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About The Oregon statesman. (Salem, Or.) 1916-1980 | View Entire Issue (Feb. 18, 1921)
THE OREGON STATESMAN, SAIJtt!, OREGON. FRIDAY MORNING. FEBRUARY 18, 1921 A BRIEF DESCRIPTION AND HISTORY OF THE STATE OF. OREGON GIVEN BELOW a boundary between the British! now spread Into new district like and American territory west oflth valleys of nouthern Oregon. Tracing I&ck the Beginnings Over a Hundred Years Ago The Louisiana Purchase, Lewis and Clark Expedition, the Oregon Ques-tion, Settlement of Conflicting Claims, Hud oVg Bay Company, American Pioneers, Saving at Old Champoeg of Oregon to the Union, Provisional and Territorial Governments, Political Summary, Etc. 9 (The following- matter is re flated from the OTegon Blue Book of 191 7-1 I, prepared lin ger the direction V of : Governor Ba W. Olcott, then secretary of tite Credit to the . authors is given In the body of the matter) : i Oreiton Oregon, central ttate of Pa cific group. Ilea between 42 and 44 degrees, 13 minutea. north latitude.' and 116 degrees. 43 minutes, and 124 degrees. 30 minutes, west longitude. Oregon Is bounded on the south by California and Nevada, on the east by Idaho, on the north by Washington, and on the west by the Pacific ocean. The present area of Oregon is 16(99 suture miles, consider ably more than 1000 square miles being water sunace. jhb bat 300 miles of coaet line, ex clusive of indentations. The width cast and west is about 350 miles, the length north and south averaging approximately 275 'Oregon originally included Washington and Idaho and parts of Montana and Wyoming, having an area of, 292.000 square miles. Oregon was admitted into the i:nian February 14, 1859. and had at that time a population of .hmit 3.000. For act of con gress admitting , Oregon to the jlnion. see Lord'a Oregon Laws. r . '. . i ........ r. to. if (thla volume i'" volume, page 30). For act of the legislative jassembly of Oregon ac cepting proposals of congress In set of adpaission to the Union, see Lord's! Oregon Laws, volume 1, pages 128, 29, (this volume, ! 31). For law of the United States relating td Oregon, see Lord's Oregon Laws, volume 1, pages 41 to 72. j .-. significant sum of about $15,000, 000.00. The Lent and Clark Expedition Thomas Jefferson was president ot the United States when this purchase was made, and to him more than to any other man, ex cept Napoleon, is due the fact that Louisiana was added to the Unit ed States. Jefferson bad long been - interested in the country wet ot the Allegheny mountains, and as early as 1783, before the treaty with Great Britain was rati fied, he suggested to George Rog ers Clark an exploring expedition from the Mississippi river to the Facific ocean. Jefferson had also entered upon other plans which promised to afford information concerning the western half of North' America. All of these proved fruitless. Shortly before the purchase of Louisiana, bow- ever, he proposed to the United States congress the fitting out. of an expedition headed by army of ficers who should traverse the line of the Missouri river, find their way to the heads of other rivers flowing westward or southward. and by exploring these discover the most practicable route for commerce to the Pacific ocean. Captain Meriweather Lewis and Captain William Clark were to be at the head of this party when it was organized in accordance with Jefferson's suggestion. They set out inthe spring of 1804, passed ud the Missouri river to its source, and crossing over to the bead of the Columbia river, ex plored it to its mouth, which they reached on the 7th of Novem ber, 1805. Louisiana had come into the American union be fore the expedition set out. and the Lewis and Clark party were able to bring back much valuable Information about our new posses sion. The Oregon Question Lewis and Clark's exploration I of the Columbia aroused a HISTORY OF THE STATE OF' interest In the Pacific northwest Americana and Englishmen. This was known as the Joint occupa tlon agreement, and It waa to run for a period of 10 years. At "that time no one-thought seriously of occupying the Oregon country ex cept for the fur trade. But this trade was so profitable that the great fur companies, both English and American, tried to get control of It. Mr. Astor was first on the ground with a plan for connecting ithe trade of the Columbia valley with the Mississippi by means of a chain of posts. All furs secured west of the Rockies were to be carried to Astoria, also the furs secured by traders along the coast to the north and to the south of the Columbia were to be as sembled there. Thence his ships.! would carry them to China and the far east to be exchanged for silks and tea and other valuable goods for the markets of the At lantic coast. Astor made a good beginning, but his losses incident to the war were very great and when In 1818 Astoria was formal ly restored to the United States. he did not see fit to revive his trade there. The Northwest and Hudson Bay 'Companies The Northwest company of Can ada was on the ground when As- tor's party retreated from the