Mrs. Theodore Cory, vrhe writes vt
els aa Winifred Graham, now p
thla country, a ad ready to think;
marriage bureau might be a very
Kood thins.
BY EfHEL THURSTOJ'I,
SOMETHING has grot to tie dona
about it that is the impression
on gets. If you ever read a heap
of lonesome letters you might join In
this belief yourself. If ypu. were, the
mayor of a big: city and received ap
peals to find wives tor lonesome men
In far places you would begin to
understand. If you looked- over New
Tork, for example, the town which
"The Qreat Desire'' palls the "City of
Successfully Single," you would get
another slant. . And If you heard that
awful phrase, Repeated n aH parts of
the world, "superfluous women,' you
might really get husy.
It i made frankly plain that cup-'
taljlment marriage is frowned upon
by nations that lost heavily in. man
power during the four years and a
half of war. Alt these governments
view the "surplus woman' problem
with anxety.
Recently the little republic of Urui
gqay announced an offer of 29Q to,
every pew bride, ftrKou.s, js that
coyrttry with a population of only
about five persons to the square mile,
to populate her rich and fertile lands.
"War worked havoc with Uruguay'
population, too, immigration being at
a low ebb during the war, while her
young mn left constantly for the
European battlefields, many of them
never tP, return-.
In France, the government Is urg
ing women to bear more children, but
how can France, with her Jarge num
ber of fine young marriageable sens
now dead, expect to increase her pop
ulation very considerably without
either importing marriageable men or
suggesting that her women embrace
polygamy?
Problem of Superfluous" Women.
Most English visitors to these
shores will give cheerful accounts
of how their government is adjust
ing this and that problem created by
war's necessities, but &ak them what
England intends to do with her
2,000,600 surplus women and lp! their
cheerfulness of manner gves way
to a blank slare. while they answer,
"I really o not know."
. This puzzling question today is
engaging the attention of half the
world . ' . ,
Perhaps the solution of this gigantic
problem may he found In the sug
gestian put forth by Mrs, Theodore
Cory, the well known English novelist
who writes under the name of Wini
fred Graham.
"Hiss Graham" has tq her credit
85 hooka pf fiction, therefore, pne
readily understand? how she can be
an authority on questions Pf romance
and. marriage, particularly as her own
marriage, which ' as lasted. If years,
has been so very happy.
"I wonder if every happily married
woman hasn't the instiets of a matchr
maker?" asked this beautiful and In
teresting young woman, who arrived
In this country recently for a ehort
visit, i
"I have not only the instincts. 0he
frankly admitted, "but I do believe
I could qualify for an official position
of matchmaker. I have had some suc
cess along this line among my friends,
for I think it is qujte true that
woman who is married and is happy
longs to see her girl friends as pleas
antly established in life.
"Oh, dear no, I have no ambition
to become known as' the Interna
tional matchmaker, as you suggest,"
laughed Mrs. Cory. '"That would be a
gigantic Job, wouldn't It now? .
"But seriously, I do believe that an
International marriage bureau might
become a most useful Institution. I
have given this considerable thought
at times, because you see I beoame
very much Interested In the Mormon
question. I wrote a novel on . J have
no patience with Mormon ism and Its
tenets, I do not think plural wives
V
4
i.
PC
Yea. everything is nil very nlee and
perhaps, dancing with
or plural husbands make for the high-
est happiness or for the best develop
ment of humanity.
"So, why not an international mar
rlags bureau, where young men and
4 i 1 OS :' .AL :t!!kSf1fteV
EARLY RIVER BOATS AND CREWS HAVE '
HISTORY THAT MAKES CAPTIVATING STORY
Countless Testa and Harrowing Trials Figufe Prominently in Tale of Intrepid Men "Who Braved the Many
' Dangers of Pioneer Steam-Beating Days. -
(Continued From rjrst Page. )
the first river postal agent. The
BlackhawK had also appeared, on the
eene, and was a little iron propeller
boat and traveled to Portland from
tho Sacramento as a passenger oa one
Of Abernatby'a sailing vessels. She
engaged in the passenger trade be
tween Portland and Oregon City and
prospered. v , f
Now earn the tlma for tha starbf
navigation on that stretch of river
between Cascades and The Dalles.
