Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1870-02-12

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father to the thought" yet how plainly
do we learn that it was then known and
appreciated. On the Pacific side of the
American continent marts must be estab.
lished to control the rich commerce. Of the
Pacific, the fur wealth of the North, the
gold and silver product of lower ATTITUDES,
the trade Of India, China, Japan and the
wealth-producing Islands Of this Ocean.
We have learned no more how to become
masters of this wealth than was em.
bodied in the theory, the hope of the 10th
century. But we have resortedsto pydc.
the in4ead Of theory. We have bodily,
by railroad, brought the seat Of commerce
from the Atlantic to these shores. In the
10th century, the only project which
seemed feasible to overcome, the vast oh.
stacle of broad continent, improved upon
in the 10th century by adopting the con-
tinent itself as the means of transit. In
the 10th century the mountain could not
be made to come to Mahomet, so in the
10Th we carry Mahomet to the Mountain.
San Francisco now receives the en-
petus of progress which flows from vitaliz-
ing the thought of the 10th century into
action. That great city is the representa-
tive Of the living present. There the
aminxs of our western civilization fully
exhibits its life-invigorating quantities.
But insomuch as Puget Sound surpasses
the Bay of San Francisco in eligibility Of
situation, character and extent Of naviga.
ton, proximity to the wealthy fur-produc-
ing regions Of the north, the exhaustless
timber, and widely extensive coal-beds Of
this vicinity, the mining wealth Of north
ern fields accessible from these shores and
quite as promising as those within an
equal distance from San Francisco, near
ness and directness to China, Japan and
the Sandwich Islands, the superiority Of
the Northern Pacific Railroad route over
all others for easy grades, wealth Of coun-
try through which it passes, freedom from
obstruction by snow and shortness Of dis
tance to the Atlantic scaboard and Great
Lakes, so will our ultimate future compare
with that Of the great city, in which we
take such pride, whose unexampled pro-
gress is but the verifcation of the wisdom
of those who hunted in these latitudes
for the western outlet of the Strait Of
AniQn. 1863 3a zee 1s
While we are yet undergoing this trans
ition from the mythical past, through the
realities of the living present, to that glo-
rious future awaiting US, let US seize the
points of interest in that doubtful past,
sanctify them in our memories and trans
nit them in their full glory to. those who
shall come after us to enjoy the full frui-
ton of our sanguine hopes. We have
been negligent Of these "our household
gods"
The history of Puget Souud-of North
West Amcrica-of the classic OREGON
before it was shorn Of its fair proportions
by a yielding of Territory to bring the
Nation peace without honor, are important
links in the annals of the worlds develop
ment. How vastly that history contribu-
ted in giving importance to the Pacific
Coast 1t cast much of that bread upon
the waters which, after many days has re-
turned iu the shape Of IN inter-oceanic
railway connecting the Atlantic and
Pacific. The Strait-of.Anian bubble cdu-
Gated the worlds mind that distance via
Cape Horn aud Good Hope must be ami
hlatcd by the direct crossing of the North
American Continent. Searching for such
channe! to accomplish such result made
known the vast resources of the North
west and led. to the establishment of
centres of commerce and population on
the Pacific. The sequel is easily told :
The Pacific States aud Territories are the
natural consequence.
In a historic collection called /" The
Pilgrims" published id 1925 by Samuel
Purchas, Gin note made by Michael
Lock, the elder, touching the strait Of sea
commonly called Strait Of Anian," he
says, "he met in Venice in 1896, an old
Greek mariner called Juan De Fuca, but
whose real name was Apostolos Valerianos,
who detailed that in 1892, he sailed in .
small caravel from Mexico, in the service
Of Spain, along the coasts Of Mexico and
California, until he came to the latitude Of
AZ degrees and there finding that the
land trendod north and north east, with q
broad inlet Of sea between Al and 48 de-
grees of latitude, he entered thereinto,
sailing therein more. than twenty days,
and at the entrance Of this said Strait
there is, ON the northwest coast thereof, .
great headland or Island, with an exceed
ing high pinnacle or spired rock, like q
pillar thereupon."
It is not necessary, nor is this . fitting
occasion to attempt to reconcile the sever
al Inconsistencies apparent in Lock 9 state
ment The narrative possesses intrinsic
truthfulness upon the gravanses Of DE-
Fuca's claim to having entered strait o.
sea between Al and 48 degrees. When
we regard the circumstances Of an aged
Greek sailor with no pretentions to learn.
ing, communicating the incident several
years afterward to . person Of different
tongue, who published the same from
memory quarter century later, i is mol
strange such discrepancy should appear
When we take into account the Imperfect