Oregon spectator. (Oregon City, O.T. [i.e. Or.]) 1846-1855, May 13, 1847, Image 2

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    a . V-
them manjrirlCTitfc. ....
On tho oth InrtrCapt. Grant too his de
narturo for Fort Hall, accompanied by Capt.
I)rak'e, R. N. afld J. G. Campbell, Esq., on
thoir way to St. Louis, wo also wun them a
Aafc and expeditious trip, and all a pleasant
meeting with their friends.
Vancouw,'7tn May, l$tf.
THE SPECTATOR.
r.to. u emir, rDiTo w. r. iiumom, nnitt
Orcffea City, May 13, ISO.
To CoKiuwoNMum. "A cilizon of Clacktma
.County" mi received too late for ptibUcattoa in thi
paper ; it shall appear in our next
We would advtae our correspondent "Slick" to try
his hand at prow. There are difficulties attending
the rompoaitioB of poetry which he would not cipen-
SKETCHES OF OREGON, No. 1.
GuMrtci at UovittNMtfiTAi. Oimiamxatio.n.
We haw beea loaJnagmr etdpuUioUocaawnta
and. dvokiB; to droypherarfet h$wflyjics
uieiusjnt iBassca mawng oanciupwiieDiMiy lltfttiti
live of late ia order to obtaia aeno defciite idea in
relation to the organisation of Rovemmaat In Oregon.
The country ha now attained a tnsition that given
peculiar interest to ever) circumstance concerning it
early history. It is our pur)OM to give in a serie of
sketches, all the information wo can gather in refer
ence to the subject, a contiwly and conuectcdly a
possible. In tlio very commencement of our under
taking however, we are perpleied and discouraged by
the imperfect condition in which we find the few
record of public meeting! that have been preserved,
yet daqointed and urmtisfaaoy a they are, they are
the only data at our command and we use (hem ac
cordingly, although wo cannot heJp grumbling at our
hard necessity.
On the 7th cf February 18-11, "a meeting of tome
of the inhabitant of Willamette" u held the rec
ord doec mot state where, but we prcmimo at Cham
poeg, the principle settlement at that riod for the
purpose of consulting upon the step necessary to ho ta
ken for the formation of lawn and the election of ofll
cr to execute Din same." Thi was the first attempt
that had ever been made towards thn organization
of a civil government in Oregon, and wr shall mc
1 with what auccen.it was attended. Till mcetinc, of
ence in the more wual form ef literature.
Our correspondent wUl oblige w much and faclli-' wi,:ch.ih Rev. Jason I.eo wasehainna... r,.r.,m,...,d.
tatethcpubltcaucocTUwacoBiiBunlcatioa by making 0d the selection of a ruminittee to "draft a ro.utitu
tbrm a short a possible. No article to be read with I tion nnd codo of lawi( for lc govermm.lt o( . .,.
tab rest ought to be longer than a column and n half . cni(.ntJI South of ,e Coju1iiWa riv,.r at,j ...a a
rr two column. Our contributing friend will please tttohtUon ..thal al, u,tt!,.M Nortl. 0, .... ColllIIlIl,a.
bear thi ia: mind.
"Seitns" it unavoidably delayed until the next pa
f
not connected with th Hudson's Hay Company, lie
admitted to the protection ot our laws, on nuking ap
plication to that effect." Candidates wen- nominated
by the meeting fur Governor, Supreme Judge, Justice
of the l'vucc, Constables, Road Coiiiiniviouers. At
torney General, Recorder, Treasurer and Uu-rsvers of
O'lt seems that Judgo Thornton doc not like our
exception of duty, from the drtodfully satirical fash
lull in which he assails our poor self. In corwidera-
t.on of the love that k lost, we beg to assure him, that ' ,1,c I,oor wmch noinmationii do not appear upon rre
ho nlway perform our duty as we comprehend it and I ord- At an adjo.irned meeting, held outlie leth of Hie
i.evershun any responsibility atUndingupou it. If it M,ne nionlh,Dr.J.L.lJalicod. was appointed Supreme
laight not be deemed presumptuous, we would hazard Judse, with instruction.-; "to act according to the laws
t'.ie conjecture that the "Spectator" may possibly aur- f New York, until other laws were udoptrd." Jfo.
