Lyman's History of old Walla Walla County, Vol. 1 / Embracing Walla Walla, Columbia, Garfield and Asotin counties

by William Denison Lyman

We quote here several paragraphs from the opening editorial:

"We send forth this morning, with our congratulations, the first number of the Washington Statesman, and respectfully solicit the attention of the people of Walla Walla and county to its pages. From a careful consideration of the demands of the people to whom we shall look for support in sustaining a weekly newspaper at this point, we feel warranted in the conviction that we are inaugurating an enterprise which will be a means of vastly enhancing the development, prosperity, and permanent interests of this most favorable section of the upper country, and which, conducted with prudence and economy, will be reasonably remunerative to its projectors.* * *

"That a weekly publication, devoted to the various interests of the country, containing all the news which may be gathered from different quarters, is essentially needed in the Walla Walla Valley, we premise no permanent resident will deny; this admitted, we have no misgivings as to the disposition of the people to come forward and promptly sustain an enterprise so materially calculated to further their own interests as a community. Hence, we expect at least that every man who is fortunate enough to possess a home in this beautiful valley will at once subscribe for the Statesman, and pay for it in advance. Home pride will prompt every man to do thus much for the benefit of the vicinity in which he has chosen his residence, even if he already has more papers than he finds time to read."

Following this introduction the editorial points out the special need of the farmer, the stockraiser, the merchant, and the mechanic in the existence and support of such a paper.

The editorial then proceeds to indicate its policy as follows:

"As indicated in our prospectus, the Statesman will be independent on all subjects. By independent we do not mean neutral; but, when occasion requires, we shall express our views fearlessly upon all subjects legitimate for newspaper discussion; and in doing this, we shall be our own advisers and regulate our own business in our own way. The Statesman will not be devoted to the interests or claims of any political party; but ignoring partisan measures, will adhere to and support those measures which in our judgment are best calculated to preserve and perpetuate the bonds of our national union, under whose yet waving and revered flag alone we hope for success. * * * Arrangements will soon be completed for obtaining all the items of news from the different leading points in the mines, and from various places within this territory and Oregon bearing relations to us commercially or otherwise. * * *

"The coming season with us at home will be an auspicious one. Adding to the importance of the developments which must immediately follow in the train of an immigration to the upper country in extent unparalleled, the course and progress of which our people should all be made aware of—adding to this the mighty results developing in the East, it can readily be seen that material is afforded for making up a paper which will be indispensable to the people of this section, as well as those of the territory at large.

"We shall liberally distribute copies of this number in the different sections where we desire the paper to circulate; and we take the present occasion to request the people generally of this valley and the upper country to call and furnish themselves with copies for distribution in their several neighborhoods, thereby lending us a hand in obtaining a subscription list as early as possible."

We find most of the news items in this first number of the Statesman to pertain to the mines in Idaho. There is a correspondence between Henry M. Chase and Capt. E. D. Pearce in regard to certain captive children in the hands of the Indians. The tone of this correspondence shows something of the strenuous conditions of those days of war and pioneer settlement.

The most notable local event apparently was the Firemen's ball, given by the members of the Union Hook and Ladder Company at the Walla Walla Hotel. This news item declares that the ball was a successful and brilliant affair and that the smiling faces and social congratulations of the large number of ladies and gentlemen present well attested how eminently successful had been the efforts of the firemen to render the occasion in every respect a pleasant one. The mottoes displayed in the room were quite interesting as showing what the ambitious firemen of that first period wanted to set forth as guiding them. The motto of the Union Hook and Ladder Company was "We Destroy to Save." There were several mottoes from Portland and The Dalles fire companies, as follows: "Willamette No. 1, Conquer We Must;" "Multnomah No. 2, On Hand;" "Columbian No. 3, Always Willing;" "Young America No. 4, Small, but Around;" "Vigilance Hook and Ladder Company, We Climb;" "Dalles Hook and Ladder Company, We Raze to Save."