Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1870-01-22

Olympia.

4 few day ago We received letter from
a business house in San Francisco, request
ing brief description OF cur town and lis
surroundings, it being designed to publish
it with similar information Of other towns
and cities on the coast. for Tie convent
cncc of business men. Believing that the
article may be Of some service to send
abroad, VIC give it an insertion here
Olympia. the Capital Of Washington
Territory, is the first town in size and pop
u!ation on Puget $)und located at the
head of that great d" inland sea, about $50
miles from the coast 1t has, therefore,
the principal offices Of the stage line from
Portland, and the ling Of steamers to Vie
toria. The population is about 500, with
probably $50 families. Tie town was first
settled in 1916, and was incorporated as Il
town in 1889. It derives its name from
the beautiful range Of mountains which
skirt the coast, whose tors are covered with
perpetual snow the growth Of the town
was materially retarded by the Indian wars
of 1S53-6 and it va. not till since the
close CT the late national war, that business
on the Sound has revived in such de-
gree as to make its progress rapid and per
mancnt. The mail from Portland, Oregon,
arrives and departs three times a week,
and the services Oh the Sound is semi
weekly by the new steamer Olympia. one
Of the finest crafts of her size on the coast.
1t is the depot for the large farming pop
ulation Of Thur5ton adjoining counties,
besides being the point Of supply of vari-
Gus logging .camps and lumber mills.
Tumwatora town Of, say, $50 inhabtantsis
situated two miles south of Olympia, and
is destined at no distant day to be merged
with her sister town. This is the seat
of various manufacturing establishments
lumber and flour mills, tanncry, chair fac
tory, tub and pail factory, sash and door
manutactory, etc. Here is found water
power sufficient to turn all the machinery
required for dense population.
Olympia has public school with an
average attendance Of seycnty-iive scholars,
and private school numbering probably
as many more, three churches, fine town
hall, engine house and fire company, Ma
sonic, Odd Fellow and Good Tcmplar
Lodges. five newspapers, two drug stores
aud three resident physicians, dentist, five
dry goods stores, three tin and hardware
stores, two markets, one boot and shoe
mandatory and two shoe shops, one pro
vison and feed store, two confectionery and
fruit stands, one bakery, one foundry and
machine shop, including wood working
machinery. one brewery, two blacksmith
shops one telegraph Office, one express Of
fee, three livery stables, five saloons, two
restaurants, lumber yard, two barber shops,
one bath-housc, two book stores, two was-
on shops, several carpenter shops, and
many other shops and business stands.
The first brick building, designed for a
bank, is under contract, and an Institute,
to be built under the auspices of the NJ. F..
Church is contemplated, the ground and
a portion of the funds having already been
secured.
Olympia has many cultivated gardens
and orchards. and several elegant private
residences. 1t has many comfortable
dwellings, and for two years past the de-
mand for houses has been greater than the
supply, consequently each season man Y
buildings are erected, keeping the resident
mechanics constantly employed. Swan
town, suburb u Olympia just across an
arm of the bay, contains about $50 inhab-
.aH:r The POPULATION or tie county :
u.ss.'. ..'5. hrasaad.