Co lumbia, and in fact that company had bought the furs and other property of the Astor company prior to the coming of the' English warship which formally took pos session of the post in the name of the British king. The trade which Astor had begun was there fore carried on and extended by the Northwest company. After a few years, this company was ab sorbed by or united with the old er Hudson's Bay company, and in 1824, Doctor John McLoughlin. the company's agent for the entire trans-Rocky mountain coun- itry, built Fort Vancouver on the d-en Columbia nearly opposite the month of the Willamette river as OREGOX "By Joseph Schafer, Department of History,; university ui gon. . j Oregon Xdt a Part of the Original : United States The treaty outpace with Great Britain, 1783J at the close of tW Revolutionary war, secured to the United j; States as their western boundary the Mississippi river, which was supposed to rise at least as far north as the Lake of the Woods, to which the north ern I boundary was drawn from Lake Superior. At that time an west of the Aliegneme was a wilderness, roamed over ty who hearts, And occupied In part by native Indians. Oniy two smau district between the mountains and the Great River were in pos ion ot white people. These were In what is now Kentucky, Kr nanlel Boone. ana ms iej,- low frontiersmen settled just De fore the outbreak of the war, and among the commercial people of the United States. It also strengthened the claim ot our na tion to the territory drained by the Columbia. But the beginning of that claim lies farther back. for. on the eleventh day of May. 1792, Captain Robert Gray of Boston, who was trading with the Indians along the Pacific coast for furs, sailed across the bar Into a great river In about latitude 46 degrees, and passed 30 miles up the at ream. Gray's vessel was nameu The Columbia." This name he bestowed upon the beautiful river which he was the first among white men , to enter, so far as .is known. Gray's discovery was first published to the world by captain Rnrr Vancouver, an English navigator who had Deen Bern to explore the coast, but who had failed in his researches to find the great river. A good many years later It was made the basis ot a claim to the Oregon territory on the part of the United States. Several European nations also ..Urt.i richts in this territory. The claim of Spain was the oldest nd in- is j iot ind rbe f on ort j ded' rell Let we Lion to life- IS for iry: !rit and fer rith ans :om" our mar tttTO i Is af-nda-resl we our here , can- 1 d In and i im r all and le to from , de or pplng olnta . ; tn ue to and s and :o be i dent, s and oaded i pur elgbt. d the letter, tbera- r. IB nallty ; .geous stared what I I they ter to son t in eastern1 Tennessee, where otn- for when Balboa, in Sep- Tk V. Ca rnlin la and V 1 T- 1 .... 1 i J "Ttari. guila bad made their homes about r ,a Pealt.- the waters of the south tie same i time.: iinmat cl. r ciaimea pus- vere lew settlers in tn unio f ... ... coa8ts in behalf mint nr. but there were somei , enanuh sovereign. This ' . I SJ1. tU w ------ . plans among New tngiana pe- gbadowy cialm was later strengtn- pie to oceupiy ianu ened by the spanisn occupuu Ohio river. The vast regions v America, Mexico, Lower Mt f the Mississippi to me I iTnner California, ana Rocky mountains and beyond to . sexplo"ring expeditions sent iM.Pacuic, were prc !. - northward irom tamutui. known except tor the tales of an I tbe nfty-eighth decree of north tmiinnii i tranner or iraaer l j- nHnr to tne expiorawuu whose wanderings led him rar De- of the nortn pacific coast ny ine yond- the borders 01 civimawou TritlBh, Then came urei .. I . j, 1.11... I " . i,m. Pun. aaong tu remoter inaian "- ain. whose umou. Tke-country Irom me l,,J- tain James cook, m . ...t.. 1 in. Vi ROCKY I ..nlnnt nni OI maUT uut- is- wootttilns- had once belonged to t, 8 ot tbe northwest coast, ai v o.rlr . 1682 I w,..v- h. rPRultS of his d ths treati French explorer. La c0veries. Cook was followed by o,n. v.j' j -tttA Am.n h Vim-1 .!... VOinr xnlorers. who am MlMipjIfrom the Illinois In small muCB to clear Pvthf.ff0I'Mm- r ooats. and had taken tormai pos- ot tiie region buhu v. rr.v. Uu Missississlppi and U Lastly. Russia, wnose kp.-.v. i- nf Uuii r.i..r. had already passed i c 1 .t. ! r.rh . t-..Tiatka to Alaska, was tlaim, of ! course, extenaea "" inclined to ciaim . , m oi ise Missississiiipi 1 10 me "iu " . crent of thm AiUirhonv mountains. c-..i:- th Confllctlnff Claim. The Seven Years' war. which . ,.a Aar igi9. the United broke nut htiwun Pnpland and I j c.in niird into a ' m-m n I r Skfl a mi kLSBaU 8 la 1754. and was conclud- . n aa t) the headquarters for the western trade. Vancouver was thus, the me tropolis ot a vast woodland em pire. From its wharves went lorin each soring the companies ot trad ers and trappers, whose duty it was to ascend the great river and its branches in search of beaver skins and Indian trade. The fleets of batteaux returned to Vancouver in the fall laden deep with furs destined tor the oriental market, Doctor McLoughlin was a type ot benevolent despot