Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1874-11-28
THE MAIL SERVICE ON PUGET SOUND.
s.Omcial'' Report of the Proceedings.


Agrecably to public notice, the citi-
zcns OF Olympia and vicinity assembled
at Columbia Hall in this city on Saturday
evening, the 21st instant, to-: take into
consideration the recent withdrawal of
mail service by steamcrior the upper wa.
tiers Of Puget Sound. ~
On motion Of DR.. Steele. Hon.
Marshall Blinn was called to the chair. and
n. s. Porter was elected Secretary.
The chairman having stated the object
of the meeting, called upon Governor
Ferry, who briefly alluded to the recent
change in the mail service, and showed
clearly and conclusively. not only the
great Inconvenience arising theretrom,
but the absolute injury that will result
to the interests and prosperity Of Olympia
and her people unless tho former service
he restored.
A committee of three, consisting of
Capt VIM. McHlicken, Governor Ferry
and General NIilroy was appointed to draft
a memorial to be forwarded to the p. NJ.
General, and resolutions to be presented
to an adjourned meeting.
Hon. II. G. Strive, Hon. Elwood Evans
and General Hazard Stevens briefly but
eloquently addressed the meeting.
General Stevens introduced a preamble
and resolutions which were referred to
the committee and Messrs. Strive and
EVANS added to the committee.
The meeting adjourned till Monday
evening at O'Clock.
At 7 o'clock on Monday evening, the
ODD instant, Fireman's Hall was filled
with the citizens of Olympia and vicinity
to hear the report of the Committee ap-
pointed at the meeting on Saturday eve.
ning-Hon. Marshall Blinn in the Chair.
Hon. Elwood Evans introduced the
following memorial and resolutions which
were unanimously adopted:
WHEREAS, BY the recent action of the Post
Office Department, in contracting for the
TRANSFORMATION of the United States Mails
toria, British Columbia, supplying the Post.
Offices on Puget Sound, north of said Taco
ma, with their mail matter and cutting off
Steilacoom and Olympia from the benefits of
such service, great injustice has been done a
very large and Most thoroughly settled por
ton of said Washington Territory, within
which there are many fiourshing towns, and
|
privcd of mail facilities and subjected to
great delay, Therefore, the citizens of Olym
pia, embraced within such isolated portion,
! in mass meeting assembled, do hereby most
earnestly protest against the continuance of
such mail arrangement, and do most urgcn'
ly invoke the consideration of the Honorable
Postmaster General to the following facts,
which they believe to be full and sufficient to
justify a Reinstatement of the mail service AS
it has continued almost since the organization
of the Territory. until the letting of the CON.
tract to which reference has been hcrcDbefOre
made.
l. Olympia, situated ut the head Of navi.
cation of Puget Sound, Is the Capital Of the
Territory, in which are located almost all Of
the Territorial and Federal offices, among
which may be named the Governor. Sccreta.
ry of the Territory. Surveyor General, Regis.
ter and Receiver of the Land Offices. Col!cc.
tor of Internal Revenue, the Central Indian
Agency of the Territory, having charge of
six Reservations. the Territorial Treasurer,
Territorial Auditor, Territorial Supcrintrn.
dent of Education, the Legislative Assembly
of the Territory c0nvcncs and here too. the
Supreme Court of the Territory holds its
terms, with The Office of Clerk of the said
court permanently located in this city. That
the necessary duties of said officers. and the
just interests of all our people having husi.
ness Herewith, absolutely requires as efficient
mail service rs Is compatible with public in.
tercsts, and certainty and dispatch without
| unnecessary or unreasonable delay in the
transmission OF necessary correspondence.
ii. That the district OF Territory of which
Olympia is the postal center and natural point
| of distribution for mail matter, consisting of
the city of Olympia. with a population of
$500, in which city are published one daily
and four weekly newspapers, the neighboriny
country. embracing the Chehalis Valley, and
a., 0,,s, y,
Gray's fIarbOr, and Puget Sound with an adj
ditional population exceeding 1000, which
population are already engaged in active bus
mess pursuits, requiring correspondence. have
a just claim upon the consideration of the
Government. for proper mail service to
subserve their necessities. That they are the
more entitled to the consideration now in.
voked. from the fact that heretofore for
many years they have enjoyed such service
comparatively efficient. duly regular though
really insufficient for the growing demands
of the country, and they urge that having
through a long period of years learned to
depend upon this mail service as furnished.
that it is peculiar hardship now, in their
advanced condition, TO be cut off and de-
prived of what they believe is but justly due
from the Government to all sections OF our
common country. r....
ILL., That since 1857, by continuous con.
tract of the Postotfice Department, and
for years previous under the sanction of
said Department, o post route has existed be-
tween Olympia. at the head of Puget Sound,
and Victoria, British Columbia, upon which
route the mails have been unexpectedly
steamboats,. and all theintermediate posofiices
on Puget Sound have been supplied with
their mail That such route Is the great
channel of communication of the Sound ports
with the restof the Territory, with Portland,
San Francisco, and the East, and the means
whereby all the citizens of the Sound could
transact by mail their business with the Off.
cials and people Of Olympia. That its con.
tinuancc intact and unbroken is essential to
the business prosperity, and TO the best and
most vital interests of the large population,
who have been and still continue to be de.
pendent for their mails, upon such an ar.
rangenient.
Nv. That the cutting off of so much of said
post route rs lies between Tacoma and Oily.
mpia, distance of some thirty miles, or
about one fifth Of the distance between
Olympia and Victoria, compelling the mails