Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1895-11-15
W'a9hlngton Staudarl
OLYMPIA. WASH.
lElDil EVENING. NOVEMBER -. 1895.
Thlrty-Fifth Mile-Post.

Thirty-Fifth Mile-Post.
The SrhNUAKU with tins ISSUE CLOSES
It's 5Ith volume. The first number
appeared Nov. l.. l>6o, and ever since
"a the appointed day OF each week ii
has made IT. appearance. There has
not been the omission OF single mum
her in all that time, nor has it been
under different control than that Of
the brain which dictates these lines.
Probably there l. not a parallel record
III this broad land, Of a newspaper be
ing under the same identical, uninter-
rupttd management for longer pc
Nod than the average lie OF man.
During that period what wondrous
changes have taken place. The first
issue OF the STANDARD chronicled the
probable election of Abraham Lincoln
President Of the United States. basing
the prediction upon an unexpectedly
large majority from partial count in
Oregon and California. The second
issue had Pony Express returns from
the East up to Nov. It'll, which indi-
Gated that the forecast made had been
fully verified. Olympia has in that
time grown from town OF less than
1000 people to thriving little city OF
5000 inhabitants; the Territory from
population of III ,j9l in 1860, to 3f9,.
800 in 1880, and a vote OF BIAS for
Delegate in 1851 TO S9,S97 for Cover
nor in 1892. Olympia, when the
STANDARD first saw the light OF day,
had IL weekly mail service by steamer
to Monticello and stage to this place,
managed by Henry Winsor. She soon
afterwards had weekly mail service
on Puget Sound performed by the Ma
jor Tompkins, John Scranton con-
tractor. The telegraph had not been
established on this coast as means of
communication, and it was several
years later before Portland had COM
munication by wire. The line was
completed to Olympia in 1864, under
the superintendent OF X. II. Haiuee,
and the first news dispatch which
flashed over the wire to Olympia Mas
a summary to the STANDARD.
Olympia in 1850 was the most i'm
portant trade center on Puget Sound.
Seattle was still a village and Tacoma
had not been dreamed Of by its enthu-
siastic protector, many years after
ward, Gen. McCarver. Steilacoom
was an ambitious rival OF the Territor-
ial capital and her claims were ably
represented by the Puget Sound Her.
aid, published by Chas. Prosch. Port
Townsend was the port OF entry, with
ID. c. II. Rothschilds and L. B. Has
tings as its principal merchants, and
Mr.. F. Damon's Northwest, an ably
edited little paper, as its chief exponent.
The STANDARD had for its fdus
dchdtes, the Pioneer and Democrat
published by James Lodge, the Public
Printer. 1t suspended publication
however, in July. 1861.
Probably, however, the greatest
changes noted in this brief retrospect
is in the people with whom we have
been SO long connected by matters oil
mutual interest-the people OF Olym.
pia. We have seen children whose
birth was chronicled in these columns
grow to the prime of life. and it has
been likewise the medium of an.
nouncement of their marriage and the
birth OF children TO them. Many oil
the men and women who have given
their best efforts TO the development
of our resources and the foundation OF
prosperous community have passed
from the stage of action, and Others
who were then acquiring the rudi.
menents OF education have taken their
place in busy life. We have seen the
boy develop into vigorous manhood
and attain the highest honors within
the gift OF our little community, the
maiden bloom into perfect woman.
hood and leave the impress of noble
life in the discharge of her duties in
the home circle and such public du-
ties as had been her lot to perform.
We have chronicled the loss of many
very many-of the sturdy pioneers,
whose enterprise and courage made
possible the development OF our great
State.