Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1907-10-18
The Ladies' Club Pioneer Day.

Wa h,.d N IT," Women Club house
corner ui Washington and | Mon
streets. Tuesday afternoon. The ciui
j. liz. oldest in lh,. State and pruba
IL name indicates. sole Y of women
1t dates back over quarter of Il cen
fury of existence with Mrs \. II. II
Stuart Il lady Of eminent energy and
ability as its first President. Miss
Janet Moore. who presided Tuesday
was It's second President. and j. tn,
only charter mrmhs.r of the club now
living. 1t was organized at the home
Of Edmund Sylvester. wife of the
town proprietor. fronting the then
public square. - now known a. Cap
it"l Park, a building occupied toy DR..
H. =. Wyman. Ii started out with
emily nine members.
The object Of the meeting. as eX-
planned 10y Miss Moore. WAS Il reun-
ion of the old timers for the purpose
of gathering far as possible. the
many interesting facts connected
with pioneer history known only to
those who participated in them and
who are fast passing away and to
renew the bonds of friendship uniting
SO many fond memories of facts and
individuals that are engraincd in the
groundwork of our now prosperous
State. 1t was a Pioneer Day" of
the club, itself pioneer, and by spe-
cial invitation through their Presi-
dent, about a couple of score of most
ly old-tilners were its guests, and the
cordially with which they were en-
tertained recalled to mind as nothing
else would, the whole sOuled sincerity
of the people in "auld lang syne. "
While we do not claim for the pio-
neers the possession of better hearts
or indeed a more generous nature
than their ancestry on the other
side the divide, we do claim that en-
vironment and common hardships
and dangers had knit them into a
more than ordinary union; in fact
constituted them members of one
great family, the care and protection
of each member of which was the
concern of all.
The meeting was opened little
after 2 o'clock, in the COSY little audi
ence-rOOm of the club. There was NO
programme arranged, and no special
duty assigned to any of the hosts or
guests, but the entertainment was
considerably of the ma ture of go as
You please" under of course the
tactful guidance of the President.
The excellence of the essay on the
Indian Wars" by Mrs. p. NJ. Troy
showed considerable research and
preparation. 1t was full of interest
to all, whether old or new settlers,
1.-THE dncOtty Mitcum or chse chako) and
will prove valuable addition to the
archives of the association, which has
apparently resolved itself as well
into a historical society as a means
of attainment of the highest degree
of usefulness.
The writer. upon call of the Presi-
dent, gave few desultory facts Incl
dent to the breaking out OF the In
dian war in 1855, in which our then
local community were called upon to
make preparations for self-protection.
The principal and truly herculean
work as seen from this distant view
point, was the construction of 20
foot stOckade the whole length OF
what was then Fourth street, RAM
bling passage way, amid stumps,
from where the East and the West
side bridges span the inlets of the
bay proper. 1t was made of four
inch plank, from the little Tumwater
mill, set in trench and upheld by a
beam on posts, placed at intervals.
This breastwork virtually excluded
ingress of hostile Indians to the pen
insula, on which the village was Sit
uate, except by water. It was closed
at night by two ponderous gates on
Main street, open only in daytime,
and beside which stood a strong
block-house of the early-day sort, in
the upper story of which was placed
an old salute cannon, loaded with a
prOjectile consisting of such scrapnel
as stones, cut-up bars of lead, buck
shot and any articles that might
serve to somewhat disturb the enemy
on approach. No thought was felt
of possible consequences of standing
behind Or beside such a fearfully con-
ceived engine of destruction. 1t was
never discharged and served the pur-
pose of bluff, as was intended, as
well as many other acts done of which
we took good care the Indians should
receive information.
The great danger, however, was
from an incursion by water, in the
big war canoes some of which were
capable OF carrying hundred braves.
This danger was happily soon re-
moved by the revenue cutter 10 Lane
being stationed in our harbor several
months. She sent ashore several
serviceable cannon, shot and shell,
muskets and ammunition. There is
no doubt but that these measures
prevented an attack on our town and
probably saved the lives of all that
were here. People were killed at
quite number of points all around