drowned in the Skagit River. Edmund then became the main support of his mother and her younger children and to his work of delivering a morning newspaper route he added the janitor's work and bookkeeping of a retail grocery. He continued his studies in the Seattle schools and later in the university, graduating from the latter with the class of 1885. Seattle, at that time, was the home of the Young Naturalists' Society and in this organization Meany found opportunity for the development of an inclination toward research work. Along in 1882 a lecturer on electrical phenomena spoke in Seattle. Meany, who had become a "cub" reporter, was assigned by Thomas Prosch, editor and publisher of the Post-Intelligencer, to report the lecture. Late in the night Meany turned in his story. It gave him a place on the editorial staff. L. S. J. Hunt bought the Post-Intelligencer and Meany became night editor. While serving in this capacity he introduced a market report and a classified advertising department. Regarding the latter Professor Meany, in a recently published story, says: "One day there appeared a full column of such advertising modeled after the best Eastern papers. I was a little stampeded at some of the results of that experiment. We had inserted samples of all kinds of advertising. One brief call was for a bookkeeper. The next day a man answered. I knew him. His wife was ill. He needed work and when he went out I told Mr. Hunt about it. 'That's all right,' said he, 'I'll go out and get him a job,' and he did. "Another one of our samples was from a woman in Snohomish County who was represented as owning a fine farm and who wanted a husband to help her care for it. Applicants were directed to write her in care of the Post-Intelligencer and to send their photographs. We dropped that sample pretty quick, for there came a string of answers and photographs and some of the men were rather well known. 'The safest way for that case is to file these here,' said Mr. Hunt, and he put them in the big office stove." From newspaper work Meany went to politics. In 1891 he was appointed chairman of a committee into whose hands was given the work of relocating the university. The old site down in town had been outgrown and Meany, in looking around for a new one, made up his mind a certain piece of land out northeast of town, as laid out at that date, was the ideal place. The city had had the land under consideration as a possible park site, but Meany wanted it and laid plans to locate the university upon its brush-covered acres. The Legislature was still in session when Meany discovered his new university site. He went to Olympia, organized an excursion-not a difficult thing as most all legislators traveled upon railroad passes-and brought the lawmakers to Seattle. Shortly thereafter, March 7, 1891, "an act providing for the establishment, location, maintenance and support of the University of Washington" was adopted-Meany's location had been chosen. If he never had done anything else this one achievement should be enough to entitle him to lasting fame. He gave to the university a campus whose extent and beauty scarcely are to be paralleled. Politics, as usual, was to play its game, and the purchase and clearing of the land was delayed in many ways. On March 14, 1893, another act bearing a title similar to that which followed Meany's excursion, was passed by the Legislature. Meany was its author and under its provisions Governor John H. McGraw purchased the fractional section of land for $28,313.75 and the board of regents went forward with their building program. When Daniel Bagley heard of the adoption of Meany's bill he exclaimed: "They call me 'father of the university.' No, I am not the 'father' any longer, but the grandfather, and this young fellow is the 'father.'" Fred G. Plummer, of Tacoma became engineer for the board of regents and in his work was soon joined by Henry H. Hindshaw, one of the landscape architects of the Columbian Exposition. Competitive plans for the main building were opened on February 17, 1894, and the $1,000 prize offered by the board was awarded to Charles W. Saunders, of Seattle. Seventeen building contractors entered bids for the construction of the building, Cameron & Ashenfelter, of Spokane, being awarded the contract. July 4th the corner stone was laid, the chief speeches being made by A. A. Denny and Rev. Daniel Bagley, two of the men who attended the laying of the corner stone of the old building erected in 1861. The building is now known as Denny Hall. Since the day Denny Hall was dedicated the University of Washington steadily has advanced to a leading position among western colleges. Building after building followed as the needs of the school demanded. President Gatch resigned about the time the transfer from the old to the new location was made. Other presidents and many professors have followed and today the people of Washington take justifiable pride in the state's leading educational institution. It is fulfilling the hope of its founders. CHAPTER XXII ASA SHINN MERCER'S SHIPMENT OF MARRIAGEABLE WOMEN-MOVEMENT IS BEGUN IN STEILACOOM WHERE MASS MEETINGS ARE HELD SEATTLE RECEIVES WOMEN WITH OPEN ARMS-MERCER PLANS SECOND SHIPMENT-HIS ACCOUNT OF HIS VICISSITUDES HOW HOLLADAY BEAT HIM AND GOVERNOR PICKERING DISAPPOINTED HIM, BUT HE FINALLY LANDS HIS PRECIOUS CARGO AT ITS DESTINATION. Asa Shinn Mercer, first president of the Washington