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About Willamette farmer. (Salem, Or.) 1869-1887 | View Entire Issue (Aug. 20, 1886)
w ft VOL. XVIII. OREGON PIONEER HISTORY. SKETCHE8 OP EARLY DAY8 MEM AN. TIMES IN THE F0RTIE8. IIY 8. A CLAKKK OjpjrUht upp'.lnl for. All rllil retcrteJ NUMBER XXIX. Tb Rerairkablo Cireer of Ewing Young, an Immigrant ot 1834 Early "Pioneer Daya" cannot bo de scribed with justice unless wo stop awhile by the wny to study tho ohnrac Icr of a frontiersman who undoubtedly had Htrong iutlucnco in his time, and did much to emancipate tho earliest set tlers from Uw luiul monopoly of tho Hudson's Hay Company. Dr. Mc Longhlin can bo well credited with great luminous and bonovolcnec, nnd fully dofion'cd tho highest honors to hid niomory, but ho had hit) duty to dis- charge towards his company, and that brooked no rivalry. Tho earliest com ers rosontod in their hearts tho mnnncr in which Mr. Wyeth had literally had the ground cut from under and waa ran out of tho country, nlniost an im poverished man. It in truo Dr. Mc loughlin was personally friondly, and even kind. Ho Hont to Wyeth's trad ing post on Sauvio'n island for articleH not to bo liad nt Fort Vancouver, ex changed trafile to eomo oxtcnt, and no doubt felt sincerely a regret that his business duties required Wyoth's ruin. But "buaincss was business," and tho agents of tho II. 13. Co. stood ready to intorfero with Wyeth'a business when ever they could do so. They put up tho valuo of furs to a ruinous figure; ho could only buy or soil at n Ions, and after sevoral years of this inoflcetual struggle, nnd after cammendiug himself favorably to tho kindest regards of nil who know him, Wyeth "gave up tho fort," literally, and taking what Mc laughlin was willing to givo abdicated in his favor. Wyeth brought with him a fow Americans, who remained in tho country nnd mndo tho nucleus of a set tlement, fow ns thny were, that had tho Amorican causo at heart. It must bo conceded to Wyeth that incidentally he greatly influenced tho early fortunes of Oregon, if only by bringing theso few energetic men hero to establish an Amcricnn sentiment. Hall J. Kelly was another man who took a deep and abiding interest in Or egon, nnd from a vory early date advocat ed settlement hero ; bo early that his faith and zeal seemed preposterous It will perhaps bo news for tho Oregonlan it self, and certainly to all its renders, to know that half a century ago a publi cation was regglarly issued nt tho East probably at Boston under tho nnmo of Tho Oregonian, that advocated tho settlement of Oregon. This was very probably ono of tho means Hall J. Kelly took to mako Oregon known and advo cate his theory of its settlement. Mr. John Minto hnd several copies of this journal that were given to him by Mr. Horato Holden; but these and somo other documents that would l invalu able a additions to Oregon's historical archive have been destroyed. Mr. Kelly eventually immo to Oregon, by way of California, and when there found Kw ing Young ami a number of daring and rcolute muii, who were persuaded by him to journey northward in his com pany. Tho men who came with Kwing Young were John McCnrty, Carmichael, Webly, Hawkhurst, Joseph Gale, John Howard, Kilbonrn, Hrandywino and George Winslow, a colored man. This, jts Gray recites in his history, was in 1831, but that history does not mention Hall J. Kelly ot all, and certainly not in connection with tnis overland expe dition from California. Early Adventure ot Ewlnx Yonnx. Mr. Hugh Harrison, a deceased pio- neer, who was in the Santa Fo trade" many years there about ago, 1820. met Ewing xoung Young was then SALEM, OREGON, FRIDAY, making trips from St. Louis to New Mexico, nnd even then was a very dar ing and determined mnn. Sir. Harri son related to Mr. Minto an incident where tho Now Mexican authorities placod tho Amorican traders under un fair disabilities. To leave tho matter as it was would causo great loss to many of tho traders, so Kwing Young organ ized n company of fifty determined Americans, who took possesion of tho Now Mexican capital nnd gavo tho Hi dalgo, who was executive there, timo to icconsidor bis injustice. Bo, in his younger dnys, Kwing Young captured and held Santa Fe, not an inconsider able event, nnd certainly a very high handed ono, but efTcctivo withal. Young did not mako a success of trading to Now Mexico, so later on ho organized a small company for n trap ping, hunting and trading expedition, and pushed westward to the confines ot Now Mexico, through Arizona nnd into California. Ho seems to have tarried there long enough to have a family and produco heirs, for