The Yakima herald. [volume] (North Yakima, W.T. [Wash.]) 1889-1914, 1901-12-24
THE YAKIMA HERALD.
TUESDAY, DECEMBER Il, 1901.
OUTLET To PORTLAND.
North Yakima Commercial Club Asks the Ore
eou Metropolis for Aii.

Ill Il leHHtllN ictteT 10 tIit NildiilpCi VI
Commerce of Portland that city is asked
to aid and encourage the completion OF
the Portland, Vancouver 4 Yakima rail-
way, now constructed almost to the st.
Helens mining district, a point directly
in line with the proposed road. With
its immense resources, this valley must
have a new outlet other than by the
Northern Pacific. The reasons for such
an addition to the shipping facilities of
this valley are fully set forth in the fol-
lowing letter.
"NoRrH YAKIMA, Wash, Nov PHO
the Secretary OF the Chamber OF Com
merce, Portland, Oregon.-Dear Sir The
undersigned, having been appointed a
committee by the North Yakima Com
ton for the purpose of calling your at
tention to the urgent necessity OF secur-
ing additional and more direct commune
cation between Portland and this city,
and to the great advantages to be de-
rived by both places by the construction
of railroad, or the completion OF rail-
road which is now in course OF construc-
ton, known as the Vancouver, klickitat
Il Yakima railroad.
ave believe that YOU will at once rec
ognize the Importance OF this subject in
SO far as the interests OF your city are
concerned, and we desire particularly to
call your attention to the immense vol
ume OF traffic that is to be obtained
from this valley, and the enormous
growth and development that has taken
place here in the past few years, and
which has now assumed such proper
tions that there is every reason to be-
lieve that North Yakima will grow to be
the best inland city in the state OF
Washington, and the Yakima valley to
be the greatest producing section OF any
equal area OF agricultural country in
America.
The shipments from this county by
freight Aione are now SO large that were
all the cars that are required to haul the
agricultural products for the period OF
one year made up in one train, this
train would be more than 100 miles
long The shipments by express during
the summer months, OF fruit and veget-
ables, are SO extensive that two baggage
ears are required daily at this station to
! be attached to the express train to ac-
commodate that traffic 1t is a matter
OF common knowledge that the receipts
OF the Northern Pacific railway at this
station exceed 100000 per annum-in
fact, with two or three exceptions, the
receipts Of the company at this point are
greater than at any other station be-
tween terminals.
"ln this connection it should be borne
in mind that the producing capacity Of
this county is still at its minimum
Within the next decade it will increase
to such an extent that the figures given
above, although large, will fade into in
significance According to the records
Of the county auditor there are not to
exceed at the present time Sd, 1000 acres
OF land under cultivation, and the i'm
mense production are based on this
comparatively small acreage There are
still hundreds OF thousands OF acres to
be placed under irrigation and cultiva-
ton, process which is being carried on
to such an extent at the present time
as to warrant the belief that the acreage
under cultivation will be increased ten
fold iii as many wears.
1t i unnecessary to enter into details
in regard to the traffic to be obtained bv
Il road connecting the two cities in the
intervening country Your sources OF
information On this point are better than
ours. What we desire particularly To
call your attention 10 i the inadequacv
ii the railroad facilities at this place :
to the inability OF the railway company.
even at this time, 10 carry the products
Of this county, and to the absolute ne
ceSsity Fl an additional railroad, espec-
tally in the view OF the ever-increasing
volume Of production, which in few
years will be such that the present trans
portation facilities will be utterly mad
equate to the necessities Of this section
II is true that a large volume of trail
fig will in time attract additional trans
portation facilities. We desire to hasten
this time and to submit 10 you whether
il Will not be If infinite value to the
commercial interests Of Portland that it
take advantage OF our needs in this di-
rection and ii possible, take such steps
that Will lead TO the building Of rail-
road between the two cities. VIII Port
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