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TOLD by the PIONEERS - Washington Secretary of State

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Told<br />

<strong>by</strong> <strong>the</strong> Pioneers<br />

MELVIN F. HAWK<br />

Pierce County<br />

,Ve got our mail from Steilacoom. ,Ve would try to get <strong>the</strong>re once<br />

or twice a month, but were not much concerned if we didn't make it<br />

eYell that <strong>of</strong>ten, for <strong>the</strong>re was llothing <strong>the</strong>re when we did go. If <strong>the</strong><br />

postmaster thought <strong>the</strong>re was any very important mail, he would try<br />

to send it out bv some <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> settlers. Postmasters <strong>the</strong>n knew everv-<br />

• •<br />

lJOdy's business for miles around. Letters did not come in envelopes<br />

but were just papers, folded, tied \-rith a string, <strong>the</strong>n sealed with hot<br />

sealing wax.<br />

SAJICEL H. COTTLE<br />

Early Days in Quilcene<br />

J eHerson Conntv •<br />

,Vhen I first came to Quilcene, we had to row across <strong>the</strong> canal to<br />

Seabeck to get our mail. In 1882 mail service was started from Port<br />

-<br />

Discovery to Quilcene. OI'rin Jacobs, <strong>the</strong>n territorial representative<br />

in congress, was instrumental in obtaining that' service. The first<br />

postmaster was James Haradon. It was required at that time that<br />

<strong>the</strong> patrons <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> <strong>of</strong>fice provide' for <strong>the</strong> carrying <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> mail from<br />

Port Discovery to Quilcene for a period <strong>of</strong> six months. One or ano<strong>the</strong>r<br />

<strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> post<strong>of</strong>fice patrons made <strong>the</strong>se trips, but when Andrew Mason<br />

came into <strong>the</strong> settlement with a horse, he was employed to carry <strong>the</strong><br />

mail. In 1891, with <strong>the</strong> completion <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> railroad between Port Townsend<br />

and Quilcene, mail and passenger service were combined 'with<br />

logging and o<strong>the</strong>r commercial business between <strong>the</strong> two points over<br />

•<br />

<strong>the</strong> Port Townsend and Sou<strong>the</strong>rn. This continued until about 1920,<br />

Rince which time travel has been carried on over <strong>the</strong> state highways.<br />

14H

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