The Struggle for a Mountain Wagon Road

The people of Kittitas valley congratulate the residents of your town and vicinity upon the boom in real estate which you seem to be enjoying. During the past season, our people were busily engaged in hauling fencing and building material. The probabilities are now that many acres of land will be enclosed and cultivated that the original settlers never dreamed of being of sufficient value. We had hoped that we would at least be able to watch the smoke curl up from an incoming train. But, foolishness aside, we were sorely vexed when we learned that Messrs. Gould and Villard concluded that it would not be well to burst in upon us with all their splendor, as we might be stronger and better able to bear prosperity ten years hence. We next expected to hear that the admirable effort of our enterprising townsman, George F. Smith, of Smith Bros. Co., to keep the Snoqualmie trail open during the present winter had proven a failure. When, lo! Glad news! We learn that the indefatigable cattle king, merchant, ranchman, hotel proprietor, and generally public-spirited pioneer, backed by his business associates, had made it through. He has satisfied Seattle people that a wagon road could be built and kept open between Eastern Washington and Puget Sound by way of the Snoqualmie Pass. This thoroughfare would allow the cattle, horses, hogs, sheep and other products of the eastern section to be driven or hauled to salt water. We believe that a railway will never be built direct to Puget Sound unless preceded by a wagon road.