Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1879-02-01
A Glimmer from a Headlight.

CcPCtiViN Sh - NesA> N'o.sD 49,
new country, and on road as
sinuous as the track of q rattle-snake.
Our local company realized this
when the shades of Winter fell in
thr middle of each afternoon, and
lantern was carried on a long pole in
advance of the engine to warn stray
Cling bovines of danger in the rear.
A headlight being necessity, it was
but natural consequence that our
people should resolve to have one.
To resolve and to execute is but q
single impulse in the breasts of our
classic people. They danced Long
Bridge into existence, charaded West
side wharf, ice-creamed the Town
Hall, and strawberried the Fair
Grounds into their present comely
shape and appearance. Should such
Spartan fame dim when brought to
face by such diminutive adversary.
Never!
But thea our people are peculiar.
They believe that what is worth do
ing at all is worth doing we'll. This
trait is exemplified by the control of
the road under it's present officers.
They all do their duty and make the
most of it. The.road is their pride.
1t is their Joy, their boast, their
pet. Their constant endeavor is to
conceal its plebian organ and make
for it Mue-blooded relationship
with the railways systems of the
past, present and future. In short,
it is their constant endeavor to run a
narrow gauge read on broad-gauge
principles. SO one officer takes
charge of the depot, another of the
water-tank, stal another makes the
turn-table his special hobby, while
the others find recreation in watch
ing COWS off the track, and keeping
little boys frem fishing on the trestle
bridge.
When theauestion of headlights
came up for consideration, some i'm
portant details were not settled.
The money was, Of course, to come
from that pever failing source Of
supply -Fortuna's purse-manipu-
lated by the magic wand of the i'd
die. This much needed no discus
sion or plan. But who the head
light was ITO belong to; who should
guard it from harm; who should
watch it as the bright beacon star
when naght had drawn her sable
curtains around, was left to vague
conjecture.
| Bat the headlight has arrived,
and now this delayed question
arises like the turbulent spirit at a
debating club and will not be put
down. The ladies who superintend-
ed the benefit ball have, through their
authorized spokesman, given notice
that the headlight is theirs, and is
only loaned to the company. and the
officers of thescompany declare that
if the lantera enjoys the privilege of
dead-head rides on the bracket of
locomotive it must become part and
parcel of the engine, and be placed
under the charge of some one of
their number And so the strife
goes on. How it will result, the
| god of battles alone can tell. III
the ladies are vietofious.-an every
! prompting of gaalantry impels the
hope that they will be successful, -
they have the beginning of a new
enterprise, aud only need the iron,
the engine. the tenders, the cars, the
switches the road-bed, the depots
and right of way to successfully in
agurate rival enterprise. Who
knows what the near future may not
bring forth. Who knows but that
our friGid atmosphere is congealing
the ice which will constitute an i'm
/ portant factor in a rival road. Who
can say that the strawberry-vines may
not now lie taking root which shall
give US this great desideratum. Who
has the temerity to predict what
may not take place when gentle wo-
man takes the thing in hand?
| We await patiently the issue.
Our recent article relative to Co.
lumbia River canned salmon has
been exercising the people of As
toria. The Astorian calls upon the
proprietorg of the canneries to in