USA > Oregon > The Oregon native son, Vol. I > Part 17
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A. D. STILLMAN.
The scenery on the Columbia river be- tween the mouth of the Willamette and Celilo is not surpassed for natural grand- eur anywhere in the world. It lacks the element of antiquity which ruined castles give to the Rhine, but in all other respects
it is the world's great picture-gallery. The Palisades of the Hudson do not ap- proach it. Crags, waterfalls, gorges. beetling cliffs and majestic cascades greet the eye on every side and charm the artist's brush.
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WHO SAVED OREGON.
The first recorded instance of a pri- vate citizen interesting himself in this be- half is fixed as early as 1817, Hall J. Kelly, of Massachusetts, being the mover. He spent money and labored assiducusly for years to accomplish his purposes, and in 1834 was here, but congress being un- willing to favor a scheme of colonization, his efforts and those of others who by his influence had become interested, proved a failure. The first recognition on the part of congress that there was such a country as Oregon, occurred during the session of 1820-21, in the introduction of a bill in the house of representatives "authorizing the occupation of the Ore- gon River."
In 1829 General T. S. Jessup came here at the instance of the government, and on his return the experienced veteran asserted "that the possession of this coun- try was essential for the protection of trade and the security of the western frontier;" recommending the immediate dispatch of forces for occupation. Con- gress took no action.
In 1832 Captain Nathaniel J. Wythe, a former agent of the colonization society of which Hall J. Kelly was the head, came overland with a small party for the pur- pose of trading and trapping. His ven- ture proving unremunerative on account of competition with the Hudson's Bay Company, he sold out and returned East. On his arrival there he published a memoir which attracted great attention and served to stimulate ideas of emigra- tion. Congress even ordered it printed, but took no further action.
In 1834 came the Methodist missiona- ries, closely followed by Dr. Whitman and his associates. They came to Chris- tianize the savage. To them belongs the credit of opening up the trail to Oregon
which was to become well-worn by the emigration of hardy pinoeers who fol- lowed later on.
On the 16th of March, 1838, thirty-six of the settlers in the Willamette valley for- warded, by Rev. Jason Lee, a memorial to congress, petitioning occupation by the United States. This petition wa- brought to the attention of the senate on January 28, 1839, and it was promptly placed on the table. No more important inilestone was ever erected on the Ore- gon question than was established in thi- memorial. Its second paragraph, which relates to trade with the Orient, would al- most seem to have been written under prophetic inspiration; a wonderful ful- fillment of the events of 1898. Can it be that the men who framed it heard the guns of Dewey through the sixty years intervening?
The emigration of 1840 had somewhat augmented the number of settlers, and they sent another petition, having seventy names thereto, but no visible effect seemed to have been produced upon con- gress. In 1841 they set about to form a government of their own until hoped-for recognition was realized. At first a fail- ure, then in 1843 success crowned their efforts, and the conduct of affairs then established was only turned over to the government in 1849.
In 1841 Dr. Elijah White, formerly
. identified with the Methodist mission. went East and to Washington. While there he secured from the Indian bureau a commission as sub-Indian agent of the territory west of the Rocky mountains. Whether he made the trip for the pur- pose of resurrecting the memorials of 1838-40, or whether he had a political axe to grind, has never been a subject for dispute. The sleeping Oregon issue. however, was awakened, but we look in
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win on the pages of romance and rhyme - details of his arguments through the press, before the people of the various otions he spoke to, and of his eloquent pleas to president, cabinet and to the membership of congress on the subject vi Oregon; still the fact remains that he returned the accredited representative of the United States with headquarters in the Willamette valley ; the first actual move on the part of the government towards :"erting jurisdiction over this country. The doctor's administration of affairs, and hi- differences with the mission and set- :lers may have brought him their dislike and possibly merited criticism upon him- .elf, and through such his help in saving Oregon has been more lightly considered than justice would demand.
