Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1888-12-28
THURsT0u COUNTY.
Mainly Historical,
Narrated to Obtain Sure Foundation
for the Structure of
Future Greatness
To De REARED THeReuPoN.
Mainly Historical,

Future Greatness
| To De REARED THeReupoN.
Lying ut the head of Puget Sound
between the fertile valley of the Ms
qually On the one eide and the Che
halls on the other, lies the beautiful
country of Thurston county, in the
Territory of Washington. Within
these limits, comprising six hundred
square miles, lie as fair and rich a
land as the sun shines upon. What
pen shall portray the diversified beau
ties, the undevelOped possibilities, that
lie here, only waiting for the thrifty
brain and muscle of the coming man
to blossom with the full fruition of
happy homes. From the deep rich
bottoms OF the rivers up to the fir
crowned hills, across the bosom of the
open prairies, everywhere the teeming
soil only waits the touch of the hus-
bandman to blossom and bear fruit.
Although more than forty years have
passed since the first white settler
pitched his tent ut Tumwater, the
greater part of this beautiful county
still lies in its virgin glory waiting for
the husbandman. Like the Hindu
worshiper, she stands with her face
to the East, with Outstretched hands
calling for dcliverance. Previous to
the completion of the Northern Pacific
Railroad, access to this country was
difficult, and all the idle wealth of the
East that could have found profitable
investment, was left in ignorance of
the possibilities that were waiting here.
But with the advent of the railroad
comes easy access, and by the aid of
the magic OF the printing press, the
beauty and the richness of this mag
nificent county will be made man.
ifest TO the denizens of the East, as
the fertile valleys of Egypt, were made
known to the Jews of old, fasting in
the wilderness.
TAKE A GLANCE BACKWARD
At the early history of this country.
1t will cast light on tine present and
enable lis to forecast the future. The
lamp of experience shall guide us as
it guided the patriots of old. The
first settlement made in the limits of
what is now known as Thurston
county, WAS made in 1915, by party
headed by the sturdy Michael +. Sim
mons, who cut their way through the
wilds of forest and prairie from the
valley of the Cowlitz They spent
fifteen days in this journey of less
than sixty miles. 1t was late in Oc-
tober when they finally camped on
the banks Of the Deschutes, at that
picturesque spot called by the Gu
phoniOus name of "Tumwater" by
the Indians, but which Col. Simmons
called New Market. The new name,
however, soon gave place to the quaint
er one; and "Tumwater" is still the
name of the beautiful spot, as it was
long before the American ever invad-
ed it, and as it will remain long after
the present generation shall be quietly
sleeping within the sound of its water
fall. The region north Of the Colum-
bia river was ut this time in dispute
and was claimed by both the United
States and Great Britain, and it was
not until June 18th, 1916, that the
northwest boundary was established
and the United States formally ac-
quired undisputed possession Of this
Territory. Besides Col. Simmons and
his family, the party of pioneers who
thus carly braved the danger, and dis
comforts of the first white settlers in a
hostile country, were James McAlis-
ter, David Kindred, Gabriel Jones,
George Bush and their families and
Jesse Ferguson and Samuel Crockett
They all settled either near the Tum-
water" or on the neighboring prairie,
which is still known as Bush Prairie, in
honor of the George Bush who first
sett led there. It'll a remarkable fact
which it will be well to note in regard
to this prairie, as bearing ON the fer
tility of the soil of Thurston county,
that the wheat raised in 1875 by Geo.
Bush, a colored man, took the prize
at the Centennial Exhibition in COM
petition against the world!
LET 1T NOT BE FORGOTTEN
That this was the first settlement that
was made in the Sound country by
American citizens. These brave peo-
pie pushed forward and disputed the
land with the English from Vancouver,
and laid the foundation of the claim
of first settlers to the Sound country,
| which enabled the United States to
secure the immense track North and
west of the Columbia river, which but
for them would have gone to Great
Britain and the Columbia river have
become the boundary line between
the two countries. These hardy set
tiers saw all the possibilities lying
dormant in the forest and prairie and
bottom country contiguous to the
Sound and in the true pioneer spirit
they seized upon it. 1t was not acci-
dent that caused this place to be Sc
lected as the site for the new colony
The magnificent water power, fur
nished by nature ready to be appro-
priated in the falls of the Deschutes
river, gave birth to the idea that here
a great city would one day arise that
should be the center of industry for
all the northwest country. They saw
with prophetic eye, the factories and
mills that should one day line the
banks of this lovely stream, and the
little settlement that had been begun
in such difficulties grow and expand
to city. They saw fleets OF vessels
come up the Sound laden with foreign
goods to return taking the product O
the colony. This they beheld in the
dim future, and it was the determine
ton born of these visions that i'm
PEELED them to seize upon this country
and hold it against all corners tha
secured for us this fair domain.
THE FIRST CHILD
To be born in the new settlement wa
James Benton McAllister, whose ad
vent On the 18th of March, five month
after the first stake WIS driven a
Tumwater was cause of great rejoicing
among the sturdy band. During tn
summer that followed a considerable
increase in the population Of the settle
men' Was effected by the immigration
OF friends from the south. Anon,
'hese new ccmers was Levi l.. Smitl
land Edmund Sylvester. They wen