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About Willamette farmer. (Salem, Or.) 1869-1887 | View Entire Issue (Dec. 3, 1886)
V IK iv VOL. XVIII. OREGON PIONEER HISTORY. SKETCHES OP EARLY DAYS. MEN AN. TIMES IN THE FORTIES ""- IIY S. A CLAltKE C5i)rUht Applied for. All rljhM tilnc i. xt'Mnnn xuv. Tlio Oregon City Club or 1810. THE DEAN POKKIt AOCIATION. At that timo tlicro was about .f 25 in loose chnngo in nil tho Pacific North west, known ns Oregon, and a few boon companions had gathered it in and used it during the dreary wet season, whon overlings weio long drawn out, to innko bean poker stakes to pnss tho timo nwny. Thoso wcro "Jo" Watt, I. 0. Campbell, "Jim" Xesmith, "Jess" Apple gntc, Trigg, an Englishman a doctor who liked "bluo ruin" and whoso pcoplo wcro well oft. Ho whs killed in Ml), and was thrown over tho bank or fell over when tipsy. Some thought tho soldiers did it for money. Jim W'aro, a carpen ter, who died nt Tho DalleH ten years ago, S. S. Holdorness and J. S. Itlnear son. Times wore dull. Society was hardly in existoneo, and tho winter, in absensc of newspapers or convenient literature, waned slowly. It will bo recognized that our list included a mi ta bor of choice spirits, capable of passing tho time. Uenn poker was the staple occupation, and "bluo ruin" was as often "tho stakes" as tho looso chnngo aforo mentioned. There was spoit in n gamo for something contrnband, and when tho McCary lluid was on tho table mid tho drinks wont round, it was with closed doors and darkened windows for fear that tho minions of tho law might drop on it nnd conllscato tho liquor as well as arrest tho imbibers thereof. It had taxed tho ingenuity of this "jolly company" to find "something to drink" when tho long winter ovenings drovo them together. Something was needed to neutralize tho eternal patter of "tho rain on tho roof." tiik oitmiN.vi. or "hum: win." Tho discovery of Dick McCary'a en terprise bolved that doubt, and "bluo ruin," which received its appreciative nuino within that famous circle of wits, was in regular domand. Dut thoy undervalued tho fighting force of "bran, middlings and molasses" under tho skill ful manipulation of McCary, for thoy partook rather recklessly of his whisky when thoy first mado its acquaintance. It was an ovening when tho clouds that fed tho rolling "Oregon" had "Lot go all holds" and tho rain poured down in torrents. Thoy had drank until thoy wero rather mellow, and somo wcro be coming sick and somo wore savage. It was fighting whisky and no mistake, but they had no idea of tho strength of it. Thero was a sudden alarm within, probably tho fun grew so furious that eomo outsider put his faco to tho win dow to learn what was going on within. There came a rap at the door, and while tome other ono gathered the liquor nnd stowed it out of bight the coming "Sage of Yoncalln" gathered a butcher knifo and striking a warliko attitudo was ready to stab to tho heart any minion of tho provisional government who should daro to invade tho pieraises. When they got ready to nJmit tho visitor, none was found. Tho semi-tragedy was caused by some wag who gave tho sur reptitious knock at tho door. The ac tors of M. who aro left havo passed to tho "sere and yellow leaf," but they love yet to get together and narrato tho pranks of forty years ago. Xesmith has "just gone to join tho silont ma jority." Watt, Applegate, and Itynear son aro yet with us. Campbell was a brilliant man, accomplished and gener ous. Theso incidonts may seem trilling, but they are part of that timu and illustrate the humor of "pipneer days," when our part of tiro world was in embryo and the unformed elements of society and of tho politics, as well as business, of tho coming State wero being shaped and formed by the head and SALEM, OREGON, FRIDAY, hand of Amoriean pioneers, who re chaos to order and mado and exeputod laws. DICK M'CAUY "STII.L" OX IT. Dick McCary improved another dis tillery, but prudontly fitted it up in somo mountain recess where tholnwdid not think it wiso to follow. "Uluo ruin" found its way to mnrket, though not in such quantity ns to domoralizo Indinns or whites very seriously. It was unsafo to trespass upon good order very grossly at a time whon all good eitiens felt tho serious dangor that might result from having intoxicating liquor within reach of the nativo tribes, all of whom seem to havo a strong passion for it, nnd aro worse than fiends when under its in fluence. Tho men wo have named as patronizing "bluo ruin" then would havo been tho last to renlly aid its man ufacture and uso to any dangerous ex tent, though thoy might, in a mood of convivial humor, claim its assistance to pass tho time. Our humorists