Year: 1873

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the last three years upon this coast,
eliminating in the location of the ter
minus of the road upon Puget Sound,
has had tie effect of uniting our people
in common interest and for common de-
fence against an organization in mani
fest hostility to the settlers and all the
established centres of trade and routes
of travel. From Olympia to Port Town
send is now but one community, actua-
ted by common sentiment; all party
divisions, local rivalries and personal
differences are merged in common pub
lie interests-the welfare of the whole;
which cannot but have the most benef-
cial effects upon the future growth and
prosperity of this section of our com
mon country. At Olympia we found
the people, with scarcely an exception,
deeply interested in the success of our
project for railroad to Walla Walla.
Here we find an equal interest mani
tested in the Olympia project for rail-
road to Tenino. At all the ports below
here, en- either side of the Sound, we
find the people, with scarcely an ex-
ception, enthusiastically seccnding both
projects without exhibiting the least
sign of jealousy towards either, while
not a disinterested settler can be found
who does not regard the attempt to
build up town at Tacoma by the rail-
road interest, as fraud and swindle,
hostile to the best interests Of the coun-
try and certain to end in digraceful
failure to the projectors of the scheme.
and ruin to the prospects Of the railroad.
This conclusion has been forced upon
the people, against their will and their
hopes, by long series Of acts tending
to the same end.


For years every settler upon the bor-
ders of Puget Sound was partisan of
the Northern Pacific railroad; it was
looked forward to as the great end aim |
of all endeavor, the consumation of all
their hopes for the growth and prosper
ity of the country; nearly all enterprise
and public improvements were held In
allegiance awaiting the determination
cf its route, connections and terminal
poiut; the commencement of construc-
ton upon this end was anticipated as
the opening of an era of prosperity and
productive industry. But, alas for their
hopes! The advent of the railroad was
praceded and accompanied by an invad-
ing army of its retainers, more greedy,
aviracious and unscrupulous than the
army of carpet-baggers and scallawags


who invaded the South after the war,
all intent on schemes of spoliation and
plunder, regardless alike of the rights OF
tie citizens and tho interests Of the
railroad. The affairs of the railroad
have been under the exclusive manage
meut of these nomadic adventurers from


the beginning. who have carried on
truck. and-dicker business on their own


hook which would be disgraceful 10 the


keeper of ratpit.


The railroad thus fer has only been


curse to the country, and under its pre-


sent management no one expects any


thing better for it in the future. The


disappointment of the people, however,


has worked for them material good: it
has aroused their dormant energies and


determined them to improve their great


nrtural advantages by their own energy


and enterprise; to be a free people, not


the serfs of soulless monopoly under


the direction of hostile power. In


this they present united front and


command the sympathies of the people


throughout the country and commend


themselves to the aid Of capitalits who
do not use their money for purposes of
speculation. That it will be better for


the people and better for the country in


the end, there can be no reasonable
doubt.