vive the issue and be a respectable a sheet as it was . lBrelon was elected Recorder and William Johnson.
before it had aught to do with the effusion of h'ishon- ""jh ahcnfT, at the same mcet.ng. Wo presume
or. Ilw attempt to injure us in punuc estimation
who have never done him harm we are weak enough
thete gentlemen never entered upon tlio .Wliargu of
tho duties of cilice, a after another meeting held mi
to legard with pity rather than any other feeling, and I " ' f Je " lie "am year, Which udvued the
most heartily despising the contemptible course he has committee for drafting the constitution and Imv, to
takea wo leave him to the enjoyment of his fame. confer with Commodore Wilkes and Dr. Mrl.juglui.
. tho whole matter died.
, Oca Pitor. We have received orae very flatter- j Thi attempt at an organization of government
ing letter a to the ability and success of Mr. S. C. I would havo proved successful, undoubtedly, had tl:er
Reeves, our recently appointed pilot for the Mouth of ' beeu a larger population and mon extend! settle
Columbia river. Mr. Reeves took out the Brig lien-' im-nt of country, as it wok, however, there being rome
ty, on the 1st inL, relative to which Captain Uray divermy of opinion Minting a to the m-ccKsiiy oi't'icli
says; "I write you a few line concerning our pro-' a step at that time, it was concluded tint thr mu.iil
ceedings upon going to sea. We weighed anchor at obligation by which tho community wan held together,
b A M. in Baker's Bay, at half past nine hoe to out- was utlicieiit I ir thy period.
side and discharged pilot 1 think Mr. Reeves deterv- Alfurn r-mamed inlliim ondition until the first Moil
ing of praise ; for my part I wish no better pilot than day in March, 1- i.'t, when at a im etmg of citreiii lor
he ia." One of the firm of Kilburn, Lawtou i. Co., tho purprjm.- of t ikai; -into coiwdi.ration the projiriety
piBSsnger on tlie Henry, thus writes of Mr. Reeves, of .idnpting n;ni. measures for thr protection" of tin
"He camo on board of us at Pillar Rock and remain- herd, of the, fti!er.s iig:nnt the bcnM- of prey, we find
rd on board until we were safely ouUide of the Bt.r. hy the ricrtrtU thit a committee wuh apjiointed to re
He seemed to have a perfect knowledge of the differ-' port tpon "the uKprifly of taUuij.iTri-a-iireH for the
ent channel of the river, and I think hu is well quali-' civil and rnilitiy protection of tin, colony." Tin
fied to fill hi office, nnd also the best man we can gjcommUleft repdrtid at a tueeiiiig hy'd on the tMof
for this purpose." M0r,-1 I.I, und wu cncludn that llit- rejirt was ft-
Mr. Reeve is now in town, he will receive his coi...
mbdon and return Immediately to his post.
vorable to the trg:iuiz.i(ioii of a government from tli
i'iri:iiui.stiiin:eslhat l;anpired after it was made, The
refold Mates that coiisnleMhln confii-.ou existed in
Eastwaxd Bou.no. On Wednesday lost a parly coiiMqueiici of the moti.wi t aceepttho jepott of the
of nineteen penon darted from the Riclireall allcy ooniinillci-bring negatived. We are lc It to conjee
fcr the States, by the wr.y of the .Southern route; turn that thb. motion invoned thu ueftioii at np-. A
some of our most esteemed friends were member of division wiw had upii thu motion uh.cli rcMiilnhnfj;
the company and we most sincerely wish them all a vor of organization by n large majorit;, ajilhn rcconl
safe, speedy and agrecublc joumcy. 'I' clarr. Vt this meeting, Alb' rt II. ViU;ll win rho-
Tcihaps a larger party th.m the ubovo are now ren- " Hiiprinie Judge, but shortly ul'terwariU reiJgned;
detvousing in the the Clackamas Valley, who dihign i ' W. I.ellreton, Recorder ; J. I.. Meek, Sheriff; W.
