VOh. XVIII.
OREGON PIONEER HISTORY.
3KETCHE3 OF EARLY DAYS. ---MEM AN
TIMES IH THE FORTIES
11V S. A CI.AltKK
C)pr tU'it Kpp'IcJ lor. All rUhli rcrcil
M'.MUKK.XVU. XX IX I
Tiio Cayusa War.
In their now honict among thu soli
tudos of thu Pacific, tlio American set
tlor enjoyed tho great blessing of peace.
The Hudson Hay Company wero n for
eign corporation, with opposing, and at
times, conflicting interests, but tlio
great humanity and Christian sym
pathy of its chief factor, Dr. McLough
tin, secured for them supplies and as
sistance that could not othenv iso liavo
been procured, upon terms thnt wero
liberal considering placo and distance.
Tho Hudson Day Company might havo
bcon, in a covert way, inimical to Amer
icans, ami havo greatly retarded settle
ment. It dispel all thought of ill-feeling
and intention on tho part of "tho
great monopoly," in soino early writers
stylo this company, to remember that
kinduces and nssi-taneo rendered Amor
cans, strengthened and encouraged, an
clement that would certainly in timo
supplant English owcr and dotlirouo
tho then all powerful fur company.
There had grown up a scini-barb.irio
empire among the savago wastes and
great mountain rurges that occupied
tho wide continent to the north, from
Pugct Sound on the west to Hudson's
bay on tho Atlantic a stretch of 1,000
miles from ocean to ocean.
Tho great chief factor possessed many
of tho qualities of a conqueror, and even
more of tho characteristics of a grcnt
ruler, for ho had not only undisputed
control of many men who represented
civilization, but his niimo was respected
and even revorenccd as thutof a mighty
chieftain among tho favage trilcs west
of the rocky mountains, llo and tho
company ho represented wero supremo
over this great territory. Had ho wish
ed to combine thu savage tribes under
his dominion to sweep away missions
and bottlers, to fieo thu mountains of in
dependent trappers and hunter-, It
could have been easily don o and it would
havo been dilliuult to fix the responsi
bility upon tho Hudson Hay Company
or its chief. That he did not du i-o is
plainly enough shown by tho history of
oarly missions and immigrations. His
warm sympathy with many Americans
was shown by his kind act?, generous
deeds nnd genuine hospitality. So
when war actually cumo tho infant gov
eminent turned toward tho Hudson flay
Company for assistance without a mis-
picion that it was implicated in tho
massacre, though at this time John Mo
Loughlin was not its chief factor and
tho Ijndon direction had rovorsed what
was conidered his too lilcral policy
toward Americans.
The news of tho Wuiilatpu masaero
came to tho settlements of Western Or
egon like a thunderbolt from a peaceful
sky. McJJean sent a messenger a
French Canadian to Vancouver with
tho terrible story, and very hingulnrly,
ordered him not to give tho news to .Mr.
Hinman, who wa stationed at Tho
Dalles mission, though he hoard of the
war party being sent for its destruction.
Mr. llinnmn furnished thin messenger a
canoo ami accompanied him t' Vancou
ver, only to learn of the atrocity of
Wuiilatpu and tho dangor threatening
his own people, as they wero wind Ixmud
at Capo Horn. This action by Mclieun
was inexcusable. Tho Isttcrs oKncd at
Vancouver told tho story and Hinman
returned to The Dalies, sending word to
Gov. Abernothy to haston a smnll force
there without an instants delay. Mr.
Douglas also sent an official account of
tho maanacro and the news went hasten
ed by tho winter roads through tho
settlements. It was iudcod a "timo
that tried men's souls." There w ere few
Tegnlar routes, not many laid out roads,
SALEM, OREGON, FRIDAY,
and mails wero casual happenings rather
than nn organized system. Tlio only
government was th" provisional organi
zation, which n everything to the
people in this emergency, as it gno co
herence to public action, and character
to tho claim for assistance in tho pur
chase of supplies and munitions of war.
The provisional legislature was in sos-
sion.for it was December when tho news
of tho massneic came, suddenly and ho
unexpectedly, upon the peaceful Wil
lnmetto valley. Gov. Abernothy imme
diately Rent a message to the legislative
assembly, iu which he In icily related tho
fact and urged, "immediate and piompt
action." Ho suggested "tho propriety
of applying to tho Hudson Hay Com
pany and tho mcichants of this placo
(Oregon City) for n loan to carry out
whatever plan you may lix upon." lie
had faith that all expenses would bo
promptly met by the national govern
ment. Assistance must be sent to sur
vivors, and an escort to convey them to
civilization.
