Image provided by: University of Oregon Libraries; Eugene, OR
About Willamette farmer. (Salem, Or.) 1869-1887 | View Entire Issue (Oct. 29, 1886)
H f VOL. XVIII. OREGON PIONEER HISTORY. SKETCHES OF EARLY DAYS. MEN AN TIMES IN THE FORTIES 1IV S. A CLARKE. Ospyrlg'it applloJ lor. All rights reserved. N NUMBER XXXIX. How Colonsl T.R. Cornelius and Party Crossed the Plains. COL.T. R. CORNELIUS. "In 1815 tho family of Bon Cornolius lived in Jaspor county, southwestern Missouri. Mr. Cornolius was ndviscd that his health required n ohnngo of rosidenco, nnil, in dobating which way to go, submitted tho question to his wifo and oldor children. Texas was thon, as now, a growing country, and ho was half-way inclined to romovo thcro. But tho chango of climato wns not sufllclont to insuro hoalth, and tho family woro impressed with stories that had reached thorn from Cnlifornin, not moroly as to climato and soil, but that tho Mexican government wns making liberal land grants to actual Bottlers. Ilnro, thon, was tho chanco for tho boys to hecomo land-owners, and no doubt they rolled on tho certainty that somo day, not distant, would sco tho American banner float over that region if enough Amori cnus over lived thoro. Tho wffo and sons solvod his doubts, and doclnrcd for tho shores of tho Pacific. Sovoral families loft their neighbor hood, and on tho 2d day of April started for Indopondcnco, which wns to bo n rendezvous for a Inrgo company intend ing to cross tho plains for Oregon. Tho grandfather, Thomns Adams, wns along, ami accompanied thorn with his family to Oregon ; but ho wns never satisfied hero, and in tho spring of 1818 went ovorland to California. Ho wns about 70 yoars of ago when thoy nil loft Mis souri, and was nlmost 100 years old whon ho died in California. MAKINCl UP A WACON TRAIN. At Indcpondcnco thoy mado a train of thirty wagons and organized witli groat care. Thoy had sixty men and a company of nbout 250 persons. Their captain was Lawrcnco Hall, who wns nftorwnrd n captain in tho Cayueo wnr. Ho was also n member of tho territorial legislature As was common on tho plains, after becoming mod to mutters, compnnics divided up considerably. During tho Inst of tho journoy Coptnin Levin English had chnrgo. Ho after ward was woll known as an oarly settler on Howell prairio. Thoy mado safe progress on tho plains nnd had no troublo of any kind. Provious to Fort Hall bull'ulo wcro abundant and thoy had plenty of meat. Tho Indians mado them no troublo and thoy got along woll with each other. At Fort Hall thoy would havo turned off to California, but thoy wero fow in numbers and could not got recruits from among tho advanco guard. They had been in tho load nil tho way. If thoy had known it, a company tlint was destined for Cal ifornia was onlyn few days behind. Not knowing it, thoy gavo up that intention as too hazardous and kopt on with tho crowd for Oregon. By this time thoy woro brokon up into small squads, fow wagons together. Having been watch ful they mot with no losses and all went woll. Tins sido of Boiso they changed their minds nnd undertook n most hazardous diversion of route. " STEPHEN MEEK MISLEADS THEM. Stephen Meek, tho mountain man, n brother of Joo Meek, who had hunted and trappod from the Rocky mountains to tho Pacific ocean, had followed them in eomo other company, and now pushed to tho front to speculate on the credulity of people who had dared much and would not bo afraid to daro more. Tho first CoL Cornelius remem bersho was then a boy of 17 was that Btovo Moek was telling the older SALEM, OREGON, FRIDAY, men of tho company Hint there was n "cut-off" from Fort Boiso by which much timo nnd travel could bo savod. This now routo ho said was located in n beautiful country whero water nnd grass abounded, whilo ho assorted that tho old routo, bo ofton traveled, waa scant of both. Ho drow such felicitous pictures of this now routo, nnd wns npparontly so familinr with it that thoy took up his offor to pilot thorn by that routo to Tho Dalles for .100. Part of this sum was paid in advnnco and satisfactory nrrnngoments woro mado for tho remainder. Then tho companies parted, eomo to go tho old emigrant route, so woll known, and tho moro ad vouturous to follow Mookand his young wifo and Nathan Olnoy into tho wilder ness. Meek had found a young girl somowhoro on tho frontier, nnd wns mnrricd to hor tit eomo post near tho starting point. Ho did not seem to havo much means, and was anxious to turn eomo of his storo of knowlcdgo to account Pnrtios in tho Hull and Tothcrow companies took tho