The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1891-10-18
i STATE CENTENNIAL.
The Columbia River Was Dis
covered May II, 1892.
JUAN DE FucA CAME IN 1892.
Mount Rainier, Mount Baker, Port Dis
covery, Port Townsend, Port
Orchard Named in 15o2.

Orchard Named I'm 1592.
PORT TOWNSEND, Oct. l2-fSpecial Core
spondence. ION the 18th day of May, 1892, will
be the Tooth anniversary OF the discovery OF
the Columbia river by Captain Robert Gray, in
the ship Columbia, of Boston, Mass.
In 1892 will be the 3Doth anniversary of the
discovery by Juan de Fuca Of the great strait
which now bears his name, which, so history
informs us, was discovered by De Fuca In 1892.
In 1892 will be the Tooth anniversary of the
discovery and naming of Port Discovery, Port
Townsend, Port Orchard and Puget sound by
Captain George Vancouver, X. N, ana the nam
ing by him of Mount Baker, Mount Rainier and
other places in this state. 1892 is the great GEN.
tenial year of discovery for Oregon and WASH
ington, but yet nothing has been done to
suitably commemorate these events.
On the 18th day of May, 1892, Captain Robert
Gray discovered and entered Gray's harbor,
which he named after one OF the owners of the
ship, Mr. Charles Bulinch, OF Boston, Bulfnch
harbor, but the name was afterwards changed
TO Gray's harbor. -Four days after Captain Gray
discovered and entered the Columbia river, and
gave IL the name OF bis ship, Columbia, q name
It has ever since retained.
II there was but one place which could claim
tse right of holding the Centennial, It is proba-
bic that place would have been united upon by
the states of Oregon and Washington; but there
are several places claiming this right Gray's
harbor, in Washington, was the first place Cap
tain Gray discovered and entered, and four days
sitter Gray discovered and entered the Columbia
river 1t fs more than probable that the first
place he landed on the Columbia river was at
Chinook, where the one-eyed chief, Comcomoly,
lived and had his village and headquarters sBut
Astoria. in Oregon, opposite Chinook, claims the
right OF having the centennial held there, and
Portland, being more central, would prefer to
have the celebration held on the banks OF the
willamette
When the Pioneer Society of Washington held
10 annual meeting ut Port Townsend last June
this question of our centennial celebration was
discussed and 1t was suggested that Vancouver
would be the best place to accommodate the
people OF Oregon aud Washington. 1t is a his
torical spot associated with earliest history,
and famous as the headquarters of the Hudson
Bay Company, who were SO prominent in the
pioneer days of Oregon. 1t was suggested that
the probabilities are that before next May the
Union Pacific bridge across the Columbia will
have been completed, thus giving direct and
rapid communication between Vancouver and
Portland, and utilizing the hotel accommoda-
lions of Portland for the thousands of visitors
to the centennial fair at Vancouver.
In view of these possibilities the Pioneer As
ISOLATION voted to hold their next annual re-
union at Vancouver, provided that the cepten-
NAL celebration is held there. UP to the pres
ent time no action seems to have been taken by
Vancouver to secure this exhibit, and the time
10 very short between now and next May in
which to erect suitable buildings at Vancouver.
The executive committee OF the Washington
Worlds fair exhibit at Chicago intends making
their collection of the articles state can fur
nish and having them exhibited at some place
to be selected on the occasion of the centennial
OF the discovery OF the Columbia river, and
afterward to be removed to Chicago; and IL Van
couver does not care enough for this exhibit to
have a suitable building erected, Tacoma seems
the place. where the present fair buildings can
be utilized.
THE DISCOVERY OF THE COLUMBIA RIVER.
There seems to be such an entire ignorance OF
the Importance OF this discovery among our citi-
Gems, and particularly the new corners and
young people, that will give a brief review of
the early history OF this great region, to show
the value to the United states by its priority of
discovery of this mighty river; a discovery
which has saved to the Union the great states of
Oregon, Washington and Idaho, and that the
people OF these three empire states have a more
direct interest in celebrating the centennial an
niversary of the discovery of the Columbia river
than they have in the celebration OF the discov-
cry of America by Christopher Columbus, Amer
icus vespucius, Sebastian Cabot, or the Morse
man, Erick the Red, who discovered the New
England coast, aud landed in Narragansctt bay
A. d. $50. hundreds of years before Columbus
was born.
The war OF the Revolution paraIyxed the
whale and seal fisheries OF the Massachusetts,
men OF Nantucket, New Bedford, Salem and
Boston. After the recognition OF the independ.
snce of the United States the citizens resumed
the whale and seal fisheries around Cape Horn,
which they had carried on before the Revolu-
lion, and also engaged in direct trade with India
and China; in the latter countries, however,
they labored under great disadvantages from the
inferority In value of the articles carried out in
exchange for those brought back by them.
Consequently they were obliged to take
put large quantities Of specie to buy
goods, in order to obtain full
homeward cargoes. With q view of obviating
this inequality, some merchants of Boston in
1857 formed association for the purpose of
combining the fur trade of the North Pacific
with the Chinese trade, as attempted by the
King George Sound Company, OF London.
The names OF the persons constituting this
company were Charles Bulfnch. Joseph Bar
rell, Stephen Brown, ]. Darby, c. Hatch and
j. NJ Pintard. This company contracted with
James Briggs, of Scituate, Mass, who built, on
the North river, Plymouth county, at Hobarts
Landing, the ship Columbia of 30 tons.
In Briggs history of shipbuiding on North
river, Plymouth county, Mass, from 1640 to 1872,
bn page 2S7, Is a picture of the shipyard where
the Columbia was built, showing the original
workshop, which is still intact. The company
also built the sloop Washington, sometimes re-
terred to as the Lady Washington, which was
Also built on the North river scituate, but the
particular shipyard is not given. In 1857, the
year the ship Columbia was registered in Bos-
ton, her owners caused q quantity Of copper
medals to be struck of, representing the ship
Columbia and the sloop Washington, with these
words columbia and Washington, Commanded
BY ]. Kendrick." On the diverse side are
the names of the owners encireled by this
legend, Fitted at Boston, N. America, for the
Pacific Ocean," The ship Columbia, under CON-
mand OF John Keudrick, and the sloop Washing
ton, under command of Robert Gray, sailed
together from Boston on the S0th of September,
1857 They proceeded to the Cape Verde islands.
and thence to the Falkland islands, in each OF
which places they procured refreshments, and
In January, l7Ss, they doubled Cape Horn and
we're separated during a violent gale. The sloop
Washington, Captain Gray, arrived at Nootka,
On west coast of Vancouver Island. B. c., on the
18th of September, l7ss, and the Columbia,
Captain kendrick, arrived ut Nootka in October
following. The Columbia and Washington
passed the winter in Nootka sound,
where the Columbia also remained
turing the following summer, while the
Washington proceeded north for a cargo of furs.
In the fall OF 1889 the Columbia, under CON-
mand of Captain Robert Gray, proceeded 70 Can
ton with the furs both vessels had collected and
arrived in Canton the 9th of December
where he sold his furs and took on a cargo of
tea, valued at $4,000. with which he entered
Boston on the 10th OF August, 1870. via Cape OF
Hood Hope. having carried the flag of the
United States for the first time around the