Pact Six 80th anniversary Edition; The Oregon Statesman 17 First Territorial .Legislature to. Gather in Salem Used Basement of Oregon Institute; Statesman Moved Here in 1 853: Joseph A. Baker. Tells of Dwellings He Remembers 185 6 Salem ouses m m MARCH 28, 1851, when the first issue of The Statesman was off the press, Salem had a few more than 10 families and 75 to 100 people, and 16 houses, which was a reliable census or esti mate made for the embryo city in September, 1849. When The Statesman was re moved from the capital at- Ore gon City to the capital at Sa lem, where the first Salem issue wai published June 21. 1853, the number of houses had in creased somewhat, and also the number of families, and the to tal population but not very much as progress is considered. A large covered wagon train im migration had come across the plains in 1851, and the larg est of all, carrying around 20, 000 people, in 1852. The town, bavins been named and platted In 185 and 1851, and having secured the capital by a vote of the second territorial legislature that met in regular session at Oregon City in 1850, had enjoy ed its first boom." but up to March 28, 1851, that boom had gathered but small momentum. When the first territorial legis lature to meet in Salem had as sembled, December 3, 1851, there was no plice suitable for its ses sions, except a room for each branch in the basement of the Oregon Institute (that by change of name became Willamette uni versity), and so arrangements were made for these rooms, with a couple of desks and some spit toons furnished: It appears that the sessions of 1853 and 1854 met at Rector's hall down town. The 1854-55 session was held in completed rooms of the territor ial capitol: the almost completed building that was burned Decem ber 28, 18 55, leaving the terri tory and state, for about 20 years, with only rented rooms In down town Salem. Baker, Though 90. Would Pass for 60 There is some question about the exact meeting place of the sessions of 1852-3 and 1853-4. The "reliable census or esti mate" mentioned above was made in 1913 by Joseph A. Baker, the oldest citizen of Salem in point of continuous residence. He is in the 92nd year of his age; though he would pass for 60, In physical and mental attributes. Mr. Baker saw, in September, 1849, as he remembered, 16 houses. He said 17; but he counted the mission mills as two, whereas the saw and grist mill were under one roof. The other buildings are thus listed: 1. The Jason Lee mission house at what Is now 960 Broadway, the first residence in what be came Salem, still standing and almost as It was when first er ected in 184 0-41, except for the L on the southwest corner. 2. Small building or shed on west side of Liberty street on the south bank of North Mill street, unoccupied. 3. Residence in course of con struction on the northeast cor ner of Liberty and Union streets. 4. A house standing about the center of the block east of Com mercial and north of Court street then occupied by Samuel Parker and family. It had been the home of the Rev. L. H. Judson family. The Pacific Christian Advocate was afterwards published In this building. It was later moved up to face Court street and a store front added, and in the old days it was the famous "North Star" saloon of "Sandy" Burns. It was torn down only a year or two ago. It is now occupied by the .., . SITE OF U. S. BANK! IN 1861 I ; i V ; i. J,-; ,v-ri J: t-!---j a.i- Ak-:'' Ci,'-"S'.T S' . - '- -. '" ' " v r'' -jr 4 r, i - ie .-. h T-ri :.: rr,i-. -v; i i r:;f.4r"-1 ... XOKTHWEST CORNER STATE AM) COMMERCIAL STREETS. THE FIRST BRICK 18 MOORES' BLOCK; BEC OND BRICK WAS THEV MtCULLY-STARKET CO. STORE, THE Bl7II.lI.VO IS NOW OCCT7PIKD BYS BTSTEB BROWX SHOE STOIiE. THK I.OflHOUSK AT EDGE OF TIMBER WAS MOVED FROM MARION AND CHEM EKETA . WHERE IT WAS PIRST 8CHOOLHOU8K IN SALEM. CELEBRATION SEEMS TO BE FIREMEN'S EXHIBITION. S! Dr. Steeves two-story brick. "The Mills? Earliest Name of This City 5. A residence in the same vi cinity and a little southeast of the southeast corner of the pres ent Ladd & Bush Bank building, occupied by James Turner Crump and family, Salem's first (provi sional government) postmaster; before Salem was named but the place was then called "The In stitute," as it had before been called "The Mills' the original Indian name having been Che-' meketa, meaning place of meet ing, probably indicating that it was an Indian city of refuge. Mr. Crump was a partner in the first established store in Salem, suc ceeding, with th son "William Cox, Thomas Cox, who brought his goods across the plains in 1 Z four-yoke ox wagons in 1847. Thus the first regular post office was in the first store. 