r
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VOL. XVIII.
OREGON PIONEER HISTORY.
SKETCHES OF EARLY DAYS. ---MEM AN
TIMES IN THE FORTIES
I1Y S. A CLARKE.
CopyrUlit applied for, Alt right reicncj
NTMDElt SLV. i V ' '
A Chapter of Notes from the Kcmlnitccnces
x or Dr. William C. McKay.
S- "
N rnoM OUKQON TO tiii: STATES IN' 18U8.
Dr. Win. C. McKay says : In 18:18 my
father took my brothers, Aleck and John,
and myself, to Fort Hnll to send us
Enet to bo educated. Itcv. Jnsnn Leo
was going back that year. Fnthor went
with us to Green river, the usual ren
dezvous. When arrived thero wo found
the plnco locked, but thoro was n broken
window and insidu of it wn read this
inscription, written on nn ox scull,
"Come on to Yellowstone! Lots of wo
men, so como on!" This screed was
signed "Jo Heck.'" Tho women in this
enso meant missionaries wives. It was
a long journoy to mako and considerably
out of tho way, but our party changed
tho routo to tho Yellowstono, hundreds
of miles north, n long journey nnd far
out of tho way. Thoy got to tho Yel
lowstone and found thoro tho great ren
dezvous of tho Amorican Fur Compnny
and two thousand persons gathered,
very much as peoplo nro usually
gatliered nt Green river, which was this
yenr abandoned. Of tho great crowd
wo joined, 1.100 wore connected with tho
American Fur Company. Somo wero
Indians who camo thoro to oxclmngo
furs for goods. They found thero Mrs.
Whitman nnd Mrs. Spalding, vho woro
having a rather exciting timo among
such a strango gathering.
Whon thoy arrived nt tho frontier
they found that tho Ohio wns too low to
enable steamboats to pass, so thoy went
on by land through Illinois. Whon
Peoria was reached thoy found ono of
tho boys very unwoll and woro detained
thero cightoon days in consequence.
During that timo Mr. l.oo lectured on
Oregon, and thoy talked our country up
as they associated among citizons of tho
place. This laid tho foundation for tho
immigration of 18I10-10 that wo havo
already published. It included Joseph
Holman, J. J. Grillln, Green B. David
son, 1 15. Littlejohn nnd others.
PESTILENCE A.MONO THE NATIVES.
Dr. McKay says : Tho diseuso that
proved so fatal among tho Indinns of
Western Oregon camo about 1831, and
a littlo after that tho employees at Van
couver wero attacked, ns woll ns tho In
dinns, with intermittent fover. It was
brobnbly caused by brenking up the
bottom land, near tho fort. Tho In
dians followed tho sweating procoss in
this discaso and many of them died.
Tho whites usually recovered, ns thoy
do from ordinary bilious fover. Tho
disease that swopt oil' tho upper Colum
bia Indians came ten years or moro
afterwards.
SWEARING. INTO CITIZENSHIP.
John Minto is ono of tho most earnest
friends of American libetty that ever
emigrated from old England. Ho de
termined before ho left Pennsylvania to
plnco tho "vKgis of Liberty" over him
for protection, so ho could claim citizen
ship in spito of British "joint-occupancy"
whon nrrived in Oregon. When
ho went into tho court room to mako
his declaration of intentions, tho clerk
asked him in a perfunctory wny : "How
will you swear?" 'Any way you liko,"
said Minto, with earnestness. That
made all present smile rather loudly.
He gave him tho ordinary oath.
TOM M'KAV AND THE WASCOITM CHIEr1.
Wo havo alluded, in reciting tho ad
ventures of tho Hudson bay men at an
early day, to tho beligerant character of
tho Wascopums, or Dalles Indians. Dr.