travelling by the Mount Hood road, and it w expected I II. Wilson, Trea- r.r; other suboidiimtu (ilficrm went
that in a few week they will be ablo,to cross thcCiu- uppoiulfd, among them onn Major and ono Ciiptam,
code Mountain without encountering any Mrioua oh- vshowcm instructed to enlist jrien to form I'oinpanir.i
Uuctiuii from (he know. of .Mourned Riflemen! Wu urn dikosul to regard
' , tliiH lattir uiicumstunce us a "practical joke" which
OasooN ExroKTS.-1 he exporU from Oregon lur- Mm, w-ckld wg eljovcd M 0 of (iR mf.l-
ingtho month of April, 1847, luuibeen u follow..: , IlJf Again u committee wasapjuled to draft u con-
ll. Ji. company a oara uoiuniuia, auu oarreis 01 uour ; i ,(jlull(,
American bark Toulon, 3 BO barrel flour, U-l.UUO feet
of lumber; Am. Brig Commodore Stockton, 450 bbls.
llour, 7,000 ft, lumber Am. brig Henry 70,000 ft. of lum
ber, and 96,000 shingles allowing u sum total of ex
parUof 1736 bansl of flour, 171,000 feet of lumber,
nr.d 96,000 shingles. Independent of this, the Colum
bia completed her cargo with lumber and shingles, tho
precise amount of which, we do not know ; of lum
ber, it could hive teen muoh short of 20,000 feet.
Tho foregoing at least shows that there i something to
siilpfrom'Oregon. In a fow mouths, when harvest time
will have passed, we shall hare nearly ttn Ihouiand
larrclt of Jlcvr for export
und codo of laws anil were My led thn "Iegi:.
Iitivu Committee." On thn ",lh day of July, IH-I.'i,
this committee reorted. Thn exeutitivu power was
vehted in a commitleo of tlirtu and from thi meeting
properly dated li;o organization of government in Or
egon. Mckw. David Hill, A. Il er und Jo. Gulo
constituted the tirtt executive committee. Hero wo
will concludo tho subject for the present, and, a wo
huve only taken a few glimpses, we shall probably en
joy a rteady look hereafter as wo udrancc.
The Barge 1'iinco of Wales, Captain Johnson, and
CaUapoiah, Captain Gear, arrived in thi jwrf last
week, from below.
Nmiiiravts to ()koo;i. As thi is (Kvwihly the Inst
paper that will Im published before the various partie
returning to the Slate will have started, we deem it
a duty to say a few word to the immigrant ! this
country, who will probably receive this per in the
valley ot' tho 8eelwator, or on I'lslte rier. Wr
would ndvise tlnl immigrant after rrcntitiug upoi.
Sweetwater to tukr Grrenwood's "rut ntPjnto II. ar
Rlef valley, hy doing which the) will cave a li tour
of prverul dn)s journey ti.mugh "vk ruin. .il'imst
destitute of gram and wnl. r After resting irwral
hours and titling their keg ut the l.ut v at. r, which i.
called "llig Sandy," they ha I better commence t Is
"cut otV" about four o'clock in the aftrrnoon and thev
will reach the nt water uIhiiiI iuxui oi the next ! .
Some forty mile this suie of fort Hall, they will Mnl.r
what is termed the Southern Rout into the Willam
ette valley; they wi.l exerci their pluuMiir .itrnit
taking tht. road, or the old cne, alter a plain narration
of fuels. The old rond to the lal!c vl the Colum
bia and ucruwth" Cascade MouiiUiu i d.llirult, with
a scarcity of gran. Nrvrtheless th" t".rt ig.un of
the last immigration which tmel(d it, r.-ached this
city on the 13th day of Septrmlier, at least tn inuntli,
eurller than any preioiis iiuinigruimn
It win alwtit the c.ntji of the immigration lat lar
that turned into the new or Southern nuit. (. I Iregon.
Much of the road had to ! made and the ditllcult:es
nnd deteiilHitis incident thereto r.-err ma great .n-
lire the m'l'.viuu ot the uiifuitunitti' resiilli that follow
ed. Of i-rhaiOHe hundred wagons that were on the
road about twenty Miceredn in reaching the tirt rl
tiriui lit befon-muter Ht in vmiIi uch eent as to
comprl thr immigrant to l.-.nc the remainder ui thur
wagon, with unieh ilualilr proptty,nnd piuh fur the
setllrliM lit" in thu iierbt eM'ditiLUi minio r Kj;ible
From jmtmmijI knowledgi', ui know nolluug cl' tins
road, it is -.ml to be. nlitiudant.x suppl.ed uilli gro
and vs.iter, ;. et it i- but la.r to leiiurk that llierc i u
ilicn.it of opinion i xisting m tin iiiunUol ih! who
lue traveled it. I oiictruil.g itr. nihaiitagt . .Numerous
fortiulous I'ireui.utnnces traiupin d lotl year t it prej.