now shoot and cheerfully struck off to tho south of tho Bluo mountains, expecting to reach Tho Dalles' by a much better and nearer routo. OOL1 FOUND INTHE 11LUE MOUNTAINS IN '15. Tho Cornelius family nnd Grand father Adams nil took tho now shoot. It was not long before thoy discovered that Meek wns not as familiar with tho country ns ho had pretended. Whilo this was apparent beforo tho end of throo days timo, thoy still did not bcllovo it possible for tho man to havo uttorly decoivod thorn, and that ho had no knowlcdgo at nil of tho country, hut such wns tho fact. It could bo possible that a hunter nnd trnppor wns ac quainted intimately with general feat ures and yot not know tho host routes for travel, so thoy pushed on with ns much faith in themselves as thoy had in Stcphon Mcok. It wns eomo timo within a fortnight of their leaving tho omigrnnt road that they camped ono night on a stream in tho foot hills of tho Bluo mountains, nnd this wns tho sito of tho famous Bluo Buckot diggings of which so much has bocn said and written. Col. Cornelius wns thon a moro lad and wns hunting cnttlo and herding stock too busy to bo nbout camp much. Ho recollects that when, a fow years later, thoy woro returning from tho California minos his father told him ho was satis fied that ho found gold on that creek, on Mcok's cut-off, for ho picked up a nugget or piece, half as big as n coffee grain, pounded it flat on n wagon wheel tiro and throw it nwny, wondering what it could be. They had not tho least idea it was gold then, but nftor they bad ox perienco in tho mines of California thoy felt no doubt whntevor ns to tho ox istonco of gold in tho Bluo mountains. Thnt-tho elder Ben Cornelius picked up n piece of gold on tho exposed bedrock of a mountain oreok Ecems beyond a shadow of doubt. TRAVELING A LOST ROUTE. Their courso for nwhilo should havo been west, gradually turning north as they gained towards tho waters of Crooked river and tho Deschutes ; but they kopt on west nnd south, nnd in tho conrso of n fortnight found themselves as now seems npparont out in tho midst of tho dry nnd inhospitablo region that separates tho waters flowing north to tho Columbia from those that feed tho lakes of southern Oregon. Their courso had boon over n very rough and barren country. Thoro was no sign of gamo save an occasional jack rabbit, no deer in sight, and the buffalo country far behind them. They began to get short of provisions and some had to deal out a shorter allowance. When they loft the old road tney wero all well and hearty, and thoeo that remained on it staid so to the end ; but the souls lost in tho wilderness wero become mere shadows, whilo eicknees and death in vaded many camps and reduced their numbers. In spite of caro and nursing many diod. For awhile thoy had funorals at every camp. MANY DYINU BY THE WAY! "Few and short wcro tho words thoy said," They dug tho graves, mado fires over thorn, nnd drovo their teams and wagons over tho consecrated spot to do ccivo tho Indians ns to tho places whero their dead wcro laid. Mourning and grief gavo way to painful approhonsions that all woro to lay their bonos down to otcrnal sleep among tho rugged hills or on tho dreary dosert. Thoy wcro to roach Tho Dallos in n short timo so Mock had said but tho timo passed by, nnd lengthonod, wook nftor week, with no symptom of nllovintion. Thoy grow moody and selfish. Cold-faced and stony-cyed solfishnoss looked out of faces that hnd boforo shone all alight with human sympathy.. Almost in eilonco tho days dopartcd and tho sick died. Thoy killed young heifers thoy hnd hoped to drivo through to bo mothors of princely hords. They hated to do it. It seemed murder. All tho woreo becauso tho poor, weary, hnlf starved creatures had lost nil fatness, and becamo only moving skeletons. On this unwholosomo diot women nnd chil dren siokoncd nnd died. Thcro aro nt least twenty hidden graves to mark that portion of tho road grnvos that can novor bo found. There had followed Mook many wagons porhaps sixty in all and sovcral hundred poisons. Tho long detention gavo timo for thoso bohind in tho long procession across tho plains to roach Tho Dallos, whilo Meek nnd his victims wcro yot uuhonrd of. Thoy nil got through, well nnd hearty, whilo Mcok's caravan woro Buffering by hundreds and dying by tho ecoro. Thoy only grow less selfish as death camo noaror, and tho ond gavo rest and poaco. It is astonishing how, in such times of fear nnd suU'ering, human sympathy will weaken. ON THE DESERT All. ATIMRST. Ono afternoon it was nearly evening they