years aftor his dentil, when his estate had escheated to our State, Judgo O. C. Pratt produced from that soction n son of his named Joaqui u Young, who plainly enough proved his legitimacy to scctiro tho reversion of tho escheat. Harrison rcmomborcd that Young once mndo a trading nnd trap ping expedition as fnr north as tho Ore gon border, but drifted back again. It was owing to tho iulluouco of Hall J. Kolly, who mot him there, that Young organized tho trading nnd trapping ex pedition that ilually brougnt him to Or egon. Overland from California la 1831. That was tho company concerning which Webly Hawkhurst made tho posthumous confession that I narrated a fow weeks ago, that being ill on Rogue river thoy moved to an island in that stream, whero all wore taken down with chills and fever. During this time they rccoived a friendly visit from two Indians, and fi.r fear these would go nwny and disclose thoir woak condition they killed their visitors and concealed thoir remains, which is considered tho first ground of tho implncablo hato tho Itogtto Hivors ever after manifested to wards tho Americans. Young's party seems to have had considerable prop erty to lose, nnd were excusable for hav ing apprehensions, if not for perpetrat ing that dreadful murder. Young had purchased quite a baud of horses in Cal ifornia, besides which ho had a trading outfit of somo value. They journeyed north slowly and trapped as they wont, also trading with tho natives for furs and gnme. Somo terrible stories wero current concerning Young himself and the conduct of his party towards tho Indians. Thoy had somo trouble with thoso of Uoguo river, and making a de tour to tho ocoan nutlet of that ntrcam seem to have made their way up tho const. A man of strong native judg mont as Young showed would not jeop ardize lifo and property by acts of ruth less violence when everything thoy could desire was purchasable of tho In dians, so I recoivo theso hard-featured stories with many grains of allowance and considorablo disallownnce. No doubt Young's lifo was a singular one, for a modicum of mystery encircled him always. Ho wns a natural lender and may have duno many unscrupu lous nets in his time, and so far ns his lifo in Oregon was concerned, from his nrrival in 18111 until his death in 1811, he seems to havo commanded respect, and to havo fully overcomo tho evil re ports that followed him to Oregon, where they arrived in duo time, having mado nrathor euccovful expedition. Dr. Mcloujulln Catcae a Tartar. Looking up a letter from Courtney M. Walker to Hon. Medorem Crawford, nnsworing a request for facts and inci dents in the life of hwing loung, I find that Hall J. Kelly was in fact a mem- her of tho company that camo through with Ewing Young nt that timo. Walk er nlso steles thnt he first met Young a few days after his arrival in this valloy ; thnt ho brought with him from Califor nia a hord of Spanish horses and mares, and locnled on tho west sido of tho Willamette river, opposite Chnmpoog, and erected thoro tho first house built on that sido of tho river by n white man. A largo number of pon-on camo from California nbout tho timo Young's party did, and somo of theso scorn to havo appreciated Young's onterpriso in driving horsos to Oregon who did not havo tho moans to legitimately ncquiro herds as ho did. These men, after thoir companions had got beyond tho vicin ity of some ranches and picked up what stock thoy could get hold of and drove them to northward. When dis covered this fact was reported to tho Govornor of Cnlifornin nt Monterey, where tho Hudson liny Company's schooner "Oadboro" was at tho time, on a trading voyage. So tho Governor of California addressed a letter to Gov. MoLoughlin, informing him of tho dop rcdation committed, materially charg ing it on Young, who left nbout thnt time. Tho "Cadboro" arriving soon nfter Young's advent in Oregon, ho found himself under a ban nt Fort Van couver. This fact transpired when ho needed supplies nnd sont beaver skins to pay for them. Tho beaver wero re turned with a suggestion that tio Hud son Hay Company, for sudleient rea sons, declined to have any business transactions with Mr. Young. However, tho good Doctor Mint all the supplies asked for, without taking an equivalent, and added a few condiments and bot tles of wine to grace the Grangers' ta ble. Hut tho Doctor had "reckoned with out his hoit;" Young indign tntly re fused to receive the goods or use tho re freshments offered, and, chartering an Indian and his canoe, proceeded to Van couver, where a rather harsh interview took plsce. In due time McLoughlin satisfied Young that he could