lliLie. We ll.lio no heailaliou ill raving tliat be
lieti' there ill ultimately Ire a Southern n nl that will
be IrulcUd into the Willamette valley I'.icLs how-er.-,
aud the trampirntion of cvruu), with your own
judgment, m- would r.iy l tin- immixrnnLH, mint
deteniline Jou 111 the I'hincn ol routes. Wlien yml
have chosen, push r-teadily on und do not Mop to
wrangle oi dispute about it. Make ilm mint ni onr
time, without taxing your tcuiru lc und their strength
or endeavoring to be the lir- ,m thn road, for it ha
hi hapened that the (''. .11 rJurting huve Im-imi last 111
getting m. There ' plenty of eee!lent laud in our
Territory, mi m' 11 of it indeed that jou need not rimk
yourM-lw in' . dillirtiliK'H 111 order In obtain tl- liM
I clioicr. 1 . harmony and yood ft . ling prevail .un'Jiig
you, nnd with resolution and iwn-evrance we do not
doubt hut tint you will overcome nil ddiiculti.'x 11. our
wa , u'ud safely arrive at the end ot your jo irn' ,
(TMTI.'XIANA.
AiMMin". To s.-! your claim tor a gm.. t and
"jump" another perw.n-.
AmstjiiM. The act ot jumping " aerrs o
laud lieloie'uiL' tu a unlow and her luldr. 11, 3(10
i
acres of which land in unproved.
Asnr.i.vivTI.iv. Surveying yoiirilum hmi Intake
half of jour iieigliimrr'.
Aaincfiiov Leaving office on thr v m rxpiil
tion. Aiuit'tTinsl. A rpeeii-H ol ftnrlnir meidenl to
claim surveying.
Aiir.RRATio.N. R cording a d'firalile Imiu .11 th'
name of your Irieud, and rtill ntainiiig your ou.
i Asi.va.nci:. Trembling in ci tationof vouri lum
being " juiiicd."
AsoMi.Ani.i.Nr.M Tho 'juahiy urrtat'-ni Iwing 11
perfect " claim juuiier."
Anwu.VK. To relieve jnurhelf of pn mi.arv i.blign
tion by " making trackx."
Activitv. Cluim "jumping."
Ana'K.vM'K. " Jumping" u claim and mdrruig the
own. r oil' of thn premihes. (!ommumrnli!
CoKitoi'Q.NiiB.M.'i: in- tiii: OrtMiiiv Sim mium.
(U.x-vyov )'(.ai.nm. April 'i, 1H17.
.Mil. lOunou I have lotiml uni'ui my
olil pnpors M account of tln nuilf from Wnl-
luwnlla to Nisq'ually, ! Imv iliotilit as
' thorn njipfurs to Im hoiiiu in interest t.lt us
to tlio practicability of a northern route IV m
I Wnllnwulln through to tho soiui'l, that this
I pupor would jivo tlio iiiforrnation ilesire.l
nnd Mtvo tho expense ol another puhsai. ol the
saini) routo for the muno putpo.se. The pa
per ia from tho pen of tho (Incensed Mr. (.'or
ucliim Ilogerfl: ho pussed tho routo in com
puny with thodeccuscd Mr. Pamhrun, for thu
express purpoBo of exploring in view of a
road from Wallawnlla to NiMjually. Thny
both reported it practicable, with tho ili(li
oultiea mentioned. Thoy crithnated that it
would take eight men somo twenty days to
clear tho srulr und logo no that cattle uii'l
pack auiiiialH could pas with uub.;. A wu--on
route is practicable, with but little iiiup
dillii ulty than jmssin the Ciiheaile iiuuiii
tiiinslis .Mr. .Mailnw'n io:ul,
W. II. t;.
IHll'Ti: I'ROM WM.I.AWAI.I.A TO NI.s.
QUAI.I.Y.
Aii(nst :11st,. I.ell Wallawalla im.l .11.
eainped on the Jankariia river, about tu cm
t.i'iht miles ('run the I'ort.