who ruled kindly but firmly over traders, trappers, rivermen, Indians, and settlers alike. His Influence over the red men was slurprisingly comnlete. Rival traders found themselves wholly unable to dis oute his sway. In trade matters he was inflexible. Bnt as a man In his dealings with strangers oi every description, whether tracer missionary, or colonist, ne was ai wava kind, thoughtful and gener ous. In fact, the early American settlers In the Oregon country long ago agreed to call him jtne Father ot Oregon." American Pioneers The fur company rnled over! Oregon tor about the space ot one generation. Their business is at best temporary; for when a coun try is wanted for the maamg oi farms and homes, the Indian trad er and the trapper tlnd their oc cupation gone. In Oregon, as everywhere else in America, in- real development or tne counu-7 began when the lur traaer was famred to rive way to the farmer. And though the Indian trade nioneered the way for emula tion." it was the frontier farmers who now began to cross tne piains and mountains year after year with their trains ot wagons and rattle, who were to be the real bnildera ot our state, we mui not forget, however, that these pioneer farmers were in turn pre MkApA or euided by missionaries who were striving to carry the light of Christianity to the be nighted Indians of Oregon. Both Protestants and Catholics planted their missions in the Oregon coun m and about some of these mis sions, like the one established In the Willamette valley in 1834 by the Methodists under Reverend the Rocky mountains the forty ninth parallel of latitude. Tbe British were not satisfied with that boundary and later, on sev eral occasions, dejnanded that tbe Columbia river Itself be made tbe Upundary from the ocean .o the point where the forty-ninth paral lel. , extended westward from tbe crest of tbe Rocky mountains. would touch the river. So firmly rooted were the British govern ment and people in this demand tor the Columbia river boundary, that it required the evidence ot an unmistakable tendency among Americans to take adverse posses g.on of the country to convince the British parliament and the pnblic of the necessity of abandoning It. The British cabinet, under Sir Robert Peel, finally decided to of fer the forty-ninth parallel ot lati tude drawn to the sea, but run ning south and west around the south end ot Vancouver'a island and through De Fuca's strait to the ocean. On this basis the boun dary question was settled in June. 1846, and Oregon became defi nitely a part ot the United States The Oregon Provisional Govern ment For many years there was no civil government In Oregon other than that exercised by tbe Hud son's Bay company; some of these men had the power ot justices un der the laws ot Canada. When Americans began coming to the country, a different government was soon demanded. In 1841. on the death of a settler. Ewlng Young, a first attempt at a pro visional government was made by tbe American settlers. Tbe chief need felt was for a probate court which could take care of the prop erty ot the deceased. So these American frontiersmen, schooled to self-government in the western states, met together and appoint ed a "suDreme Judge with probate powers." Two years later, on the second day ot May. 1843, a more complete government was organ ised by the American part or tne settlers In the Willamette valley. The meeting at which this govern ment was framed was held 'at Chamnoeg. a place near the Wil lamette river a few miles below Salem. A full set of ofticers was elected at this meeting and tbe business of government set in op eration under a constitution or compact agreed to by the settlers But the vote In favor oi an organ lzatlon was extremely close. Fit ty-two : persons, it Is said, were counted In favor, while amy French Canadian settlers opposea It. The latter were under tne in fluence of the Hudson's Bay com ninr which was unwilling to tos ter any movement that might tend to tlx the hold oi tne Americana nnnn the country, Th miiowine year me atuasuu Ry eomoany. seeing the need of abme sort ot eliective government withdrew its opposition ana now tbe Canadian settlers jotnea xne Americans in the Willamette val ley In reorganizing their provl sional government. A further re organization occurred in the year 1S4S. At this time the officers and members ot the Hudson-Bay company themselves, headed by Doctor John McLougnun. agreea to come under the jurisdiction of the government set up by the American settlers to abide by the laws, to pay taxes toward Its support, and to seek the protec tion of the courts established un der the new constitution. To Mr. Mr. Jesse Applegate. a pioneer ot 1843 and a man ot great personal energy, intelligence and worth, be longs the credit or eiiecimg uu new organization ana oi cringing the English company's leaders in to it. The Territory or Oregon When in June. 1846, the treaty with Great Britain gave Oregon definitely to the United States, it was supposed that a territorial rnvernment would be at once formed by congress, inis. now r. waa not done for more than two years. Meantime, tne provi sional government established-by the settlers themselves maintain ed peace and order within the set tlements, and finally was com noiied to carry on a bloody war ralnst the Cavuse Indians, who. in November, 1847, perpetrated the Whitman massacre. The provisional government, in short, remained In effect and "an swered all the ends of a good gov ernment" until March 3. 