McKay gives an instanco at tho time
he went East to be educated, as early
as 1833. Tho Indians attempted to pre
vent their passage at that time, on the
rather singular plea that it was Sunday,
and the white man's Sabbath, and they
refused not only to assist, but to prevent
the passage over The Dalles portage to
be made. Tom JJcKay was not gifted
with saintlike patience, and he protested
that they were going on a long journoy,
SALEM, OREGON, FRIDAY,
and could not afford to loso tho time.
Tho old chief wns very piously inclined
that day. Ho said ho had been taught
by tho missionaries to keep tho Sabbath,
and intended to do so. McKay replied
that this was a caso of necessity that
ho had to overtako parties in advance of
him, and could not do so if ho lost n
day's timo there. Ho said it wns right
to pray and observe tho Sabbath, but it
would only tako a littlo timo to help
them over tho portage, nnd nftor that
they would havo tho whole day to use
in religious observances. But tho pious
old savngo became, isolcnt, and Tom
McKay got very angry. Finding all
argument and reason usolcss, and
knowing well that tho Indian was acting
tho hypocrite, nnd wns not half so re
ligious as ho pretonded,but trumped up
this excuso to annoy him, Tom seized a
henvy riding whip, with a loaded handle,
nnd struck tho chief with it. Whon ho
rcsistod ho knocked him down, and as
ho tried to get up, knocked him over
continually. In tho end his chiofship
was glad to apologize for his impudence,
and lot his men nssist in making tho
portage.
A SKETCH Or TOM M'k'AY.
Tom McKay was a moro boy in 1810,
when his father left Now York with tho
Astor expedition, ami wns only a boy
whon tho Northwest company bought
out tho Astor compnny. Ho was n long
timo a clerk in chargo of dilTcront posts
nnd provod vory cflicicnt ns woll ns
bold, and fearless. Had many others
did what McKay did thoy would havo
been victims of savngo vongenuce, but
all tho tribes respected his bravery and
conceded to his boldness nnd courage
what they would allow few others. In
a dilliculty nt Wnlla Walla ho killed an
Indian, and tho died was to teach them
to (car nnd not to triilo with him. They
fenrcd him moro than thoy hated him.
It wns during tho timo of tho North
west compnny, and McMullcn,nu ofllccr
of that compnny, got into dilliculty
witli nu Indian, who wns about to kill
him, when McKay, to protect McMullon'a
life, killed tho Indian who threatened
him. Tho suvago had drawn his weapon,
but McKay got tho first shot in.
1)11. WHITMAN' PRESENTIMENTS.
Dr. Whitman hud n strong presenti
ment of dangor, and wns preparing to
romovo his mission, probably to Tho
Dalles, where ho had purchased tho
Methodist claim, which purchaso fell
through in consoquenco of his death.
Ho nnnouncod to a company of emi
grants ho met near tho Umntilln, of
whom Judgo J. W. Grim of Mnrion
county wns one, near whom ho enmped
when roturning from this vnlloy with
fanning tools, that ho felt he wns in
dangor from tho ill disposition of tho
Indians. Only n month or so lator tho
massacre occurred. When nt Oregon
City, on that samo occasion, ho wns
dining with Mr. MoKinlny, and told tho
latter a story that boro on this same
matter. Ho said that Tom I.uckey, tho
Indian who holpcd to kill him, had
laughingly said to him that thoy wero
intending to kill ofl' nil tho medicino
men because thoy had so poor success
in curing tho "old sick," and as ho was
tho greatest medicino man of nil, thoy
thought of beginning with him. This
story struck tho mind of McKinhy
with alarm. He was well acquainted
with Indian character, nnd said; ''Well,
Doctor, that sounds dangerous!" Whit
man said Tom Luckoy was only joking.
McKinlay replied that it was his ex
perience that an Indian never je6ted,
and always had a serious meaning to
apparent jokes. He warned Whitman
that he was in danger. It was when
returning from Oregon City on that trip
tuat no torn tiio emigrants wiio camped
near him that ho thought he was in
danger.
Dr. McKay thinks that overland im
migration brought tho disease that
spread among the Indians East of the
Cascades in 1810-7, and resulted in the
massacre at Whitman Station. Tho
disease that spread through tho tribes
of Western Oregon ten years previous
did not extend West of the Cascado
mountain).
jjontfysnuUntq.