found themsolvos out on what is called "tho desert," a grassy and rocky wildorncss that stock haunt only in winter, when thoy can cat tho snow and drink its meltings. Thoy had gono all day without water nnd n small squad that had ridden on in advanco twenty miles enmo bnck and repot tod no water on ahead. Matters had eomo to n pass whero ovcry man did ns ho liked, and dUciplino, thoro was nono. Meek was silonL Ho had only hecomo n passon gor; tho timo hnd eomo for him whon "silonco is goldon." Whilo ho claimed nothing, to thoso in tho lend ho managed to leavo written directions along tho road that encouraged with falso descrip tions of tho road in advanco thoso who woro behind. A Suggestion. Another inquisitivo (5-yoaroId bobbed up on a big-four train this morning as a brakomnu, wcariug n pntent-leathor cap and n brats-buttoned bluo suit, rushed through tho cars in tho uncere monious btylo peculiar to his class. "Sny, pap, doos that man own tho railroad?" "No, sonny, he's only tho hrakeman." "Why does ho slam tho door so hard!" "Mnybo so that he will break some thing." "Is that tho reason thoy call him tho hrakeman?" "Bo still, Johnny, until wo got through tho tunnol." "I'll hot if I had $100 I'd get a suit liko tho hrakeman wears." "Then what would you do?" asked papa, curiously. "I'd woar it to Sunday sohoo! and tnko up tho collection; I'll bet I would get lots of money too, 'causo I'd scare tho pcoplo just liko tho conductor and brakemnn do." Cincinnati Times-Star. Shears are an absoluto househo'd necessity. A good pair coats 1 wo give them away. See our offer. Best drugs at lowest prices at Port's drug storo, 100 State street. OCTOBER 3S). 1886. THE CODLINO MOTH. Tho derivation of tho word "codling" is ns follows: An unripo nnd under grown npplo is called in Kngland it cod lin, or codling, nnd ns this moth attacks always tho uiulorgrown nnd unripo fruit, it wns called in England tho codling, or codlin moth, which nnmo it bears to day. Tho meaning of it is, tho moth that attacks codlings, or unripo apples. It is proper to spell it with or without tho final "g," but it seems to bo tho most common to say "codling." It is not often that n namo has so clear n signifi cation as this. As wo aro to hear a donl nbout it in tho years to eomo, vo givo our renders tho moaning and history of tho wholo word. Tho wholo Stato is moro or less in fested with tliiH post, and it-will soon go whore not found as yet. California has n State oflicor, with assistants nil through tho Stato, whoso duty is to havo tho law onforcod and all renson ablo efforts mndo to extirpnto tho vari ous posts that exist thcro ; nnd they aro very numorous becnuso their climato favors tho breeding of such insects. Ono way to catch tho worm, alter it has mndo its attack on tho fruit and is hunt ing n qulot placo in which to spin its cocoon and become a butterfly, is to put coarso cloth or heavy paper in folds around tho body-of tho troo. Tho worm leaves tho npplo, or onr, drops to tho earth, nnd then climbs tho troo in search of some such retreat whoro it can quietly mnko its will nnd undergo the chango from craivling worm to floating moth. Tho truo idea is to destroy this moth, that olso will lny its quota of oggs and destroy its full quota of cholco fruit. A gentleman who was visiting Oregon Inst mouth gavo Ids cxpcrloncc, nnd scorned to bo successful in carrying his oxporiment out and killing thou sands of moths. Ho hns stakes, nil with cans at tho top, nnd nt night lights wnntovcr candle or lamp ho hns in tho can, nnd cntchos from Mx to n hundred moths. Thoy fly into tho enn nnd find thcro n mixturo, or simply kcrosouo oil. Tho moths fall in this nnd that cuds them. To try both theso plant will bo to mnko n thorough test of known pre ventives. Our Legislature should pass an net to provido a competent board of com missioners for suoh a purpose, and im prove on tho oxporionco of California. Now that fruit has a prospoct of benr ing a good prico, wo should cultivnto tho orchards and do all that is ronsounhly necessary to oncourugo tho planting of moro. Somo legislation is absolutely noedod, and our frult-growors aro en titled to such protection. Tho dillluulty is to provido protection without impos ing too dlillcult conditions on tho tin fortunato fruit-grower who is bought to bo benefitted. Tho codling moth was brought from Kuropo to our country centuries ago, and thou from tho At lantic States to our coast, from Cnlifor nin to Oregon. It has been known in tho Atlantic States for conturies. A Horse's Hoof. Tho foot of tho horse