In 1842-43 General Fremont was sent wut exploring; the writings of Bonneville, Parker. Ross and Irving were sought for; the people of the West responded to the distant voice of the pioneer; society, asso- viation and legislature demanded through their representatives in congress that a halt of governmental masterly inactivity he brought about, and that it assert at once its rightful possession and jurisdic- :11 over Oregon. At this point the Arne changes. The question becomes a national one. The Linn land bill, which provided for donation land claims to emi- grants, had passed the senate and it was spected that the house would be as fav- "rable to the measure. Hundreds were preparing to come to Oregon in the spring of 1843, and had fixed upon a ren- Arivous in Missouri for a starting point. The ball had begun to roll and gather wach impetus that the government was obliged to give it consideration and sub- .rquent right of way. This great emi- gration of 1843 was the result of the many causes which had been at work from 1838 up to that time, the chief of them being a free (rift af - 1 ... . 1 .1 ..... .. .. .. T .
bill specified. It was no hasty and ill- considered action of people suddenly aroused by the voice of one man, as has been too often claimed.
At this time. March, 1843, Dr. Whit- man appears upon the scene. A man to whom the credit of saving Oregon has been given by writers of romance and by compilers of history, overshadowing every one else, either here or elsewhere. His objects for going East have been a subject for controversy which will no doubt always keep up a division of opin- ion. A perusal of the history of the at- tempts to form, and the formation of a government in Oregon by its settlers, and of the proceedings elsewhere for the same purpose, fail to show that Dr. Whitman was a conferee, adviser or leader, except in the matter of private opinion expressed. until 1843. when he went East. Hon. William H. Gray, the leading spirit among the settlers for the formation of a government, in his history of Oregon eulogizes the doctor at length, but in so doing offers no information concerning an interest taken by him in conjunction with those who had been endeavoring to secure recognition. All writers seem to have made him out as an independent worker, a worker that never lost sight of the incentive which brought him to this coast, one who all admit was a very patri- otic American and one who had sense enough to plainly see what Oregon was and could be as a part, in fact, of the United States. He not only realized well the situation, but he gave his friends ad- vice in keeping with his opinions; still it is a question whether his love for coun- try was greater than the duty he believed due the Master. In the vineyard of the latter did he labor with no active move in behalf of the former until the home board notified him that his mission would likely be abandoned because of unsatisfactory
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OREGON NATIVE SON.
demand from the Middle West had reached such a height that congress saw its voice of thunder must be heeded. It was probably very opportune that the doctor arrived in the East just as he did. He knew the country, its possibilities and the route whereby it could be reached, and his statements in relation thereto may have been the last straw which broke the back of doubt, delay and anti-expansion sentiment on the part of some of those who had been defying the will of the peo- ple up to the time of his reaching Wash- ington. On his arrival East, it was the Master first, for he first went to the home board in the interests of his mission and from thence to the capitol. The govern- ment had a "secret service fund" long be- fore missionary boards were formed in this country. From this fund enterprises both public and supposedly private re- ceived support. Were the expeditions of Rev. Jason Lee and the doctor encour- aged from this fund? It is known that missionary efforts in Oregon did receive largely in 1839. In May, 1843, the doc- tor wrote to a friend concerning this fund, and in a manner that would indi- cate that he knew of it and how it might be used. Why did all the missionaries go to Washington? Why a government interest in missionary work that was to be assisted out of a "secret service fund?" Missionaries are the advance guard of territorial acquisition, a quiet, still,
sure method of getting a foothold
which will result in final occupa- tion. What has been contributed in the "Oregon question" is un- known; the very nature of things would demand secrecy, and it is doubtful if a statement of it could be obtained if asked for. Governments are non-committal
and missionary promoters are politic. · The former through sense of future safety of interest, the latter because it might
prove a stumbling block when soliciting from the people at large for support. The mission of Rev. Lee was a success in the way of colonization. At the mission of Dr. Whitman no settlers fixed their rooftree, and it is reasonable to suppose that Uncle Sam declined to further aid the work in his locality, hence the deci- sion of the home board to abandon the enterprise. What must be done to pre- vent this? Emigration, and that alone. Oregon was a land abounding with all the good gifts of Eden; by right it be- longed to the United States; emigration would hold and save it to the Union; this accomplished the government could no doubt be induced to further foster mis- sionary enterprises. Thinking that he could aid this necessary movement he hurried to the East with a two-fold pur- pose, the main object the saving of his mission, his great work to encourage emigration and plead with the govern- ment to push forward and settle its claims of jurisdiction. With effort directed in such manner it was likely that additional assistance from the secret service fund would be forthcoming. His defiance of the snows and cold of winter, his ride, his dress and presence gave him celebrity. His earnest, full and concise statements lad their weight with the government. gave cheer to those who had arranged to emigrate, and possibly encouraged others to come at an earlier date than they had calculated upon. His objects accom- plislied, he returned to his mission and again took up the work for which he was called. He drafted a bill on his return, at the request of the secretary of war, which bill, though given full word on his- toric page, was never introduced in con- gress. Subsequent to this action he joined in the endeavor to induce Hon. J. Quinn Thornton to go to Washington in behalf of the wonted recognition of Ore-
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gon, asserting that such would be the means of "saving him and his mission from falling under the murderous hands sí the savages." This expression is proof that the Master stood before the gov- ernment. To acclaim the doctor the "Savior of Oregon" is to claim more than the facts will warrant, and one which would never have been put forward, nor vet have been permitted by the doctor, had he not fallen by the tomahawk of a treacherous Indian.
