Seattle Wined and Dined the Legislature to Sell the Ship Canal

The members of the state legislature of Washington will be the guests of Seattle this evening and tomorrow. They come for the purpose of looking over the Lake Washington ship canal proposition, seeing where it is to be dug, and acquiring information by which they will be enabled to judge of the merits of the proposition for themselves. As they are to be the guests of the city—the invitation having been extended by the Chamber of Commerce and the city government—all citizens are requested and urged to aid in entertaining them.

The party will arrive on the 6 o'clock train, the King county delegation in charge. Upon arrival the members will be met by a committee of which Hon. John Leary is chairman, and will be taken to the Occidental, Arlington and Rainier hotels, where arrangements have been made for their entertainment. In the evening they will visit the theater, all of the boxes and a sufficient number of seats in the body of the house having been reserved for them.

Tomorrow at noon the members, accompanied by the committee, will take a special Seattle, Lake Shore & Eastern train to Yesler, where a boat will be taken to the portage through which the canal is to be made. After inspecting the route of the canal the party will return to the city by way of Madison street, after which further entertainment will be provided.

At Olympia, after the second ballot for senator was taken, President Luce requested the joint convention to remain in session, as a delegation desired to address it. Mayor Ronald, of Seattle, then stepped forward and was introduced. He said: 'We are here as a committee of the Chamber of Commerce and also from the city of Seattle. We appear before you today for the pleasant duty of inviting the legislature of the state of Washington to visit the city of Seattle tomorrow. We will be frank with you and say that we have a little selfish interest in this matter. The Queen City of the state desires you to accept this invitation, and consequently your expenses will be paid. There is legislation pending here in which the farmers and citizens generally of our section have vital interest, and they are anxious that the legislature visit us tomorrow afternoon. In the evening and the next day you will be the guests of the Chamber of Commerce and of the city.'

E. O. Graves was next introduced, and said: 'There is a bill pending here providing for the bonding of counties for public purposes. This measure we conceive to be a measure for the benefit of the state, and especially in the interests of the construction of the Lake Washington canal, and it would be in accordance with the wishes of our people on this important bill that you should look over the site of the proposed canal, not only with reference to its commercial importance, but also as a means of draining the waters of Lake Washington. We are confident that if you will visit our city and see the situation there you will grant us what we ask, which is, simply, that we ourselves by public vote be permitted to bond the county for this purpose and for no other purpose.'

The senate accepted the invitation immediately after the dissolution of the joint convention, and at the afternoon session of the house that body also accepted it.