1849. A bill creating the territory of Ore gon was passed by congress on the fourteenth of August. 1848. But General Joseph Lane, who was ap pointed by President Polk to be the coast country both of Oregon ana Washington. and to a slight extent even the great in terior country east of the Cas cades. The Puet Sound country became noted for lumbering. niilli end shipping, also In time for coal. Southern Oregon fur nished rattle and other supplies to the gold region. Tito Indian Wars The only serious rneck of the general prosperity of the north west, after the eold discovery. arose from a series of bitter and rriuie jnuian wars wnicn oc curred between 1X53 and 1859. The government, looking to the prospective settlement of large portions of the country, began about 1K.',3. to extinguish the In dian title by purchase from tbe iriber. ho were induced to con- THE MARION COUNTY COURT HOUSE A FINE AND MONUMENTAL STRUCTURE 'It Reflects Great Credit Upon the Men Who Made up the County Court of that Day. Who uenevea in liuiiaing lor me ruiure ana in joining ciauiy iu uiu.iy. w im Wasting the People's Money on a Flimsy Structure The First Court House Paid for Partly by Private Subscription. " . The beautiful and magnificent' structure that Is now the Marlon couuty court house and has been since the early seventies is not tbe first Marlon county court house. There was a wooden court house on the rame site that was moved away, just as there was a wooden capitol that was burned on the site of the present capitol and the two present The contractors were to have the building moved by January 1. MlZ. and the offices of the sher iff and clerk re to be undis turbed, and they were to have the i-.se ot tbeir offices for two years in a railroad accident la the east. Tbe leader among the contract ors and builders of the court house was W. F. Bootbby. ably assifted by Harry Stapleton. fath er of Mrs. Jos. Baumgartner or centrate their people upon limited buildings are nearly the same areas called reservations. age. The change of habitat, of mode of life, the restriction of huntinz and grating privileges In short, the new conditions generally caused th Indians much real suf fering and called out a vast deal of bitterness and revengeful hat red. Occasions of nilsunderstand standing with government agents were abundant and real griev ances were not rare. The result was the formation of new Indian confederacies, the pillaging and murder of white men. and finally war. From Rogue river to Pueet Sound, and eastward to the Rocky mountains, these struggles ragea from year to year. The government sent troops who in the end performed valuable serv- ce. but from beginning to end of this sanguinary conflict the pio neer rettlers and their stalwart sons Do re the brunt in both at tack and defense. And there were many deeds of heroism, also, on the part ot wives and mothers at borne. In short, the Indian wars of tbe Pacific northwest have all tbe characteristics of the Indian wars of New England, the middle western states, or the south. They constitute. , with tbe pioneering epitopes, the heroic age of Ore gon. Opening of the Inland Empire. Xo sooner were the Indian troubles settled than a new ex citement began in -the shape of gold discoveries east of the Cas cade ranee in the rerion over which companies and battalions had recently marched lne-t on blood and victory. Miners return ing from the Fraser river mines found "color" In the sands of Various streams and these signs teing followed up it soon devel oped that most of the streams The Ok! Court House A search of the county records, assisted by County Clerk U. G. Hover, disclo-es that Marion county, on January 10. 18S2, bor rowed $1100 from David Presley, at the rate of 20 per cent per an num interest, and that it borrow ed $700 from Paul Darst. at 15 per cent interest on Jan. 6. 1853, the money being used in tbe'eon structlon of the first court house. and that, in 1852. A. W. Fergu son was authorized to collect cer tain sums of money that bad been subscribed by Individuals to help pay for the building of tbe first court house. Alto, that Fer guson tc. Montgomery were the contractors for the building of that court house, and they gave a bond to the county In the sum of $18,000; though the amount of the contract price does not seem to be stated. J. W. Grim, Jacob Conser and Benjamin Walden were tbe coun ty commissioners at that time. and there was no county judge, the commissioners attending to probate and all other matters. E. J. Harding was county clerk. The building ot tbe old court bouse bad been carried near enough to completion on tbe 10th of January, 1834. so that a con tract was awarded to Wilie Chap man to lath and plaster Its rooms, st $1.4t a. square yard; other bidders having failed to qualify. There was then a new county court, consisting of Robert Chll- ders. John W Harrison and WII liam Harpole. commissioners. This old court house, accord Ing to George P. Litchfield, who lived in Salem during its dsys of usefulness and is still a young.. hale and hearty resident here. tbreafter. If necessary. There ap- Salem. The first large vnder- pears no consideration, excepting I taking of Mr. uootboy naa oeen the fcse of tbe building. C. X the construction of what Is now Terry was then county Judge, and Waller hall at Willamette Unl- A. It. Cosper and J. X. Matneny venlty. Alterwaras ne was one were witnees to the contract. of the builders ot tbe capitol. The old court bouse building then of the main building ot the became a livery and feed stable, asylum for the Insane. Mr. Booth occupied by A. J. Basey. still a by wss long a leading resident of hale and active resident; tor that Salem, until his death few years purpose, part of tbe time; aid ago. He owned the old States It was used for other busine man building, occupied by this., purposes. and stood there paper for 40 years up to a few throughout the seventies and the years ago; up to tbe time of re- eighties, and. the writer believes. I moral to its own buildings, op inio the late nineties, when it was torn down to make room for tetter buildings. posits Hotel Maria. When tbe eourt house was ded icated. B. F. Bonham was circuit judge. He had been a candidate nlnit Tt P. Tint mA faa re- On February C. 1872. bids wre I ,, ,,. ..... .. . ti- received for the constn etion of Mr BolM gteppi atJd.. a' t ihe present "urt bouse, and what was called the bid of D. A. Miller. W. F. Boothby and H. Myers, for 193.000, was accepted was making more in private prac tice than the salary then paid cir cuit Judgea In Oregon. At the next election, Mr. Boise waa eleet- Wnen the contract came up to I . ... ... ' !, v.i. . Ue1vwOWre K ? t? m thereafter nearly all the rest ot wlih Booth k Stple;on. DaviJ I . ,,r- A. Miller and H :. Myers, and i ho following men signed the his long life. A. Bush, of the Ladd A Bush $40,000 bond that was require: bank, largely financed the opera-. David MeCul'y. J. . Moorcs R. M. Wsde, A A. McCully. T. McK Tatton. E. X. Cooke and F. Waller. "w aiuui cue J-VUC&irs I M AAIn. tt1lvf 1 .swla1 tli had during the agest left their golden deposits In bar and sand Dank at many points In their lower courses. Svon-hundreds, then thousands. outfitted with shovel, pan and "pack" ot supplies, made their way to the valleys of eastern Ore gon, eastern Washington and Ida- tin. T? irJl mlnaa wafa AfiAtiAil a1A within th. nrH.ni kam... f court house to lot 4 in block 22 Montana, Wyoming, and hiCh Salem. the next block north and np in British Columbia. Pack ww; jua wci ' -trains from the Willamette valley. Clough undertaking parlors of accustomed to go south to Call- th present day, and on the north fornia. now turned east to supply 01 vouri aireei near ihsh tne new trade. Steamboats were gious and otherwise. Nearly every function 1 was held at the old court house by the. people who then lived in Salem and the country surrounding. The Xevr Court Horn In 1871. a contract was let to John S. Hawkins and G. W. Law- son for the removsl of the old tlons of tbe court house construe-, tion. It is related that at one . time Mr. Boothby - became alarmed over the finances, and . . ... . . , . 1 .v.l lull ae IUIU ai. UUIU urn -m mm At that time, and during the . v.. vr. n.v. construction of the present court ' :"Vln 7 Judge, and Ai Coolidge and John tn ... ,v.ot fc Glesv were the commissioners. 1 :"'V V. 7..Z 7Z ..f A n rVin waa rlark and I - t , 11.11 .V.l in tbos? dVysTnd. were not Jl"' 1?" old in Oregon, and a direct 'ax " "v "l. V was levied running through two - - or three years, and there was a cre-t deal of fault found on ac-1 The court bouse has IbeeU' count of tbe high rate ot taxes for I crowded from time to time, aad rach a fine building. I there have been various proposl- A Monumental Work J lions tor extending the walls. .1 .u..-- -.. . f ! But the conclusion has always " fowdersol the bsnk of Coolidge been that this would mar ti. ' i Mcmalne at Silverton. John 7 wwrw. Sleay wss one of the trust-es of improvements have beeninadw ihe Aurora colony, and Judge C. from Urn. to time to Cfotor X. Terry was an able and far see- room, without changing tha out- . Ing man. They believed In build- ! p now- & w 1 a mm wmmm S ai w wm Mm mt mtmmmm Va mm ar m - m m W ing for the future and not wast- 1 : VV. ill the money of the people un a lb- b a lid in g is . 