Taxation and Japaneao Phoaialits.
At'MSvit.LK, Or., Nov. 29, 1880.
Kill tor Willmnctto farmer:
In your issuo ot tho 20th ins t. I notice
two communications brought out ap
parently by my comments on "assess
ment nnd taxation," nnd tho "gaino"
and "trespass" laws. This is good.
Discussion of theso questions is just
now pertinent. Plenso nllow mo a brief
word. First ns to Mr. Armstrong of Cor
vallis, I ngrco with him in nil except
n point or two. Perhaps I nin hard on
tho .Tapaucso pheasant, hut I think not.
Mr. A. says tho Jap is "precisoly similar
in habits to tho English," but I doubt
it, and I think that future acquaintance
with tho Jap will justify tho doubt. In
New York tho jay is protected by law
among other useful birds. Let them
introduco tho Oregon Jny nnd see how
long thoy would protect him. And yet,
to a superficinl observer, ho is "precisely
similar in habits." But bo that ns it
mny, tho cxporionco of tho shootist, nnd
pliability of a Legislature which dc
mnnds under sovero penalties that tho
farmors shall rniso, theso birds for them
without compensation isthomnin point.
As well might theso gentry demand
that tho fanner should feed them, nnd
their horses and dogs whonever thoy go
out to his farm to shoot. And how is a
n bird "easily killed oil'" if ono is liable
to bo lined from $50 to $ 100, with u
$25 inducement for somo sneak to bo
como informer. (Perhaps theso sports
men think by this means to mako a lit
tlo raise occasionally.) Again, Mr. A.
says, "tho mojority of farmers don't
mind him" (tho city sheotist) "going
over their land, as thero is little game
to get." That tho farmer cares littlo for
tho gnmo, is very true. It is the pilfer
ing, nnd mischievous nnd oftou malicious
dovilmcnt that theta shootist do, Hint
tho fnrmcr objects to. Tho shootist
knows that ho is nu obnoxious trcpnor,
to begin with, nnd nppenrs to regnrd the
farmer ns having no rights which ho is
in any way Ixnuid to nupoct ; hence tho
need of ''strong enough laws to punish
trespassers nnd preserve tho game " to
tho farmer, who is tho rightful owner.
All gamo -sjy geet, (lucks, snipe,
grouse, pheasants, quail, pigeons, deer,
oik, hares, rabbits, fur-bearing animals
nnd fish should bo rognrded in law ns
tho property of tho pnrty on whoso hind
thoy mny bo found. Then small birds
as robius, meadow lurks, orioles, blue
birds, tnnngers, grosboaks, towhee, nil
tho thrushes, (Inches, swallows, and insect-eaters
generally should bo pro
tected by law, at all times, the County
Court Iteing impoworcd to issue permits
to proper parties to tnko such biids,
their nests and eggs, for scientific pur
poses only.
But tho farmer cannot roneonably ex
pect tho Legislature to make laws iu his
intorost unless ho takes some interest
in the matter hiinsolf, and not only
knows what ho wants, but makes his
wants known and insists upon having
his fair share of attention from the roj
resontativeB of tho people.
As to Mr. A. C. Jennings, of Ining,
hu says ho is " astonished!!" at the pro
position to not tnx money and credits.
Perhaps ho will bo moro " astonished "
at tho assertion that money and credits
now pay no tax, practically, tho debtor
paying the tax in tho shapo of broker
age, or increasod interest, or enhanced
prico on goods. And this is one cause
why the banker is enabled to be " clothed
in royal apparel and fare sumptuously
every day."
If Mr. J. were to bo told that wo loso
more than ten dollars to collect ono by
our prosent system of taxing monoy
and credits, it would perhaps "astonish"
him again; but if bo will examine into
tho matter carefully, I think he will find
that bucIi is tho caso; and I think that
ho will also find that tho landowners'
DECEMBER TO, 188(5.
taxes will bo lesscund instead of being
increased ; that interest will bo lowered
nnd monoy bo moro plentiful when
money nnd credits go freo nnd taxes aro
laid on property in sight only.