went slow in their demands for bluo ruin after tho initiation of sick and savage humor it gavo thorn on their first acquaintance. Homo Voyago of tho Atgonauu. Anciont poetry tells of tho voyage of tho men of Argos of tho Golden Fleoco nnd tho timo may como when poetry and history will deal witli tho voyages and sauntering of moro modern Bookers of tho goldou fleeces, vory few of whom camo homo shorn. I havo in mind a mcmorablo voyago that occurred in IS li) when n hundred Oregonians who wero stranded in San Francisco chartored tho bark Joaunottc, an East India built ship, mado of teak wood, to tako them homo. Shipping was plentiful at that timo in San Fran cisco bay bocauso tho fleets of all na tions wero beginning to nrrivo, many of them to lie thero and broil in summer suns vainly waiting for somo turn of fortune to sond them home. Tho com merce of tho world set only ono way then and that was toward California. Most of thoso Oregonians wcro return ing after fortunato oflbrts in tho minos. Oregon was early at vork in tho dig gings and tho luck of an Oregonian was a proverb. The immigrant who dared so much and braved uncounted hard ships and danger found his rocomponso in part in the reward ho rot for his labor in tho gold fields to tho south ward. OltK(.OSlAN IX SAN FJlANi Isl'O IN 1819. Thero was a meeting of those who wanted to voyage homeward, and thoy appointed a committco to chaiter a roomy ship to tako thorn to Portland. The committee stood on tho shoro and selected a vessel with high bulwarks, but as preparations wcro making for do parture, thoy learned that t):o shippers had substituted a much smaller vessel. Thoy held indignation meetings, and remonstrated loudly, and secured tho vessel originally chartered. This was roomy between decks, nnd was Jitted up with bunks amidship. Thocabin proper could only hold a dozon, and was de voted to tho comfort of Genoral Lano and a fow leading meu and tho elders of the company. Tho ship had n cargo and very little ballast, nnd was a rather slow sailer. The smaller vessel they discarded tniled after they did and reached tho Columbia first, but our Argonauts wero enrrying their gold dust homo, nnd cared moro for comfort than for speed. Colonel W. W. Chapman for tho first timo mot General Lano in San Francisco at that time, lie had been resolving to remain in California permanently, but General Lano persuaded him to return to Oregon and tako a hand in public life, as ho was going thero to establish a territorial government. Oregonians wero numereus in San Francisco that winter, and could "paint the town red" if any occasion warranted such nrtistic effort. It looked liko it when tho ship owners tried to force them on board tho llttlo Moreodcs, but they made a dem onstration that was effective nnd had their own choico of ships. "A OAI.t.ANr, (IAM.ANT riMVl" Thero wcro many prominent men on board tho Jcannotte, men who wore to mako their mark in tho history of their times. There was General Jo Lane, just returned from being a hero in the Mexican war. Ho was afterwards to bo governor of Oregon, our dclegato to Congress, a Sonator during tho troublous times that preceded the great rebellion and who was to bo candidate for Vico Prcsidont on tho Confederato nomina tion of 1S00, when Hrcckenridgo ran for President. Thero was Jim Xcsmith, a young fellow, full of niNohicf and alivo to all possible humor and frolic. Xosmith, th"n a young man with mod crato aspirations, a scarcely edttcated frontiersman, yet would live to bo a Senator in Congress and do noblo duty for his country in time of need. Thero was Colonel W. W. Chapman, who camo fresh from prominent dealings with public affairs in tho now Stato of Iowa; Jo Meek, tho mountain man, who was to tako his first tussle with tho sea ; the Monteiths, who settled at Albany and have been always prominent! Col. Ford of Polk county ; S. S. White, Sol. Tethrow, and scores of men Col. Chap man cannot now recollect, whom to nnmo would bo to recall many who have proved to bo eminent in tho work of building up our State. ' "AllliOAD ON Till: Willi: PACIFIC!." Over 100 passengers paid .flOOj each, so tho good bnrk Jcaunetto mado a good cash business of enrrying them. She purchnsed a load of lumber for her return, so it is likoly thu trip was profit ably all around. Our Oregonians wero not oven fresh wator sailors, most of them, and tho freaks of old ocean an noyed them imnu'ii-ely. Thoy had to beat up against a north wind, and it was in sea parlance, a long log and a short one. Tho long leg was hundreds of miles out to sea, tho long tack. And thoy found themselves SOU miles on tho fair Pacific when they put about to mako tho Columbia river. Among tho hundred