The San Juan islander. [volume] (Friday Harbor, Wash.) 1898-1914, 1898-09-15
pleased with the prospect of improved

pleased with the prospect of improve,
times at Edwards.
what do you think of the Republi
can nominees for county offices?n aske,
man day or two ago. s.Oh, I gues
they are all right" was the reply
Continued he, ~ am a Republican
but for county offices never let poll
tics carry me away. I vote for good
active young men, who think ar
well suited for the position they ar
running for. am opposed to fillin,
any county or state Office with OLE
men. We want men with youn,
blood and fully abreast Of the times
especially do we need here In ou
county offices faithful, active men t,
bring our island into more prominence
Now we are one of the smallest coun-
ties in the state, whereas with all oul
resources and facilities, we ought to b,
among the larger in population. Al
election let us cast ring politics to thu
dogs and vote for the best men every
Time" II believe you are right" wa.
the response, "but some men care more
for party than for the general welfare. >
"Why don't you subscribe for your
county newspaper, The IsLANDER?'
was asked of reading man lately
H"Well, expect to take The ISLANDER
when renew my subscription for the
Seattle Times. I hear the two papers
can be had together at reduced rates, as
well as the combine with the P.-I
l see THE ISLANDER sometimes. It is
good county sheet, but might be inn
proved somewhat. For instance, it
should give us more solid county news.
Among the news notes, too much space
is taken up with trivial matters. II
each correspondent would write up
the leading industry of his section and
enlarge on the resources of his particu-
lar neighborhOod, his notes would be
read with greater interest. Why, too,
can we not have brief outline, from
the beginning, of the settlement Of each
island? We all like to hear the ex-
periences of old men. Here on Lopez,
the very first settler and several that
came soon after, are still living. What
those men have seen and passed
through should be put into print for
the benefit of those of us who have
are here but short time. In due
time there will be needed a history OF
our islands, and the important data
should be cleaned before those who
know most them have past into the
unknown beyond"
As All evidence of the increased in.
terest taken in the improvement OF
roads, the turn out at our road election
was larger this year than ever before.
All the settlers here are in favor OF
good roads and to effect this end they
voted heavy tax. They also started
petition to be sent to the next meet
ing of the board of commissioners ask
ing that prompt measures be taken to
improve the bad portions of the main
county road from the Middle school
house east. AS stated in former notes,
that part of the main road has re-
ceived little or no repair since
the opening of the branch roads to
Richardson. Now, Commissioner
Graham says that he will use his best
endeavOrs to put that part of the road
in good shape. With a fine smooth
road running through from Lopez to
this end, communication throughout
the island would be greatly facilitated.
This year our road supervisor is Chas.
Sweeney, a man of few words but a
rustler at work. He no doubt will
give us good service. In the Rich.
ardson road district Samuel Wilson
was reelected as supervisor. He
knows how to make a proper, road and
we look to him to fix up the neglected
road referred to above. Commission
er Graham says he lately has been
over the roads at the north end OF
Lopez and he is at loss to know why
the people there don't spunk up and
1t is wonder that the exjudge does
not use his wide influence to better the
facilities of getting around IN that sec.
ton. We understand he favOrs the
expenditure of county funds to erect
attractive buildings on the prominent
points of the shores of our principal
islands, so as to draw the attention OF
strangers passing by on steamers and
influence them to locate among Us.
Were such buildings erected, no doubt
they would greatly beautify our rather
rough and cherries shores and have
the effect the judge predicts, but such
enterprises for the present, must Of
necessity, be left to private taste and
expenditure. Better improve all our
roads and develope the internal re-
sources of these beautiful islands.
Here, where we can never have rail-
roads, we ought to have first-class
wagon and buggy highways. How
many intending settlers have gone
away just because of our miserably bad
roads? Said one of them, II would
not live in community that is con
tent to drag their products over such
stony unimproved roads, wasting their
time and wearing out their vehicles.
1 will 90 where there is more get-uI