Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1886-11-26
OLYMPIA. WASHINGTON TER.
IN STATi QrO.
A Result of Natural Adversely and
the Perversity of Human Nature.

Our harbor Improvements have,
through combination of adverse cir
cumstances, come to an abrupt ter
mination, for the present, at least
Three weeks ago, when all the cle-
ments seemed to favor a successful
prosecution of the work, the Oregon
Improvement Co. was not ready, and
when that benevolent corporation
found time to churn mud to the tune
of 800 per day, rain or shine, tide
permitting or preventing, in daylight
or darkness, everything seemed t"
run at "croSs corners" except the
contract to pay, which worked to Il
charm, and hourly rolled $l666s into
the capacious NAV of the so-called I'M
proremem company for revolution
of the wheel barely one-sixth of the
time for which payment was exacted.
On the 9Th OF the present month,
when the piles had been driven, the
hawscrs purchased and gang of men
hired to make the shore anchorages,
everything seemed to be in fair way
for vigorous and successful prosecu-
ton of the work. The weather was
pleasant, the tides served well, the
moon was at its full, the contract
signed, the time set for service to be-
gin, and the best of feeling animated
the people, who had come forward
with their money in advance of the
time fixed by ordinance, to pay all the
bills incurred in prosecution of the
enterprise. But alas! these condi-
tons were in a great measure reversed
by the mandate of Mr.. Howard, the
Manager of the steamship company,
who telegraphed for consent to post
ponement until the steamer could
make another trip to Portland with a
cargo of coal, the supply of which was
represented to have run exceedingly
short at the Oregon metropolis. The
Mayor, in behalf Of the people, pro-
tested, and stated the grounds on
which delay might be disastrous. The
great magnate of the Improvement
company CURLY replied that the Una
tilla would make another trip despite
all protest. After the lapse of about
a week, and at about the time she was
expected to report for duty, informa-
ton came that she had not yet left
Seattle on her proposed trip, but had
been delayed by other vessels occupy
ing berths at the coal bunkers. Here
was week of fine weather and fair
tides lost, which might just as we'll
have been employed in performance
OF the contract made, signed, sealed
and delivered, if the company really
felt disposed to render an honest SER
vice at their own price.
After still another weeks waiting
the Umdtilla came, but without having
given the twenty-four hours notice to
our city authorities, as had been prom
lsed by her captain. This was anoth-
er serious blunder, Gf blunder it was),
for it had been arranged that Mayor
Gates, of Portland, should be here to
superintend operations, and without
nm, or some person experienced in
such work, the progress must be ne
cessarily slow. About the first act of
the Commander of the Umatillo, ON
her arrival, was to demand, on the
part of Mr.. Howard, that the city
should waive any all claim for DAM
ages that might result from the pre-
vious delay. He emphasized his de-
mand by the declaration that if it was
not acquiesced in, that the steamer
would Immediately weigh anchor and
depart, proceeding in keeping with
the highwayman's demand, "Your
money or your life." A portion of the
committee signified assent, and the
Captain began preparations for work.
After the lapse of nearly twenty-four
hours he was ready for work, and after
dredging an hour and twenty minutes
he succeeded in cutting off one of the
hawsers at the hinge" of the opening
where attached. An hour and half
Costing the people $3.50 was consumed
in splicing the line, when the strain
was suddenly placed on the hawser
and it again parted in the same place.
BY this time it was getting dark, and
without consulting the wishes of the
committee, who by the terms of the
contract had general charge of the
vessels operations, the Captain gave
orders to" house" the steamer for the
night, and in his effort to place her in
her little bed where she might repose
during the night at the public ex-
pense, he succeeded in parting another
hawser. The next day she did not be-
gin operations till one P. M, but lay in
her snug berth till the tide served.
On the evening of the second day
Mayor Gates arrived, and he immedi-
ately advised the committee having
charge of the work to discontinue OBJ
erations till a more favorable season.
This advice was followed, and the Cap
tain was paid $500 for services rem
dered and took his departure. This
was undoubtedly the wiser course, for
aside from the unfavoring elements
there seems to have been discordant
spirit on shipboard. If stalwart ours
ing had served to move mud we would