It was a momentous time when this
messngo reached tho house and wtw read,
together with tho letters of Mcllcan
and Dougla, that conveyed the infor
mation of the masacrc. .Mr. Nesmith
ollVrcd u resolution that was adopted,
whorcby tho governor was authorized
and requited to miso and equip a com
pany of rillenien not to exceed tifty
men, with olllccrs and dispatch them
forthwith to Tho Dalles mission station
and hold josossion until reinforcements
(an arrive. This resolution led to a
meeting, called tho same evening, that
was numerously attended. Stirring re
marks wero made by Nosinitli, Harlow,
Lee, nnd others, and tho enlisting im
mediately commenced. Oregon City
was a small city at that time, and tliero
was nn opportunity or timo to spare for
gathoring peoplo from the country.
Forty-two names wero Higncd to tho roll
and such prompt action was had that in
fifteen hours from tho timo tho roll was
Higncd this company of piomor rillos
wns on the way to the seat of war
Tho columns of tho .Spectator, tho
only journal of that day, read as fol
lows : fcAt 12 o'clock on the aflemnon
of Tuesday, the company assembled at
tho city hotel, whoro they were pro-out-oil
with an appropriate flag by Judge
Ncsmith, on behalf of the ladies of Or
egon City. With an appropriate ad
dress, Capt. l.co, on the part of the com
puny, madoan exceedingly happy icply
upon receiving the beautiful token of
tho patriotism of the lovely donors.
Two hours after this presentation thu
company started, amid the tiring of
cannon and thu cheers of assoinblod cit
icens." It Htwko well for Oicl'oii Citv.
that In loss than twenty four hours her
citions enlisted such a company of
noble and bravo men, and armed, equi
ped and dispatched them for tho so.it of
war. It is well worth mentioning that
hurried aw was thoir departure, tho
ladies of the town mado them a battle
llag us a roiniuder of home and duty.
This baud of riflemen consisted of the
following named persons and their de
scendants require no other patent of
nobility than this record bestows
Captain, H. A. C.Leo; Lieutenant-,.
J. Mugonp, J. K. ItoffS Commissary, C.
H. Davendorf; Surgeon, W. M. Carpci.
ter , S.irgcants, J. S. IMiicarson, C. W.
Savage and Win. Hcrry; Corporals,
Stephen dimming and J. II Mc.Millcu.
Privates - -I. H. Proctot, Ueo. Moore, II.
W. Coo, Lucius Marsh, Win. Huckman,
Joel McKee, T Purvis. S. A. Jackbon.II.
I.ovnlloy, Jacob Witchey, J. . Moigan,
C. Kichardson, John Hemming, O. Tup
per, A. C. Little, 1!. S. Tupior, L Wal
gamoutts, A. J. Thomas, John (i (iib
son, Geo. Westby, John Hiner. H. II.
Uogtrs F.dvv. Jtobson, (J. H. Has worth,
K. Hrattin, Andrew Wise, Jacob John-
eon, h. K. Harlow, D. Averson.J. C.
Dafonl, Geo. Weston, John Holton.
Through the country tho news spread
"by word of mouth," and thos who
could do so gave of their subsume,
while others gave of their time and risk
ed their lives. Tho young and active
men took tholleld; the would receive a
blanket from n neighbor, u gun from
another; this man contnbuted a horse,
that one a saddle and rigging, and ior
haps all could furnish a quota of pro
visions. So tho crtMader win mounted,
clothed, fed and armed, receiving what
ho lacked. Not standing on the order
of his going, ho went quickly Theie
was now active recruiting in all sections.
Oregon City was tho point where
government centered and where troops
gathered. Tho recruil,as soon as teiidy,
batio good bye to tho homo spot and
started by tho shortest trail for Oregon
City. If ho camo to somo sequestered
cabin, nowlo built on some homo spot
that was to be, ho never doubted what
his cheer would be. It might be boiled
wheat and rough faro for tho table, and
chanco to spread his blankets on the
puncheon floor for his bod, but ho was
roundly welcomod, had tho U'st they
had to give, and a blessing went with
him as ho wont away. Tliero was tho
hoaity greeting at every pioneer's homo
for tho man who went to light their
battle
Hcsidcs tho company raised mid olll
cored at Oregon City, another company
was raised on French prairie by Thomas
McKay, among the Canadian French
and half-breeds, .lodge Grim, who set
tled near Aurora, in the full of IS 17,
describes this redezvous and the enlist
ing of some iifty men, mostly half-breed.
Mr. limn hud heard of him as an ener
getic mid remarkable num. p.titly Indi
an himself, with some education and
native wit enough to carry him trough
ordinary dillicultios. Hu is described as
riding liko n centaur, tho horse ho be
strode seeming a part of himself. Some
around him wero on foot and some on
horseback , jeoplo naturally grouiwd
according to race and nationality. Mr.
