Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1890-11-28
1t agAln9tOn s tandara
OLYMPIA. WASH.
TRlpW EyGNI\G. }Gy. y. 1890.
q Nts.cNspec..

a Retrospect.
The WA>WNoroN STANDARD begins,
to-day. tie th;rtyi.rst year OF its exist
enc. and this i<-uc ~aos forth upon
its .i IA .,.i.u- the insignia, vol
ume NNNl, Number /. Thus, Tor
nearly third oi a century has the
SrANpAID gone on It's weekly rounds
thronehout the length and breadth OF
III, land without So much as single
omission during all that period. The
initial uu,ahcr OF this paper dates with
the Childhood. 81 the Territory OF
Washington. Through al! tins sue
ces>ion OF iiccting years, the course OF
the SrANpALD has ever been onward
chewing to the line" and fearless OF
consequences so long as it was consci-
entiously devoted to the great cardinal
virtues OF humanity.
What mighty changes have been
witnessed in that time What pro-
gross has been made in invention and
discovery How rapid have been the
strides in all branches OF intellectual
attainment a., How aweinspiring the
wonders which Science has unfolded !.
How great has been our advancement
as a nation and how wonderful our
development al State.
When the STANDARD was born there
were no railroads III Oregon or Wash
inston, except the little portage tram
way at the Cascades. The trip be-
tween Portland und Olympia was
made by steamer and wagon and con-
sumed three or four days, at an .ex-
pense of about S25. An opportunity
to visit down-Sound ports was afforded
bv the Eta Anderson, once week, at
cost OF rs to Seattle, $40 to Port
Townsend or $l5 to Victoria. Seattle
was a village without newspaper,
while Port Townsend had two, Olym-
pia two and Steilacoom one! There
was no telegraph on this coas. in those
days, and Eastern dates were only
about a month old, thanks to the
Pony Express which had just been
established between the East and San
Francisco. The idea OF communication
by telephone would have been received
with derision. Electric lights had not
been invented, gas was unknown in
the limits of the State, coal oil had
not yet begun to spout, and candles
were in reality "the light Of other
days." superseding the pine knot,
and saucer OF grease, of times only a
few years anterior.
Then Olympia had neither the Long
bridge, nor Eastside bridge, no wharf
to speak of, no brick buildings, no
city hall, no graded streets, no wide
sidewalks, no street lights no fire de-
partment and no city government.
There was no upper or under crust in
the social system, but all occupied the
same plane, and met as one large
family at the balls and parties which
constituted about the only means OF
enjoyment. Then wages were large
and the work limited, prices high and
the sales small, luxuries few and sub
stantials plentiful, and as now, saints
few and sinners many.
There are quite q number of people
in the community, now in the prime
of life, whose births were chronicled
by the STANDARD. There are many
who are now on the verge OF the
grave whose MONDAY record Of a busy
life has been given in these columns.
There are many little mounds in the
Silent City on the hill, peopled by
those who few years ago were
friends and patrons OF the STANDARD.
Let us rejoice, in this week OF
thanksgiving, that we have entered
upon a new era of rapid and perma'
nent progress; that Washington is a
State and Olympia its capital; thai
the moss is disappearing from the
backs OF our people, and the STANDARD
still lives to record the grand achieve
inents OF the future.