. ▁ ▁Cont in ued ▁growth ▁The ▁Great ▁Northern ▁Railway ▁completed ▁its ▁rail road ▁line ▁between ▁St . ▁Paul , ▁Minnesota , ▁and ▁Seattle ▁in ▁ 1 8 9 3 . ▁Its ▁route ▁through ▁the ▁W en atch ee ▁Valley ▁was ▁significant ▁to ▁the ▁development ▁of ▁this ▁region . ▁The ▁rail road ▁not ▁only ▁provided ▁passenger ▁travel ▁to ▁and ▁from ▁W en atch ee , ▁but ▁it ▁provided ▁for ▁fre ight ▁service ▁for ▁ship ments ▁of ▁whe at , ▁app les , ▁and ▁other ▁products ▁to ▁out - of - state ▁mark ets . ▁ ▁By ▁the ▁early ▁ 2 0 th ▁century , ▁the ▁W en atch ee ▁Com mer cial ▁Club , ▁now ▁the ▁W en atch ee ▁Valley ▁Chamber ▁of ▁Com merce , ▁was ▁advert ising ▁the ▁region ▁as ▁the ▁" Home ▁of ▁the ▁World ' s ▁Best ▁App les ." ▁The ▁tree ▁fruit ▁industry ▁provided ▁the ▁economic ▁back bone ▁for ▁the ▁region ▁for ▁a ▁century ▁and ▁still ▁is ▁an ▁important ▁source ▁of ▁re venue . ▁ ▁On ▁May ▁ 2 2 , ▁ 1 9 1 0 , ▁the ▁W en atch ee ▁free ▁speech ▁fight ▁occurred ▁when ▁members ▁of ▁the ▁Indust rial ▁Work ers ▁of ▁the ▁World ▁( I W W ) ▁were ▁arrested ▁for ▁speaking ▁in ▁the ▁street ▁in ▁front ▁of ▁the ▁local ▁hall ▁of ▁the ▁Social ist ▁Party ▁of ▁America . ▁The ▁town ▁had ▁fre ed ▁imprison ed ▁I W W ▁members ▁by ▁June ; ▁however , ▁t ensions ▁res umed ▁in ▁September ▁ 1 9