Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1890-01-10

number OF large logging camps tribu-
tary to Olympia, and the supplies for
their mills are almost invariably pur-
chased in the capital city. A large
and profitable retail trade is therefore
carried on in Olympia, and the stores
rank high in their general assortment
OF goods and in their fair prices. The
buildings in which the business is
carried on are generally fine brick
structures, equal to any in the larger
cities on the Sound, both in point of
size and architectural beauty. The
residents OF the city generally demand
and purchase class of goods of su-
perior quality, and in consequence
better assortments of first-class mater
ials can be found in Olympia than in
most other towns on the Sound. One
or two stores rank among the great
retail establishments of the State and
all have large and profitable busi-
ness.
Attention is now being paid by
many of the farmers to fruit raising
and the results so far attained have
more than compensated for the out
lay. Such fruits as apples, pears,
plums, prunes, peaches. cherries,
grapes and small fruits or berries
thrive here as well or better than at
any other point on the Pacific Coast,
and far better than anywhere away
from this favored region. The yield
is most abundant and the flavor is the
finest in the world. There are no
pests to injure the fruit or destroy the
trees. Among other projects on foot
Is one to can and preserve the prod
ucts of the orchards and company is
being formed to carry on the business
on a large scale. This will give a
stimulous to the raising of fruit and
will largely enhance the value of farm
holdings in the neighborhood of the
city. Mention has been made of the
beautiful gardens to be seen in all
parts of the city, but it should also be
stated that most of the homes have
orchards of considerable size and bear
ing superior qualities of fruit surround
ing them. Another product to which
considerable attention is now being
paid is the hop, and many farmers
have commenced the industry on a
considerable scale and with excellent
results. The hops raised near Olym-
pia vie with those Of the Puyallup val
ley and BY some are said to be super
ior in quality.
Much of the land is well adapted for
stock raising, owing to the fact that
drought is unknown, and the most
succulent grasses thrive in a wonder.
full manner. Stock, Of course, in this
favored region can remain out the
whole winter and always find plenty
to eat, so that the farmer has no need
to keep large stores Of dry food on
hand for their consumption. This
business of stock raising, however, is
carried on by the farmers in connec-
ton with their regular work of raising
grain, hay, vegetables and fruits, and
there are no immense herds of cattle
running wild through the country.
Each farmer has his own small herd
that he looks after himself, and he is
thus able to raise quality of beef far
superior to that raised where the cat
tie run at large on open ranges and
are only brought in to be branded or
butchered. The farmer, too, is able to
drive his cattle to profitable markets
without his cattle losing flesh or con-
dition, as is the case when loaded on
cars and shipped by rail.
The dairy business is also carried on
extensively by the farmers in connec-
ton with stock raising, and the two
work in together SO as to be exceed
ingly profitable. The area of farming
land tributary to Olympia is very
large, and is drained I,y the Deschutes
river on the one side and the Chehalis
on the other. The former of these
streams, as before stated, flows into
the Sound at Tumwater, and the other,
after traversing district rich in tim.
ber, and wonderfully fertile, flows into
Gray's HarbOr, few miles from the
Pacific ocean. Olympia is the nat
ural market for the whole of this vast
region, and the greater part OF its trade
flows through the city.
The good people of Olympia have
always been very solicitous about the
education Of their children, and early
after the first settlement good schools
were established, and these have been
increased from time to time as neces-
sity arose. The school population at
present is estimated at 800. The at
tendance averages 500 pupils, which
is an increase OF 35 per cent. over last
year. There are four buildings, con-
tanning in all nine rooms, but they are
far from afiording the accommodation
needed by the children. Ten teachers
are employed, all of whom hold high
grade certificates, and there is high
school, under the immediate super
vision Of Professor B. w. Brintnall
superintendent Of the public schools
OF the city, which has sixty-three pu-
pills. One singular fact in connection
with this high school is that instead
OF the girls being, as is usual in high
schools, in majority of two or three
to one, about one-third Of the high
school pupils are boys. whose average
age is 10, and who range from 10 te
y years old. The attendance at the
high school has trebled in the pas,
two years since the appointments o.
Mr.. Brintnall, and this is the more
worthy OF notice because the grade ha.
been advanced one year since tha,