The Palles was an established army
post and needed the. service and this
presented an opportunity that a fore
sighted Individual equld not afford
to neglect, so the James P. Flint was
built for this route. After she was
completed at Cascades her owners
hauled her ever, the rapids and placed
her In service pn the" middle-river
Stretch, Now ve come to the period
f the first disasters, and the James
P. Flint figures in this, as she was
taken below the rapids in 1853 and
lp September of that year was sunk
opposite Multnomah falls, No lives
were lost, but .the hull was aban
doned ntli the next year, when H
waa raised and taken to Vancouver
and repaired and again plaoed in serv
ice, this t'me as the Fashion. About
this time came the first explosion on
th rivers, when the Canemah, which
had bean lengthened out, exploded a
flue while pn her run near Champoeg,
and scalded to oeath a passenger
named Marlon Holereft.
During all this time the Whltoemb
iwas yt plying; her prosperous trade
TITE SUNDAY OREGONTAN. PORTLAND. JANUARY 4, 1920.
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comfortable In thla grlrln elnb In London,
tuemaelves In the vanlnl Wouldn't
women, who'have no means of meet-I
ing and who may liye a world apart,
may find their perfect mate, through I
these means of communication 1 - I
"I believe that such a plan could '
on the Astoria run, though the Wil
lamette had entered the same route
for a short - time. Proving too ex
pensive to operate, the Willamette
left the Columbia, went tq Pan Fran
olsco, and later ended hep career In
China. Roamers all were those early
day boats, and they never knew
where they would spend their next
few days. On the upper Willamette
about this time came the Oregon, but
she was a poor investment and a loss
tpxher owners.' Then the Shoal Water
made, her bow, Uie sixth steamer on
the upper .' "Willamette, fitted with
double-geared engines and designed
to run on a light fall of dew. She was
another failure and In 1884, while
making a landing at Rock Island, she
had an explosion that scalded several
of the passengers and the accident
proved so expensive that slue ex
changed owners for the third , time
and was called the Fenix and then
Franklin, and, as UJ luck yet pur-
sued, her, she wp,s lengthened, put and
called the Minnie. Holmes, in honor of
a young ldy of Oregon City wha
afterward became the bride of nan
O'Nell. However, she eeuld not 'get
rd of her hoodoo and was again soli)
as a floating sawmill, then the en-,
gines were removed and located as
part of lumber plant on the river
bank at Salem., where they functioned,
until the factory was destroyed by
fire in I860.
In J85 the Portland-Oregon Cty
run waa a favored ene for small pro-,
pellor-equipped boats and three of
them the Eagle, Allan and. Major
Winifred Graham, British Novelist, Who Sees Danger in the Great "Superfluous
Woman" JProblem, and Has Heard the Cry of Lonesome Men, Thinks
That Official Matchmaking Might Be Tried.
rau
r
-ill) i "
! it Ji -71 j
i I
but think ef lrla liMralnn; nil' hy themnelven plnyln pool with themaelvea.
fu, Alias America, set awfully -lepeaome In such a scene t
be worked in connection with the
consular service of the different eoun
tries," explained Mrs. Cory,
"PeoDls SO to their consuls with all
sortf of requests. If their ambition
Reading vied with each other for
the passenger traffic at $5 a head.
This same year, after 'the James P.
Flint had been, raised from her wat
ery grave near Multnomah falls, she
figured In anpther accident near Cape
Horn as the Fashion, when a bolt In
the boiler gave way and the engineer,
John Dennis, was ao severely scalded
that he died within a few hours.
Portland Goes Over Fulla.
In 1853 came the tiny, " ill-fated
Portland. She was placed en the Ore.
sop City route with the Multnomah,
with eeoaslonal trips to Astoria, and
remained there untir 186A, when she
was taken above the falls. On St.
Patrick's day.'UST, the Portland left
Canemah for the basin at Oregon City.
In swinging- into the basin the
steamer drifted too far out, the cur
rent eaught her and drifted her te.
ward the rim of the falls. Captain
George, Pease was standing on the
nearby shore and called to the men
to lump, meanwhile throwing out a
lip. There were three men in the
crew and Peter Ajtderson, the fre-t
man, heard Pease's warning and made
the shore l safety. Captain ArehU
bald Jamieson and a deckhand named.
