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About Portland observer. (Portland, Or.) 1970-current | View Entire Issue (Feb. 23, 1978)
Portland Observer Section II Thursday, February 23, 1978 Page 3 Both men joined Ashley the next spring and went with him to the Green River (Idaho) to meet Jedediah Smith, who had spent the winter in the moun tains. Upon reaching the Green River, Smith and Harris were sent out to inform the trappers who were spread through the mountains that a rendezvous would be held in Cache Valley, near Great Salt Lake. The ren dezvous of 1825 was the first of what became a significant fea ture of the fur trade. Prior to Ashley's entry into the trade, companies had purchased their furs directly from the Indians. Ashley hired trappers who work ed independently and sold their fur to his company. The rendez vous became the social event of the year and the gathering place when the trappers sold the furs, bought supplies. W agena e ve r the Rockies The next year the supplies were taken west by wagon, with Harris at the helm, jedediah Smith wrote: “This is the first time that wagons ever went to the Rockey Mountains and the ease and safety with which it was done proves the facility of com municating overland with the Pacific Oceans." This caravan set the stage for the overland migration over the Oregon Trail. Harris was an independent trapper from 1831 to 1834. In 1834 he helped Sublette build Fort Williams, later called Fort Laramie, which became an im portant way station on the Ore gon Trail. Harris served as pilot of the 1836 supply train to the Green River rendezvous. This caravan escorted the Whitman-Spalding missionary part as far as Green River. Narcissa Whitman, the first white woman to cross the Rock ies, wrote: “...if you wish to see the camp in motion, look away ahead and see the pilot and Captain Fitzpatrick just before him - next the pack animals... soon after you will see the wagons in the rear of our com pany...we had a few of them (the gentlemen) to tea with us last Monday eve - Captain Fitzpa trick. S’ewart, Major Harris and Chilam.” Harris returned to the Mis souri and the next spring was with Andrew Drips, new leader of the American Fur Company brigade, taking another supply caravan to the mountains. With this caravan were four more missionary couples - the Grays, Eells, Walkers and Smiths. Har ris escorted them as far as Fort Laramie, then headed west to inform the mountain men the place of the rendezvous. On the 1839 caravan, also led by Harris, was a German doctor, Frederick A. Wislezenes, who described Harris: “...the leader was Mr. Harris, a mountaineer without special education, but with fine good sense, that he will know how to use.” Harris was a patriot, concern ed about the United States’ juris diction over the West. On June 4, 1841, he wrote to Thornton Grimsley, “Your name is well known in the mountains by many of your old friends who would be glad to join the standard of their country, and make a clean sweep of what is called the Oregon Territory; that is to dear it of British and Indians. I was one of several hundred who invited you to take command and march through to California, and will be with you if you can get the Government of the United States to authorize the occupancy of the Oregon Country. I have been as you know twenty years in the mountains. The British have now taken possession of Fort Hall, formerly a trading post of the American trappers and are repairing it and putting it into military customs. Why our Gov ernment suffers these things I know not. The North West Company does not only take from our territory from one to two million furs and pelts a year, but they influence the Blackfeet and other tribes of Indians to take our scalps.” On to Oregon Because of the declining impor tance of the fur trade, the last Celebrate yesterday’s heroes Save with United’s Super Saver. Jim Beck worth discovered the High Sierra pass that became à major emigrant route to California. Hill, 1775. Peter Salem, lave, was cited fo r mordinary valor. Jean Baptiste Point Du Sable, fur trader, friend to Indians, founder o f settlement that became Chicago. Harriet Tubman, liberator o f over 300 staves, nurse, spy and scout fo r North during Civil War George Glenn and Bose Ikerd - t w o ojm any black cowboys who rode the Chisholm and • GoodnighhLouing Trails. ' - O « ♦ *■ Adults save 40% off round-trip Coach air fare midweek; 30% on weekends. Kids save 50% off round-trip Coach air fare. 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