunder creeks
would become AZ once available
"Fiitb-An appropriation OF 5000 for a
wagon road from near NIckersham, IN
Hamilton. ia ckagit county. This would
allow wagon road connection between the
eastern and western parts OF Nhatc0m
county. To reach the east end of What
com county the road must PASS through
Skagit county, which cannot afford 20
build roads connecting broken links OF
Mhatcom county roads, nor can WhatcOm
county afford 70 build, even though
the law permitted. roads through SkaEst
county Therefore unless the state gives
assistance, these counties must await the
slow DEVELOPMENT OF the r0ines ia the
Cascade mountains. We also recommend
that an appropr atom. K made, b. not
hamprred hY contingent appropriations
from the counties; that the commission De
ailowei 10 make tie survey either before
or after the iocSilon and construction OF
the road. and that no advertising Re done
or claims Gor damages allowed on unsur-
veyed publc lands.
No reference Is made 70 the disagree
u1ents. tnlsmanager1ent and lack OF bar
nonv which maize the ommission IS
originally constituted somewhat notorious.
and resulted in the voluntary res snation
Oft. l.. HsnDegau and the appointment
OF J. J. Donovan as his successor. Inc re-
rort concludes wlth complimentary refer
once 20 the courtesy Of ths state officers
and With the statement that ''on a. isa-
porrant points involved IN the work done
during 1854 ths members Ct the commits
son aAve been unanimous IN tie decisions
reached and their relations hsve been most
harmonious
CAUGHT BN MS DESCRIPTION.