The first edition of the Mason County Journal

On Dec. 31, 1886, at the age of 18, Grant C. Angle published the first edition of his Mason County Journal. (Some years later, he changed the name to the Shelton-Mason County Journal.) A one-year subscription was $2 "in advance." A single copy cost 10 cents. This story comes from that first issue, beginning with a quote from Angle's first editorial.

"Mason County is the least known of any county in the Territory, but with direct steamboat communication with Olympia, Tacoma, and Seattle, and the Journal to make its resources known to the world, the close of the year now just dawning will witness Mason County in the van of the progressive counties of Washington. Let all pull together and success is assured."

Nationally, a bill was introduced in the U.S. Senate to permit the owners of American vessels and cargoes to sue the government for losses caused by collision with United States vessels arising from their mismanagement.

Included in a column titled "Along the Coast," was the news that "Chief of Police Davis of Los Angeles has resigned his office rather than undergoing another investigation into certain charges made by ex-policemen" and "Another effort is being made to recover the $2,000,000 lost on the steamer Brother Jonathan, wrecked off the Oregon coast in 1865."

Local news included a mention of the Satsop Co. general merchandise store in Shelton, which supplied the company's logging camps, as well as local trade. The company office and the local post office were also in the building. "The post office has a neat and tidy cabinet for our letters and papers."

Shelton had two general merchandise stores, three hotels with a prospect of another in the near future, three saloons, a boot-making and repairing shop, a blacksmith shop, a laundry and "many neat and attractive residences, with more to be built in the spring." And, of course, "last but not least a live newspaper devoted to the interests of the Territory, the county, and the town of Shelton."

On Thursday, Dec. 16, the Mount Moriah Lodge Masons had a ball in the town hall, the proceeds to go to a Mason's widow. "About $85 was netted for the lady, and the ball was the best attended of the season, which goes to show that the people will turn out for a good cause. At midnight, the tired and hungry mortals proceeded to the Kneeland Hotel where a beautiful repast was spread, to which all did ample justice, fortifying the inner man for another round in the merry whirl."

The Local Happenings column included the news that "David Shelton and his sons Buck and Speed visited the Capital City last week, and Miss Mary Shelton paid her family here a short visit. Miss Shelton is a compositor in the Partisan Office." Also, "A. J. Taylor of Arcadia met with an accident last night. After getting off the Messenger, he was standing by the ship and stepped back to avoid someone passing in front of him, and fell into the slip, rolled down, and hung at the bottom with his head under water. When he was rescued, he was unconscious."

Much of the advertising in the first edition was for Olympia businesses, including Thompson and Company Grocers, which promised that orders sent from Shelton by steamboat would receive prompt attention. Orders sent to John S. Brewer, Confectionery (including all kinds of cigars, tobacco, nuts, etc.) were also

"promptly attended to." L. Willey, master of the Mail Steamer Willie, promised lowest rates for freight and passage from Percival's Dock to Shelton. "Packages given me or brought on board will receive prompt delivery."

Locally, Daniel Kelty, proprietor of the Shelton Hotel, "convenient to the steamboat landing," offered clean beds for 25 cents, meals for 25 cents, and board for $5 a week. The Elson Hotel offered the same rates, with "the best of the season always on the table, and a livery stable for the accommodation of overland travelers." At the Pioneer Saloon at Shelton's Point, McDonald Simmons offered "the best beer on tap," and "an oyster room where those bivalves may be obtained in any style, at all hours."

Angle apologized to readers for having no news from other portions of the county, "but next issue we expect to have them all represented in our columns."

■ Jan Parker is a researcher for the Mason County Historical Museum. She can be reached at [email protected]. Membership in the Mason County Historical Society is $25 per year. For a limited time, new members will receive a free copy of the book "Shelton, the First Century Plus Ten."