USA > Oregon > The Oregon native son, Vol. I > Part 42
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"They were not taken off any dock, but from the western part of the tide- flat."
"Remote from the business traffic and travel of the town."
"Y(s."
Unger's next step, in company with the marshal, was to visit all the steamers, examine their passenger lists-which were extremely small-and satisfy him- self the parties he sought were not among them; and then, requesting the marshal to learn from the inspectors what they knew concerning the suspic- iolus sailing vessel, he began strolling about town while he studied the situa- tion. He was oppressed by a terrible weight of anxiety as to the fate of Mar- shon and Hubbard. Had they been murdered, and were their remains now lying in the harbor to be cast upon the icy beach by the first high tide? Or were they wounded, lying insensible, dying, almost within the sound of his voice? How impotent, how unavailing were all man's strongest efforts to ac- complish anything in this land of moun- tain and sea. so knit together by inter- woven inlets, rocky promontories and desolateislesthat it seemed as if each was contesting the other's realm; where neither railroad nor telegraph line facili- tated action, but for 800 miles-a three
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ROBBERY GREAT ALASKAN EXPRESS COMPANY.
days' journey under most favorable con- ditions-absolute inaction was imposed upon any attempt to communicate with the outside world.
He wanted to communicate with Miss Merritt, but how was he to do it? The telephone was not yet in working order -probably would not be repaired that day-and the wind was blowing up the canal with constantly-increasing fury, having risen so much during the few hours during their trip across the bay that all ferry steamers were tied up. However, he found a messenger who promisd to carry a letter. to Dyea over- land.
Unger then went to the wharf where the Islander was moored to see if he could make arrangements with the cap- tain to be landed at or near Haines' Mis- sion, and if so, how soon the steamer would leave. On the latter point the captain assured him that if the wind did not increase so as to make it dangerous to cut loose from the dock he should sail about 2 o'clock; but he said he would not undertake to land at the Mis- sion, or to cast anchor long enough to put him ashore in a small boat in such a gale. Unger then explained to him the reason for the request, and the necessity of getting there at once. The captain, appreciating the value of time in such an emergency, and perhaps relishing the opportunity to take part in the chase, finally agreed that if Unger would take his own boat and boatman he would land them as near the shore as he possibly could. Even that concession was more than Unger had reason to expect, and he accepted the terms without further par- ley. A powerful Swede who had spent years boating and fishing on the lower Columbia, and owner of a small boat, was engaged to go with him.
When the Islander swung out into the open channel she struck a gale that re- minded the captain of the dreaded Taku; Her rigging hummed like harpstrings, tense to the point of breaking, while the air was full of spray .whipped from the heavy billows. Thick gray clouds hung low upon the mountain sides in protect- ed vales, or strung out like carded wool
on sharp ledges, or globed themselves in masses of black mystery, all enclosing a scene of unspeakable terror and desola- tion.
For a while Unger stood upon the steamer's bow listening to the demoniac voices of the gale, speculating upon his chances of making a landing at Haines' Mission, and whether he was starting upon a fruitless quest. He knew it was a foolhardy undertaking, but he was nev- er known to turn back so long as there remained the faintest hope of success, no matter what hardships and dangers were to be encountered. Two hours or so later the captain told him they were nearing Haines' Mission, and asked him what he thought of the outlook. Unger replied that it looked all right, and he desired to be put off as near shore as possible, and he believed they could make a landing in some sheltered cove, from which he and his boatman could make their way to the town before dark.
The captain looked at him in amaze- ment. It was already 4 o'clock; the shadow of approaching night had cross- ed the channel and was rolling its dark curtain upward toward timber line on the eastern range. Noting this, the squally condition of the weather, and the rough sea, the captain muttered:
"My friend, it is impossible for any or- dinary skiff to live in this sea, even if we could safely launch it. I should be guilty of murder to set you off here, and I should endanger my ship and the lives of my passengers if I should undertake to run close into harbor."
"But I must be put off here, Captain. I am willing to assume all risk to my- self, and you run no risk to your vessel in stopping long enough to launch our boat."
"Impossible!" Replied the brusque English Captain. "I fully appreciate the situation you are in, but what good would it do to pitch you off into this sea? Your boat would founder and sink in ten minutes."
"What can I do?" exclaimed Unger, bitterly.
