, 1853-06-18
From our SteiIaCOOm Correspondent.


STEuAcooM, June 10, 1898.
MEssRs. McELRoY & BGEDF:
Pierce County, compared with the others
in Washington Territory, is certainly very
small in extent much smaller, in fact, than
it SHOULD be, or WOULD have been, had the
" wise men who met at Salem last winter
TO legislale for the "dear people," been as
mindful of the interests ofihe WHOLE COM
MUNITY, as they were Of the "lOaves and
fishes" to accrue to them and their friends,
from the fat offices so soon TO be al the dis
posal ei new men elected to manage the af-
fairs of the U. S, Government, and steer the
" ship of State" do not, by any means,
wish you TO infer from this, that ! make
these remarks for POLITICAL effect, for ]
know full well that your paper is MOST I'm
PHATICALLY A NEUTRAL one, leaning 10
neither the one great national Party or the
other, and am also fully convinced in my
own mind that in the selection Of officers
for our new Territory, and of a man 10 rep
resent us in the next Congress, that PARTY
POLITICS SHOULD be DISCARDED ENTIRELY,
and EVERY man come up to the polls and
deposit his vote for the men who he is well
assured will hest sUBsERvE THE INTERESTS
OF THE WHOLE PEorLE, if elected, without
distinction Of party. do not wish any one
who may read this article, to suppose for a
moment that ! desire TO create political cap
ital out of it, or that pray for the success
of any candidate, simply for his party pre-
dleciions, but would much rather that all
of both creeds, should give me credit for a
sincere desire to see those men elected to
fill the offices in our gift, who are the MOST
HONEST AND ABLE. But enough of this sub
cct for the present, for there is another Of
some considerable importance to this COM
muuity, and also 10 the thousands who are
expected to make their advent into the 'Pu-
get Sound country next September, upon
which feel anxious TO say a few words,
that you will very much obligc me by Civ
ing place in your columns.
The sea coast extent Of Pierce county,
considered upon a straight line from about
S by w to N by Els, think, some five
leagues four of which are claimed by the
Hudson Bay Company, as their property,
according to the Treaty made and concluded
by and between The United States and Great
Britain, in 1886. The exent of country
claimed by this wealthy and powerful Brit
tish Corporation, is, believe, some twelve
miles square, EVERY ACRE OF WHICH, IS IN
PIERCE COUNTY. The Treaty spoken Of
above, which comedies to this Company,
or rather, perhaps | ought to say, 10 the
" Puget Sound Agricultural Company, GER
tain lands and improvements, is, in the opin-
ion of every intelligent person whom ! have
heard remark upon it, very loose. and in
definite one. All concur in saying, that
speedy measures should be taken by the
Congress of the United States, to either PUR-
CHASE from this Company their LEGAL
RIGHTS, and thereby politely invite them
to vacate these lands, or define the limits Of
their possessions, in manner 80 plain and
definite that there cannot possibly be any
mistakes made, relative to them.
Now, just let US take candid and i'm
partial view of this matter as il exists at
present, and as it affects those already set
lied upon this claim" and the many who
desire TO become residents. Upon this large
tract Of country, comprising the most valua-
bic portion Of Pierce County, many indus
irious and valuable American Citizens have
located themselves, for the purposes Of farm
ing, numbering and trading, honestly believ-
ing that they have a perfect and undoubled
right so 10 do, according 10 the Treaty Of
40 and the Donation Law of '4S. Well,
they are no sooner comfortably situated, and
" well under way" than a written notice 10
leave forthwith" issues from the M. d.
who is ensconced very costly within the
walls of the Fort, yclept " Nisqually,"
and whO has no sympathy whatever for
American Citizens, or any end, under Heav-
en-, in view, IN his transactions here, other
than to enrich himself, and provide for the
cxlravagant wants Of the Stockholders Of
the Hudson Bay Company, who spend their
time and money at Crockiords " and the
q OPERA" in the "great Babel of England,
during the Season." and break their
necks in Steeple Chases and Fox Hunts,
during the Summer, in the inland towns Of
Mefrie England. shall have more to
say upon this subject, probably, by and by.
b