The San Juan islander. [volume] (Friday Harbor, Wash.) 1898-1914, 1913-07-25
Given the Worm Will Turn

Col Blethen, MdyOI NoleCi'i'
turned his attention to the suppress
sion of certain Seattle newspaper
reporters who have been filling
their respective sheets with gar
bled accounts of the British Column
bia outlaw who is in hiding on
Shaw island, and had succeeded In
his work, he would have received
the hearty thanks of the residents
of San Juan county. This o1nty
gladly welcomes any advertising it
can get. But the kind of advertis-
ing its has been getting from the
Seattle papers the past two weeks
is certainly of kind it does not
want. To us, who live here, these
newspaper reports were funny, at
first, but it must be remembered
that there are thousands Of readers
who do not know the facts Of the
case and who swallow these willful
Misrepresentation whole and be-
lieve them every word. We happen
to know the facts of this case. How
about the newspaper accounts OF
events of which we do not know the
facts? That reputable newspapers
should allow such utter tommy-rot
to appear in their columns as legiti-
mate news is beyond our compre-
hension. San Juan county has been
particularly free from criminals of
all classes and we do not intend to
have it advertised as Mecca for
crooks. and we venture to say that
if any one of them ever "starts
something" here, and we have the
right to get him, he will not
''live on the fat of the land for
three weeks" by any means, but
he will be "got" in short order
The last two criminals who got
away in San Juan county were at
liberty just five minutes and three
hours respectively. and the whole
town was on their trail within
few minutes after the alarm was
given. To add insult to injury the
conditions in this county have also
been grossly misrepre sented. We
are willing to admit that our tele-
phone system is not the best in the
world, but we are also thankful to
say that it is not quite so rotten as
that of Seattle, in fact it is so much
better than the average that we are
proud of it. We have a powerful
wireless station here, which oper-
ates day and night and gives con-
nection with "all points on land and
ships at sea-" The international
Telephone Company also has cables
from Vancouver island to San Juan
island, and lines across the islands,
which are connected by cables, to
Bellingham, which gives US excel
lent long distance service with the
mainland. The Inter-Island Tele-
phone Company also has lines all
over the islands and cables connect
ing the di fferent islands, and main
tains an excellent service. As far
as San Juan county being isolated
is concerned. we would like to ask
a certain Seattle reporter if he has
ever been in Okanogan or even Che
Ian county? If one goes to the dock
at Seattle and asks how he can get
to the San Juan islands he will be
told that the Str. Resale leaves for
the islands direct, three times a
week, viz: at midnight Sunday.
Tuesday and Thursday. which is all
true enough. But-.There are
others!" Several of them. For
instance you can take the morning
boat from Seattle to Anacortes and
connect there with a boat for the
San Juan islands, or you can take
the night boat from Seattle for An
acorts or Bellingham and connect at
either place with boat for all
island points. If you don't like the
long ride on the boat take the train
Tor Anacortes or Bellingham, where
close connections are made with
boats for the islands. ride of an
hour on which will take you among
the islands. Two other chances
are still oman ~