The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1892-05-08

gree, was placed In command OF captain 'o.n
Kendfick. His second in command was Cspea,"
Robert Gray, to whom was assigned tns ssn
ington. q sloop OF ninety tons burden.
The labors and public enterprises OF ..os
Boston merchants ct that eventful PERIOD, II "e
leave out Of confederation entirely sne vas'
benefits which resulted 10 their nation ano POS.
terity perpetusted in our memories ana recalled
by the nomination ascribed to this "connio'
dious and well sheltered bay" are eminen'y
worthy of this centennial commemoraron- Gap
tain Gray duly appreciated and by his cnolcs VI
names recognized the merit OF their enorss 70
dedicate to commercial purposes these nisneio
unknown regions. in that graceful ana unseinsn
spirit comforting the name Of one OF the patIous
of that enterprise upon this peau''oA
bay, on whose shores century 'nefe
after we are this day commemorating ms
real discovery. We are thus forced through
his disinterestedness to remember tnose VIZ
planned the voyage and furnished the means W
secure its accomplishment And when tecuE
to those interesting features OF the early history
Of this vicinity, this then dreary, oesoiat9 nuu
rock bound coast with its "point OF martyrs
and obstruction island affording the gloomy
evidence of danger from natural causes and the
death from perhdious say
ages, then fancy myself across the continent
the witness of the then situation OF our coun-
try, and stand In utter amazenent tnas Mei
chants had the courage to invest tneir scanJ
means in such a venture; that men could DC
found bold enough to carry such venture 70 :
successful termination, and convert business
project into q mission of acquiring vast regions
for their country, covering all over Win
glory every actor and participant In that vast
enterprise. Let u dwell for moment on the
then situation. Tho war of independence ana
recognition OF existence ~ nation mad ous
Just closed. The thirteen states constituting
the Union, lying along the Atlantic seaDosro
bound westward by the Alleshanies, were IN
poverished. American commerce was IN i's
infancy. The Federal constitution had Just
been adopted. The glorious guarantee OF IN
estimable blessings, that matchless charter
assuring popular freedom with the largest share
OF personal rights consistent with duty 20 the
commonwealth. One OF its leading motives was
to promote the public welfare, to foster ana
build up American commerce. Well has II Deen
styled the great bulwark Of commerce, ana wen
has it been said that commerce Is the
great civilizer Of nations, the parent OF hberty'
of the arts, OF refinement" Before 1t had been
adopted, from the very nature of the condition
of the sold Thirteen" just emerging from their
protracted struggle, commerce and the means
to carry IL on had been banished from the land.
So depressed, 90 difficult was 1t to engage
therein that the elk Boston merchants who sent
hither the Columbia and Washington had been
Obliged to resort to subscription TO raise the
means to fit out those two small vessels. In
that now wealthy city of Boston there was not
then a merchant or firm possessed OF the requis-
lite capital to embark alone IN such project.
Mr.. Evans here related the history OF
expedition commanded by Gray, and con-
tinued:
The modest Captain Gray chronicles his dis
covery of this bay in a very few words in the
log book of the ship Columbia. Vancouver in
the same year referred to the bay as Gray's har-
bor In the fail ensuing, by his direction,
Lieutenant WILDLY, in the Doedalus, entered
the harbor and commenced its survey October s.
1872 For that reason on many English charts
1t has been named Whidby's bay.
These circumstances, these incidents, these
are surely worthy to be renem-
bered by our people. They fully justify this
centennial commemoration; how we stand in
awe as we contemplate the then and contrast It.
with the now. Two vessels then met in the
ocean, q few leagues distant from here, and that
incident gave occasion for Captain Vancouver
to remark the 'great novelty" OF such a meet
ing. mot having seen any vessel but our con-
sort during the last eight months"
Place yourself today where that interview oc-
CURED. How changed the scenel In the course
of that many days, not to say hours, how many
sails will you have observed? Imagine your
selves with Captain Gray at his anchorage In
this bay and remember that his crew alone
were all Of his race with whom he could com.
surrounded by Indians with whom
no communication had ever before been had by
the white man, and imagine the isolation OF
that ship and that crew; follow inland up the
valley of the beautiful Chehalis, and think of
the dread loneliness and solitude; contrast
those prineval scenes with those We have en-
joyed In travelling over the same ground to par
ticipate in this celebration. Mighty indeed the
change which has been wrought in the century
we commemorate. What lesson it teaches.
Still more wonderful when we take
into consideration that century has
not been required TO effect the wondrous prog
ress. that 1t is the evidence of what American
a short period Yet only the beginning has
been made Words fail me were to attempt to
express what shall have been accomplished by
or before the second centennial of the discovery
of Gray's harbor. Slowly and steady since the
American occupancy of the territory north of
the Columbia, the valley of the Chehalis and its
outlet, Gray'f harbor, have been an important
factor In our territorial and state development
When you were almost cut off from commupica-
ton with the world, comparatively isolated,
still the region grew in importance and became
wealth producing. Now you are connected
with the outer world "and the rest of.
mankind" Your harbor invites COM
mercs by means OF which you are
in communication with the nations
OF the earth. The great Northern Pacific rail-
road has constructed a branch raad which is
shortly to terminate at Ocosta Thus is COM
pleted an absolute inter-oceanic railroad, the
stretching OF that animated system from ocean
to ocean.
As realize this change, this trans formation of
original nature into lands to be dedicated for
homes, much as l love the unbroken rest, the
dread solitude, the vast loneliness OF these West
ern wilds, these primeval forests, / am more
than reconciled to the sereech of the steam
whistle, the snorting OF the great iron horse,
lance is sunihilated / realize that we are
again brought into proximity, each with
the other. The railroad is tae great
civilizer. 1t is the real pioneer to the opening
OF settlements the rendering accessible of taith-
erto inaccessible spots, the great appliance
whereby the wilderness is converted into
homes. With what pleasure, possibly profit,
could recur to some of my earlier travels
towards and visits not many years ago to Peter
sons point, our travels down the Chehalis river
and on Gray's harbor, and contrast it with the
trip OF today, through tho same region. You
who have done these marvellous things within
single generation demonstrated the real
value OF Captain Robert Grays dis
covery of that bay which now consti-
tutes the harbor or outlet OF the magnificent val
ley of the Chehalis. What will be the result in
another century, with your increased appliances
to utilize and appropriate the blessings of life?
Contrasting our present with the past, who
would not be content with the future which
must follow as natural sequence? But in al
age in which progress is but tie synonym of
Americsnization We are unwilling TO limit our
just expectations. The great change has been
initiated. The railroad system already like
network kuits together the people as one COM
muni.y. How omnipotent the influence which
ties US more closely to early kindred and friends,
assuring forever the oneness OF our beloved
country.