1 - cro wd ed . No temporary structure; ana tncy " " . werrwlse enough, too. t Join when there will have .to be aa beauty with utility. elevator system provided. In or- The architects were Piper A r to use the upper floor U bet Purton. of Portland. Mr. Piper ter advantage, and also a better had been tbe architect of the heating system will eomsu- Aad. Chemeketa hotel, now Hotel Mar- la due- time. too. no doubt tho ion. In the building of which Jail will be taken from the .base John a Wright, then a leading ment floor and ia these (way Salem grocer and now eommis- tho present .hulldlnr will likely, sary at the state hospital tor the serve for a great toaay years fot . insane, was a moving spirit- Mr., the official homo cf Marios. Piper was soon thereafter killed county. placed on successive natural sec- 0f which Oregon had 6 7 2.7 5. tlons of the Columbia rover, wag- Washington 1. HI. 990, and Ida on roads were opened and wagon ho 325 59 4. irmns tmpiojea 10 cneapen ue c-mw,a f rrtllilral HIutt cost of transportation. Fine vel- Snmnr oFoma! HIMory Icya near the mines were used for Tne territory 01 sningiou farming and stock-raisin r. and was set oil from tne original ure- soon with mining villages, trad- son In 1853. while Idaho terrl- ing towns, wheat and cattle-rais- tory was creaieo irom irmr, ing, dUtricts the so-called Inland formerly embraced in Oregon and empire was wrested from savagery Washington In 1863. Oregon be- and brought within tbe pale of came a state in tne union in 1 eo- civlllzed life. Of course, great ruary. 1859. under a constltu- areas were still unsettled, as they tlon adopted by a convention held are today, but a firm beelnnine at Salem In August and Septem- bad been made. ber. 1857. This constitution re- Th An of rtailwav mained unchanged in any way un- til the adoption in 1901 of th .w ! . Arao"p. .J""' Initiative and referendum amend win vast auu nrsi V i i u c v cades, was railways to transport aerliMiltnral nrvrnta In aaVuart to connect the scattered settle- T ment. Since then msny changes have been adopted by popular " ... tMM .tta.tia. A til .1 .v.l uirii iuicic . """."""-mB development, within little more wnoie region a n 01 . a.a r th. awalled with the rest of the United State. I.TT" " f rftf.rnmit .v- k.4'i- r uregon system 01 SuuBitui, France 0 the Florida treaty d by tbe treaty of Paris in 1 7 63. "Jt, ch Spain ceded to the unu made vast changes In the owner- et-tes all her claims to the Pa governor 01 me urejoa wiwwi was unable to reach Oregon until t- (.ii.in. tnrinr H arrived - . ..... I LUIS ivuu"i"6 If o- - Jason Lee. were gatnereo Bru-ljn8t in ume to proclaim the new aiiv tmall settlements 01 Amen- ,..t.ii ,nrnmrn( the day be- hip of tbe North American con tinent. England was completely treaty known ed biaies aPUel "5e roast norm 01 " .4ie coav ,vi ime the A9 Heerees. BY : uccessfuU practically driving the ,tUed states was actively ciaim- rench from. North America. ne - tne Oregon regon. tecured possession of Canada and onnih - cession was thought to fio ot the region once ciaimea tnen tne claim. nu. . by Prance east of the Misslssls- ! a 24 abandoned all claim to the .i , .i..i i B . . .. r j ABVTm&m. and iV - f T . V .:" : territory Thls " Hint ume ceaea tneir in- , minutes nonu torv.tlf i.s.j.inni to w. nf coast more than uuain. 1 nis mm rm m a ai v n as Kfiniii 1 . . . a a a an fiirua -1. :r.,'," ,vir-rr. iz rr except now cicar 01 the those of oreai -".-" nH.i, tlon ot thinea nntll the Revolu tloniry wr closed. Then the ter ritory east nf tli HflaeUaisftinoi became the United States, as we nave seen; The Louisiana IurrIiaHO -" t ana soaiu as were those 01 --- - let vefc dTscu'sslon of the con- After the treaty of 1763. the tlictlng claims oi as lame LouUlana. once applied to and the n,ieu the close of territory between the Alle- eariy f"-V. j i. which the rheiilaa ..4 n 1,1. t the war Ot la. uu ,. , the applied exclusively to the ter- post at Astoria, e s uk HtAaa. , .a. - ... . a J a a. AS araTTl UttD 1 . . 1 -r"i wesi oi tne Mississippi u of by a Brltisn naT J 'west of the Rocky mountains, en P088""1??-he T treaty of peace wrruory was nominally m iore. vxrrikumd States ciaimea "nands of Spain, but it was lit- ot .wV reatoratlon ot As- ""iaa h tha inni. of that na- tne nsi l" . n.nr that .. During the time that sa" j J?ll-viied Oregon question, des- ';,"J controlled tne government i iuc -- - w. the two countnea Of Frinp- , tA a ei .ltlned to trOUDie v" . . ort Uuisianna to France, for he Tor an entire ienerr aty 'was en at iv.i f . .. . . ..it.A in 1819 ; - -ii ume naa tome mouroi wi . tendon by jolonitlng: the country. The trans- tered into at uon bottndary of r was mad. in nLo. unn nr first, the normcm . Aa a W mmr, m m . - .mm V Or IM I rJ a, w m openlog of the year 1803 Na- Louisla na wa . Wooda west """OB. havlnr ahnnrinneA hia no-1 Irom ine mm . ,h. rtnclCI "on ot planting colonies in Lonisi- ward to the ere forty.ninth . andi becoming hard pressed mountains ins nd $ee0nd, iuna! with which to carry on paraiiaiw---"- f .e RocKy t.I.Wm' Prepared to sell tho the country fl was de ?rr and m April, 1803. the I mountains to the lac -is van region passed to the iciarea.w eBt. 0t -botn can farmers, How Oregon Was Saved to the United States Tho, immigration of the pioneers hrame important in 1842 when one hundred and twenty Pns came to Oregon witn TirH.it a hn waa annointea oj uc United States government sub- agent for Indian auairswcaj um. TTu-kv mountains. The ursi buv . w V . great immigration pernP v. .oi nfnin came in 1843 under leaders like Jesse Apple- gate, Peter H. uurneu. j. v.. v