"You can go to Juneau and take the first steamer back. There is no other al- ternative. Besides, let me tell you, Mr.
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OREGON NATIVE SON.
Unger, the sau boat you expected to -meet at Haines' cannot make that port in this gale. Long before now she has been compelled to run into some pro- tected nook for shelter. If this wind holds until tomorrow you can get back
here, probably, as soon as she can."
Unger yielded to the inevitable, for he saw it was useless to contend. He scanned the harbor and the bay with his field-glass, but not a sail was to be seen. C. H. SHOLES.
(Continued.)
WILLOW BASKETS.
The Pacific Northwest imports thous- ands of dollars' worth of willow baskets annually . This should not be. The wil- low grows in our midst and on every hand, and the growth could be easily en- larged to such proportions that the in- dustry need never want for material. There is no trouble to find a market for the output and at good prices. Some day fortunes will be made here in this line of business, and the first one who starts the enterprise will open up a Klondike that success will run after.
Besides flax, silk, tobacco, sugar cane, sugar beets and tons upon tons of fruits, grains, grasses, vegetables and melons, let alone its vast store of mineral wealth, the Pacific Northwest ttakes the lead as the berry section of the Union. The berries grown here are of so many va- rieties as to defy description. The par- ticular branch of berry culture. how- ever, which has the most promising fu- ture is probably that of the cranberry. This berry is found in various sections of the Pacific Northwest growing in a wild state; some attention has been given to its culture and more will be given. But with very little trouble the vast acreage now covered can be in- creased a hundred fold, and with culti-
vation the revenues foot far into the thousands.
Nowhere else in the world is the d
rate so low, according to population, as it is in the states comprising the Pa- cific Northwest. Nowhere else on the globe can one find a country as Edenic as this part of its great expanse. No- where under the sun are there as many undeveloped resources as we have on very hand. No colossal fortune is so vast but what a greater sum can be made by the many enterprises whichc should be established in our midst.
Some people think there is no room for the fruit industry in the Pacific Northwest, but it is fruit-growing in the right manner which will help to make this part of our United Statets more famous. When the industry reaches the proportions it should attain the fact will be self-evident. The Pacific Northwest grows more varieties of fruits than any other country in the world, and yet there are few canneries here than there are to b found in Eastern towns of from ... to three thousand inhabitants.
Others find employment and fortune in fruit preserving, and the leaving of our fruits unpicked or unpreserved is money out of pocket for us.
Swan Island was at one time the home of an industry which received considera- ble attention in the early forties. It was of the "moonshine" order and whisky called "blue ruin" was therein distilled from molasses. The proprietor of the Richard McCrary.
The first threshing machines in the original Oregon were of the endless chain variety. and were built in Oregon City in 1848. Prior to that time thresh- ing was done by putting the sheaves in an enclosure and then driving horses over them.
GOVERNORS OF OREGON.
Executive committee:
David Hill, Alanson Beers and Joseph Gale, July 5, 1843, to May 14, 1844.
Peter G. Stewart,, Osborn Russell and W. J. Bailey, May 14, 1844, to August 3, 1845.
Governor:
George Abernethy, from August 3, 1845, to March 3, 1849.
Territorial governors:
Joseph Lane, March 3, 1849, to June 18, 1850.
Kintzing Pritchett, June 18, 1850, to .August 18, 1850.
John P. Gaines, August 18, 1850, to May 16, 1853.
Joseph Lane, May 16, 1853, to May 19, 1853.
George L. Curry, May 19, 1853, to December 2, 1853.
John W. Davis, December 2, 1853, to August II, 1854.
George L. Curry, August 1, 1854, to March 3, 1859.
State governors:
John Whiteaker, March 3, 1859, to September 10, 1862.
A. C. Gibbs, September 10, 1862, to September 12, 1866.
George L. Woods, September 12, 1866, to September 14, 1870.
La Fayette Grover, September 14, 1870, to February 1, 1877.
Stephen F. Chadwick, February I, 1877, to September 11, 1878.
W. W. Thayer, September II, 1878, to September 13, 1882.
Z. F. Moody, September 13, 1882, to January 12, 1887.
Sylvester Pennoyer, January 12, 1887, to January 14, 1895.
William Paine Lord, January 14, 1895, to January 11, 1899.
