The Bid to Bring the Rails to Olympia

When it became generally known that the Puget Sound and Gray's Harbor Railroad Company was not satisfied with its terminal facilities at Kamilche, on Little Skookum Bay, on account of shallow water, and had made up its mind to locate the northern terminus of the road elsewhere, the people of Olympia at once commenced agitating the question of securing its location on the west side of Budd’s Inlet, where there is deep water at all stages of the tide. After the usual agitation, it became clear that everybody at the Capital City was in favor of making an effort, and accordingly a committee consisting of George A. Barnes, a retired banker; John F. Gowey, late Register of the Land Office; and A. H. Chambers, Mayor of Olympia, was appointed to wait on Captain William Kenton and ascertain what could be done in that direction. The Committee arrived at Port Blakely yesterday. On their return, Mr. Gowey stated to a reporter: 'We were hospitably received by Captain Kenton, who listened with marked interest in what we had to say. We made a direct business proposition to Captain Kenton. After we had concluded our little speech, the Captain said he was pleased to see our people manifesting so much interest in the road, and that he would submit the proposition to his partners, Messrs. Holmes and Haas. He further stated that those gentlemen would both be here in August, when they would go to Olympia and look over the ground.' The committee feels that Olympia will shortly be the terminus of the Olympia and Chehalis Valley Road and the Puget Sound and Gray's Harbor line.