6. A small house just west of where the Masonic building now stands, occupied by Mrs. Brown and family; she was a daughter of Thomas Cox and mother of J. Henry Brown, the historian. The father had died on the plains. 7. A two-story residence on the site of William Brown's house. Church and State streets, occupied by Mr. Carter and fam ily; a missionary family. 8. A small house on tne north west corner of Church and Ferry streets (where E. M. Crolsan's place is now), occupied by Wiley Chapman and family. Mr. Chap man was the builder of Marion county's first court house. 9. The Oregon Institute, the finest building at the time on the Pacific coast; barring the Cali fornia Spanish mission buildings. The "Parsonage" Stood On Kay Mill Tower Site 10. The "parsonage." It stood about where the, Kay Woolen mill water tower how stands; was oc cupied by Rev. William Roberts and family. He had come to fin ish winding up the business of the Methodist missions in the Oregon country, and remained the balance of his life; one of the able early day preachers. 11.. The Parrish place on the west side of Capitol street, near North' Mill Creek. The house was built by Rev. J. L. Pairish. It was partly burned in Mr. Par rish's life time, and was recon structed as it now is. 12. The residence of Rev. A. P. Waller, north side of East State street about opposite Six teenth street. 13. The Cox store, northeast corner of Commercial and Ferry streets. First store and post of fice fn Salem, as, related above. 14. A dwelling where the back part of the main machinery room of the paper mill is now. It was the family residence' of W. H, WTillson, who platted the main Salem townsite, and Mrs. Willson was the first-teacher-In the Ore gon Institute. They had both been early Methodist missionar les. Julv 4 Celebrated In "Bush's" Pasture 15. Rev. David Leslie, who named Salem, had a home on his donation land claim at the south end of Church street. The house was about where the Sallie 'Bush house now stands. There, is where the' first Fourth of July celebra tion was held "in Salem. 16. The mission mills, across from the Jason Lee home (the site now occupied by the Larmer warehouse). The mills were built in 1S40, after the coming of the Lausanne, Mayflower of the Pa cific. Their construction started the town that became Salem. After March, 1851, there was a good deal of building in Salem; for gold' dust In large quantities had been coming from the Call fornia mines, brought by the Oregon settlers who were among the first gold rushers, as some of them were the discoverers of gold near Sutter's FortrThe two main and rival sections of the town were then, first, near the mission mills, and second, near South Mill Creek the present Commer Black Rules in Statesman When : Webster Goes on Career One of Achievement By Charles L. McNary United States Senator from Oregon " A N active career of eighty years is an achievement -TXfor man or newspaper. I congratulate ,The States man on this long period of continuous service to Ore gon. Its sturdy competition attests" to its pioneer, in ception. The years have improved its circulation, broadened its outlook, and heightened its news-gathr ering facilities. "Its devoted friends confidently prophesy a fu ture of sound progress and achievement in which Sa lem, and The Statesman, shall continue each to con tribute to the growth and expansion of the other." clal and Front and Ferry streets i ne ramous island House was built in the period-between Sep tember, 1849, and March, 1851, on "the island,"!; near- the mis sion mills, as 1 were saloons, blacksmith, shops', etc. That sec tion was the ma)n business cen ter, in that 'earljest period, but soon the men returning with their gold dust from the Califor nia mines startid j steamboating on the Willamette, and as the main landings weVe near the foot of Trade street, the south end of the town boomed, and the cen tral downtown district before long had an increasing number ' ; of dwellings scattered among the firs and oaks. : But there was no church build ing until January! 