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The Enterprise, White Salmon, WA., April 4, 1924, page 1

WHITE SALMON - BINGEN MERGER URGED BY BINGEN RESIDENT

Although it may not be generally conceded, it is nevertheless true that the same conditions surrounding Bingen and White Salmon, as a common interest, exists, which the was the means of merging other towns near each other into one, and even with greater distances apart. With the Columbia bridge over from Hood River, the depot and railway at Bingen, and the beautiful townsites at White Salmon for residences, it now forms a triangular outline for a city in the making. These are facts which can not be denied, and the merger into one prosperous citizenship, sooner or later, is inevitable -- pessimism and contraryness only retards it, while goodwill and enterprise accelerate it.
In fact, the interests in common are already beginning to be inseparable, since factories, warehouses and business generally along the railway and depot, extensive travel from the Columbia bridge(after being finished) up and down the North Bank highway and up and down the White Salmon river valley, and the apple and fruit industry and agricultural and lumbering interests back of White Salmon are benefits common to all. Besides, as more agricultural land is reclaimed, population increases; and the location being on the sunny side of the Columbia River and a delightful climate for winter quarters (especially for retired people), the towns will speedily build up and expand if it is encouraged by an enterprising and co-operative people.
Not to doubt this is a reality, merely reflect to other towns of similar conditions which once were separate but since have emerged. Seattle, formerly was two towns and five miles apart, but since they have merged into one great city. Oregon City formerly consisted of two towns - one of the top of the highland and the other down in the flat, but they had since merged into one with a free city elevator between them. And the same is true of the town now called Hood River. Formerly a town was up on the hills and a part below, but now it is all in common and one city.
It will be the same with White Salmon and Bingen. Opportunities are now beginning to present themselves as common interests if the enterprising people will lay aside prejudices and selfishness and make use of them. One opportunity of this kind is now before the people. It is the consolidation of the public high schools of the three districts - Bingen, White Salmon and Pleasant View, proposed to be located between Bingen and White Salmon. Pleasant View has put out a signed up petition by her citizens that she will agree to the consolidation with the understanding that the high school be located between the towns of White Salmon and Bingen on what is known as the Jewett place.
The proposition is now left with the people of the two communities of Bingen and White Salmon for their decision. So let the decision be made as it may, the writer has heard it stated publicly by substantial citizens of the three different districts that if the people of Bingen and White Salmon will not come to an agreement and accept the proposition, it will simply show their stupidity, instead of an enterprising people.
The writer has looked the Jewett ranch over with the view of ascertaining the most suitable location for the high school midway between Bingen and White Salmon, and which would be fair between the two respective communities and add most to the upbuilding of both towns and decided, as an impartial observer, that it would be the beautiful sight by the bridge, either in front or directly west of the ranch buildings. This would be a lovely place for a high school or college - beautiful evergreens for shade, protection from cold and sweeping winds, of beautiful and romantic scenery, and doubtful whether a nicer location for the purpose could be found in the Cascades.
The writer furthermore states that if he was the owner of that ranch, he would donate five acres free for this project, estimating that it would enhance the value of the other property more than the worth of the few acres donated. And that if he constituted the citizenship of the three respective districts, he would gladly paid the owner something like eight thousand dollars for the twenty acres, inclusive of the three ranch buildings; for the instant the high school structure would be built, the worth of the ranch buildings to the high school, together with the worth of the surrounding land laid out into lots, would run into thousands of dollars and be a paying investment to the respective school districts.
The site for the high school back of the Glidden poultry ranch, which some of the Bingen and people seem to favor, the writer considers not so suitable for a building site, owing to the lack of shade trees, more inaccessible and too much of a wind swept hill for the purpose. On the other hand, the location on the Jewett ranch directly west of the Proper line and adjacent thereto which the White Salmon people seem to favor as the location, the writer considers that the Bingen people could not submit to because to be plain, that would be to near the doors of White Salmon to give the Bingen of people a fair deal in the educational and commercial benefits which the high school would afford.

A.P. STRAIHO
Bingen, Wash., April 3, 1924