The Leavenworth echo. [volume] (Leavenworth, Wash.) 1904-current, 1909-05-14
An Object Lesson Worthy Of Imitation


object lesson of the benefits of hearty
cooperation that deserves more than
passing notice. In the month of March
the progressive people Of that thriving
and prosperous community, noting the
benefits that other communities derived
from united efforts, decided to organize
what they are pleased to call COM
mercial club for the purpose of bring
ing to the notice of the public the OPP
portunities that that charming portion
of the Wenatchee valley has to offer to
the homeseeker and investor.
Already there is abundant proof that
their efforts are not without results. In
the past six weeks not less than thirty
new families have been located near
Peshastin. The tracts of land acquired
are approximately ten acres to the fam
lily. Before the year closes the num-
Der of new people added to the popu-
lation of Peshastin, counting five to the
family, will not fall short of two hun
dred and fifty. A townsite has been
surveyed and to stimulate the activity
of the commercial club Mr.. Gilbert,
owner of the townsite, offered to give
the club a lot if they would put up a
building. The club promptly accept
ed the offer and will have substantial
building started before the next issue
of The Echo makes its appearance.
The club now numbers over fifty en-
thusiastic, hustling members, not less
than forty of whom attepd. every meet
ing. The people Of Peshastin know
what they want and have gone system
atically to work to get what they most
need-a station agent and depot, bet
ter roads and mail facilities, more bust
ness houses and better schools. The
district recently voted to build large
modern school house to cost several
thousand dollars. Last Sunday in an
incredibly short time they raised 5000
to pay off the debt on one of their
churches. One of our subscribers in
that vicinity tells the writer there is a
possibility that a small bank, with a
capital of $25, 900, will be started be-
fore the summer is over.
Up to this year the trade from Pc
shastin, only three miles distant from
Leavenworth, all came to this place.
The object of this extraordinary activ-
ity, so one OF the citizens of Peshastin
told the writer, was to make that place
independent of Leavenworth. An OBJ
ject which is in fair way of being
attained in short time if the growth
and development of that valley con-
tinues. That Leavenworth by her in
activity and lack of interest has unin-
tentionally helped to bring about this
condition of things there is no doubt.
We might have bestirred ourselves
long ago to make the roads between
Leavenworth and Peshastin better and
shorter, but for lack of organization
what should have been everybody's
business concerned no one. We
might have gone to work and devel-
oped our own surrounding country and
built up our town so that it would
have been much harder to build up
rival town right at our very doors. But
again we lacked the energy and fore
sight to see our opportunities and or
ganize and work together. Perhaps it
may not be too late even now to get
above our little jealousies, our short
sighted policy Of indifference to condi-
tons, and do something to hold what
we have. At the meeting of the citi-
Gems with the railroad commission on
Friday last, Division Superintendent
Bowen, of the Great Northern railway,
stated under oath that the reason the
company had not made certain depot
improvements at this place was be-
cause the removal of the division from
Leavenworth was under consideration.
That this matter has been under con-
sideration for the past fifteen years is
we'll known by every person who has