The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1895-05-16
A ROAD TO SEATTLE.
All Waterville Needs to Ensure
Its Prosperity.
HERE IS ITS NATURAL mARkET
The Big Bend Metropolis Needs a
Great Northern Branch to Carry
Away Its Products.

seat OF Douglas. is anxious 70 have d.
rect connection with Seattle and wants
the Great Northern Railroad Company to
build branch from some point on the
Columbia river 10 Waterville. d distance
OF thirtytwo miles. G. q. Austin has
just returned from that county and ex-
planned the need OF the road and the fine
prospect for traffic Il offers IN al inter-
view, in which he said:
Wateryille Is centrally located in what
Is known as the Big Bend country, at the
foot OF Badger mountain. and surrounded
by twenty-five townships comprising 5ls.
90 acres of fine farming land. which Is
gently rolling and well watered. and be-
ing SURROUNDED by mountains covered by
everlasting SHOWS the temperature OF the
valley Is equable, and the farms are pro-
tected from those hot winds that prevail
south of Snake river and are so deStruc-
tive to crops.
''Waterville. being the chief center OF
the county. Is one of the most prosperous
inland towns OF the state. It Is twenty
five miles northeast from Wenatchee.
and forty-iive miles due west from Coulee
city. 1t has a wagon road 10 Wenatchee,
which, however, is bad at all seasons OF
the year and impossible at some periods,
making IL lmpracticable for hauling. TIE
nearest point from Waterville on the Co.
lumbia river Is orondo. ten miles due
west. and accessible only through an
almost impossible canyon.
The grain. when marketed by the far
mers centering around WateFyille, now
has TO be hauled to either Orondo, We
natchee or Coulee City. II marketed a.
orondo, an extra freight charge of 81. % a
ton has TO be paid 10 the boats on the
Columbia. which haul 1t to Wenatchee
and turn II over 10 the Great Northern.
IL hauled to Wenatchee, ferriage charge
has 10 be paid OF si5e for the round trip
OF a team. The haul 10 Coulee City. OF
the line OF the Northern Pacific. though
much longer. is a present preferab bic and
generally used by the farmer. because of
the road being so much better. besides
the freight charges being the same as
from Orondo. and about the same as
from Wenatchee, ferriage included.
AT present fully three-fourths of the
business of Douglas county goes 10 Cou-
lee City. on the Northern Pacific. whereas,
II better facilities were provided to Water
Vile by which to reach the Great North
ern. all of the business tributary 10 Wa
terville and which now goes TO Portland,
would be diverted direct to Seattle. For
this purpose the people OF Wateryille
want the Great Northern to build a road
from some point on the Columbia near
the mouth OF Moses coulee TO Waterville
a distance OF thirty-two miles. The line
of the road would follow the Moses coulee
and Moses creek, affording, according 10
Engineer y. l.. Rogers survey, a per
cent. grade. Mr.. Rogers is a practical
engineer. having made the preliminary
survey for both the Canadian Pacific and
the Great Northern. The entire route
proposed Is well watered and susceptible
of cultivation. and the road so built
would run through an almost unbroken
agricultural country.
THE people OF Waterville are unani-
NOUS in their desire 10 have a road by
which they can reach Seattle and 20 tina
end are ready to make any and all sacrl-
fees necessary I'm the way OF giving
rights OF way and the necessary yard and
depot grounds.
The population tributary 10 Watervile
today numbers $3.50, mostly made up Of
farmers. Waterville being the only town
In that vicinity. The population of the
town proper IL SO0. II Is beautifully To-
Gated near the foot Of Badger mountain
and on the border Of Moses creek. The
town has fine water works: also an cleo
tric light plant, both OF which are owned
by Seattle capitalists. 1t has a good
Touring mill. a creamery, brewery, ma
chine shop and foundry. II has a nice
court house. fine public school building.
and one OF the most solid national banks
In the state. In all, Il Is one OF tn.
thriftiest towns IN Eastern Washington.
an Douglas county. the section tribu-
tary 20 Waterviile, the crop prospects
are more fatterfug today than in any
other part of the state. The main reason
IS that the crop OF 1898 was practically
destroyed by rain. and owing 20 that and
the very low prices then prevailing the
crop or 1894 vas very light. Most of the
land having been summer failowed near
y all OF II was planted last fall In wheat
and the winter having been very favora-
hle for winter crops they are very for
ward and very promising. The acreage
IS largo. and the yield promises 20 be one.
Of the hest ever had. The present pros
poets for better prices have stimulated
the farmers In that section and that. to-
e,her with the belief that something viii
be done for them in the way OF rail trans
portation by the Great Northern. has In
duced them 20 increase their acrea &c"