Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1907-04-05
AN OLD "LAND-MARK"
A Buildinf That Fairly Bristles With His
tOric Associat;one

toric Associations.
! Gov. Mead has very properly
! taken steps to preserve from de-
struction the old building on Block
IL, adjoining the New England Ho-
tel, which was the domicile way back
in 1854, of the first Territorial Legis-
lature, and met by virtue of a proc
lamation of Gov. l. l. Stevens, Feb.
9th. The session was held in the
second story of the building which
was quite ample for its accOmmOda-
ton, the Council corresponding to
the now Senate of our aw-making
power) consisting of eight members
and the House eighteen. George
McCOnaha of King county, was the
first President of the Council, and f.
A. ChenOweth of Clark county, the
first Speaker of the House. This
county was represented in the first
session of the Council by d. II. Bige-
low and b. F. Yantis, and in the
House by David Shelton, L. d. Dur
gin, c. H. Hale and Ira Ward, Jr.
The membership was afterwards in
creased by Legislative enactment to
nine members in the Council and
thirty in the House.
The second story was afterwards
occupied by one of Olympia's first
schools, of which Rev. Geo. F. Whit
worth was teacher, and the writer
one of the pupils. The lower story
was occupied as general store by
the Parker Coulter Co., the senior
member of the firm still resident of
our city. They ran the first express
connecting this city with Portland.
Trips were made on the deck of
cayuse"-by horseback, it is called
nOwadays-the partners alternating
in the weekly service, afforded three
days going and three days returning.
Of course only valuables and small
packages were carried in the saddle
bags. Both the store and express
were doing q fair business when the
junior Observation-Disclosures
with about $1,000 of treasure con-
fided to the express company and
has since never been apprehended.
Mr.. Parker nearly impoverished him.
self in making restitution.
The upper story was afterwards
occupied as a residence by Edmond
Sylvester, till he built the residence
now owned and occupied by DR.. Wy
man, on Eigth between Main and
Washington streets, and the lower
part by DR.. G.. X. Willard for drug
store and the postoffice, he then he
ing the local Nasty" Long after
wards the building attained consid-
cradle fame as the Gold Bar" res
taurant. kept by Larry Cormier, and
was said to be the best on the whole
Sound country-as famed in its way
as was Doane's oyster house," of a |
still later date.
The building is now the property |
of one of the pioneer organizations |
and will be removed to Capitol Hill,
the site of the true Statehouse when
built, where it will be renovated and
used as a storage-place of relics of
pioneer life, and a museum for all
objects of interest in State develop
ment.
AS showing to what despicable use
this aged and venerated building has
been subjected, we may state that
for the past six months it has been
used as kennel for hunting dogs,
kept by some amateur NimrOds,
whose bowling have kept many resi-
dents of the block awake Of nights.
1t is probable that it was this service
that has impelled the belief that it
was an unmitigated nuisance and
had led to the order for razing it to
the ground.