University, was destined to play the leading role in a unique immigration. Washington, at the time of Mercer's arrival within its borders, was suffering from a dearth of marriageable women. It was a country of bachelors, many of whom were good matrimonial prospects. They were too busy to journey down the coast, across the isthmus and up the Atlantic on courting expeditions. Every marriageable woman who came to the country found an opportunity for home making-good or otherwise according to her ability to select from the large quantity of matrimonial material offered. More women were needed-not only as brides for the rising young farmers, mechanics and business men, but also as teachers. Mercer, although the first to attempt a solution of the bachelor problem, was not the first to note its existence. Charles Prosch, who with George W. Lee established the Puget Sound Herald in Steilacoom, on March 12, 1858, several years before Mercer's arrival, had called attention to the scarcity of women. Prosch, it appears, was moved to undertake a solution of the problem by an editorial appearing in the True Democrat, of Little Rock, Arkansas, which said that "the white folks of Oregon, having no white women to choose from, are marrying Indian squaws." In commenting on the statement, the Herald man said: "How true it is of Oregon we cannot say; but we have frequently been assured that the reverse was the case there, and that marriageable white women were plentiful. Unfortunately is it too true of this beautiful territory, and one of the causes, and the principal cause, we might say, that operates to check its growth and development. Here is the market to bring your charms to, girls. Don't be backward, but come right along—all who want good husbands and comfortable homes in the most beautiful country and the finest climate in the world." * * * Frankly the editor handled his subject, pointing out the dangers certain to follow from intermarriages between the white men and Indian women, and urging that steps be taken to induce Eastern women to come to the territory as milliners, dressmakers, cooks and school teachers. Experience told him that women coming to fill such positions would become wives soon after their arrival. Frequent reference served to keep the question before the people. Eastern papers reprinted the editorials and on February 24, 1860, the Herald carried the following advertisement: "Attention Bachelors: Believing that our chance for a realization of the benefits and early attainment of matrimonial alliances depends upon the arrival in our midst of a number of the fair sex from the Atlantic states and that, to bring about such arrival, a united effort and action are called for on our part, we respectfully request a full attendance of all eligible and sincerely desirous bachelors of this community to assemble on Tuesday evening next, February 28th, in Delin & Shorey's Building, to devise ways and means to secure this much-needed and desirable emigration to our shores. D. V. K. Waldron O. H. White J. K. McCall E. O. Ferguson O. C. Shorey "And eighty-seven others." The "others" did not sign their names, but doubtless they would have been on hand had the women appeared. The meeting was held, James E. D. Jester chosen chairman, and E. H. Tucker, secretary. Several of the bachelors spoke, rules of procedure were adopted and resolutions passed. The Herald, following the custom of early day newspapers, failed to appear during the next few weeks. With its reappearance came a continuation of the discussion and early in June it devoted more than a column of space to the subject, giving it as the editor's opinion that "from the number of journals which have bestowed notice on the object of the meeting alluded to, it is fair to presume that nearly every city, town and hamlet in the United States is acquainted with it." The Cincinnati Commercial, one of the leading newspapers of the Middle West, had treated the subject in a humorous manner. Bachelor meetings continued, but definite action was not taken until after Mercer had arrived. At the close of the second year term of school, he turned his attention to the problem. An appeal to Governor Pickering and the Legislature for funds brought sympathetic encouragement, but no money-territorial funds were too nearly depletedand Mercer set out to obtain the money by voluntary subscription. With a very small amount, considering the importance of his self-imposed task, Mercer set out for Boston where he found many widows and orphaned daughters of soldiers who had fallen in the Civil war. These he tried to impress with his story. To the young women, Mercer's proposal was a most daring venture. More than seven thousand miles of water and land must be crossed on the journey from New York via the isthmus and San Francisco to Puget Sound. In March, 1864, eleven young women, ranging in age from fifteen to twenty-five years, sailed from New York for the Northwest. From San Francisco they came to the Sound on the brig Tanner and the bark Torrent-lumber carrying vessels, which landed their passengers safely at Port Gamble in May. Early in April news of the girls' coming reached Seattle and preparations were made for their welcome. The Gazette said the news dropped down in the settlement "like a brand of wild-fire in a field of stubble. It is to the effect that a choice selection of fifty young ladies, from the eastern states, actually left New York |