The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1899-01-31
STATE ROADS ARE NEEDED.
DEVELOPMENT OF THE GREAT Mn
ERAL BELT DEMANDS THEM.
Many Measures OF Merit on the sub
j~ct Will he Presented TO the
Legislature, and Ii In Hoped That
the Improvements VIII He Made

Special Dispatch 70 the Post-Inteiligencer
OLYMPIA. Jan @.-The legislature IS
showing a proper interest in state roads
In no other way could IL sxpend the
states money with equal value 10 tha
| entire people for no state can ae truly
prosperous and Develop all sections to-
gethsr without the aid OF good roads
Washington is a state flied with natural
barriers. ard when it IS remembered that
these barriers occur where there Is sparse
population and where little can be collect
ed in taxes IL is apparent why the state
| is compelled to come to the aid of the
/ general people and open up highways
Throughout the length and breadth OF the
Cascade mountains there are minerals
| that mean great riches for the state.
| During the past it has been expensive IL
| not almost impossible. to open up trails
| 10 the different sections. for before the
advent or capitalists TO open mines must
| come the prospsctor and the miner. who
| can develop the prospect sufficiently 10
| attract the investment OF the capitalist.
With good or even fair. roads, the OPP
| portunity OF the prospector to develop
claims is made easier for his capital IS
scarce al best. and every dollar wasted
| In the expensive method OF packing in
| supplies on horseback is a detriment 10
| the state. as IL keeps proper develop
ment back accordingly. Further, many
| q good prospect has been condemned BY
| the agents OF capital In this state because
| the trails were bad, and thousands of dol
| lars would have to be expended BY the
capitalists in building wagon roads
through the mountainous country TO the
| mining district before the proposed COM
pany could expect TO do proper develop
ment work on the mining claims. Capt.
| talistS are always looking for a good min
| eral claim: they never care to build wag
on roads to use in experimenting on
mineral claim.
The opening up OF one mining section
means prosperity to half of great state.
| This can &c easily illustrated. Three years
ago the city Of Spokane was in financial
despair. along with the state at large.
The Rnssiand district opened up, and
Spokane within six months became the
most prosperous city in the state. Ste
yens county. one OF the best from the
point OF natural resources. was In pow
| erty before the Rossland excitement be-
| gan. but for three years Ii has been one
Of the most prosperous.
The Republic camp is another Illus
| tration. Spokane was increased in
wealth, Stevens and Okanogan counties
| shared from the wealth that poured into
| tina. district. and nearly the entire east
ern part OF the state has been greatly
benefited
But mining is not the only benefit
| from the work for good roads. Every
| where state roads are planned settlers are
benefited. Along the Columbia river are
| numerous valleys where settlers are To-
| Gated. extending back in some instances
| for 30 to so miles, as the Entiat. the Me-
| thow and other rivers. Here raDchers
| have been located for years, fighting
| against the numerous delays to secure
| an outlet along the great river OF the
| Northwest. While benefting other devel-
| opments, roads opened by the state have
| aided them. and have made future sue
| cess possible. The Weuatchee-T wisp road
| has been OF great benefit 1t extends
| from the Great Northern railroad at We
| natchee up the Columbia over 80 miles,
and then for 30 more up the Methow TO
| q connection with the Marb!emount-Mar-
| Gus state road leading to mineral, agri-
| cultural and grazing sections. All along
| this route were great rock oostructons.
| that heretofore made IL impossible for
| ranchers 20 open 1t up.
The Marhlemount Marcus road. on
which real work first began four years
ago. has already been OF great value.
though stu incomplete In places one OF
| the best pieces ofFwork BY the commits
| sion of four years ago was the building
| of that part OF this road from the Okla
| hogan river to what is now the great Re-
| public camp. and over this road. aside
/ from It's benefit to the miners, the settlers
/ OF the Okanogan valley, and even the Big
| ducts to a good market The same Is true
! OF the road for nearly - miles up the
| Twisp river, where there is 81 promising
mining section. The work from Marble
| according to the report OF the last COM
mission was satisfactory. 1t Is heav-
| lily tinbered section. with much rock and
heavy bluffs along RAPID mountain
| stream. to contend with. There was fin
ished and left In good condition say
the commissioners eigntesn N In' s,h, T.,
| two miles OF Deer Park ana from there
the trail was cleared out anG put In good
condition across the CASCADE pass ana
Down the Stehekin river 10 Bridge creek
The work necessary 70 complete this i'm
per;ant road ls between the Cascade and
Twisp passes. with a spur for fourteen
OF Lake Che'an 10 naees the steamers
Heretofore TIE principal work was On
TIRE extreme ends CT the road. When this
middle section Is completed section CT the
state will b orened NJ that VIII prove Of
inestlms HE value. The commissioners say
of this seetgcT;
AT .he sur1mI. OF ,he Cascades there
are vast deposits Of gold and silver ana
lead ores. There are excellent gold and
copper ressons on Bridge creek and a. the
head Ct Tw.sr rive. The opening np o.
creates; weeks the state could aid in"
Referring % TIE tranch 20 the head OF
Lake Chelan. the Marblemount-M Marcus
commissioners saw:
This hoard believes that II would have
been wise On The part Of the former iegts-
lsiure 10 have provided an outlet from the
southern part Of the state. SO Il would be
more availahis 70 the Big Renf country
Such a connection can be made cheapiy
from the head - Lake Chelan, 10 which
access Is had from al parts OF the inland
empire. the distance being fourteen miles"
tbs should be done by the present less-
la:lre. and undoubtedly vii be.
There are other state roads equals i'm
portsnt. fer whseh the legislature Is being
asked fcy aid and whsrh should receive
liberal appropriations. one Of these is n
further appropriation foF the read from
Buckley through Natcher pass n the Cas-
ca3s mountains ara Down ira Nstehaz
river 20 where it iqgsFsects ias county road
on the east eide of ths Cascades
s,ste read from Neutpsano fnsh~u.
county. by ssy et North river valley. VII
! 1apa. South Bend. :he SeGma river ard
Nassi river tn Pacific county and tz~av's
river valley. in WLngiakurn county "a a
point On the Columbia river a, RroagnaGF
IN ire latter county, - askeA To- ARA
there is no doubt bat J. would - 81 peat
benefit % tss southwest part cg th.- sYatz
Another road OF great importance ia 49,
Proposed Soxn the Columbia from Tx.}e
/ in Eii9kisat county Down tne n9r-h ASrk
! % RIVER 20 TarrQ$gEaf n C~arka ~,,,,r.-.