The matter of who really saved Oregon has so.hedged mind about with conflict of opinion that one can almostimagine him- self in a place where a mass of material is strewn here and there for the erection of a triumphal arch. Now come builders upon the scene-a Native Son and Daughter. The plans are in the hand- writing of the pioneers. On the right lies a foundation stone nscribed with tribute to the missionaries, the names of Rev. Jason Lee and Dr." Whitman appearing as if entwined with laurel. On the left another lettered with the names of the American fur companies, encircling a figure in relief of Captain Robert Gray. IIere stones commemorative of the expe- ditions of Lewis and Clark. Bonneville and Fremont. There lie others which speak of the writings of Parker. Carver, Greenhow and Irving. Others bear the names of Hall J. Kelly, Wythe and Jes- sup. On one is pictured a log cabin with its latch-string hanging on the outside. indicative of the hearty welcome to the traveler, and near by are similar ones faced with imaged sheaves of wheat. of salmon, a wolf, the prairie schooner, beaver money and "good Indians." Four large ones, intended for center pieces, set forth the memorials of 1838 and 1840, the resolution of 1841 and the action of July 5. 1843. Those fashioned for the formation of the arch are many, the names on some are hidden, but one can see those
William H. Gray. Joe Meek, of
Dr. White, Robert Shortess, of Hill. Beers, Gale, Thornton, O'Neil, Smith, Moore, LeBreton, Hubbard and Gervais. Close beside these are two for placement next the cap- stone; on one of them is read Lewis F. Linn, and on the other Thomas H. Ben- ton, both life-long friends of Oregon in congress. The builders begin the work and soon the monument bespeaking the enduring debt due to those who saved Oregon is about completed-all. but the capstone. When this is put in place, one sees the kindly face of the grand old man whose willing hand and generous bounty 'brought comfort for the famished and distressed pioneers -- he whose smile and father's voice cheered them in their need -Dr. John McLoughlin. The Ameri- can eagle comes with rush of wing and lights upon the crest, and beside that proud bird is placed the emblem which proclaims liberty to all. As its folds un- furl to the breeze, the builders hang from the apex of the arch a wreath of immor- telles inscribed with the words "To God's best and greatest gift to Oregon, its pio- neer women."
The work is done and to many is due the saving of Oregon.
F. HAMPTON.
The first saddles made in Oregon were made by Richard Ekin in 1842. He came here on the Chenamus.
The proper title of Dr. John Mc- Loughlin was that of Chief Factor. He was, however, called by courtesy the "Governor." The real governor at that time of the Hudson's Bay Company was Sir H. Pelly, in England, and Sir George Simpson, in Canada.
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OREGON NATIVE SON.
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Photo by Browning. THOMAS A. SAVIER. A Pioneer of 1850.
Photo by Thwaites.
THOMAS A. WOOD. A Pioneer of 1852.
JOHN TUCKER SCOTT. A Pioneer of 1852.
Photo by Abell-Herrin Co. GEORGE H. HIMES, A Pioneer of IN.
A
IODE TO THE COLUMBIA.
Columbia! ancient and wonderful river! Thy span is an empire. thy grave is the sea: Through cycles unmeasured, still sweeping on ever. The flight of the ages is nothing to thee. O sullen Columbia, tell me thy history, That deep in oblivion is lost to my ken: Inscrutable river, reveal the deep mystery
That darkly hangs o'er thee, unfathomed by men. .