23, 1853, when the . original i Pirst Methodist church was dedicated. Church services had theretofore been held in the Oregon Institute chapel. Even the first courts were held in that building, las well as the sessions of the f legislature-and other meetings oil a public nature including, Methodst mission con ferences. r -' The missionary! days, up to the '50s make the f business center close to where Liberty, Broad way and High stjeets. meet. The returning gold rushers and early steamboating transferred it in the '50's to near where -The Statesman buildifg fs now. The stage days of th!e '60's kept It there though the original cen ter was lively in that period be cause of the old 'illamette wool en mills that stood on the site of the ' mission mill. The railroad days of , the 'fo's, and other activities, drew and spread Sal em s business center to where It is now. It will eje long expand so as to include tie pioneer cen ters. 'Daniel Webster. The last At lantlc mail brings us the raourn: fui Intelligence that Daniel Web ster Is no more. America's great est statesman, the Defender and Expounder .of her. Constitution the Massive Genius, the Mightiest .i ot the Mighty, has fallen, and the nation bewails her loss. The Jast of the Giant Trip has" gone. A few short years ago ,and the county put on mourning at the fall of. the great Calhoun'.' A few brief months have passed since the death of her noble Clay' again clad,, her In the habil iments of woe; 'and now the startiing announcement is made that the towering Webster has too gone -hence." Statesman, Dec. 4, 1852. i Webster died October 24, 1852. The issue of the Statesman an nouncing his death used pica col umn rules of solid black as a sign of Its mourning. Steamer Romps Up River in '51 In Speedy Trip "The Lot Whitcomb This steamer - arrived at our landing on. Monday, making the trip from Milwaukie In 50 minutes. This being her first appearance here, she -created considerable excite ment, and-was visited during her stay by many of our citizens. She passed over the rapids each way" without difficulty and Bhe will continue to run here until the high Water recedes. She is a noble specimen of -Oregon enterprise, is provided with gentlemanly and skillful officers, and deserves a liberal patronage." Statesman, (Oregon City), May 16, 1851. u. "The Steamer Willamette made a trial trip to Astoria on Sun day, returning on Tuesday with the mail from the states. She will -be at our landing about the 20th Inst." Statesman (Oregon City), May 16, 1851. - Trap and '.pet Men War in Columbia Old, Old Affair The fight over If ishlng . on the Columbia is not of recent-origin Here is an item f rm The States man, xway 2 7, i8S "For some tlmse trouble has been brewing between two- classes 6t fishermen at llwaco, near the mouth of the. Columbia, one. par ty being those wh and the other t traps." They had a I 610.000 worth of destroyed, and a party of xuardi fired by mistake on a group of their friends, kilgng one and wounding another. fish with nets lose who : use of fighting. property was 140 Pounds Was Weight of Bell For M.E. Church "Bells. A large Church bell weighing 520 pounds, was receiv ed, at this place on Tuesday. It was purchased In New York by Governor Abernathy for the M.E. church of this city. This is the first bell "of any , considerable size eVer received In Oregon, ' "Governor' Abernathy also pur chased three other bells which are also here, one weighing1 190 pounds Is designed for the M.E. church at Portland; one weigh ing 140 pounds for Salem; and one weighing 130 pounds for the Clackamas Female Seminary In this clty."J-istatesman, (Oreggn City), July 4, 1851. IN THE NEWS OF 60 News of the presidential elec tion of 1860 came to the States man, by telegraph to Yreka: "Fort Churchill, Nov.. 14th "The Pony Express with dates from St. Lauis ta Nor. 7th has arrived. Lincoln isv elected presi dent StatesittMj.. Nov. 19, iscv e: ki b; w bl C( C ai w I ll 'h S t 1 n t , a P; ll 'll V t, d n e S I,