I hopo Mr. J. is not among those who
think that tho intorost on money can bo
fixed by law, for tho idea is tho veriest
nonsense. Ab well try to fix tho prico
of wheat, potatoes, cnttlo, hogs, or nny
thing else. Tho monoy-londcr will tako
nil ho can get, cither ns intorcst or
brokcrago, nnd no law can provont it.
Thoro appears to bo in Oregon n feel
ing of antagonism against tho capitalist
that is much to bo regretted. Wo need
tho capitalist. We havo not halt enough
of him. Wo want more. Antagonism
and hostile legislation is folly in tho
extreme.
As to tho proposed bill, I can boo vory
littlo good in it hut perhaps I am n
poor judgo. An "exemption of from
$500 to $1000 to every householder" is
good policy. Then exempt money and
credits, nnd tax everything in sight at
its reasonable value, dediictim: no in
debtedness, nnd we will have, as nearly
as possible, equitablo taxation.
F. S. MArnwoN.
Why Aro Water Bonds Exempt from Taxation?
"Hno, Nov. !I0, 18SI1.
lMitor WiUmclto Furmiri
Judging from tho iianio of your paper,
you expect to look after tho interests of
tho rural districts. I see by the adver
tisement for bids for tho sale of Portland
water-bonds, they aro exempt from Stnto
nnd county taxation. I rend Judgo Wnl
do's opinion on tho mortgngo-tnx law,
which wns, " that notes nnd credits woro
taxable," nnd that being tho caso, what
diU'ercnco is there between a bond nnd
nny other noto Hint it should becxcmptT
Tho basis is 11 vo per cent, interest, and
the inducement, at such u low rate of
interest, is the exemption from taxation.
Why should not tho fanners in tho
several counties havo the privilege of
giving their notos, and said notes lo ex
empt from taxation ; so tho borrower
could well allbrd to pay his u,-." taxes
on nil tangible property, and it would
causo less confusion iu making our
assessments. Any tax on money is u
tax on tho borrower, shape it as wn will.
IXql'IKEK.
HuuUvlllo Items.
Huntbvii.i.e, W7T, Nov. 110, 18S(i.
Kditor Willamette Fanner-
Wo nro having beautiful weather,
almost liko spring. How will that com
pare with tho weather roports of Ore
gon. Farmers are plowing and putting
in thoir fall grain.
Tho Seminary, under tho efilciont
management of Prof. W. 8. Wnlkor, is
progressing lottor than ever before
known, and many havo como a great
distance to attend school here.
Thanksgiving was well observed iu
Huntsville. At 11 o'clock Itev. Gnlln
her delivered a tcrmon which was very
appropriate for tho occasion. At 2
o'clock r. m. tho patious and friends of
tho school's public nnd seminary, as
sembled nt tho chapel to listen to tho
exercises, which was pronounced by all
a siicees. After tho exercises woro all
over I'rof. Walker nnd his woll trnhicd
military boys pnrnded tho yard. From
tho way and manner in which tho loys
conducted themselves it was evident
that Prof. Walker had taken much pains
iu drilling them, Nancy Gee.
Monmouth Correipondence
Monmouth, Or., Dec. 0, 1880.
Editor WilUmette Farmer s
Thanksgiving passed vory pleasantly
with us. Tho exorcises of tho day wero
hold in tho Normal chapel which was
boautifully decorated with evergreens
and autumn leaves. Tho cxcrciscj wero
opened with musio by tho choir, prayer
by Itev, Burnett, music and nn address
by Itev. M. Waller, after which Prof. T.