mlth and others. This company was followed in r pany of nearly twice as large, and this one by a still larger company In 1845, so that the Willamette valley, "the pioneer, land of promise." was ny me iaai nied by the American w- . , ..tlM settleiS. Some American had even penetrated the forests tha. Columbia as far as IIV1IU . . ruget Pound. This was me- atlon when, atter a long Pr.fa' discussion between Great Britain and the Unltea &ias c - govtnrment in the spring of 184 decided to investigate the condi tions existing in the Oregon coun try Itself. Their agents found the Willamette valley already well planted and also found beginnings of rettlements near the present site ot Olympia. In Washington. The government became convinced that tbe boundary question, whose ....inm.nt hait been deferred from DCIllQUiVU a 0 time to time since the year 1818, nar hfl mettled. muii " The United States was prepared aa far back as 1818 to accept as of Pacific railway history here Bnt after a quarter century ot dis cussion, the first transcontinental one of the most completely dem ocratic systems In vogue any where In tbe world. Some of Its CHUIUO, IBB HI l lltUKUBUUCIIWI ... , . v . l-lll. , 1 . railway the Union. Pacific and feiu.r'8' 8,de f,rom n Lnl.li. LT Central Pacific, was completed in nd !ef"'n.d"m: Ji 'J? Petu's U Vhe dUlfoVmrScaTi- date, for office a strict corrupt fornia but was of far less service practices taw. the recall, and the tA tha northweat Railroad build- Virtual autonomy oi cuies. THE CONSTITUTION-OF : : OREGON. STANDS: UNIQUE The 14th of February Marked tha -Aruurrsary of the Adop tion of thl Compact Girfnjr the-People of this Coiamoa weallh Their Code of Fun(lamenuriw.; -- terirtorial govemment the day be fore Polk's administration ciosea Kffects of the California Gold Hush Whn news of tho gold discov ery in California reached Oregon. In August. 1848. there were in that territory about 13.000 peo ple, mostly on farms In the Wil lamette valley. A few were liv ing along the shores of Puget Sound, a tew otners aiong iur Cowlitt and about Vancouver. Several villages had started into existence; among them ws ron land at the head of navigation on the lower Willamette, and Ore gon City, the-oldest and. also the largest place in Oregon, which had a population ot perhaps 800 and was ttre capital ot the terri tory. There was little trade or business of any kind sate prim itive farming and stock-raising. Times were growing dull for tbe want of markets. No one knew exactly what destiny was In store for the new community on tne Pacific. The rapid rise of California cteated markets for grain, meat and other food-stuffs, also tor lumber. Oregonlans were among the first to visit the gold fislds and to bring home a supply of the precious metal. Thus production and ceneral commerce increased hand in hand, farms were extend ed and Improved, mills and saw mills built; a spirit of hopeful ness, enterprise and progress took hold of the people. Joseph Schafer. University of Oregon, Eugene, May, 1917. Organization of Oregon Provi sional Government Br George H. Hlmes, Assistant Secretary of the Oregon His torical Society. The genesis ot American politi cal rorernment In the "Oregon ern Pacific railway 1 begun some . trom MtrcQ 16 tew years before. The two road. w memorial, prepared WIV.XleJd.!i.5w ! by J. L. Whlteomb and 35 others, and Joined together In September. w f forwarded to Washington. ivt .v presented to congress by Senator t. th. ...t. but f.nuh.4 .U. tk. 'fUI. .Uned k, scattered setlements of the wide- J V Iin A 1 8 40 ;,.. mmA by Senator Linn In June. imu. tliicauiun - mrtMraA ,. .m fate. ;th the Willamette valley a ' 'V..:. ' . r , . r... r.A.. r-llfrtrnla roaita com-1 ri-oruirj ing began in Oregon in 1868. but under many handicaps. The Ore gon Steam Navigation company had portage roads at the Cascades and Toe Dalles, and a short lino was soon to be built from Walla Walla to the boat landing at Wal lulah. Ultimately a company or ganised at Portland, but joined by Mr. Henry Villard. completed the road on the south side of the Columbia river, and Mr. Villard also gained control ot tbe North- By Judge Peter II D'Arcy Tbe 14th of February. 18S9. marks an Important epoch in tho annals of the history ot Oregon. It was on thst date tha act of congress admitting Oregon into the Union was approved and rat ified. From that time the con stitution of our state went into effect. . On the third Monday la June. 1857. 60 delegate, were selected by tbe voter, ot the state ot Ore gon who constituted tha constl tutional convention ot our state. This body of men met at Salem on the third Monday In August. 1857. It was not until the 18th of September. 1857. that the con stitutlon was adopted by those delegates after careful considera tion and debate On tbe second Monday in No vember. 