The Madison daily leader. [volume] (Madison, S.D.) 1890-current, 1917-02-23

vr III PACIFIC
SLOPE.


especially the lumber industry, which
al the present time is experiencing a
big boom, according to Dr.. II. II.
Frudenfeld, who recently returned
home after a weeks visit in Seattle
and Tacoma.
The doctor travelled $500 miles by
rail and 400 via automobile during
his absence, being six days on the
road in all and spending six days i'm
Seattle and Tacoma. His side trip
to Olympia, via automobile, over 40
miles of graveled road, was a reyela-
ton TO him in that it was a conclusive
demonstration as TO the economic
value of such highways.
The temperature during his stay
varied from 35 to As degrees above
and he noticed the farmers blowing
in the fields, ten or twelve weeks
ahead of their brethren in the Da-
kotas. Flowers were blooming. trees
budding. birds singing. Spring was
already visiting the Pacific slope.
Lack of ships is now %bothering the
tuAtDti lhbuSti me StAAHpihS IL ~
heavy out of Seattle that the secur-
ing of transportation is a problem in
itself. Seattle is the distributing
ponit for all outward bound Alaskan
and Asiatic traffic. the Asiatic steam
ship lines connecting for the Russian
trade at Vladivostok. Siberia, from
thence shipping the goods over the
newly double tracked trans-Siberian
route TO P%etrograd.
This extension OF the roads facil-
tiles has greatly aided ocean traffic
with the resulting enormous increase
i'm the city's business. And Seattle,
although possessing a smaller popu-
lation than Minneapolis. does a
greater amount of business and has
a larger number of modern office
buildings.
DR.. Frudenfeld expressed himself
as being surprised at the great
strides Seattle has made in the past
few years. He said he expected o
find a good town. but not anywhere
near as good as il revealed itself to
him. Tacoma. although smaller than
Seattle. is another city that is com
ing 10 the front.
Going out the mou of snow was
no greater in the mountains than
here. he said. and the greatest delay
was experienced al Mobridge where
there was much more of il TO contend
with than in the mountains. The
train pulled out of Mobridge nine
hours late. but made up three hours
between that city and Seattle.
Where the west is away ahead of
this section of the country is i'm the
matter of state and county roads.
Practically every highway out of Sc
attic is made of concrete. asphalt or
%maeadam. factors which have. in the
past few years. increased the amount
of Seattle's farm trade as Well as
that of the nearby cities.
The people have insisted upon
good roads for two reasons for their
own convenience, and 10 attract the
tourist business which is increasing
every year. on such roads the farm
e eIS can maui uOubtt Ant IOdhC AhtA
hauled in the past and do il much
more easily and cheaply. Two
horses. ON such highways. ear haul
more than twice as much produce
than they can here because OF the
better conditions of travel.
According to the doctor, the Me
ridian road. which we of South Da-
kota take so much pride in. is crude
compared to the broad. well built
highways in Washington. Much
money and effort has been expended
on these roads, and the citizens there
feel that they have more than paid
for themselves in the immense con-
v%enience afforded both TO the tray
eler and the business man.
Farmers out there do not hesitate
TO travel when they have the proper
facilities. And they have so much to
bring in that they frequently use au-
tomobile trucks. DR.. Frudenfeld
saw one hauling an enormous load
and was surprised at the easiness
with which it performed the work
on good roads.
And they are adding to the num-
Der of these improved roads all the
time as well as keeping the ones al
ready in use i'm first class repair. As
an economic asset. the people there
assert, they are too valuable to be
neglected. In another five years ii
is expected that there will not be a
poor road in the state of Wash
ington.
As to the cost of living. in the ag-
gregate, DR.. Frudenfeld believes that
it is no higher than it is here. But
ter, eggs and meat are dearer, but
this is made up by the cheapness of
fruit and fish, the latter commodity
being obtained in a greater variety
than here, thus making a more ac-
ceptable substitute.
Then the people there, with warm