The islander. [volume] (Friday Harbor, Wash.) 1891-1899, 1896-12-31
WASHINGTON ROADS
Commissioners File Their
Annual Reports.
VERY ELABORATE AND CONFLICT
Recommended Appropriations for
Completion Of State Road-Dairy
Com missioner's Report.

!
Completion of State Road-Dairy
Commissioners Report.
state road commissioners have fled
their final report with the governor.
Tt is very elaborate and complete, illus
trated with photographs taken from
different points in the mountains along
the proposed Cascade road. Altogether
the report does great credit to the COM
mission.
The retiring board, believing that
the state road should be carried on to
1 final completion ON all its branches,
| has recommended the following appro-
priations:
| For widening into a wagon road of
that part of the present four-foot road
fom a point seven miles above Marble
mountain to Gilbert Landre's cabin, to
make the road available for heavy
wagon traffic. $4,000.
For Improvement of the trail be-
tween Landre's cabin and Pershall's
cabin, 81 900.
! ForI widening into a wagon road
of the present four-foot road from Per-
shall's cabin, near Cascade pass, to
the mouth of Bridge creek, including
the construction of bridge at the lat
ter point, $4,000.
For the construction of wagon road
from the mouth of Bridge creek to the
head of Lake Cnelan, $4,000.
For the improvement Of the trail from
the mouth of Bridge creek to Twitsp
pass, $1,000.
For widening into a wagon road
of the present four-foot roadway from
the mining camp of Gilbert to the
mouth of the Twitsp, including a bridge
across Twitsp river, near the latter
point, So. 500.
For extending the wagon road on
the Colville Indian reservation from
Crows Nest, it's present terminus, on
/ Granite creek, to Eureka camp, 81 200.
For the construction of wagon road
from Curlew lake, ON the Colville
reservation, to the present terminus of
the wagon road ON Sherwood Cor Dead
many creek, $1,000.
Total appropriations recommended,
$21, 900.
The Washington state dairy commits
sioner, in his report to the governor
for the year 1896, says, the past season
has been one of lower prices for dairy
products than any previous season, but
says further that when one considers
the general average low prices of all
farm products, it cannot be wondered
at that dairy products should come in
for their share of the general depres-
sion. Our markets have, however,
maintained except for very short
period, generally higher average price
than in any of our neighboring pro-
ducing states.
The question of competition with
California and Oregon products, says
the commissioner, is a serious one. A
solution of the question Of meeting
| this competition must be found with
the understanding that it is impossible
to keep this butter out when our mar
kets warrant its importation, and this
question will be a very hard one to
grapple with.
During the past year there have been
1 q
several new creameries and cheese fac
tories started, the majority, however,
being to ceratin extent experimental
in nature and necessarily small; but
several with large capacities have been
built.
Following is an approximate esti-
mate of our imports: Butter, about
377, 500 pounds; cheese, about 81, 500,
bei.g about one half the importation Of
the previous year. The exports from
here to Alaska have been the means OF
relieving our markets at various times.
With our increased trade in that terri
tory and probable demand from the
Orient, the outlook for the future is
not without hope.
The total estimated value Of our
dairy products is $40, 643
The expenses of the commission for
the year has been 50. 595.
The Cruiser Brooklyn.
Philadelphia, Dec. 22-The cruiser
Brooklyn, which has been lying at
League Island navy-yard since going
into commission four weeks ago, will
start ON her first official cruise next
Saturday. She will steam for the
naval station at Newport, r. l. After
her torpedoes have been taken on
board, the cruiser will proceed to
Brooklyn where the citizens of that
municipality will formally present to
the shin handsome silver service