The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1894-08-13

Is IL Useless to Deny the Report Of the
State Commandments


IA In Useless to Deny the Report of the
state commissioners
wHArcox. Aug. lf.--lSpecial l-Messrs-
Austin Il Lyle. who had charge OF the
party sent out By the county commission
ers In the spring Of 1853 to look for pass
across the mountains north OF Mount
Baker to Ruby creek, arc said by the
Rsreiik to dispute the statements made
By Messrs. Donovan and Cryderman as 70
the Hannegan pass. and to offer to take
any man selected by the commissioners OF
the county over the range to the skagit.
They feel positive OF the correctness OF
their report. and can put trail through
the mountains north of Baker"
p. B. Cornwall, OF San Francisco. presi-
dent OF the Bellinghasn Bay improvement
Company, who is nov here. Is quoted a.
saying:
az think there must be soss.e mistake In
the last reports. From what l have
learned In times past / am persuaded that
there IL passage through tae mountains.
and will contribute half the expense 70
send men out to demonstrate II. II the
Board OF Trade will stand the other half.
Ii Ii q very rough mountain that cannot
be climbed by good woodsman or over
which trail cannot be constructed. /
have several old maps Of the country"
Because of the great interest manifested
in the matter and the criticisms upon the
report OF tho state commissioners the
Posr-IxTKILIeExcKR correspondent again
interviewed them yesterday afternoon.
finding them busliy engaged in examining
the reports of their cruisers and perfecting
plans for further work. There can be no
mistake" they said, las to the absolute
corrsctness Of our report, and no one can
regret more keenly than ~e do that the
facts are AZ We have stated. To avoid the
possibility Of error We have had two difIer-
ent sets of men. two in each party. exam
Inc Baker river, Beaver creek and the Chill
liwack and all ths'minor streams heading
in the so-callcd passes north OF Mount
Baker. and their reports prove con-
ciusivsly that there Is net even the
semblance Of O pass suitable even for q
midsummer trail over the mighty wall OF
snow and Ice between Mount Baker and
the British boundary. Two of our cruisers.
Garrett and Chase. we're members OF
the Austin party Of Eve sent out by the
county commissioners last year prior TO
che making of the eounty's 5000 appro-
priation and the commencement OF work by
the state commission, and these men are
very positive in their statements showing
that Auatin was mistaken In his position
and that his report was . deiusion and q
snare. His representations in regard to
Beaver creek were altogether wrong. The
stream he took 60 be- Beaver creek and
which, without examination. he repre-
scented ~ ,raversing . valley one-half TO
one mile in width and flowing into skagit
river ito the north of q mountain called
Sour Dough mountain on the state maps"
is not Beaver creek az all. but Baker river.
To re.cn Beaver creek from the point
whsie be retvaced his steps q man must
eros three great divides. one of them 8, 560
feet high. and all Of them covered now
with Ice and snow. Both the so-calied Han
regan and Austin passes lead into Baker
river, aud not into Beaver creek, and, as
We have already stated, there is no pass
from the Baker 90 the Skagit except by
following the Baker down TO its mouth.
Ths streams are hemmed In by high
mountains on every side Ii Is q region
o perpetual ice aud snow, and great preci-
picss, ehssms and glaciers block the way
II is simply preposterous 20 waste any
paors time or money in explorations for q
pass there"
Having heard that there was some DIFF
ference Of opinion among the state COM
missioners last year as 10 the sStsisability
Of going ahead with the work on this side
without further examinations, the reporter
asked Mr.. cryderman &c that was true.
"So." said he. II don't think any of Us
doubted thu reliability Of Austin's report,
though NE did differ as 90 the advlsability
Of employing him upon the state work,
and did not do 50. In common with the
county commissioners We believed his
statements. and are simply astonished 10
20 report them."
In reply to questions A. 30 the further
plans OF tas commission, Mr.. Donovan
said;
Tomorrow Mr.. Cryderman aud myself
win 60 % Lyman. on the skagis. and will
gather such data as 10 necessary 10 enable
Us 60 enbody in our report 10 the seSisla-
ture Recommendations relative 70 the lfffz
portance OF composing the trail from tho
mouth OF Ruby creek 20 Rellingham hay
hy var OF tie Skagit canyon and the south
fork OF the Noossaek. We viii spend no
more money this year IN construction
west Of Ruby creek. bat We VII try TO
complete trail from the mouth II Ruby
creek over the main range 70 the head
waters Of the Methow. and We Will have
ths SkAgit canyon thoroughly examined.
30 that We may report intelllxeTtgy as TO
the practicahllity aud probable cost
OF building q road through there.
A trail has already been huils. largely
through the aid OF Seattle merchants, oat
the stream was improperly hr.dged in two
places. and the bridges have beea washed
Awav There Is no wagon road ar pack
trail across the Cascades north Of the Sno-
aualsnis pass. and the cattle men Of the
valleys Of the Meghow and okancgAn have
no outlet 90 abe Sound except By way Of
sns Columbia river and Great Northern
railway. We believe that g good road or
tail, passabla for pack animsis ard cattle
nearly ar quite six months Ia the year,
caa lie hEiis by the -oute now suggested.
and we intend % use our utmost enaeavoFs
10 have 10 done. for IL will 10 Of great
benefit 20 the state and 30 the counties
traxersed."
81 Box for nspa In Lewis Caaatr.
CnEHklEA Aug. II - Special - The
LEAFS CoUaty Hop Growess' Association