An Old Pioneer's Promise to a Dying Friend
A rare trip from Olympia to Seattle reveals the enduring bonds of friendship among the pioneers who built the territory.
The story, cleaned up
A cleaned-up reading of the newspaper page: spelling and layout repaired, one story lifted off a crowded page. It follows the original closely but it is not a transcription. The original page is below; read it if a detail matters.
Yesterday afternoon a reporter met Obadiah Granger of Olympia on the streets. He is an old resident of the Capital City and rarely gets so far away from home, and hence it is not surprising that his presence here should create comment. In conversation with a reporter Mr. Granger explained his mission here as follows: 'You see, we old pioneers are growing fewer every year, and as we become older, the ties of friendship which bind us become stronger. The other day I received a letter from my old friend Edmund Sylvester, the founder of Olympia, who is now in Seattle, saying he was suffering from a cancer on his face, and feared he would never see the Capital City again. When I read that letter I made up my mind I would come down and see him. I am pleased to find that his health has taken a turn for the better, and his physician now has hopes that he will be up again.'
“We old pioneers are growing fewer every year, and as we become older, the ties of friendship which bind us become stronger.”
The 'pioneer' narrative of the 1880s often emphasized a tight-knit camaraderie against the wilderness, a sentiment that feels worlds away from the transient nature of modern Seattle. Yet, the deep human impulse to travel across the region to support a sick friend remains a poignant, timeless anchor in the city's history.
From readers
No comments yet. If you know something about this story — a correction, a family memory, a source — it belongs here.