passengers wero some who wcro piously inclined. They had rested on tho Sabbath when going inland to the diggings, but somehow thoy couldn't co how to keep tho Jeannetto in u proper frame of mind on Sundays. Thoy had to consent to Sunday travel as thero was no way to tie up on that day. Hut they protested against thoso who rolieved tho ennui of tho long days by playing cards. Many who kept Sunday disorderly before thoy went to tho mines, in somo manner "lost their grip" on tho Sabbath, as on some other things, whilo working in tho gold mines. Thoso who kept their faith warm and bright protested against Sunday card playing, and n committco of them mado a tour of tho ship to urge tho carders to respect tho day. It is related that Xosmith added greatly to tho power of their solicitations by accompanying and singing with great effect a song that was vory popular with all good people, entitled "Sweet Mary, weep no moro for mo!" Wo can imagine what sort of a voyago they had when wo learn thut Xesmith was on board, nnd was not sea sick. Ho was in his prime then, and though his experience was not so varied as it afterwards became thero had ken enough variety in his lifo to mako him a Ikxiii companion not to bo despised. "A WSU TACK FUO.M WINIIWAItll." The horrors of sea-going culminated when tho Jeannetto put about and from 800 miles to windward started forth beforo the wind for tho Columbia river. Tho Jennnotte had no ballast to hold her down, and went rolling nnd plung ing towards Columbia bar, heedless of nil complaint and reckless of all conse quences. It imci been bad enough before, so bad that Sol. Tethrow, hearing one day that the ship was not far from the, mouth of the I'mpqua, had feebly DECEMBER 3, 188(. held up his sack of gold dust, valued at StiOOO, nnd offered it to tho captain if ho could bo put nshoro. Ho forgot that tho I'mpqua Indians wcro more hostile than tho billows of the rocking ocean. Ho staid on board and outlived tho rolling of tho ship and tho fear nnd devilment that Xesmith furnished so freely. Just imagine a hundred Oregon land grubbers rolling for S00 miles beforo tho wind! Tho situation was only ludicrous, but most of them thought it dangerous. Uob Kinney was unablo to sit up or sit down, so ho laid his bulky form across tho cabin table. When tho vcs-cl went over ono way his heels wero in tho air; on the reverse his head was up, and it took all "tho grip" ho had to keep where ho was. Ho yelled, periodically, that ho was "gone this time, sure." Some of them actually believed the ship would roll over and under. Judge S. S. Whilo was so apprehensive and so sick withal, that ho could do nothing but say : "Xow wo aro going under, sure!" Go they did, but it was bofore the wind with a spanking breeze. Tho cabin was full of groans and lamentations, and be tween whiles would bo heard tho voices of "Xcs" anil his brigade of funny fel lows, who wero neither seasick or afraid, singing, "A Lifo on tho Oooan Wave," or prescribing remedies for seasickness that were worso than tho.discaso. Hut tho wind drovo them at last to tho Columbia river, and they safely crossed the bar. Onco inside they chartered a launch to tako them up to Portland. On tho voyago thoy couldn't cat, but now thoy havo voracious appe tites. Colonel Chapman tells amusing inci dents connected with that journey up tho Columbia. At Welch's thero wcro four or fivo kettles over the firo. filled with food of various sorts, and hungry Argonauts wondered if the fish, meats nnd vegetables wero equal to their needs. Tho result proved that thero was no sur plus. Thoy brought back from Califor nia n fair store of gold and good appe tites. Woman's Rights In tho National a range -Southern Members Against It. Tho Philadelphia Kecord of Novem ber !) says : A stormy scene occurred nt yesterdny afternoon's session of tho National Grange of the Patrons of Husbandry when tho question of woman's rights came up for consideration. The contest, if such it could ho callod, was principally betweon tho North and South, as repre sented by farmor delegates. Although tho delegates tried to appear in good temper at tho cloio of the day, it was evident that tho unity of the organiza tion had received n severe test. The lady delegates, of course, warmly favored what they consider an advance ment of their condition, and to get the subject liefnro the meeting they caused to bo apicutlcd to tho rHjrl Of the Committco on Agriculture a clause de claring tho Onler in favor of an exten sion of tho rights of women. They in corporated in their own report the re quest that the matter be taken up by States. Husincss progressed smoothly enough at tho meeting until the Agri culture Committco reported. Tho