For ages the mastodon trod the broad marshes. Or ranged through the forests that margined thy shores:
Now deep in thy beds of alluvial washes Lie buried those giants that flourished of yore; Those ponderous relics of animal races, Who drank of thy waters for thousands of years, Bear witness of God. in rock-graven traces, O time-tiring tide, to thy ancient career.
Ah! tell me, thou beautiful shimmering river, Who first the boat lightly rowed over thy waves: Serene on thy bosom they'll rock again never. Deserted their homes. and forgotten their graves. Full well didst thou know of their loves and their sighings. Ai.d fierce were their battles, and often thy shore Has echoed the war-whoop. or wail of the dying: Mute river. re-echo their story once more.
Columbia, I gaze with sublimest emotion Upon thy deep gorge, in the mountainous blocks. And on they broad waters in sinuous motion. 'Mid shadow and light of thy towering rocks, The fall of Multnomah leaps down from the mountain. And breaks into mists like the veil of a bride. Then murmurs on down from its sylvan-like fountain, To sigh on they bosom, and mix in thy tide.
Columbia, 'tis said, in the years of thy morning, God fashioned an arch o'er thy bosom to span. Then fringed it with green, for its lofty adorning. While silent below it thy dark waters ran.
Mount Hood and Mount Adams then lordly were standing. As sentinels guarding the opposite shores: Cold. ancient and hoary, with mein of commanding, And restless to try their titanic powers. There each at the other his threatenings muttered, And when their hot wrath could no longer restrain, Their belchings were fiercer than hell ever uttered. With thunderings lond, and sulphurous rain.
Far up in the heavens shot the lurid fires flashing. And thick o'er the land fell the hot, hissing stone. The mountains like demons were roaring and clashing. While thunderbolts shot from the storm king's throne:
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The stones of the arch first swayed and then severed, With rumblings appalling, and crashing it fell; The bridge of the gods was ruined forever,
But made the cascades with their billowy swell.
Columbia, majestic and deep-flowing river. Thy waters have powdered the mountains to sand, And drifted them silently, seawardly, ever.
To bar the proud breakers that dash on the strand. Thou, lordly Columbia, grand and imperious, Hast sundered the mountains, and swept to the sea,
And dared the wild ocean, whose howlings mysterious, And surf-rolling thunders, can never fright thee.
The stateliest monuments man ever builded. Of granite or marble, have crumbled to dust: His cities and temples, and palaces gilded, Have fallen a prey to the rot and the dust: The arts of old Egypt, and Chaldea's glory, Are lost in oblivion, and never can be Re-echoed in song, or reuttered in story,
' But time's desolations have never marred thee.
While the smile of the sun litts the mist from the ocean, Or clouds by the breezes are blown o'er the land.
Or falls the soft snow, in its feathery motion, Thy beautiful waters shall flow to the strand: Sometime. in the flight of eternity's aeons. -The sun will grow dim, and the ocean be dry. Earth float in its orbit through darkness letheon, . Then, ancient Columbia, thy grandeur will die.
At last I would sleep to the sound of thy splashings, Where murmurings soft of thy musical flow. Or foam of thy beautiful cataracts' dashings, Should sigh to the sea winds, as softly they blow; In the years that are coming, some sculpturist lonely. May pause on thy shore. by the side of my grave; I would on thy walls he should carve my name only, Above where thy waters eternally lave.
G. B. KUYKENDALL, M. D.
ORIGIN OF THE NAME "WEBFOOT."
The term "webfoot" became current during the early mining days of Southern Oregon, and it is said to have originated through a sarcastic remark of a commer- cial traveler who had spent the night at the house of a farmer located on the marshy banks of the Long Tom, Lane county. It had been raining quite hard, and in consequence water stood every-
where, which caused him to say: "The children living around here ought to be webfooted." The farmer's wife replied: "We have thought of that," at the same time showing the astonished visitor her baby's feet, which had webs between the toes. The story lost nothing in telling. and webfoot became the pseudonym for Oregonians.
THEY WERE ANCIENT GODS OF THE INDIANS.
A LEGEND.