is ono ot tho most ingenious and unoxainplcd pieces of mechanism in animal structure. Tho hoof contains a series of vertical thin lamimo of horn, amounting to about 5,000, and forming a completo lining to it. In this aro fitted as many laminiu Ixdonging to tho coflin-bono, while both sets aro clastic and adherent. Tho edgo of a quiro of paper insort! leuf by loaf into another will convoy an idea of tho arraugemonl. Thus tho weight of tho animal is Bupjwrtod by us many elastic springs as thoro aro laminiu in all tho foot, ninonnting to about 1,000, distribu ted in tho most secure manner, siuco every spring is acted on in an ohliquo direction. Wo ndviso you to havo nil prescrip tions filled nt Port's drug store, 100 Statu street. Vitrol, fifteen pounds for a dollar r-- - f NO. 38, Fruit Troos with Wot root. Every ono has noticed how much moro rank tho growth of almost any sort of vegetation when tho supply of moisture is abundant. Mr. A. N. Colo of Now York Slnto, who has been rank ing considerable stir over what ho calls tho "Now Agrlculluro, or Tho Waters Led Coptivo," has availed himself of a Bystcm of undordrainlug to supply tho roots of trees and plants with abundant moisturo and produced vory rcmarkablo results. Prof. B. F. Johnson, tho cor respondent of tho Country Gentleman, writes of whnt ho saw in Colorado as follows : Kvory render of your paper has eomo to know how persistently nnd strenu ously I hnvo urged tho nocossity of moro moisturo than tho avorngo Missis sippi vnlloy npplo nnd pear gets, nnd this bnscd on tho conviction that tho disasters which havo fallen on fruit orchards in tho section named, woro chiefly duo to starvation following n de ficient wntor supply. It is not without a largo mensuro ot satisfaction that I saw this viow en dorsed and confirmed by tho irrigntcd npplo orchards I saw at Fort Collins, on tho lands and in tho neighborhood of tho Colorado Agricultural College At tho grounds of tho latter I saw Duchess of Oldenburg and crabs in vaticty, loaded with fruit, at Mr. McClolland's uoar by tho Wealthy nnd lien Davis, equally fruitful, but tho fruit ot ovcry bearing troo moro stung by tho curculio or tho codling moth. But near Donvor, on whnt is known as Wheat Hidgo, tho fruit wns fair, lnrgo, untouched nnd uustung the foliage perfect, tho growth rank, and fiftccu-ycnr-old Bon Dnvis, Wealthy nnd Duchoss of Oldenburg bearing largor, fuller nnd heavier crops than I over saw in Illinois, oven on tho upplo-hcaring clays of Clay and Marion counties. Tho onbontlal olemont of succoss horo was water an nhundanco of water and wot feet from April to October. Alongsldo tho handsomest show of Bon Davis apples I over Haw, I observed n generous flow of water coursing down not suflurcd to flow constantly, but as often as tho soil seemed to need it. Tho saino wns truo of tho Miiall fruits, and tho result wns Kiltulluy, Law ton and Wilson black bnrieH, averaging in sizo well-grown Siberian crabs, and black and rod rasp berries (of tho liner kinds) rivaling stravvbeuiiH in solidity and form. When, hereafter, thoso who oppoBO as destructive my recommendations ns to apples and tho small fruits in prairio Illinois and elsewhere, stato thoir enso, I will ndviso them to take n trip to tho irrigated orchards of Colorndo and seo what I havo teen, and correct their notion, if thoy are not too old to lcnrn. Jluir Money fur Ynur Woik if you improve good opportunities. Hnllett it Oo., Portland, Maine, will mail, free, full information showing how you can mnko from 5 to $25 nnd upwards a day and livo nt homo whor- ovor you aro locniou. uoiior wruo; somo havo mndo over $50 in n day; all new. No cupitnl required; started frco. Both boxo-i; all ages. Success for every worker. Send address and sco for yonrsolf. "Tho Ainoricau Cow-boy" is tho tub jeet of a timely nnd instructive article by Joseph Nimmo, Jun., in tho Novem ber 1 Inrjier's. Tho public services which tho cattlo rangers hnvo performed as pioneers of civilisation, represses of Indian outbreaks, punishorH of injustice, and leaders in a great industry, uro well shown. Special attention is givou to tho recent northern movements of cattlo raising through Montana, Dakota, Col orado, nnd Kansas. Some valuable in formation is given concerning tho methods, tho extent, and tho proceeds ot ranching in that section. It Depends Upon How You Look at It. "My dear," said n sentimental wife, "homo, you know, is tho doarcst spot on earth." "Well, yes," said tho practical husband, "it doos cost nbout twico ns much as uny othor spot." Chicago Tribune.