Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1875-07-31
OLYMPIA. SATURDAY MORNING, JULY 81, 1875
THE wharf ENTERPRISE.

their energies to the beatific influences
of Somnus, conceived the idea of max
ing q final effort for the preservation of
our beautiful little city. Realizing the
importance of speedy, safe, and cheap
communication with the outer world,
the first step that was deemed necessary
was one to secure steamship COMMUNE
cation with San Francisco, as means
of competing with other ports ON the
Sound in the shipment of such pro-
ducts as we could command, as we'll as
to he placed upon an equality with
more favored towns with reference to
the rates of freight and passage to and
from the metropolis of the coast. 1t
was conceded that wharf at deep wa
ter was an absolute necessity, and the
very first object to be considered. An
examination of the harbor was made,
and soundings of all the available ap-
proaches were prepared; while, in the
meantime letter was addressed by, Mr..
]. G.. Parker, to Messrs. Goodall, Mel
son & Perkins, owners of the steamship
line to tine Sound, stating what was
under contemplation and submitting
the inquiry whether they would send
their steamers to Olympia if deep-water
wharf facilities were prepared for them.
The nearest available location was found
at point few hundred yards south of
Browns wharf" on the Snyder place,
where o landing can be obtained by
deep-draught vessels at any stage of the
tide a short distance from the shore
line, with all ample supply of fresh wa
ter, and a passable road leading from
near the spot selected to town. Mr..
Snyder was found to be fully alive to
the Importance of the project, and vol
untarially preferred the donation of a
tract of land with 100 feet frontage,
and right of way over his premises
for road or street so feet in width,
the former to be owned, and the latter
used, by the town forever. Accordingly
bond for O deed was executed re-
citing the above stipulations, condi-
toned only that good and substantial
wharf be constructed on the premises
ON or before the LIST of May next. This
progress had been made when the fol-
lowing response was received FROM the
ship-owners:
OFFICE OF GooDALL, NELSON q PERKINS,
SAN FRANCISCO, July Is, 1875.
&C. PARKER, Esq.-Dear Sir Your valued
favor, bearing date of June 2sth ult., came
duly to hand. and we have carefully noted
your remarks in relation to making Olympia
the end of our route on Puget Sound. The
only reason we have not made that city our
destination is, because of the delay to our
steamers in waiting for the tide, and the me-
eessity Of sending her through the mud e. too
wharf is constructed that you now comtem-
plate building, that objection will no longer
exist, and we will only be too glad to have
tention, after the first of August to send the
Steamship Pac.35G ~ lee q aiiofsh 70 ports on
Puget Sound, and it is our most earnest de-
all other ports) every facility and accommo-
dation for the transportation of both passen-
gers and freight. The best bond we can give
you of our sincerity in this matter is that IL
is much to our interest to have the trade of
Olympia, and If you will give us wharf fa-
cilities you shall have no cause to complain
of us Very Respectfully Yours,
GooDALL, NELSON & PERKINS.
We have been thus explicit in narrat-
ing the history of this transaction as the
preface of second chapter which will
appear in our next issue. What it may
be will be determined by DR.. Rice and
his conjreres, who have all at once dis
covered the Importance of wharf facil-
tiles, and concluded to take the scheme
into their own keeping, as the tail of q
kite they have constructed, called the
West Olympia Homestead Association.
Their first object appears to have been
to oDa the wharf and make it the
source of individual revenue, but as this
idea was SO antagonistic to the interests
of the town and encountered such
vigorous opposition that it was soon
abandoned. DIR. Rice then proposed
to donate the wharf to the town of
Olympia soon as completed, and at
meeting of the " officers" OF the Home
stead Association and the originators of
the wharf enterprise it was agreed aud
stipulated that the association would
file articles of incorporation in which
they bind themselves to build wharf
costing ~, 700 coin, on the land do
mated, from the first money received
from sale of homestead lots, and i'm
mediately place the same under the
exclusive control of the town authori-
ties; and that they would likewise con-
struct good wagon road from the
wharf to the west end of Long Bridge,
which shall remain a frea highway for-