Foreword and 

 Acknowledgements 



The story '*The Rise and Decline of the Ol^mpia Oyster* Was 

 inspired by a desire on the part of today's o^siermen to preserve the 

 earl\) history, the yesterdays of the pioneer oystermen. It covers 

 more than half a centur]) of the lives of those to whom this hook is 

 dedicated, and the part they took in the development of the native 

 oyster found by them in the waters of southern Puget Sound; their 

 problems and their persistent efforts and ingenuity in overcoming 

 them. 



Also how, after perfecting a system of oyster culture surpassed 

 by none in the oyster n^orld, which yielded abundant crops, they de- 

 veloped a market which readily absorbed the supply. Success was 

 attained in producing ''An oyster right for the market, a market right 

 for the oyster*'. 



In treating that part of the story pertaining to the ** Decline'' of 

 the Olympia Oyster industry it goes into how the said pioneers and 

 their families, and other oystermen who joined their ranks through 

 the years, are being deprived of the fruit of their labors; the cause 

 of the decline and its extent. 



Little will be found which appeals to the fiction reader. It is not 

 a love story. The only mystery or love story told is ''The love life of 

 the oyster". It is simply a story of mens lives, the life of the oyster 

 which they cultivated, and the Olympia Oyster industry. 



At the time this historic story Was authorized only three of the 

 half century pioneers remained. During its preparation one of the 

 three, George W. Draham, has passed on. Fitting references have 



