The Struggle for Access: Farmers Demand Roads to Seattle

Mr. Black, a prosperous farmer near Enumclaw, in the eastern part of the county, was in Seattle this Saturday, and while conversing with a reporter said: 'It really is a shame that the authorities of this county have not done more for the people in the southern part of the county in the way of roads. Seattle is our county seat, and we would like to be able to get to it without going through Pierce County. We have asked and asked, only to have our appeals thrown into the waste basket. This treatment has caused many of the farmers to become dissatisfied, and those who want them to sign a petition for the dismemberment of the county, or to attach a certain portion of King County to Pierce, it has not been found difficult to induce some of the farmers to sign it, while others stand out firm and loyal, hoping that a change in the administration of county affairs may bring them the desired relief. There is a man now traveling through the southern end of the county, distributing petitions for the dismemberment of the county, and the level and most effective argument he can use is that the farm is doing nothing for the people in that section in the way of settling, locating and opening roads, while the Pierce County people are only too anxious to do all in their power to divert the trade of our section to Tacoma. At the next meeting of the board we will probably make another effort to have something done for us by the commissioners. We must have roads to and from this place when we do our trading, and if we cannot get to Seattle we will go to Tacoma.'