not rtvog; nizo a man who camo thus under a ban as n leader of banditti until the charges could bo diproved. This mutter we will conclude here by faying that when tho "Cadboio" returned the ensuing year to Monterey Young and MoLough lin both wrote to the Spanish Governor, and in reply to Young's explanation of facts all charge" against him were re tracted. In a short while ho beenmo on excellent tonus with the Hudson Day Company's oilicials and in good standing with all classes. There wero then three powers in Oregon. First, of course, was the Hrilish company, next tho Methodist mission, then Ewing Young. The ncrip of these parties passed m currency. A Fortune In Willaroett Orata. When Young saw tho Willamette valley lying in all its primeval loveli ness and priitiue hauty and luxuriance of verdure he announced his determi nation to become the riehent man on tho l'acifie, and fortune lay for him in having herds and ll-icks to consume the exuberant pasture Mr. Harrison ro meml)cred to hao heard him occasion ally say that was his intention. Withal ho was a patriotic American, and how over kindly were the advances made to him in jwrson by the controlling mo nopoly for Dr M''Lmighlin always recognized tho utility of making friends of tho Mammin of unriKhtcousncss Young to tho last maintained a stal wart independence mid did all that was jKwsible to promote an American senti ment. At thiH time all the cattle in Oregon belonged to tho Hudson Hay Company, and they maintained a strict monopoly. Any settler could havo cattlo to work for tho breaking, and cows were to be had for tho milking, but tho increase all remained with the Hud-on's Hay Com pany. Two years after Young's arrival, in 1830, ho was working up a scheme to AUGUST 20, 1886. break up this monpoly. T. J. Hubbard rodo round tho 'settlement to sco what tho people could do nnd matters wero progressing with tho assistance of Rev. Jason Lee, of the M. K. Mission, so fa vorably that they wero negotiating with Vancouver for an outfit for the over land expedition to California. Hut here tho British monopoly interest came in contact and Dr. Mclaughlin refused to let them have tho necessary supplies, which at that timo could not le pro cured elsewhere. Whether h was the stern, immutable logic of events, or should bo termed an instance ot poetic justice that camo to tho relief of the settlers and tho discomfiture of tho British monopoly tho render must de cide. About this time there camo into Columbia river a small vessel command ed by Lieutenant Slacom, of tho U. B. navy, whoHO mission was to look after and protect Americans and American interests on tho Pacific. Tho poo tie jus tice ns well as loglo of events will ap pear when the cauc of his coining is discerned. His excellency o( California had fan cied that tho learning mid genius of Hall J. Kelly wero a dangerous thing to let Iooho on tho Pacific to tamper with its "benevolent monopolies," so ho took pains to warn Gov. MoLoughlin against Kelly, as well as Young, as a dangerous diarac.ter. This was Hufiiuiuut to place Kelly under a Ixin aUo. lli did not en joy good health hero so abandoned tho intention of remaining in Oregon, and made no location of land or permanent improvements, as Young did, and oth ers he jwrsuaded to come. Tho doctor, at the Fort, refused Klly fellowship, but fitted ami furninhed him a dwelling ami all the nocchiarics of lifo during his stay, with a couple of servants to servo bin needs This was a singular way to ostracise a man, and shows tho Doctor's philanthropy i- counteracting his sense of justice. One would sup pco that Kelly, a man of birth, educa tion, character ami no inconsiderable means, could have shown the Doctor the folly of any charge against him. Hut the Hudson Hay Company traded largely with California, and was bound to respect Hi wishes of its customers. To quote again : With Dr. Mclaughlin "busine-s a bti-ine-h." In tho spring of 18M a vcs'l went to the .Sandwich It-hinds, and the Doctor gave Kelly a free passage there He reached homo (Ito-'ton) in lime t publish a pamphlet, wherein he severely commented on tho treatment of Americans by tho If. 1). Co. in Oregon, (living his experience and dwelling forcibly on tho fact that Kwing Young was (rented so unkindly. This pamphlet attracted the attention of our government, and a copy was sent to the American Consul at tho Inlands witli orders to learn how Young anil other Americans on '.ho Columbia wore being treated. As Lieutenant W. A. Slacom arrived there about that timo, Mr. .loucrt, the Consul, fitted up a small brig and got him to go to the mouth of the Columbia river on a tour