The Mason County journal. [volume] (Shelton, W.T.) 1886-1927, 1896-02-28
A Bit Of Early History.


visited the shores of Washington was
Juan de Fuca, a Greek, sailing in the
service of Spain. In ITS Spaniard
named Hecta visited the coast. In17S7
the English Captains Berkeley and
Mears, sailed into the strait and reviv-
ed the name of the first visitor. In 1889
Captain Robert Gray visited the coast
and returning in 1791 explored and
gave his name to Gray's Harpor ana
discovered and entered the Columbia
river and named it in honor of his YES
sci. Between Gray's> visits, Captain
Kendrick, another American, sailed
along the coast.
In 1892 Captain George Vancouver
sailed into the strait and found the isl
and occupied by the Spanish Captain
Quadra, and in friendly spirit it was
called the "Island of Quadra and Van
couver." The former name fell grad
ually into disuse. In honor of his lieu
tenants, Peter Puget he named what is
now the sound, to the mountain Joseph
Bakers name was attached, while
Joseph Whidby's name is perpetuated
in an island. Port Townsend was
named for Marquis Townsend, Mount
Hood for Lord Hood, Mount Saint
Helens for the English, minister to
Spain, and Mount Rainier for Rear
Admiral Rainier of the English navy.
In 1905 Lewis and Clark reached
and explored the coast from the inter-
ior, having performed a wonderful
journey across the continent for that
purpose.
In 1911 John Jacob Astor made the
settlement at Astoria, at the mouth of
the Columbia, and the further title Of
the United States to the territory was
concluded in the treaty with Spain in
1919, which country relinquisr4l II all
claims on the continent north of the
42d parallel The priority of discov-
cry certainly lay with Spain. Astor's
venture proved disastrous on account
of the war with England. The British
took possession of Astoria in 1913, and
named it Fort George. Subsequently
it was taken under the control of the
Hudson Bay company, and remained
in it's possession until 1848. The
Northwest Fur company disputed for
a time the rule of the former company
on the Pacific coast, but did not sue
ceed, being absorbed in 1924 by the
more powerful British company, whose
control was superior along the Colum
bia and Puget sound until 1S4S.
In 184l Rear Admiral Wilkes of the
American navy visited Puget sound
and wrote a very glowing report, which
experience has since verified. The
treaty with England in 1S45 settled
the title of the United States up to the
49th parallel of north latitude, except
at the Strait of Juan de Fuca and the
Gnlf of Georgia, on account of certain
islands. 1t was understood by the
treaty that the line took the center OF
the channel and the strait. But Eng
land, as usual, disputed the American
and the matter was not
settled until 1878, when the Emperor
of Germany, as arbiter, settled the
question in our favor. The islands IN
question are now grouped under the
jurisdiction of an island county called
San Juan. Our title legitimately ran
along the 10th parallel to the Pacific
ocean, but this would take in import
an English settlements on Vancouver
island, which fact came up as an after
thought, and hence the long and ted
ious arbitration, in which we backed
down as far as Vancouver island was
but not as to the other ISL
ands close to the main land.
The first American settlers in Wash
ington located near by Olympia in l045
the year of the treaty with England.
Washington was originally part OF
Oregon. 1t was organized into sepa,.
rate territory in 1868, and from 1889
to 1863 included a large part OF what
is now the state of Idoho. Since 1865
it has retained its present boundaries.
Great Northern Bulletin.