Theodore T. Geer, January II, 1899, present governor, elected for four years.
A MAZAMA SONG.
Upward! the height, snow-mantled and old,
After the eyes draws our steps to its hold.
Valleys spread wide, empurpled and soft. Our path leads above, our course lies aloft.
Above the Alp fields, and the zone of the pine,
Above the Alp flowers, and the juniper .vine.
To the Plutonic rocks, flame-fashioned and curled,
That rugged and stark confront the far world.
The beetling approaches the doors of the sky,
Whose purple enchantments over them lic.
This is our tract-glacier and spur, Delimit it well, and the dim guifs aver
That our course is above! And the crys- talline snows,,
The frost-fissured ledge, the thin air that blows.
Unite to confirm that never the same Is the world that we tread, as the world whence we came.
Still our course is above chasm or scaur, Rock loosened or falling, or snow-blind- ing glare
Affords no defeat, or works no dismay, The top of the peak is the end of our way.
-H. S. Lyman.
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EARLY DAYS IN LINN.
Choice bits of history lie hidden in the country newspaper offices of Ore- gon that will probably never be known to the reading world. The Albany Her- ald is but one example in many. Dur- ing the Summer of 1879, the writer was in his normal condition financially, that is, he hadn't a cent, or even the visible means of getting any, for that matter, but he was rich in schemes for erecting magnificent palaces in the air. He was young and inexperienced, willing to "rush in where angels fear to tread"; was blessed with unbounded faith in his own resources and ability to carve the future to suit himself. He had pre- viously spent a year in Linn, the ban- ner Democratic county of the state, the ·destinies of which were presided over by Mart. V. Brown, editor of the States Rights Democrat, and one of the warm- est hearted. most genial whole-souled fellows who ever drew breath. Always. as election approached, certain sup- posed-to-be pillars of the Republican party gathered about a warm stove and talked mysteriously of how certain old Linn was to go Republican "this time." They whittled and talked it over until convinced themselves, then carried the news to the state central committee in Portland, where they told of the hard work they were doing throughout the county. Told how "Cy. Hawks and Joe Peters and old Widdy Bumpkins' boys was goin to vote the straight Republi- can ticket.' How Tom Todkins, "away up in the Forks, was quietly puttin' in good licks." They then returned to Linn county, gathered around the same warm stove and told what a sensation it created in the state central committee, to learn that Linn was going Republican. With unvarying regularity, however, election came and with it the same old- fashioned Democratic majority and the same old excuses from the same old 'pillars." For many years this had con- tinued, until the state central committee wearied of the stale story, and refused, ponit blank to even assist in Linn county.
This was the condition of affairs when the writer conceived the idea of start- ing a newspaper in Albany and carrying the county. A plan was laid before the Republican state central committee, but the idea of carrying Linn county was ridiculed. Already the field was occu- pied by a Republican paper, called the Register, and something must be done to get rid of it, or at least overcome the idea that we were there to run it out. Flans were cheap, and one was forth- coming. Two practical printers were interested in the scheme, then the writer slipped quietly up to Albany, mysteri- ously confided in two or three friends of the Register that he was there to buy that paper at any price. Then he waited a day for developments before calling on the editor, who seemed dis- posed to hold his paper at extravagant figures. Several calls were made and an apparent determination to buy mani- fested, after which several times the value of the property was offered and re- fused. The matter was taken under ad- visement-and carried off to Portland, together with the only dollar the writer had. A new outfit was then purchased, for which $50 was collected from politic- ians on subscriptions, but the freight must be paid to Albany, so $50 were borrowed in Salem, and the first paper appeared Friday, Nov. 28, 1879. Sub- scriptions in Linn county were refused until the paper was issued, but next day eighty-three subscribers were ob- tained at $2.50 each. A sway-back mule was then purchased and the writer started out on missionary work. The proprietors of the paper were all three newcomers were called "the tripod," and were constantly twitted by the Dem- ocrat with "trying to be people:"
Lack of organization in the county soon became evident, so a Young Men's Republican club was organized with the postmaster as president. In this way there was no danger of "prominent pil- lars" controlling the club's policy : then, too. there was the plea that it would en- thuse the younger element. As a matter
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OREGON AND ITS VAST INTERESTS.
of fact, there was a wheel within a wheel. A constitution was adopted that pro- vided for an executive committee of nine, to be subdivided into three com- mittees, one to be known as "committee on county organization," of which the writer was chairman. No meeting of this committee was ever held, but the chairman prepared a set of little books, into each of which was entered a com- plete set of voters for a precinct. These books were passsed out on the quiet, and the work of organization commnced in earnest. A hot political campaign was on and the writer lived in the saddle, astride of that sway-backed mule, for many weeks before election, increasing the circulation of his paper and riding from one precinct to another.
