Auburn Bets on a Canal to the Sea
Townsfolk rally for the ship-canal subsidy, and one speaker vows to watch a warship sail through the new channel with colors flying.
The canal meeting at Auburn on Saturday night was numerously attended and quite as much interest was evinced as at points nearer by. Hon. William Cochrane, of Orillia, went down with the Seattle party and was enthusiastically elected chairman of the meeting. Mr. Semple explained the business proposition in a few words, and afterwards Fred Rice, Howell and James Hart made stirring speeches, urging the people to take a share in the great enterprise. Mr. Hart remarked that when the long-hoped-for canal was opened for traffic and a warship went through it with flying colors into the lake, he wanted to be a spectator and to have the satisfaction of knowing that he had contributed his share to the enterprise.
Chairman Cochrane appointed Mr. Hart, Mr. Mead, Mr. White, Mr. Wooding and Mr. Lamm as a committee to solicit subscriptions to the subsidy fund in and around Auburn.
The work of the subsidy committee was suspended yesterday but will be renewed with increased energy this morning, when volunteers to solicit subscriptions should report at the office to be assigned to work.
“When the long-hoped-for canal was opened for traffic and a warship went through it with flying colors into the lake, he wanted to be a spectator.”
Before Seattle could cut the Lake Washington Ship Canal, boosters had to sell the public on the subsidy. Today the region still argues over who pays for the connections — freight corridors, transit, the Ballard Locks' successor works — that make a city's economy move.
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