Vashon Island news-record. [volume] (Vashon, Wash.) 1919-1954, 1931-03-19
PEOPLES FORUM

of weeks ago that stimulated bar
rage of replies in the peoples forum.
1t was also Illuminating to an out
sider looking in.
To many of us, who have made the
Island our home because of a deep
appreciation of its many beauties and
advantages, nothing has offered a
greater appeal than that sense of
stability seen in its agricultural and
interess. know this is
an off political year, and only once
in every four years should one in
dulge In the statement that "the
farmers are the backbone of the ma
ton; but nevertheless in the interests
above mentioned, with dairying,
chicken raising, and the like, the COM
munity enjoys variety of productive
possibilities which make it independ
ent of many outside supplies. 1t is
to the interest of the common veal
that these products should find an
easy and accessible market.
The question is asked, why has not
the South End developed, as if the
ferry landing alone could do that.
The answer may in part be that it
has not mad as good roads as other
parts of the Island No one is going
to settle and develop land, where
transportation is difficult. The first
thing one looks for in prospective
home, is accessible markets, distance
from schools and churches, and
kindred considerations. Our roads on
the Island are far better than the
average, but an extension of the pres
ent highway would seem for tire resi-
dents on the South End to be but
their Just due. They have for years
contributed to the building of roads,
and have waited long for their end of
the highway to be paved. A good road
the entire length of the island would
develop not only the South. End, but
mean much to the whole community.
Then 1.-The stretch of worthless
country!" All undeveloped land is
worthless. The dormant treasures are
there, perhaps unknown riches, hut
until some one is courageous enough,
or is encouraged enough, to look for
them, there they lie. Alaska was cali
ed Stewards folly, at the time he
was pleading with our government to
buy it. Indian territory was given to
the indians because it did not look
like good farming country to the SEN
ators who were giving it to them. If
they could but have foreseen the
Oklahoma of today. But that joke
was not on the Indians.
Even granted, as the writer urged,
that the ferry terminal should be at
Burton, the people at the South End
should still have the privilege of get
ting to it over a paved highway. Our
seasons make it difficult to keep the
roads in good condition, though I
want to repeat, that they are far
better than most country roads. In
summer it is impossible to keep the
dust down, and the heavy traffic to
Tallequah gives ones car thick coat
ing of it. Visitors who come that way
arrive, not only with the dust, but
with lurid vocabulary, demanding to
know what one means by locating in
a place where you have to climb such
hills and drive through such dust.
But it would seem that the highway
would serve greater number if it
passed through the center of the
Island and terminated at the shortest
water crossing. We hope that it will
be Strengthened and not approach the
dock at right angle turn, as is now
the case. They must have had fine
highways in the days of old, even be-
fore the Roman roads were built, be-
cause the prophet-statesman describ-
ed them in part. SO good were they,
that he pictured the preparation for
the hoped-for kingdom in terms of a
highway.
Every valley shall be exalted, and
every mountain and hill shall be made
low, and the uneven places shall be
made level and the rough places q
plain, read the Instructions in part,
and the setting was a wildernessl
Another Illuminating statement was
that Burton is dying a slow and
peaceful death" We never should
have suspected it, and least of all that
Burtonite should voice it. To us 1T
seems like very lively little town.
We have even been told recently that
"if you cannot get 1t at vashon, you
can get it at Burton, and that by
some one who lived near Vashon.
Also. about Burtons sleepy years"
That statement is even more surpris-
ing. since we have been led to believe
that. on the contrary, 1t is almost mi
possible to get any sleep there The
summer colony at Ellisport is fire.
quently augmented by Burton resi-
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