1857. the action of tt constitutional convention was rat itied by a majority vote of the voters of Oregon. The constitutional convention was composed of tha brainy and intellectual person., ot pioneer days. They were actuated by a high and exalted Idea of doing what was for tha best interest. u,Bed k-fela haTt Utn u, kefl. OI tne people. oi .ine vregon r- u ,T,a.t0.u. which has as rltory. They, vere ot exemplary k., onr. MOu m obtainlne- a pleted fou? yean" UUrV.de the . lll'a U IUI U. ! In rkvasyy Thaw s4aflth ftf The ew Age thU American, leaving an estate. The year 1883 may be taken as raised a new Question a serious the beginning of the new age in nn no law existing under the the Pacific northwest. In 1880 pr0Tlslons of which It could be the old Oregon country occupied administered. already at that time by tbe state n tu9 emergency, immediate of Oregon, the territories of Wash- action was Imperative. Hence a ington and Idaho, and a portion meeting was held on February 17. of Montana bad a total popula- ign 4ni committee appointed tion of only 2S2.500. In the next to suggeft the necessary officers decade.lt gained an addition of who were chosen tbe following 465.000. From 1S90 to 1900. In a.v Amonr these waa a supreme spite ot the bard times, the gsin jujge with probate powers. His was 230.000. while betwe-n 1900 (ir,t official act was the appolnt and 1910 it amounted to 1.146.- ment of an : administrator of 938 for tbe three states of Ore- vOUngs estate on April 15. gon, Wellington and Idaho, leav- Four subsequent meetings were icg out. of account western Mon- nel(j Dy the settlers during the tana, which al?o belongs to the next tw0 years for the purpose ot region.' The total population of perfecting the organization. Tha the three states namea was. in MaBt 0f these meeting, was held u.nitn iwinntatinn increased 1 1 ai o- in round numbers, two more rapidly than before, and tt million, one hundred thousand. (Continued on page 4) standing In. . tbe community. Looked upon a. the best selec tion which could be made to place before tbe voter, for their appro val a document which would mean much for the future ot our state. The task accomplished by them speak, for Itself. It was a splen did constitution and bore the Im print of honest and sincere per sons who were filled with an in spiration to place before tbe peo ple of Oregon for their approval a constitution that would tend to make our state second to none ic the constellation of state which composed our Union When the galaxy ot states op ened wide their queenly circle to admit Oregon Into their midst it a as not realized what wonderful resources were to become a par) of the United States. . At the time of our admission Into the Union the slavery ques tion was one ot tha discordant elements tn our body ponue. Tne question aa to whether Oregon should be a free or slave state waa one of tho vital features which was considered by our emi nent men prior to our civil war. Tho taking slogan ot Senator Douglas, that of squatter-sover elrnty or tbe right of each terri tory or state to determine for It self whetner'lt should be . freo Territory -or atatt. was quit, pop alar; Through- tho tar atghted thought of the people ot Oregon It came- Into tho Ualoa as a trea state. Subsequent aventa Justi fied tb broad view of tha matur advocated by -ear citliena. . Pres-ktoot- Liaceto had already stated la bis-great debate with Senator Douglas that this country could aot exist half- .lava aad halt free - Tke member, of our coa stitutleaal convention aad a largo majority ot- our voter, took tha same-view. So our state came la ta tha Ualoa free aad antram- moled. Free from tho blighting lafluf ate of tha .lava traffic Of th. 14th of February of this year It -waa- C2 year, alace the ratification of our constitution by can grass. -Not -one ot the 'dale- gates who took part la the delib eration, that led ap to its adop tion, by the convention la living. All Jiave passed away 'all ot hoa or - The member, did a great work for oar .tate. Outside ot tha ratification ot the constitu tion of the United State, nothing equal to It has been handed dowst to a free' aad Independent people. For Cz y.ara the blessing, con- permanent standing la the many state composing our republic I had a youthful acquaintance Ith a part ot the members el the constitutional convention. The high estimate I formed In tay boyhood days of their Intellectual qualities and exalted character has been strengthened aad con firmed by observation of i hni and tbeir work la later years.. . There was a romance and. spirit ot chivalry about the set tlement of the Oregon country which appealed to the people ot the United States. So Oregon was admitted to the Union with the .Incere and hearty approval of the Inhabitants ot different parts-of our country. The Star of Empire had. tn faet. by. the large number of pioneer, who emigrated to Oregon, -con p acted tbe eaat with the -west. The east. north, south and middle west welcomed the new botn state .to . their arm. aad Oregon waa made a part ot the Union with best wlsbe. of the different sections. The straggle of the pioneers of Oregon had it. real beginning at the public meeting at Champoeg on the second of May. 1143. to secure the Oregon country for the United Ststes and prevent Eog laad from acquiring it. , Its cul- .( Continued oa pare-4) - i I Muvncaa: government for the in-ltr "v