The Columbia riv- er Indians say that in the long ago the people living up the river could get no salmon, were very hungry and appeal- ed to the god Spee- lvia for succor. Be- ing moved by their sufferings, he de- cided to go down the river and learn the cause of the famine. On his ar- rival at a point a .few miles above where Astoria now stands, he found a dam had been con- structed across the Photo by Browning. LATOURELLE FALLS. river by some bea- ver women, who kept watch and allowed no salmon to pass. Seeing that the easiest way to gain quick admission to their homes would be by resorting to strategy, he transformed himself into a pappoose (baby), and got into a piece of bark, so high on the sides and so bent up at both ends, that it would serve as a canoe: in this fashion he went floating down towards the dam. On ar- riving at the place where the women lived, one of them, by the name of Was- ke-wa, happened to be outside her lodge cleaning fish. To attract her attention, As long as Speelyia kept the key to the dam his wife was happy and contented, and without it her sisters could not lock the river to the Indians; but one day he lost it and the finder gave it to his wife. Immediately she began to long for her Speelyia began to cry and fret. the noise causing the woman to look around. On perceiving him, her tender heart was . the dam and prevent the fish getting up touched, and, taking him in her arms, ran to her sisters, crying: "Oh, sisters! 1 have found a baby." After making
much ado over him, she resolved to try and raise him to manhood, so she would have a husband. The other sisters ob- jected to this arrangement, and when his preserver was away Speelyia overheard them talking about drowning him, but in this they were prevented by the watch- fulness and care given by his nurse. After he had been there several days, he found the beauty of his foster-mother had stolen his heart, and also that she was the keeper of the key to the dam. To remain there he ran the risk of get- ting drowned, and the Indians up the river would starve. If he left. he could not go without the lovely Was-ke-wa.
On the tenth day of his stay the weath- er grew warm and sultry, the women all became drowsy, and finally went to sleep. This was Speelyia's opportunity, and he stole from Was-ke-wa's breast the key there hidden, and quietly went out and unlocked the dam. When he returned to his sleeping charmer, he came in his manhood's form, and, taking her in his arms, ran toward the river bank. On his near approach he found that the end of the dam was gone, but the myriads of salmon pushing through the break were so packed in that walking on their backs was like walking on dry land. On reach- ing home he found all the Indians rejoic- ing over the return of the salmon, and before the conclusion of the festivities inaugurated as. thanksgiving, he cele- brated his nuptials with Was-ke-wa.
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former home and the society of her sis- ters. Her discontent was evidence enough to Speelyia that she had secured the key, and to prevent her from making bad use of it, he always confined her and her two sons in a cave when he went away. As he was gone quite frequently. this treatment completely alienated their affections, and they planned to decamp. One day while Speelvia was in his sweat- house, the family stole away and were far down the river before he discovered their absence.
As Was-ke-wa ran along she would every little while pull out one of the long hairs that crowned her head and stretch it across the trail, tieing the ends to rocks and trees, so that Speelyia in his pur- suit would trip up and lose time in his race to capture them. After proceeding for a time, curiosity got the better of her, and she halted to note the effect of her efforts to delay him. Speelia scon came in sight, but every time Photo by Browning. PILLARS OF HERCULES he reached one of her obstructions he would fall heavily to the ground. He did this so often that his knees became badly bruised, and were bleeding so profusely that he was much weakened by loss of blood. As he fell again and again. the laughter of his wife and sons came to his ears. Know- ing in his weakness he would be unable to overtake them except by strategy, he made a pretense of being more exhausted than he really was, and, dropping to his knees, began crawling along slowly, re- covering his breath and energy as he did so.
His ruse proved successful and effect- ua!, for they allowed him to come close
to them; then Speelyia got up quickly and with a bound had seized the recreant spouse. Before the sons could interfere the god had drawn a long knife, and, they being unarmed, a rescue of their mother was out of the question. Through the advise of their mother they began to run on down the river. Speelyia pleaded for the possession of the key she had taken, but in vain. Her stubbornness so angered him that he dug away the side of the mountain and hung her thereto, at the same time transferring her to a waterfall, now called Latourelle, after which he again set out in pursuit of his sons, with whom he soon caught up.
To them he promised all sorts of good things if they would return to his lodge. but they told him to "Wait till they had visited their mother's sisters." When the god had made offer of all the induce- ments he could think of, they still said "wait." At last he told them he would do so, but that their aunts would wait for their coming as long as he did, and, with his powers of enchantment, willed that they should stand where they were, each a pillar of rock, and there we of to- day find them and know them as "The Needles," or "Pillars of Hercules."
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