of inves tigation. Si Kelly brought incident iillv Hacoui to the Mittler' relief In Mr. W W. Martin's window, on State street, Salem, can be seen a ripe fig. also Mimtt green ones. This fruit was rai-sl in Salem by dipt. L. K. Pratt. He says the tree has had a severe tusnel with the elements, but now secmn to be fully acclimated. It is a geuuiuo curiosity, and is well worth the trouble of looking at. Mattie Allison has reeii brought to the .Marion county jail. She has de tained a change of vouue, and her trial will take place in this county. Tlu Salem Flouring Mills Company have received 00,000 bushels of wheat to date all of (hi- year's crop. Vitriol, fifteen pounds for ono dollar at Tort A Son's, 100 State street. NO. 28. COLE'S SAWDD8T COMEDIANS. White Headed Gags Knocked Out by a "Chest nut Register." Mounts, the merry god, and tho deity at whoso shrine tho major portion of show patrons of tho present day wor ship, will hold high carnival in tho ring performances of W. W. Cole's now colossal shows, which appear hero on Thursday, September 2d. Tho army of motley humorists will be something un precedented, as regards numbor nnd eleaerness, and if some "now gags" nnd "business" are not sprung on tho peo ple, it will be surmising. Tho list of inerrymen is bended by the noted Eng lish pantomimic and acrobatic clown, tho "Great Ernest," who will ticklo tho risibilities of the audience with his res thetic donkeys, and ingeniously con strue tod rubber elephant, "Goodyoar;" Tom Mclntyro, the Chesterfield of Shakespearian wits, will amuso in his own quaint, inimitable stylo; "Hilly" Rollins, ono of the brightest jesters that have over donned cap and bells, will vo calize the latest comic songs, tell rib tickling stories, nnd introduco his comio little trained pig, "Hon Uutlcr." Ten other high priests of Momus will participate in tho rovolrios. Any clown that springs a musty, hoary-headed chesttiNt, with whiskers on it, is subject ed to a fiuo of $10. A now feature in connection with tho clowning will bo introduced in tho shapo of a "chestnut register," a clock-shaped affair, tho hands ot which record with unerring accuracy ovory venerable joke which tho clowns, whilo in a reminiscent mood, may unconsciously utter. Everybody will want to see tho workings of tho "chestnut register." Waito In Nature. An Kuglish naturalist remarks thnt it is a sad rellection that whilo tho turbot lays fourteen million eggs, not more than one on an average over lives to reach maturity. In fish genorally it takes yearly at least a hundred thou sand eggs for each Individual to keep up tho average of tho species. In frogs or amphibians a fow hundred are amply sufficient. Reptiles often lay n much smaller numbor. In birds, which hatch their own eggs and feed their young, from two to ten eggs per nnnum ore quite sufficient to replenish tho earth. Among mammals throo or four at a birth is a largo number, and many of tho larger sorts produco one calf or foal at a timo only. In tho human raco nt large n total of fivo or six children for each married couple during a whole lifetime makes up sufficiently for infant mortality and all other sources of loss, though among savages a far higher rate is usually necessary. In Kuglaud nn average of four and a half children per family suffices to keep the population stationary. Lost A pair of running shoes and breech clouts, done up in a packngo, was lost Thursday morning between this city and tho State Fair (J rounds. A liberal reward will lie paid if delivered at this office. Wm. J. Ci-aukk. Gen. Ixigan and party, who had in tended to leave on the i!0th insL by steamer for Portland via Victoria, havo changed their plan. This change was brought atoiit by Senator Stanford in viting them to make a trip overland in sM-cial trains and stages, to bo provided by him. Tho invitation has been ac cepted, and the party will lravo on Eri. day next. I'aruell has requested all Irish mem bers of parliament to bo piesenl Thurs day at tue reassembling of parliament, lie says, in view of the grave and press ing condition of public affairs, it is very necessary there should lie a full attend ance of the Irish contingent. A fund started for Mrs. Hancock now amounts to ?IO,000. A Fine rarm for Sale. Wo have had placed in our hands for sale a choice farm highly unproved, about four milos south of Salem. Tho placo contains 120 acres, all of which is cleared. There is a growing crop of 6'J acres, consisting of barley and wheat. There are good buildings and an orchard. This placo yielded thirty bushels of wheat per acre last year. Apply soon and obtain a burguln. Trice $U5 r acre. If