read ing of its document was tho signal for war. A motion was immediately made by an emphatic delegate to lay tho re port on the table. Although tho motion is not debatable it was suggested that such action would appear to bo gross discourtesy to tho committee, whio.li had labored earnestly and presented a care fully prepared document. After slight confusion tho motion to lay on the table wag withdrawn and another motion mado to strike out the woman's rights clause and adopt tho report us amended. Hon. W. A. Armstrong, of Xow York, the acknowledged Hiampion of tho ladies, then opened tho ball with an earnest speech in which ho said ho hoed tho clauso would remain. Ho NO. 43. held that tho organization was based upon equality of tho sexes and that It was only n innttcr of justice for the Order to givo tho stamp of its approval to tho extension of woman's political ns well ns social rights. General J. N. Lipscomb, Secretary of Stato of South Carolina, thought the matter of woman' political privileges entirely outside tho purposes of tho Order, nnd claimed that if anything of the kind were to bo entertained at all it might como before tho individual Stato bodies -that the national organization had nothing to do with it. Governor ltobiu, of Maine, warmly seconded Mr. Armstrong's position, and speeches in favor of retaining the clauso wero mado by MosdamcH E. S. Johnson, of California; Addio S. Hale, of Connecticut; Isabel Truster, of In diana ; Lizzie Toothaker, of Kansas, and M. S. Hhonc, of Pennsylvania, and others, whilo General Lipscomb was supported by J.M. Wanton, of Virginia; T. II. lvimbrough, of Georgia; Cover nor-elct C. G. Luce, of Michigan, and W. It. Williams, of South Carolina, nnd several others from the South. Tho debate became so decidedly heated and earnest that the spectre of disunion began to assume visible pro portions. It was seen by the cool-headed men present that if thu question wero pressed home and the strongth of each side fully brought out disastrous icsults would como to the Order in tho South. The harmonious spirit that had charac terized the proceedings up to this time becamo strained, and it was with diffi culty that appearances wero preserved. Tho spectacle of white women associa ting with colored women in politic') was ton much for the Southerners, and they fought the issue with an emphasis amounting utmost to bitterness. l'n questionably the supporters of woman's rights wero in tho majority, but in view of the results that seemed certain to follow it was thought wise by many to adopt a policy of conciliation and strike out tho claiiw" Soveral pronounced superiors of tho idea quietly left the hall rather than vote, while a number of others also known to be favorablo voted to strike out. Only .'17 announced themselves 28 to strike out and I) to ictain. Tho discussion lasted fully two hours. Tho amended report was adopted, as was also the Indies' docu ment, -o that the question is left in an incomplete state. The national lody uppofirs in the light of not having touched the mutter, while, according to tho Indies' lepoit, which hinged upon tho adoption of that of tho Committee on Agriculture, it is relegated to tho Stale Granges. In tho evening Mr. Armstrong, of Xow Vork, said tho mutter was bound to come up tooncr or later, and tho organization might just as well have tho courage to take hold of it now as to face it hereafter. "My Mate." said ho, "is fully committed on the question, and we nre in a majority Itoyond question." J. M. lllautou, of Virginia, said that if tho matter of woman's rights hecamn a jHjrtion of tho policy of the organiza tion there would not bo a grange left in tho State. "Why, our women would not li.iv- it offered to them," he stated to Mivoi il of his hiothrcn. The iid ion of yesterday practically repudiates the course pursued with reference to the same matter by tho Conveirmii of IbHT), held in Doiton. At that in'-- Mug (he following was adopted by a v f 2li to P.): Ki-'ilw I. That one of the funiliinien tal priin,i,.len of the Patrons of Hits lunitry. . -el forth in its official declar ation if nrpobcs regulating member ship, nc -,'nizes tho equality of tho two sexes. Wo are therefore pi opined to hail w nil delight any advancement in the leg'd Minus of woman which may give to hi r the full right of the ballot lox and an equal condition of citizen ship. This created so much trouble in tho South that thu delegates from that sec tion came to the present meeting pro pared to tight to tho last rather than allow any declaration of tho kind to go on record. "Thus," as Northern member ex pressed it, "harmony lias been main tained at the sacrifice of the true con victions of tho majority."
