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About The Oregon statesman. (Salem, Or.) 1916-1980 | View Entire Issue (March 28, 1931)
'Li Oregon City. Ore., March 28. 1851Salem. Ore., March 28, 1931 Page Fifteen FIRST SCHOOL IN LOG HOUSE FIRST LINCOLN MENTION "Messrs. f Douglas and Lincoln SINGULAR COINCIDENCE Charles; Bennett., California argonaut, and founder of the Bennett house in Salem, as the first Ma'son initiated in "Salem. and the first Mason to be .buried In Salem. Tho present Masonic temple stands on the site of his hotel. '-", 'Bennett was also Sete4 cap tain of the first militia company organized In Salem, at the Dan iel Waldo home in 1846. He had been a dragoon In the regular army. had a grand tilt at Ottawa, 111., last Week." Statesman, Oct. 19, 158. , Building Stood at Commer cial and Marion Sts., Moved in 1855 Editor's Mote: Cabin referred to in this article ix to corn in picture ap pearing on pmge 6 of this section. r The log house and history are strangely linked. For instance, early America; and then down to cases- Abraham Lincoln. It Is not surprising that Salem's first public school classes were con ducted in a log house. It stood at Commercial and T Marion streets, the rough home of the city's early dissemination of eru dition of several kinds. It was here that the democrat ic party held Its first primary ii : -a ft meeting in roanon county, a meeting to organise that party preparatory to the flrsjt territor ial election in 1861. The building served as a vot ing place for general elections. In it Rev. O. Dickinson preached his first sermon In Sa lem. After the school district was organized, 1855, the log house had served its instructional pur poses", and was moved to the site later occupied by the Capital Na tional bank, where- now stands the American Fidelity building. The log school house In Its downtown location became a book store, continuing la a way its first functions. Bush Repartee Ready as This Incident Shows ' j To illustrate the ready wit and repartee of Mr. Asahel Bush, the founder of the Oregon Statesman, I recall the following- incident: During the McKinley-Bryan pres idential campaign of 1896, the prreat issue then agitating the American people was the question of free coinage of silver, 16 to 1. Our governor at that time, Syl vester Pennoyer, was the principal proprietor of the Portland Lumber Co. and a vociferous advocate of free silver! Mr. Bush was radical ly opposed to this heresy. Gover nor Pennoyer had shut down his saw-mill and declared he would not resume operations until we had free coinage of silver. Happening to be in the bank of Ladd & Bush, one day, I remarked to Mr. Bush, "Mr. Bush, you do not share the same opinion on the financial ques tion as does our governor?" "No, indeed," he said. "If I was Sylves ter I would run my mill more and my mouth less. Shortly after wards I was in Portland, on, a busi ness matter, in connection with our lumber mill. Calling at the Pen noyer mill, I there met the gov ernor and ventured to repeat the remark of Mr. Bush concerning him. Mr. Pennoyer smiled and said "That remark Is characteris tic of Bush. There he is in Salem piling up his gold in his vaults, and what good is it going to do him. He cannot take it with him when he dies; if he could, it would all melt." When I returned to Sa lem and this rejoinder was told Mr. Bush, the latter said "Yes, and I should expect to find Sylvester down there, with a ladle, dipping it up." A.N.M. IN THE NEWS Letters in the Statesman of Oc- tober 14, 1851, tell of the arrival "Wc learn from Mr. Compton, re cently from The Dalles, that the Indian chief Stockotely at the head of his band lately captured a train of six government wagons near Fort Walla Walla, and that two U. S. dragoons were killed. Another report has it that three dragoons and twelve Indians were killed. The fir.n report was brought in by a white -man and the second by an 0 S "'Jm9--m -ir iin p nprn-niMnjjWwp kp . mm- mm miummmmmmmmmmmtmi Si Local aid Nation wide Tramsportatioini eifvice Pacific Greyhound Lines offers td trie residents of Salem and surrounding territory a dependable, economical trav el service. Luxurious modern coaches leave Salem on frequent, con venient schedules for nearby points, as well as all coast and eastern cities. The name Pacific Greyhound Lines on the big easy-riding blue and grey coaches is your guarantee of delightful, comfortable, economical transportation. GO BY MOTOR COACH More pleasure in every scenic mile more miles for every travel dollar that is why additional thousands turn to this delightful travel way. Here is the one pub lic mode of transportation that brings you the full zest and ro mance of the "open road" the one that offers endless variety with every journey, long or short. Yet na travel comfort is sacri ficed. Get in touch with the lo cal agent, learn of the savings you can effect and the added pleasures that are yours if you travel this modern way. TERMINAL New Senator Hotel - Phone 6961 '"PACIFIC" Indians'Statesman, May 19. IHRt