Year: 1874

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There are three good sized and very re-
specially appearing newspapers pub~
lished in the city Of Walla Walla, and il
seems to us most remarkably strange
that among them there is not apparently
one earnest, persistent advocate Of the
Seattle and Walla Walla Railroad; all
of them have published articles calcula-
ted to discredit the enterprise; and yet
it is manifest to any casual observer
that no project yet named offers to that
section SO great and paramount advan
tages as this, and we are glad to say.
upon the most reliable information, that
the influences which cause this apparent
apathy in the press do not affect the
producing classes. very large majority
of whom would be glad of the opportu-
nifty to vote for bonding the county to
any reasonable amount to aid in the
construction of the railroad. Mr.. Nc
Naught, on his way home from Wash
ington, addressed public meeting at
Walla Walla on that subject, the follow
ing account of which we take from the
Spirit Of the West:


"On Saturday evening last, it having
been publicly announced that Hon. Jas
NcNaupht, of Seattle, w. T., would ad-
dress our citizens upon the subject of
the Seattle and Walla Walla Railroad,
at an early hour the City Hall was filed;
the audience seemed to manifest much
interest in what the honorable speaker
had to say. B. L. Sharpstien was call.
ed to the chair, when the speaker came
forward and spoke for upwards of an
hour. His remarks were of highly
interesting nature. showing not only the
deep interest he had taken in the mat
the authorized agent of the
Company, seLt to Washington several
months ago-but that be was also well
posted in regard to the prospects of its
future success. First, he proceeded to
state that the bill authorizing the sever
al counties and towns along the prOpos-
ed line of road to issue bonds in aid of
the work, had received the sanction of
both the Senate and House Committees
on Territories, and that without doubt
the bill would pass at an early day up
on tho re-assembling of Congress. He
next proceeded to demonstrate by facts
and figures that the entire cost of build
ing and equipping tie road would not
exceed three and one-half millions of
dollars; that the road, when completed,
even with the present population and
business, would, with the usual charges
for transportation on railroads, pay 20
per cent. upon the entire cost of the
road. He argued that the immensely
increased agricultural productions of
the fertile lands lying to the east of the

Cascade range of mountains, together
with the vast importations of wood, coal
and lumber, as well as all the necessary
supplies which must come from abroad,
would naturally pass over the road
yielding a revenue that would prove
remunerative to the stockholders from
its first completion. He stated positively
that if the several courties and towns
named in the bill "a copy of which will
be found on the Sd page of our paper
to-day-would vote the required aid as
a guarantee to the holders of capital in


the East. every dollar of the money re-


quired to finish the work could be OBJ


tanned the parties furnishing the mo.


ney being entirely willing that the


stockholders shall have the exclusive


control of the road.


"We regret that circumstances will


not admit of our giving the gentleman s


remarks more in detail, but as the SUBJ


ject is one Of great interest to our citi-


zens. we shall refer to the matter from


time to time as circumstances may rev


quire."