Bell rode the boat t her death when
she went oyer the falls. The upper
works, of the craft drifted, down the
river and were salvaged near Port,
land. Jamleaon'a an- Bell's ' bodies
were afterward found in the swirling
rapids Tpelew the falls.
About this time, racing eq the river
started, between rival boat, The Poo,
u u u -w- i u
is to bo presented at court they hunt
up the embassy; If-they are seeking
light on the. integrity and character
pf someone with whom they wish to
do business, perhaps, or for some
pies line had been established by Hoyt
& Murray and they operated the Mult
nomah an4 Portland in the Oregon
City trade. The Portland was pulled
off this route and started a competing
line with the rejuvenated Flint, new
sailing as the Fashion between Van,
opuver and Portland. Here started
the first of th many race line that
later, la the dgya of fierce competi
tion, did so much-to enliven life alopg
the river. The lower Columbia re
ceived Its share of attention sew. as
the Astoria boats connected at Ran,
ler with the Cowlitz River Canoe and
Bateau line, which In turn made eon.
nections at Its terminus with the
Olympla and Puget sound stages.
Oregon City Bu Rival.
Oregon City bad a rival town start
in 1853 by the Willamette Fall eem
pany on the opposite bank of the river.
This company, whleh. had adequate fi
nancial backing, started the construe
lion of a river steamer In 1J5J which
burned on the stocks, but later that
year they managed to launch the Ga,
selle, which blew up (n 1854 with
frightful results, less than three
weeks after she had been placed lq
commission.
On April S, while the Gaselle was
lying at the wharf at Canemah, her
bpllef exploded, killing )9 and wound
ing 13, The Wellemett- was tied up
alongside and several pf her passeur
gers were also injured. The wreck of
the Gaselle was then said to Captain
Richard Hoyt and his assoelattes and
In 1855 It was lanncned ever the falls,
refitted, and called the Senorlta.
'Afterwards the engines were re.
moved and placed, in the first Hassle
and the Senorlta given bigger and
heavief tnqtive power.
Indiana Raid Steamboats. v
In 1S5S came a further stage in the
Willamette river development when
the James Clinton extended her trips
te Sugene. This made the rive
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When they eome from far plaeea to
really to make a bargain, why
. .Official preaencef
other reason, they look up the consul
"Now, why shouldn't marriage,
which Is by all odds the mast impor
tant Institution, ' be aided through
seme such well-developed channels pf
information.
"If such a plan were ever adopted
women should he appointed as assist
ants and put In charge, of this work,
for women and much more sympar
thetio. I think, and also they have a
keen Intuition that would be most
valuable irr a work of this sort.
"For example, a young man In your
great western country or on the broad
plains of western. Canada, Australia
or some South American country.
finds It difficult to meet the girl he
would like to marry, and the . girl
who would be willing to share the
loneliness of an Isolated ranch or
mine or pioneer railroad building or
other development, he could . write to
the country from whlph he would Hk
to choose a wife and make inquiries.,
"J, suppose It would be neoessary
for' Mm t-q send his photograph and
pwear to th statement of facts about
his character nd responsibility. The
'grl pould do the same. Even in nor,
mal times there are young men in
one part of the world who would like
to marry If they met the right girl,
and girls In another inrt equally
anxious ta have a home pf their own
if th ' Fight man ehanqed to come
along.
"The whole question of matrimony
Is In getting the right mate. Now, I
oan think pf nothing more noble thn
In bringing two young people to
gether who are going to 'live happily
ever after'," said this young euthu-
last aa the auhjeot of marriage,
' "The very fact that marriage hu
reaus have been patronised very
great roadway for snipping, but the
settlers found that rates remained
just about as high as they did in the
old days when Captains Pease and
Miller had used their Indian engined
flat. beats. In 1182 came the first
real river ferry at Portland, aa It had
become such a citv that the two sides
of the river needed the service. Pre,
yiously to this time Indian canoes had
done whatever there was in this line,
but now came Captain James p.