McKay would dash from one group to
nuothor, narrating tho sceuo of the hum
sacro, tho need of prompt action to
secure tho safety of tho settlement, and
urging thoo who could do so to "join
the volunteer1 and go to tho war." With
eloquonco, in iwlyglot stylo.he addressed
tho settlors tho A moricans in Knglish,
Turning Ui the French, he appealed to
them, with fiery tones, in their mother
tongue, while tho next moment he would
inspire the half breeds with a torrent in
their own vernacular, thu hybrid ('bin
oo It was amazing to see and hear
this hero of the wilds exhort, entreat
and inspire and not without oll'oet, for
his company of fifty men was raised on
the ground that day.
Tho pioneers of tho forties acicplcd it
a serious duty to subdue the Cayiise
nation and show them thnt the suprem
acy ol Americans must in uiiqucstioneu.
Tho roads to Oregon City wero used by
those seeking maiohing orders, and
very soon a small but efficient army was
in the Held. It was another duty of the
timo to procure supplies and anus anil
sustain a commissariat, as well as to
provide quartermaster stores. Going to
war in an enemy's country, and in the
winter time time, was no trivial uir.iir,
no holiday effort, no mere summer pic
nic The niasaTe occurred in the last
days of November, and tho call to arms
was issued early hi December It was
the very dead of winter, and while tonic
weio opjKjsed to moving at that season,
tho majority realized that no time wa
to bo lo-t in indicting a lesson on tho
CayiiKn. 'To leave it for spring and
summer would bo to earn theii con
tempt In tho summer they could scat
(or and live anywhere, while in winter
they dcHimU-d on supplies provided iu
tho summer ami fall and could neither
leave them nor carry them with them.
To campaign iu tho winter might lo in
convenient, but if well conducted and
actively prosecuted would be sure to
bring them sjiecdily to terms. It was
December when the American trootw
AUGUST (J, 188(5.
tool, tin ili Id, and mid win'. i when tho
young and active men of this rogion
took up the lino of march, by highways
and byways, to Oregon City to enlist for
the war. Mr. John Minto tells how lie
equipped for tho war, though he after
wards joined Capt, Uobinson to ceort
.lesse Applegate to California in search
of help from any source that might bo
available there State or National. He
sold a yoke of cattle to secure a horo ;
Ilov. .1 II. Wilbur furnished him a
"biillalo gun." as a large lille then iu
use was commonly called lie leineui-
bers being present at a meeting of tho
older settlers, somewhat informal, held
in Salem lit Thomas Cox's store, where
were present Mr. Cox, Daniel Dolanoy,
Daniel Waldo, Jcmj Looney, "Jimmy"
Smith. W. II. Hector, T. D. Kei.ur,
Towner Savage, tho Methodist mission
men and others we cannot name. Thoy
met to talk over tho situation and do
something to provide the sinews of war.
This meeting illustrates the situation,
the feeling of the community, and tho
loyulity and sclf-siicrillcu that pervaded
it. Kaeh man named what ho could
spine for the eiii'rgency. One could
spa io a horse, another could equip it, a
thiid had one or mom guns, lllankets
and budding wero needed for tho winter
campaign. It is probable, and indeed
certain, that in ovory neighborhood of
this legion s0 rioh iu nion and women
to make a state, but so poor iu worldly
goo Is there wore similar gatherings,
HHintaueoiiH and earnest to provide
means to carry on tho war. 1 low dif
ferent this from tho way despots inukn
conscriptions and levy taxes to gather
men and munitions of war! The pro
visional governor and legislature, or
ganized and umpowored by tho fow nion
who then settled Oregon, had only to
recommend a courso to bo pursued to
see it executed by tho free will of a
bravo and self-sucrilicing people.
Balem at a, Buelnesi Point
In a communication headed "Sulum"
the Statesman has some good suggos
tious by "Citien," of tho means that
can bo Used to foster business interests,
and their further development. Among
other things ''Citizen" says, "thoie must
1ki a commerce running through the
city that creates a demand for nionoy,
both in receiving and disbursing, and
and wherever we find commerce doing
its work, thoro wo find prosperous
banks." This is well said, mid I venture
td add t it. preceding the very necessi
ty of banking capital, is tho neco-sity of
ways by which commerce can reach
most cheaply tho btisine-is point to
beiiciltod by its fertilizing stream. Since
wiitingtho short article which appeared
in the Daily Talk of July :ilst, iu which
the iniH)riaucc (to thu future of Salem)
of an highway from hero into Central,
K.iStcrn and Southeastern Oregon by tho
Uvt known natural pass through the
Cascade riiuge of mountains, 1 have
made inquiries as to thu results of a lit
tle biiflini.-r that has been going on by a
rougher nud inoru roundabout way , yet,
passing through this city, because the
party conducting the biisiutss and the
banker who supplies the capital, are cit
izens of Salem and Marioiieounty A
ifridont of this county last year began
tho bui-imns of collecting fat sheep and
driving from I'rineville, in Crook coun
ty, to sell in the Portland market or
others northwest of the Cascades. His
best way to pass ibo range was via the
W V. .V C. M. (Lebanon) wagon road.
