The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1895-02-21
THE COUNTY OF QUILLAYUrE

Erofsoeseu 10 nc for1ned OF Portions OF
Jefferson and Ciailam.
East Claliam, Feb. aa-Soesia..-A
strong moyeruens 10 on foot ,hrougaoa.
the western portions of ClaiIam AID JEFF
ferson counties TO form q new county
by separating he western ends from
those counties AMI Joining them into
q new one. to be known Or yoahly as
Quillayute county. The dividing line
would be drasn from the Straits. in tie
neighborhood Of Gettysburg. due south
TO chehaiis county. aud the new county
would comprise all the territory vest OF
that lire TO the ocean.
For a month or more petitions to the
legislature praying for the division have
been in circulation In every precinct Ia
the territory interested. and have been
numerousiy signed by the legal voters.
few Of whom. IL any. have refused to
sign.
Last Saturday meeting or convention
Of delegates from all the precincts took
place at Beaver to make arrangements
for the proposed division. The petitions
were collected and formed into one and
will be sent UP to Olympia this week.
A DILL has also beerfordered drafted con-
tanning the necessary provisions for the
formation Of new county. which Is ex-
pected 70 be introduced in the house by
Representative Sewers within few days.
The sentiment Of the people Of the west
ern country Is practically unanimous In
favor of division. and that new county
will have to be formed out OF the pro-
posed territory, sooner or later. Is read
lily admitted by every one familiar with
the situation. Western jefferson Is cut
Off from the eastern end by the Olympic
mountains. and the people have to travel
$50 miles or more In a round about way
to get to the county seat. Port Townsend.
The expense and inconvenience ct doing
public business under such circumstances
Is great. Progress IN settlement and Inn
provement OF this naturally very pro-
ductive country is barred. People will
not settle or invest money under the
circumstances. While there are thou
sands OF acres of splendid agricultural
and timber lands vacant and open for
settlers no one cares to take them. The
land - idle and much OF the country stag
rant-
What applies 90 Western Jefferson Is
also true Of Western ClaIlam to lesser
extent With local government closer
In touch with the people. economically
administered and easy OF reach, every
citizen would be directly interested In
filling UP the vacant lands with popuia-
ton. encouraging improvements. getting
roads and schools. etc.
The size Of the proposed new County,
would be about Sc miles from north to
south and So miles from east To west. 1t
would have an area Of 1880 square miles
and the territory now has populaF Aon
OF over 2,e0o. Els taxable property has a
value OF close to 500. 900. Vast forests OF
fir. cedar, hemIock and spruce cc.ver ITS
surface. hardly touched yet by the ax Of
the hunbernsan. and from the mountains
down TO the sea course numerous rivers
and streams watering half million acres
OF the richest bottom lands OF the state.
producing anything ard everything that
the soil OF Washington can produce.
When ., is remembered that nearly all
the counties of this state began their ca
i'eer with far less population and far less
taxalbae property than the proposed ccun-
1y has. IT would be unreasonable for the
legislature TO refuse to grant the pefgtspn
OF tire voters. now that every oonssisu-
tionai requirement can be complaest with.
ara especially rs there ias been UP TO
this time 10 Opposition whatever GROWN
by anybody TO the division In fact St APP
pears that every body IS IN favor of IT.
T'wersty-ssyesa years ago the territorial
legislature passed an ACT creating and or
garzzing the County OF Qlifaiaytte. which
embraced rtfe sasne territory TOW PRO
posed % be set or as ccaTrssy. The act
was. sirnei by Gov. MaraaaIl r. Moof-e
and he~xsrre a Iasw January q isss. After
defining the BOUNDARIES the law rasned
Gaseon BrownffeId as the ausstor: JOHN G.
Brsswn Aurelssss Colby and John wesr as
county counsi sxtoners: Smith Troy as
sheriff; vacancies 60 BE- site1 by the gov
err,cr on PETITION by residents. Officers
were On hold urci TIRE mkt general eiec-
ron. Tire people OF rhe new county failed
10 take advantage % the enabling act.
probably tseczafse there were only about
hast n suzsn seesle-s N she counts and
shesz. we're scattered over miles Of wc<sts.
Now gHe ssshahssasSts having grown into
a thrifty and rrceT@sssye ccgnnnanssy Of
sao or more, coxne again 60 knock az the
door Of tire legislature. asking for another
enabling act asn4 saying sbas szxey are
really d, assure xzae rasparsin5tsrszA OK TO-
S-sl government the burden Of which was
deesne. 6so heavy tgsnty-ssyen years
ago.