The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1896-02-03
MISS RENA ATKINSON
A Former Seattle Girl Coming
Back to Her Old Home.
NOW A FAMOUS PRIMA DONNA
Her Mother Was One of the Little
Band That Noysged Round the Horn
in the Old Continental

More than ordinary interest attaches 10
the appearance in this city OF Rena Al
klnson, the leading lady OF the Carleton
Opera Company. She was born Il Pors-
land ana her mother was one OF the brave
little band OF New England women who
made that worId-renoyBed TIP from View
York city around the Horn short time
after the close Of the evil Wal. I. i. Bag
ley, Of this city. knew Rena Atkinson when
she was little girl ard her mother, Snose
maiden name was Mamie Stephens, lived
in ms family at Olympia for more than
year after SIZE came 10 the Paclnc coast. In
speaking or Miss Atkinson last evening.
MIR. Bagiey said:
About 1851 a. 5. Mercer came 10 this
city from college in the East. he imme-
ciately took an interest IN politics and was
sent 10 the legislature He was keen OBJ
server. energetic ana progressive. IL was
apparent to him that the country needed
immigrants. He agfated the matter, and,
without going into details. / VIII say that
ne went East armed with letters from al
the prominent people Of the then sparsaiy
settled section. When ne reached W asnins-
ton City the government was diSDosInss or
vessels accumulated during the war. Mer-
Ger conceived the idea OF getting one OF
these to bring the immigrants TO the Pa
cine coast, and stated his plans 10 the gov
eminent authorities. The res Ilt Of the mat
ter was that the swift sailing Continental
was sold to him for very loS figure. MeT-
Ger went to New York city, and after MS
plans became known letters commenced
p.ling ia on him from all parts OF New
England. Families, men and women were
ready 10 20 to the new land, and L looked
as If the expedition would be grand sue
cess.
Mercer in the meantime had negotiated
with Ben Holiday, the famous pioneer
stage driver and railroad man, 10 man the
ship and bring the party to the Pacific
coast, the agreement being that in return
Holiday was TO have the ship. IN the
contract, however. there was nothing 10
prevent Holiday from sailing II the num-
Der of passengers was very few. The date
was set and the Continental ready Tor sea
About this time the New York papers sud
denly came out with articles denouneiaS
the proposed trip and claiming that II had
immoral purposes behind il. Mercer told
me in after years that ne had positive in
formation that Holiday was behind the
story. However that may Ice, the news
paper reports had the effect OF causing
many people 10 refuse 10 join the expedi-
ten.
The date for sailing came and only
forty people, twenty of whom were young
women, had the fortitude to stand by their
resolution. AT San Francisco some of the
people remained, while others were trans
ferred 10 sailing vessels and came on TO
Puget Sound. Some of these same people
are today the most respectable and wealth.
est in VS. nreehasgWtin ETA ETA 400
est in Western Washington. Perhaps
have been apparently cut of my track in
going into these details. bat now | viii try
and show how the past and present Join
together.
Among the women who came TO the
Sound on that trip were two young ladies
named Anna and Mamie Stephens. think
they were born in Baltimore. They were
both possessed OF good musical educa-
tons Mamie had a sweet contralto voice
and her sister Anna was "a fine pianist and
most excellent teacher. Anna subsequent
~ married A. 5. Mercer. They now live at
Cheyenne. and MIR. Mercer is the publisher
of one of the leading newspapers there.
Mamie went to Olympia from Seattle
and lived in our family for about year,
when she moved to Portland AT that city
she became acquainted with and subSe-
quently married John +. Atkinson. Mr..
Atkinson was active in musical circles and
was possessed of great ability as a critic.
He was a printer, | think, by trade and in
about 1870 started a commercial paper in
Portland AT the same time he conduct
ed the Sunday Welcome, which was de-
voted to musical and dramatic affairs. In
a short time the pen of Atkinson made
the Welcome well known. The criticisms
he wrote showed great ability. and the
reputation of his paper extended far be-
yond the limits Of Oregon and Washing
ton
About 1872 Rena Atkinson. the young
woman who is now the leading lady of
the Carleton Opera Company, was born.
AS mere child she displayed natural
musical ability and her parents did every
thing in their power 10 encourage her. /
remember her as a little girl She had a
very sweet. soprano voice. and used il
well. II is not hard TO see how she be-
came bound up in the never-ending love
OF music. Her surroundings We're musical,
music pervaded the household. IL was in
the air, and every performance was SUBJ
iect TO close and scholarly criticism. You
know Portland is a musical city so that
even outside OF her home Rena had stimu-
lus TO improve herself. Unfortunately.
her father met with business reverses
and so the family moved 10 Denver. In
that city Rena attracted attention in the
world Of music and. through kindly in
fUences. was given many advantages.
1T finally became evident that she gave
promise OF making a mark in her chosen
sphere, so about four years ago her father
moved 70 New York city, where she was
given every possible advantage under the
most skillful vocal instructors II is only
recently that she made her appearance
In opera, and l am very anxious to see
her. / have received several newsoaper
notices, and so far as / have been able TO
learn the Western papers have been very
kind 10 her. I am under the impression
that she made her debut in the West. but
am not certain on this point"
ADJUSTMENTS.