Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1870-02-19
PUGET SOUNDS:
ITS PAST, TREsENT AND FUTURE.
By ELWOOD EVANS. ESQ,
[Continuel.l !


Cotcmporancous with Mcarcs' re-dis-
coyery OF the Strait OF fuca. new nation
entered upon the labor Of developing the
West. Time is not allowed to recount
the acts Of those gallant .tncrican sailors
who introduced the new flag, the Stars
and Stripes upon these seas. Here with
in our Tcrritorv. American enterprise Was
first initiated into the solution Of the
problem of intor-o:cAnic communication
How prophetic and significant the names
of CoiumJia and II'ashiayton, borne by
the little pioneer feet, which introduced
in these wacrs our starry emblem Of
American civilization and progress The
first named ship, found the mighty river
Of the west, which long gave identity to
this po.ti,l o. the continent, an conferred
tue right upon our nation to extend its
empire, westward to the sc,. The latter
brig, was the FIRST vessel to sail through
the Straits Of Eucl. proclaim their extent
make the Circuit Of Fancouvcr Islan,!, and
prove its separation from the continent
With such historic namoi as hcra!ds Of
American proHrcss. cmblematic of the
discovery Of America and the Inaugural
ton of new Ntought, mans right to self
government, stamped upon these regions,
just as our Cnion, entered upon its career
of nationality, can you doubt the glorious
future of this, our beloved Territory Oh,
no! Such Pas. will not be disrcgardcl,
clustering with glorious memories aud
condolences which do not result by
chance. They are the allcgorics and les
sons by which Almighty Wisdom, i'm
presses duty upon mankind. Confidently
then, may we look for the realization of
our hopes. In this latitude, distance be-
tween the west and the east will be ami
hilatcd. Whit Fuca supposed the mouth
of the Strait Of Aniap,' is the great
eligible port of rail road, spanning the
American continent, bringing the Atlantic
in close proximity with our Pacific. thus
attaining the prophetic thought of the 10th
century. obyiating the long sea voyage
around Cape Horn or Good Hope.
Passing on, we may also justly claim
that the operations and voyages in these
waters OF Spanish navigators, from 1889
to 1892, the exploration in the latter year
and intricate examination of the immune.
crablc bays, harbors and inlets, embraced
now in the comprehensive term Puget
Sound, by the world-rcnowued Van couver,
and those memorable voyages of GRAY
and Kcndrick in the Columbia and Wash.
myton, invest these lands and seas with
peculiar interest. Were these the first
labors to make its existence and remarka-
.ble navigation known to the world, how
proudly might We boast such a pristine
record. The first attempt at settlement
by Europeans though unsuccessful, was
made at Nee-ah Bay, by Spauiards, in the
summer of 1892. ,..r
After tho commencement Of the present
century, there is No record of further vey.
ages or operations within these waters
until the establishment in 1888, of Fort
Nisqually, near the head Of Puget Sound,
BY the Hudsons Bay Company. In 1889,
Father Demcrs, one of the two pioneer
Catholic Missionaries to Oregon, now the
revered prelate Of Vancouver Island,
visited and labored among the native InI,:-
an tribes of Puget Sound. In succeeding
years, himself and others of the same faith
continued those visitatious. No pe-ma-
nent establishments were attempted, but
mere they planted the sign of the cross at
various points and sought to mollify the
asperlties Of heathen barbarity. paving che
way Tor the white race, pesceably to oc.
capy these regions. At am early day the
iruit of their jealous missionary care.
mnds its illustration on Whiby Island, by
the Indians erecting large house, dcdi-
Gated and devoted to tho worship of the
hVing God: In 1910, Rev. j. i. Rich.
mend OF the Oregon Methodist Mission,
located at Nisqually. During 1s4l, the