The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1900-10-31
Judge Hanford's Remarks at Re-
cent Good Roads Convention.
MANY VALUABLE SUGGESTIONS.
Capt. A. h. Wycko6 Elected Vice
President to Represent King
County mt the National Irrigation
Congress TO BE Held fn Chicago
in November--Importan of Leg
islation to Secure improvements.

At the meeting Of the Washington State
Good Roads and Improvement Associa-
ton. permanently organized in Tacoma
last Saturday Judge G. II. Hanford made
the following interesting address. setting
forth the urgent needs In improvements
In this state and suggesting some valua-
Bile plans:
is cause for qualification in the fact that
practical effort In favor OF good roads
and improvements in our state has at It's
inception the support OF a convention
composed OF so many earnest men and
good citizens as are here assembled.
Thus far, in the matter Of roads and
highways. we have done only preliminary
work of pioneers, we have located some
roads where roads ought to be. and
cleared the surface OF brush and loose ma
teriai 1t would not be eurate TO say
that this is ALL do not wish to adver-
tise that no substantial progress has been
made, nor that We do not have in some
parts of the state. fairly good roads to
haul load OF wheat over, but 1t is true
that we have not yet a good driveway
20 speed a team over, except here in
Pierce county. Out on the gravelly prai-
rfes the roads which existed before white
people came, are always good Elsewhere
however, there can be but little enjoy
ment in owning or driving a good team.
1t IL time therefore. to begin a radical
reform of our system, and 1t is well that
united effort of our citizens has been
tnaugurated In this era OF general pros
hope for good results
y am glad that the work now in hand
includes not only good roads, hut other
improvements, we should take eompre-
hsnsive view of the conditions and needs
of our state, Intimately connected with
the subject OF improving and protecting
our highways, Is the subject of storing
the bountiful supply OF fresh water with
which nature has blessed our state.
as to prevent the waste and destruction
of freshets and utilize that valuable force
to benefit the land God intended that
1t should Here in Western Washington
especially the labor and expenditures OF
years in making roads and constructing
bridges, count for but little. because OF
the great damages which have been done
by floods.
Lack of Protection.
"As an illustration OF what mean, I
will refer 20 the road between Seattle and
Tacoma. Enough has been expended
upon the road through the valleys OF
White. stuck and Puyallup rivers to
have made a splendid driveway between
these two elites. and still a very large
part OF that road IL today In no better
condition than 1t was forty years ago,
for tho simple reason that no adequate
means has been adopted for protecting
II from injury by floods. This county
and all the counties 10 the north Of II
have suffered immense losses by the
washing out OF roads and destruction ~
bridges by the mighty force Of water pre-
eipitated In torrents from the mountains.
and not only have roads and bridges
been sacrificed, cultivated farms have
been ruined ana travel on the railways
has been frequently interrupted. At tho
present time there ~ hostility between
the people OF Stuck and White river vail
ieyE. produced by years OF contention as
% the disposition which should be made
OF the water coming down White river
And now looking 80 the future In the
Light OF past experience we may expect
that as the Beaver dams are cut and
more land cleared and plowed, and IA
advancing improvements smooth the yav
for water to flow from tho mountains
towards the sea. floods viii be even more
harmful than in the past. until we apply
an effective remedy
And vet this mighty force. this bnun-
tifui supply Of fresh water To connection
I with our splendid mountain ranges, IL
10 be counted among the most munlheent
OF the many natural end0wments 81 our
grand state
I'm my Judgment. the solution OF the
problem. how TO prevent the rava&es OF
floods IN our state and utilize natures
bounty, Ia 80 be found In the adoption
1 OF a scientific method OF storing the