Seattle daily post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, W.T. [Wash.]) 1881-1888, 1883-10-18
TINE C0LFAx PARTIES OF 1855 AND
Tacoma News. |

ant visit on Thursday evening from ex
| Governor Bross, of Illinois, one of the
Oldest newspaper men in Chicago, who
has been a leading proprietor and edi-
tor of the Tribune IN that city since Its
start; the Hon. Schuyler Colfax. form
1 eriy vice president of the United States,
with bis wife and son; Mr.. j. Z. Hoyt,
| president of the indianapolis national
bank, and Mr. 5. sf. Wade, nephew OF
! the late Senator Ben Wade, of Ohio.
| The party arrived By the regular even
ING train from Portland, having been
rendered a special car over the NORTH
ern Pacific railroad by Mr. Willard.
This ia not the first visit by MeSsrs.
Bross and Collar to this part of Wash
/ inpton territory They were here a.
early as 1865. accompanied by Samuel
BowIes, Of the Springfield Republican.
and A. ID. Richardson, of the
| New York Tribune, who was
killed by Mcfarland. On that
occasion the party visited the
Territorial capital at Olympia, on June
26th, and were received by Hon. Elwood
Evans, then acting Governor Of the
Territory. Their route from Portland
was then down the Willamette and Co
lumbia rivers fifty miles, up the muddy
Cowlitz for two miles, landing at Mon
ticelio, Cowlitz county. Thence they
travelled to Olympia, ninety miles, in an
open stage wagon, as Mr.. Richardson
described the route, lover the worst
road and among the grandest woods in
the world" OF Olympia MIR. Richard
son wrote:
Olympia boasts two hotels. Quarters
were assigned Us at the Pacific, kept by
Mrs. Rebecca Howard. peculiarly in
telligent negro woman. who il the fe-
male Hawk of the Territory, and keeps
its st. Nicholas.
Washington Territory. with a popu-
lation of 10000, has no daily newspaper;
Olympia, the seat of Government, at
the most southern elbow of Puget
Sound, contains 600 people in winter,
and perhaps half as many at other
times.
The arterial street begins on the level
shore of the smooth, shining Sound;
climbs low, muddy hill, and plunges
out of sight in the deep pine woods.
The capitol is a lonely white frame
building. like a warehouse; but We
found the national flag floating from it,
and from nearly all the leading cottages
which constitute the better dwellings,.
Acting Governor Elwood Evans. with
other leading citizens, received Speaker
C0lfax, and the rude throat of an old
field-piecs gave him welcome. After
dark nearly the entire population
men, women, children, and Indians
were addressed by Colfax and Bross
from mule wagon, which did duty as
rostrum. They cheered every patri-
otto sentiment with great warmth, and
many shed tears Mt the illusions to our
dead President.
The Olympia Standard of July I'D,
welcomed the party to that city in a pa
triotic leader calling upon the citizens
to receive them cordially. On the 10Th
of July the party sailed from the capi-
tai in the steamer ElizaAnderson, which
had been placed at their disposal by
Capt. Finch, and were accompanied as
an escort by Acting Gov. Evans, Hon.
g. @. Hewitt and George A. Barnes, of
Olympia, Hon. A. A. Denny, of Seattle,
Cyrus Walker, of Port Gamble. Arthur
Phinny. of Port Ludlow. Hon. 3. Gar
fielde, T.. S. Fowler, and .. G. Gerrish,
of Port Townsend, Q. l.. p. Wood, of
Port Discovery, and Hon. +. A. Wilson,
of Port Angeles, and large company
of ladies and gentlemen. On their way
out they stopped at Steilacoom, and
were introduced to many of the citi-
zens; they passed the present site of
Tacoma, where there was then no set
Element to mark the scene, visited the
steam saw mill mt Freeport, and then
crossed to Seattle, where flags were
floating, aud a salute was fired. The
guests we're conducted TO Yesler's hall,
whore Messrs. Colfax andBross address
ed a large audience, the party embark
ing again amid cheers and salutes. They
had enthusiastic receptions and
eloquent speeches at Port Gamble, Port
Ludlow, Townsend and Port Angeles,
where they went ashore to view the site
and reservation for the custom house,
which never materialized. They arrived
At Victoria at . o'clock the next morn
ing, when Governor Evans delivered up
the guests to the committee OF recep-
ton, of which Hon. Allen Francis, U. 3.
Consul, was chairman. The American
flag noated over many public buildings.
The City ouacil presented an address
to the Speaker of the American Con-
gress. Mr. Colfax and party visited the
royal Sutlej lying in the harbor, the
American ensign was raised to the fore,
aud the band playing Hail Columbia."
complimentary dinner was given to
the party in the evening, at which ad-
dresses wore made bv Colfax. Bross,
Richardson and Bowles, and Governor
Evans, whose health WAS proposed by
DIR Tolmie, paying high compliment
to the friendly and kindly aid mani
tested by the people of British Colum-
bia towards their American neighbors.
In 1869 Messrs. Colfax, Bowles and
Bross again came to the coast with their
families by the Central Pacific TO San
Francisco and by steamer TO Portland.
So this makes the third transcontinen-
tai Journey for two Of the party.
Gov. Bross said to Wees reporter
that Tacoma was u new surprise to him.
He WAS at Seattle, Olympia and Stella
COON nearly twenty years ago, and
though he had often heard OF Tacoma,
he had not expected to see so beautiful
town site or 80 promising locality
He had perhaps travelled as extensively
in the United States As any other 9th
zen, but he always found very much TO
interest him on the shores OF Puget
Sound, and never failed to find some
thing new at each visit. Ii made an
American doubly proud of his conntry
to be familiar with its territory and itf
people at all points.
PuaEr SOUND ScENERY.-General II.
T. R.,vntan. one of the Willard excur-