Stephens and his horse ferry. This
same year came an Indian revolt and
steamboating, espeotally, on the mid-r
die-Columbia, was .extremely hasard
pus. While a skirmish was in prog,
ress at Cascades the Jennie Clark
made a record run of four hours and
4 minutes to Portland for aid
Through all their trials and tribu.
lations the hardy men bent on cop,
quering the rivers were stayed at
their task by the promise of almost
certain reward that they could see
within their grasp. Reap they did,
but this was not the only Incentive
that they had in the fascinating task
pf developing commerce of the Ore
gon interlqr. Kp one begrudges them
their fortunes, and anyone who reads
of their deeds cannot help but wish
that the same opportunity again of
fered so that he could enter the game.
The first boats on the rjver had their
tales, but there are just as Interesting
ones to be related of 'the later ar.
rivals on the waterways of this coun.
try. And the men who conceived,
built and navigated the steamboats,
purely they warrant seme interest.
Some day there will 'doubtless eome
the one endowed with the ability and
desire to write the real tale of the
Columbia and her explorers. When
such a person coves, judging by the
Intense interest pf the few sample
adventures revealed by a superficial
examination of the subject, there will
be a great story to tell of real men
and real life.
KRRATA. In hut week' Installment,
thrown n mlntahe In copy, the least h of
the fait Whiteomb, the nianee boat of the
eoturabl, waa given as SO feet. This
ebeuid nave bee 1S9 fees J
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give each other the "once r.
not have the thing happen In the
largely by old and young, rich and
poor, by 'all sorts of people, shows
that human beings are just humar
beings, i Under government supervi
sion such bureaus, I believe, could
render valuable e2vlce,
, "Governments have bureaus for
giving free advice on animal plagues,
agricultural development, roedcal
subjects and business prospects in
foreign countries, so why not a bu
reau which wil deal with the basis
ef all life and enterprise?
Referring to the large number of
surplus women in England, which Is
around two million, Mrs, Cory voiced
the opinion, though she said she was
a high churchwoman herself, that di
vorce should be made somewhat easier
In England.
Simplify piveren Law a.
"The divorce laws are very hard,"
she said. "The person bringing the
divorce complaint must charge bru
tality or adultery. People of good
breeding, who, because of tempera
ment or some other reason simply
cannot get along together, shrink
Tram bringing such charges before
the public. A person w he becomes
involved in such public proceedings
In England Is not so highly thought
of after. So people go on living apart
for years, sometimes till death claims
one or the other, and then often the
one left marries again. '
"It people cannot live happily to
gether It seems a pity to drag out
SUCh an existence, doesn't It? I know
a titled gentleman of high position
In England who has been separated
from his wife for a quarter ef a cen
tury. Now, If these men who "are
living apart from their wives eeuld
be released by the eourte from their
unfortunate matrimonial position, this
action would release a number ef
men for the matrimonial market,
wouldn't it?
"Why certain people marry la ene
of the mysteries pf life, J recall a
most curious kind of engagement
which existed during the war, This
young girl, an acaualntaaoa ef mine,
beautiful, a daughter of rich and e
plaliy powerful people, carefully
reared, confided to me recently tht
she had been secretly engaged te her
father's chauffeur. She said her par
ents do net know to this day of their
engagement. She idolised this youug
man, aha said. But shortly after they
became engaged he went to France.
After the war he returned to England
and married a wprkman's daughter.
When the girl learned that he had
jilted her It broke her heart. This ia
an instance where if these young peo
ple had married the marriage doubt
less would have ended disastrously.
Happiness in Clubs.
"I believe the great army ef un
married women In England as a rule
are not particularly unhappy. Eng
land is a great place for clubs. There
are working girls' clubs and elubs for
students. During the war women be
came accustomed to living together
in barracks in France and in train
ing camps in England. They derive
great oomfort and pleasure from this
mods of living and the association it
gives.
"There have been, of course, heaps
of marriages since the close of the
war. But I believe a . man is much
more dependent on a woman for oom
fort and happines than a woman i
dependent on a man.
"They still talk of taxing bachelors
in England, but I do not think this
is practicable. It would appear as an
infringement on personal liberty.
Now, with a government marriage
byreau marriage would he optional.
No man would be forced Into matri
mony to escape a heavy government
tax, and young people who were
earnestly seeking a mate and a home
of their own and the charm and in
dependence and dignity that comes
to a woman or man happily married.
could, I believe, in this way approach.
romance, through federal a4d, without
lealac aU-recU"
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