North Yakima Makes Its Case for State Capital
Mayor Fred Reed takes the case for North Yakima’s ascension to state capital, citing irrigation, broad streets, and a future as a railroad hub.
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Competition for the state capital is beginning to warm up as the time approaches for the people of the new state of Washington to vote upon its location. Fred Reed, of North Yakima, who now occupies the executive chair of that city, is on the warpath in the interest of that hustling city. Mayor Reed spoke at The Tacoma hotel, outlining the reasons why North Yakima is the place for the new capital. He stated that the city possesses natural railroad passes to tidewater, which are conceded by engineers to be the best way of getting through the mountains. He added that the town features broad streets, irrigation ditches full of fresh water, and a hotel better than any in the territory. A twenty-five-acre site on the west side of the railroad tracks has already been reserved for capitol buildings.
“The man who finds fault with her climate would kick on a Thanksgiving dinner at Delmonico's.”
While North Yakima—now just Yakima—did not win the state capital, the boosterism on display mirrors the eternal civic struggle to define a city's 'brand.' The infrastructure mentioned, such as irrigation and rail access, remains central to Yakima's identity and political debates today.
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