Snoqualmie Pass Becomes a Free Public Road
King and Kittitas counties reach a historic agreement to stop toll collection, opening the mountains to the public.
The story, cleaned up
A cleaned-up reading of the newspaper page: spelling and layout repaired, one story lifted off a crowded page. It follows the original closely but it is not a transcription. The original page is below; read it if a detail matters.
Toll collecting on the Snoqualmie toll road, either on the King county or the Kittitas county end, is a thing of the past. County Commissioner Wooding has received a communication from the board of county commissioners of Kittitas county heartily acceding to the proposal sent them by the King county board that the two counties unite in keeping the road open and free to all. This puts an end to the game of those who have heretofore levied tribute upon emigrants passing over the road. It was through the influence of the Kittitas county commissioners that the men who were arrested for forcing their way through the pass in spite of Toll Collector Beard and his shotgun were acquitted in Ellensburg and allowed to rejoin their families. The commissioners will now be urged to put the road in good condition, clearing windfalls and building rustic bridges to allow travelers to enjoy the mountain scenery without the hardships of mountaineering.
“This puts an end to the game of those who have heretofore levied tribute upon emigrants.”
Long before the I-90 corridor became a permanent fixture of Washington infrastructure, Snoqualmie Pass was a contested private toll road. This local dispute highlights the century-long transition of the Cascades from a hazardous barrier to a public-access recreational space.
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