Sept. !ht. Traveled about forty mil. .
and eneainpeil near tlie iiead of a small cm.
lee, which runs inwards the Columbia, . u
tyni", below the I'ri. hts Uapid.i.
" Sept. ifil. T aveled about thirty mil.
erosMiti' the north brum h of the Junkunn.
and encamped on a mikiII branch coming in
I'nitn the wi-.st.
S. pt. :!. Traveled about eiglr.eeti miles
aud encamped on the notith branch cf tie1
Jaukaniu.
Sept. -I t It . .Made about thirty-six miles,
having followed the mium branch tip, i.tuhmii;;
iiid re erus-nnj,'. until about leu A M. reach,
ed the forks, and niter following up tie
northern branch. until three Y. .M., ascended
the mountain and emcamped on ita westum
declivity.
Sept. Tith. Dcseemleil the iiiountain nnd
about 'J I'. M. tame to what we called" White
water river," 1 mining front the legion of
.Mount Hauler tow arils the X. V. Ilneainp.
(I on its biiuka after following down it about
two hotin. Vi ry little gras.. .Made about
twenty miles.
Sept. Ilth. Made alxitlt eighteen mile
and iieampi d "'ii the same stream with y !
grass.
S-p 7th. I'l'l! 'Wing down the nver a
short time vi left it on our right, nndtiav.
ling soti'hwest, passing tbre,. mm.iI 1 rich
prairif s In the early part of the da,aud
Mime open timber land in the latter part, -encamped
on another river from the .smith
east, running to the nortlivet. near! ! tl..
.same .size as the one which vvi lelt.. ijs
tance alKittt thiity miles.
Sept. Hth. AlViut ten A. .M., eiit'-reil tie
plains of Nis'ually nnd urrive.l at the l'r'
about three l'.-'.M. Iiintnucc about tb.it.
miles.
Distanie estimatid at two !r.mi!r.l uii'l
fifty miles.
The first four days of th route, the r... '
is excellent.
The fifth crosses th" i.ver often, and bus
.soui" underwood, but is not bad. few
rods only ol steep ascent to the top ( tic
mountain.
Sixth the dec(ti' of the mountain is
good, but after that, the forest i v. iv bad.
The 7th and eighth day-:. i r bad hoi,.
imdervvoe a ti I falhn timbi r.
The early part of the ninth is bad, haui
as b fore fallen tiinh'-ratid thi' k uinlerv. oo.i.
Last part of the ninth, lev. I plain.
iNcini.NT.s ok rni: li.vni.!.. corr -.
pondent of the Ualtiuiore Sun gives riome in
..resting fa' ts connected vitli i. storming
of .Moiiicrcv. Me s;i.s:
tJol. Watson was killed in the iiuprtideu'
t Iiarge ordeied by t.'en. Mutler. He was at
th' hi ad of th'-battalion and had ordered u
logo iut the charge with three cheers. Me
reueived a hall 111 the breast while in the act
of cheering, and fell instanth. I tried t
get to hiiu, but was Ixirno "it in the rush.
The charge was inellectual. At this mo.
ment (len. Taylor role up in great angi 1
and ordered us to retire. Old Uoiigh came
uji under tin most tremendous lire. It was
here hit horse was hot. It is Miid there were
angry words passed between him and ltutler.
t'aptain Stewart now took coinmand. and
,aid llos. your Colonel is killed, don't run :
r-how those d d red skins that although ou
are tired, you intend to walk."
Tlie Tennessee and .MisMsaipi volunteers
were cut up horribly. Kentucky did not
stand the lire well, niid Ohio got into a hoi
place, but soon backed out of it. Cnpt. Mar
her and Col. McCulloogh, of Mississipi.al-'
fell mortally wounded, with a number of
other ollicers, who iiiuneH I cannot remem
ber. Tho battle lasted three days and two
nights, and wo had 11 hoi lime of it I assure
vmi (len. Word. dlNliniMiifthcd himself be
yond all praise. Ho is decidedly u great
man for u fight. Ho took two butteries on
tho first day, and uhciI them on the Mexi
cans with groat effect.
Tho Toxlan Hangers aro )w most (loupe,
rato et of men In battle that I have over
heard of. They charged up to the breast.
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