The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1895-03-01

end and finally disappeared from sight.
After carrying down camp equipage we
lowered horses by The aid of ropes SAINT
lar 10 other side. one horse too weak
60 keep It's feet during process of this
sliding. After repacking horses We Zig
gagged across great fields of snow and
lee and reached Horseshoe basin at $50
p. m. after JUST twelve hours OF ex-
haust.ng work. four and oae-half miles
for the deg. Trail badly washed out. so
We made camp Elevation 1850 feet"
Speaking further concerning the trip,
Mr.. Curtis said:
Across Another summit.
'-our party then followed down Stehekiu
river 10 Bridge creek and again began 10
climb to the summit between Bridge creek
and Twisp river. the latter branch OF
the Methow. This Bridse-Twisp summit
Is within few feet OF being as high as
the Cascade summit. although the eieva-
tion a; the junction OF Bridge creek and
the Stehekin river Is less than 100 feet
After getting iato the Methow country.
travelling was easy and We again crossed
the Cascades. this time through Slate
creek pass which Is the pass recon-
mended for the state road by the state
road commissioners, on July H. We had
no trouble in crossing Slate creek pass
and could travel Ia any direction. The
hills are rolling and at that time the snow
lay in patches only. and our animals
found good feed. / have since crossed this
summit many times and know that a good
wagon road can be built through IT, In
my opinion the state road commission
made wise selection when they recon-
mended IL and the legislature should heed
their advice. Engineers Donovan and
Root. who had charge OF the FaIrhaven 81
Southern railway survey. recommend this
route also Bur ] have here dozens OF let
ters from settlers on the upper Skagit--
men who 1--we on homesteads about Mar
bemount during the winter months and
prospect the mountains during summer
and they say the Slate creek route Is the
only practicable one foT Il state road.
Many OF the writers OF these letters, like
John Rassner. w. II. McAllisser, A. +.
Hastag and III. y. Bacon. ali or Marble
mount. have interests in the Cascade mir
ing district. through wSich the road would
pass II Senator Hutch.asoa's bill became
u Law and Il were possible TO build n read
through Cascade pass, bat they say THAI
Cascade pass Is not practicable route
and a road caanot be constructed that
way. while on the other hand they all
agree in saying the State pass can he
crossed without difficulty.
The settlers the Hest Judges
THE people OF the northern part OF the
state have never asked FOR many or very
large appropriations. but they want this
road built and believe they are the best
judges az what route Is most practicable.
They are familiar Nth the question ana
their iudguien; should be the gaiie OF t5e
legislators. In Skagit county more tnAn
three-tisths Of The voters have aertsoned
in favor OF the road via Slate creek: che
Hamilton city council. Anaeortos city
council aaa hoard % sraae, and county
mass convention have approved IL ard
forwarded memorials but here Is Doug
las Almond He has interests in Cascade
district. which would be benefited by tire
construction af a read over the route pro-
poSsa by Senator HuschlnSon's aill and he
viii doubtless tell yau az The beauties ot
Cascade pass"
Mr.. Almonds Experience
Mr. Almond said ne had interests IN n
number ef mining claims lying Jus; west
% Cascade pass ayst Sorae 81 these would
be crossed by the road proposed by the
Hutchinson bill. provided the road eoaid
be huilt Personally he would IKE the
stale 20 aetla 4 roai 10 his Cascade mises,
but he I'D not believe = rasd across Cas-
caae pass could De huils AMI, when he
asked the state 20 build a road 10 hss
satnes. ne weuIa do SO openly and not IN
aes -<se galse Of asking The state 30 eassd
a STATE road across the Cascade mount
aims lie said:
Il 10 not believe the Cascade pass -
practicable for a MASON rsNad. and base
This belief upon tAe best data 1 could col
le-r during a residence al six years 81
skarfi county. know many miners ard
ashsrs who have been shronga all the
masses Leading east from the Ssagit AMI i
"a nee know ar snassi3u&l in tire county
MAO faxers Cascade pass. although naany
aw, u.sning claims there. TIE great bug