Tho ro.ul follows the South Santiam val
ley, crossing the Wyley Hills, the Seven
Mile Mountain, which separates the
South Santiam from the headwaters of
the M Kenie, Fish Lake, and thence
up "Sand Mountain," nine miles, to the
true summit of thu range. Thus in
volving three mountains to cross, each
steeper and more difficult than ouo on
tho North Santiam route, and three hard
d ys drive further for fat sheep than tho
Jatter involves. Tho toll is three conts
NO. 2(1
per head. Yet this circuitous mid hard
road to travel brings mutton sheep
through Salem to tho Portland market
at .'17 cents per head less than they can
bo brought from Princvillo to Portland
via Tho Dalles and railroad. Tho wrilor
learned from a sheep jobber driving a
lot of theso bunch grass sheep on foot
to Portland alongside of tho railroad,
that ho was making fail profits iu this
busbies, and thoro was-not only econ
omy of cost in driving, as against ship
ping by car, but that tho stock went into
tho butcher's hands iu better condition.
Now, Mr. F.ditor, knowing as wo do
from reports of viewers and surveyors
acting under the County Court, that the
North Santiam valley oilers tho best
natural roadway yet discovered leading
into Central Oregon for thu construc
tion of a good freo common road, that
can be traveled by tho poorest citicn
(and it is believed nan be traveled at all
seasons of the year) is it not worth whilo
for the citizens nf Marion county to
make an ell'orl to get such a road
opened by which not only fat sheep,
but bales of wool, fat beovos, horses,
hides, skins, peltries and furs may bo
made to puss through Salem on their
way to Portland and other markets of
tho northwest. It is well worth the
consideration of the business men of
Portland also. Thirty-seven cents per
head and moto healthy moat is some
consideration on her "chop" account.
Hut, assuming as permanent that there
would bo about that rale of cheapen
ing iu the delivery of all meats on foot
from that great body of pastuio land
west, south and east of Princvillo; there
is the preservation of hor intcrosta in
the wool trade, on which tliero is fifty
miles lesa of railroad freights between
Balcmand Tho Dillosiii reaching Port
land ; besides much that is now forced
to go to Tho Dalles, Arlington or cast
ward to Ontario, will nover go to Port
land. It. will take tho other end of the
rail. That city has learned, or is learn
ing, that tliero is moro than ouo road for
the products of Oregon to reach distant
markets. 'Tho little Oregon Pacific, as
one of her most wido awake business
men reeontly showed her board of trade,
is putting down iron and such imports
at Kugene, Corvnllis, and Albany, at if I
jwr ton cheaper than she herself is re
c.'iviug it. This means that the same
road will take wheat, wool, etc., corrcs
jiondiiigly cheaper to tho ocean. It
then becomes her business men not
only to cheapen freights into tau mouth
of the Columbia to Portland, but also
thence to consumers of her mcrcban
diso in tho interior.
'The mad I am now speaking for will
take largo amounts of farm implements,
clothing, house and kitchen furnishing,
iijiou the cost of which to consumers
a deduction of fifty miles of railroad
freight would bo worth considering,
This would bo oU'eeted by having a bet
ter and freer road from Princvillo to
Saleiu than thoro is now between I'rino
villoaud Tho Dalles. 1 know whereof
I speak, Mr. Kditor, when I assert that
there is no such "pull" required to cross
tho C'l-cado.s vh the North .Hiiiitium val
ley as that necessary iu crossing the
valley of tho Des Chutes at Shearer's
bridge, that such a road once opened,
and terminated by a freo biiilge, would
bring a rich stream of commerce
through Salem mid Marion. Corr Sa
lem Daily Talk.
As will bo seen by an announcement
in another column, Mr. Delos Jefferson
is agent for the ''Sherwood Novelty
Harness." He has exhibited it several
times on our sheets and attracted uni
versal attention. Wo cannot describe
it, but say it must be seen to bo appre
ciated. .Messrs. J. 1). Jordan A Son are
agents for Mr. Jcfibrson.
Tho most doadly foe to nil malarial
diseases is Ayer's Ague cure, a combina
tion of vegetable ingrcdiouts, of which
the most valuable is used it; no other
preparation. This remedy is an abso
lute specific, and succeeds, w lion other
remedies fail. Warranted.