F. Campbell, former president of tho
Christian Colloge, addressed tho audi
ence, recalling his schooldays and com
NO. 44.
paring tho present advantages with tho
past. Tho first schools ho attended
wero taught iu rudo log huts without n
floor, and a log taken out to admit tho
light. Tho scats wero hown logs with
two holes bored in thorn nnd sticks
stuck through for legs. When ho first
saw ti frnmo school building ho thought
if ho could go to school in such n houso
ns that it would bo no troublo to bo edu
cated. Tho schoolboys and girls of to
day scorn tho idea of tho pioneer school
Iiouko. Prof. Campbell delivered n sorics of
lectures on " Man " iu tho chapel last
week. Tho procoods will bo used for
tho building of a gymnasium, which
will bo furnished with nil ucccssnry
equipments.
Thero has been quito n number of
visitors iu the chapel of Into, among
them Prof, Hawcs, principal of tho
Hillsboro public school.
Calisthenics havo been introduced in
tho school ns n class work, nnd is prac
tised three times u week.
The Hespcrians will givo an opou
session cu the 17th. All nro cordially
invited.
Tho method class hns about sovonty
five members, and is increasing daily iu
interest. It is conducted by President
Stanley. During tho past term tho los
nous havo bcon lecturos ou "School
Manngoniont," Tho lectures will con
tinuo until niter holidays, when n text
book will bo used. Tho hints of tho
President on how to vontilnto school
rooms, study, etc., wero very instructive.
Great caro should always bo taken to
keep tho school-room well ventilated and
at a propor temperature. Every school
room should bo provided with u thor
momoter. In dry weather tho temper
ature should bo about 05 to 03 degrees,
nnd in cold, damp woathor 70 degrees.
If tho window cannot bo lowered frdin
tho top, the deficiency mny bo remedied
by taking a strip one-half inch thick,
fitting it snugly under the lowor sash,
and thus raising it; tho nlr mny pass in
nnd out between the upper nnd lower
sashes. Moro children tnko cold by
breathing hot, impure air than by ex
posure to the cold.
Miss 'Kato llristo, primary teacher,
was called to tho bedside of of her sis
ter, who is vory sick iu tho blind school
at Salem, During her abseuco Miss
Allio Hicks taught tho littlo urchins.
Miss Millio Doughty's lecture on
" Language as Source of Patriotism"
wns listened to with grent intorcst.
There is quito nn excitement in this
small burg on tho mysterious disap
pearance of our druggist, Mr. M. Davis,
who went to Portland about flvo weeks
ago, nnd hns not been heard of for three
weeks. His store Inyi been nttnehod;
the Sherill' enrrios the key. C. A. II.
Weather Report for November, 1880.
Eoi.a, Dec. 2, 188(1.
Editor WilUmotta Fanner!
During November, 1880, there woro 8
days during which rain fell, nnd an
aggregate of l.-lfi inches of water; theio
wero 0 clear, 5 fair nnd 10 cloudy days,
other than which rain fell.
The mean temx;raturo for tho month
was 1 1.00 deg.
Highest daily menu teiiipcmturo for
tho mouth, -10 deg. on tho 12th.
Iioncxt daily mean temperature for tho
mouth, fit deg. on tho 15th.
Mean tt-iiijM-iaturu for tho month at
2 o'cIcm-!; f. m., 15.00 deg.
Highly temperature for tho month, 51
at 2 p. m on tho 7th.
Lowei-i temperature for the month, 20
deg. nt 7 . m. on tho loth.
Frosts occurred on tho 1st, 2d, 7th, 8th,
0th, l.'ith, 11th, 11th, inth, 10th, 21st
and 2.'ld
The pievailing winds for the month
were from the north during 17 days,
south 3 days, southwest i) days, north
west 1 day.
During Novemler, 1885, there wero 21
jainy days and -1.110 in. water; there
wore 2 fair, nnd 7 cloudy days.
Mean temperature for tho month
15.8a deg.
Highcnt daily mean temperature for
tho month, 52 deg., on tho 1st.
Lowest daily mean temperature for
the month 118 deg. on 30th.
T. Pbahck.