Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1900-08-24
VOLUME XL.--NUMBER 40.
OUR EARLY HISTORY.
"REMINISCENCES OF OLD TIMES
ON PUGET SOUND.
The Killing Of "Cush." the White Mans
Friend. the Result Of an Indian feud at Fort
Nisqually. in 1883

The Killing of "Cush." the White Nam.
Friend. the Result Of an Indian feud at For,
Nisqually. in 1853
BY f. Huggins.
The road from Tacoma to Olympia
passed through the well-known farm
or what is now generally known as the
"Huggins Ranch" The homestead
is about 16 miles from Tacoma and Ii
from Olympia. Puget Sound is only
one and one-quarter miles west of the
house, or about two and II half miles
above the landing or anchorage for
ships. The Nisqually river, which is
about the same size as the Puyallup,
debouches into Puget Sound immedi-
ately opposite the southeast corner OF
Anderson's Island.
The newcomer, riding along the
high road-the first ever made in this
country-thrOugh the fenced fields,
and by the quiet, picturesque-looking
old homestead, would, no doubt, be
surprised when told that t is the
most historical spot north of Fort
Vancouver, on the Columbia river,
and WAS not so very long ago place
of importance and the principal busi-
nees site on Puget Sound; that, SO
years ago. it was a strongly construct
ed fort, we'll manned and armed, and
that upward of so hands, white men,
Kanakas (Sandwich Islanders) and
Indians, comprised its garrison. The
Indians Qhe Squallyamish
tribe) were then quite numerous, and
in the Spring Of 1850 large number
of lodges were in the open, west of the
fort and on the banks of the little
river, bearing the euphonious name of
the "Sequallitchew," which takes its
rise in lake OF the same name, about
Of a mile in q straight
line to the eastward OF the fort, and
after running with great swiftness
through ravine or gulch, nearly as
wild and savage looking as any to be
seen in the Cascade range of noun
tains, on the line of the Northern Pa.
cific Railroad, for about a mile, emp
ties into Puget Sound, about one
third of mile below the landing
place. Between the bridge which
crosses the stream, near the fort, and
the high-water mark-about one mile
in a strsight line-there is fall of
2O2 feet.
These figures are correct, having
been obtained from Captain James
the head of the United States
geodetic survey upon Puget Sound, in
1870. In the spring of that year he
made the Nisqually Landing his head
quarters and for nearly two months
his vessel, the Fauptleroy, remained
at anchor there. Along with other
work he leveled the Sequallitcbew
river or creek, from the bridge, near
the fort, to high-water mark, and he
found the fall to be 2O2 feet.
Forty-five years ago the fort looked
very different from what it looks now.
In fact, stranger would not for a
moment think it had ever been the
scene OF so much hustle and activity.
There is only one of the old buildings
erected by the Hudson's Bay Company
left standing. 1t is after the old style
adopted by the company where timber
was plentiful. The walls are Of fir
timber, squared with the ak, and the
frame is stout and generally not less
than 10 or IL inches square. and the
walls Of squared fir, about 10 or IL
inches wide and six inches thick.
The floor is either boards cut with the
pit saw, driven by man power, or else
puncheons, with one side squared
only, with the ak. The roofs we're
generally covered with cedar bark, cut
into sheets, about 10 feet long. and
from 18 to 80 inches wide.
Why this bark was used in prefer
ence to cedar shingles, or shakes, 1
never could find out. Bark roofs al.
ways gave trouble, and required re-
pairing every fall. The rough, or out
side of the bark, was always exposed
to the weather. Soon after l came to
Fort Nisqually, all the bark roofs
were replaced with cedar shingles, or
shakes, which make an infinitely bet
ter roof than cedar bark. A roof of
well.made, good cedar shakes, careful
ly nailed on, ought to last Is or so
years, and shingles from 20 to 80
years, and st the end would leak but
very little.
The Huggins" residence, which re-
placed the old "Tyee House," or
chiefs house, was built in 1858, of
sawed lumber, obtained from the first
water-power mill constructed upon
Puget Sound, small affair, with only,
at first, one up-and-down saw. The
lumber cost from $50 to $40 a thous-
and. 1t is a strongly constructed
house, SO feet by 80, and one story in
height. with q wide veranda around
three sides of it. The work was done
principally by skilled mechanic, q
discharged United States soldier, but
under him worked q number of rough
carpenters-French Canadians, Ka-
nakas and Indians. Some OF the In.
dians became expert in the use OF
tools, and one especially, named Co.