The Democratic county convention was held, and two druggists were can- didates for county clerk. One received the nomination, and the other, who wore spectacles, bolted and stumped the' county for the Republican. The day of election approached and every precinct was organized as it never had been be- fore. Enthusiasm ran high, and a prom- inent Democrat offered $20 for the ar-
rest of the first man atatempting to vote illegally. Word was immediately sent to Republican workers to capture that $20 for the good of the cause, and, sure enough, one of the boys landed it by arresting such a man the morning of election. When the polls closed money changed hands freely, but before dawn it was known that Linn county had really gone Republican. A jollification was planned and that $20 added to the expense fund. The Herald came up to the election with a subscription list of 1500, had captured the county printing and has ever since been one of the lead- ing papers of Oregon. The next issue of the Democrat was a gem. Half a column of scare-heads indicated that the Democrats had carried Waterloo pre- cinct by a majority of one, thus elect- ing a justice of the peace. "Please Let Us Crow a Little," in large, blalck type, was followed by a little rooster, half an inch high. "This is What Beat Us," stood over a wee picture of a pair of spectacles and a mule. "Vat a country and vat a peoples," was the editorial comment.
W. G. STEEL.
OREGON AND IT'S VAST INTERESTS.
There is no pleasanter place in the un- iverse in which to dwell. Nature has lav- ished all her charms and beauties upon it. Nowhere can people live better for less expenditure. Nowhere are the com- forts and conveniences of life more read- ily and easily obtained. But Oregon can never become permanestly prosperous, can never even hold its own simply by its people trading one with the other, or one upon the other, sending abroad that great surplus of wealth which its pro- ductiveness affords, and which its great rivers and forests supply.
All should give their support to the struggling industries now in the state which have so much to contend against, and encourage the starting of others. Give the preference to goods manufac-
tured in our midst, all else being equal. If all would demand and insist upon having goods bearing the stamp of Ore- gon manufacture, our merchants and our traders will soon carry the stock. Production will be increased. More la- bor will be employed. More money will be distributed. More boys will be able to learn trades, to develop minds and body, and more girls will find employ- ment. This will all be accomplished, not by a miracle, but simply by building the future on an assured natural founda- tion. Industry is the only sure and un- yielding foundation of prosperity. We must move, live and act. or else we must be passively ground in the mill- stones of evolution as they unceasingly revolve.
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A HISTORIC PRINTING PRESS.
We present in the frontispiece to this number a picture of the first printing press that came to the Pacific Northwest. It was built in Boston and was pur- chased by the American Board of For- eign Missions for foreign mission use. It is known as a "Ramage printing, copying and seal press, No. 14." In 1819 it was sent by the Board to its mission in Honolulu, the Sandwich Islands be. ing at that time an important field of missionary work. For some twenty years it there served to print, in Kanaka tongue, psalms, books and other matter as a help to educate a savage king and people to a knowledge of a better life and win them from hoola-hoola dance and belief of heathen. In 1839 the Board presented it to its Oregon mis- sion, it being brought here by a printer by the name of Edward O. Hall.
On its arrival it was first taken to Waiilatpu and from there to the Lapwai station, at both of which, matter was again printed in the language of the sav-
age, principally in that of the Nez Perce. Early in 1848 it was removed to Hills- boro and there its type marked the paper with English word until some eight numbers of a 16-page monthly journal were printed. This was called The Or- egon American and Evangelical Union- ist and was edited by the well-known pioneer recently deceased-Rev. J. S. Griffin.
Prior to 1844 ink balls were used to ink the type but in that year the roller now with the press was made and con- tinued as a distributor until the useful- ness of the press was considered past. For a number of years the outfit was stored in the state house in Salem, when the Oregon Historical Society obtained custody of it, removing it to a temporary place for keeping relics in Portland. Be- fore this last remove the employes in the office of the state printer cleaned up enough type to admit of the setting up of a roster of their number, and the old press was again in activity and a power.
