Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1893-06-16

= AR ING POINT
~ hi,h NJ, Srr,o 90 t.auvr pt.s.ut
T'ss S"ur r"Iuts 80 Our tnrt,
uis'"'b whI,h % wIII %. w.,I to
u'sr ,u uind.
ltIns a. th' bead ol Puget Sound
between ihc i'r'ilo valley If the Nl-
lutly uu th" one -idc sui the che.
hth- ou th" oth,r. h,- the beautiful
country ol Ihur-ton conntv. ~ the
state "i Washington Within these
limits cnmpfi-ing sih hundred square
milcs. hc ~ far and nch land n
the -un shiu,- upon What pen shall
portray the diversified beauties. the
undc'cl"rod p"--lmhtlc-. that llc
here. "niy waiting for the thnuy
htlIu and muscle ul the coming man
80 liuz.om with the nll lruitiou ui
happy homes. From the deep rich
bottoms "i the MYERS up to the tar
crowned bulls. across the bosom of the
open prairIc-. everywhere the tccmlng
soil ouly wait, the touch ui the hu-.
bandman to blossom and bear fruit
Although iorty-eight year, have
passed since the first white settler
pitched his tent at TumWatcr. the
greater part Of this beautiful county
still lies IN lts virgin glory waiting for
the husbandman. Like tho Hindu
wor4hipcr. she stands with her face
calling for dclivcranCc Previous to
the completion of the Northern Pacific
difficult, aud all the idle wealth oi the
East that could have found profitable
Investment. was left in ignorance Of
the possibilities that were waiting here
But with the advent 81 the railroad
comes easy access. aud by the all Of
the magic oi the printing press. the
beauty aud the richness Of this mag
nihcent county will bc made man
ifo-t To- the deniEons OF the East. Ms
the fertile valleys of Egypt, were made
knows to the Jews Of old. fasting in
the wilderness
TAkE A GLANCE BACKWARD
Al the early history Of th,- country.
II will cast light on the present aud
enable us 10 forecast the future. The
lamp Of experience shall guide us NJ
II guided the patriots of old. The
first settlement made In the limits Of
what IL now known ~ Thursion
county. was made IN lsij. by a party
headed 10y the sturdy Michael 7. Sim
mons. who cut their way through the
wild- OF iore.t aud prairie from the
valley oi the COwlitE. They spent
fifteen days in this journey OF less
than sixty miles. IL was late in Oc.
tober when they finally campcd on
the banks of the Deschutes, at that
picturesque spot called by the eu-
phouious name OF Tumwatcr" by
the Indians, but which Col. Simmons
called New Market. The new name,
however, soon gave place 10 the quaint
cr one, aud Tumwater" IL still the
name Of the beautiful spot. ms IL was
long before the American ever invaded
IT, and M 1t 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 AT this time in dispute
aud was claimed by both the United
States and Great Britain. and IL was
not until June 18th. 1876. that the
northwest boundary was established
aud the United States formally nc
quired undisputed possession Of this
Territory. Besides Col. Simmons aud
his family. the party Of pioneers who
thus early bravcd the danger. and dis
comforts Of the first white settlers in a
hostile country. were James Meals.
ter. David Kindred, Gabriel Jones.
George Bush aud their families; aud
Jesse Ferguson aud Samuel Crockett.
They all settled either near "Tum-
water or ON the ncighboring prairie.
which IL still known as Bush Prairie.
ia honor Of the George Bush who first
settled there. II IL "a remarkable fact
which IL will be well To note IN regard
Ia this prairie, as bearing on the fer.
tility oi the soil Of Thurston county.
that the wheat raised in 1875 by W. q.
Bush, colorcd man, took the prize
at the Centennial Exhibition In com.
petition against the world
LEr II NOT nE FORGOTTEN
That this was the first settlement that
was made IN the Sound country by
American citizens. These brave poo
pie pushed forward and disputed the
land with the English nom Vancouver.
aud laid the foundation of the claim
oi first settlers 10 the Sound country.
which enabled the United States TO
secure the immense track North aud
ives, oi the Columbia river, which hut
Tor them would have gone 10 Great
Britain and tho Columbia river have
become the boundary line between
the two countries These hardy set.
tier. saw all the possibilities lying
dormant ia the forest aud prairie aud
bottom country contiguous to the
Sound and ~ the true pioneer spirit
they seized upon IT, II was not acci.
dent that caused this place 10 be So
lcctcd as the site for the new colony.
The magnificent water power. fur.
ni-hed by nature, ready to be appro-
priated ~ the falls oi the Deschutes
uNer. gave birth to the idea that here
great city would one day arise that
should bc the center Of industry for
all the northwest country. They saw
NTH prophetic eye, the factories and
mill. that sLnuiI onp Iav line the