MOUNTAIN LORE.
The following account of the ascent of
Mount Rainier appeared in the
Washington Republican, published at Steilacoom, July 24, 1857 and is believed to be the first published recognition of a glacier in the United States:
"Some two weeks ago an expedition to ascertain the practicability of ascend- ing Mt. Rainier was organized by Lieut. A. V. Kautz, U.S.A. Dr. R. O. Craig, U. S. A. joined the party at the last mo- ment which consisted, besides the above- named gentlemen, of four enlisted men from Fort Steilacoom and an Indian named Wa-pow-e-ty who had once been across the Cowlitz river, down the Nis- qually when a boy. The party started on the Sth inst., with ten days' supplies, from Fort Steilacoom, taking horses as far as the Mishawl prairie, a distance of about forty miles. From thence with six days' provisions, consisting of dried meat and hard bread, and a blanket on their
backs, they proceeded across the moun- tains between the Mishawl and Nisqual- ly, coming upon the Nisqually above the falls. They continued for five days up the river, traveling on the bars when- ever possible, but a greater part of the way through the dense undergrowth of the bottom, from where the Nisqually emerges from an immense glacier. The sixth day they started up the mountain, but the weather was very bad. They were soon enveloped in a storm of snow, hail and mist; and unable to see their course, they sought a camp, at an ele- vation of 7000 feet above the sea. The next morning, the 16th, it stopped snow- ing about 8 o'clock and they commenced the ascent. The party now consisted of Lieut. A. V. Kautz, Dr. Craig,, Privates Carroll, of company A, Dogue, of com- pany C, Fourth infantry, and the In- dian. About 4 o'clock, at an elevation of about 10,000 feet, Carroll and the In-
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TOLD BY GOV. PENNOYER.
dian gave out, and returned to camp. At an elevation of above 12,000 feet Dogue said he could go no farther. The Doctor was behind. but came up to that point afterwards. The crest of the mountain was now fairly turned, and the ascent less steep. The nearest peak was still to attain, to make the observations that were contemplated. It was after 6 o'clock. The cold precluded all possi- bility of staying on the mountain all night, as ice was forming in their can- teens. The wind was exceedingly strong and intensely cold. The party now found that they should have started ear- lier in the morning. They decided to return and try and make the desired observations the next day, but their late return and over-exertion was too much for most of the party. The Indian had violent inflammation of the eyes and could not see, and they could not make a second ascent that day. They could not wait, as an examination of their stock of provisions showed about three crackers and a pound of dried meat to the man, to carry them over a track of country that required six days, and the weather being unfavorable, they decided to re- turn, having at least demonstrated the practicability of ascending the mountain. The party report the mountain perfectly
accessible on any side. They were un- fortunaate in having bad weather. There is much danger of chasms in the snow and ice .. With moderate energy and plenty of time any one can get up. The cause of a portion of the party giving out was because they undertook to do too much in a short time. It will require about sixteen hours to go from the snow limit to the top without over-exertion."
Mount Dawson, a peak of the Sel- kirks hitherto unclimbed, has been as- cended by Professor Charles E. Fay, of Tuft's College, and H. C. Parker, of Co- lumbia University. members of the Ap- palachian club. Mount Dawson is the highest of the Selkirks thus far ascended, being about 10,000 feet above sea level.
Ten maps recently issued by the U. S. Geological Survey, embody results of ex- plorations and surveys made by parties sent to Alaska in 1898 by the war depart- ment and by the survey. The maps are a convenient compilation of recent Alas- kan surveys, and also a summary of our present geographical knowledge of the country. Applications for them should be made to senators, representatives or to the director of the geological survey.
TOLD BY GOVERNOR PENNOYER.
Not long ago Governor Pennoyer re- lated to a reporter of the Telegram some of his reminiscences of early days in Portland, and in speaking of the changes therein particularly incident to himself said:
"Yes, sir, there have been big changes in Portland since I came here. At that time I possessed the only swallow-tail coat in the town. I brought it from the East with me. The first Sunday I put on my swallow-tail and went to church. Everyone stared at me, but I returned
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