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About Willamette farmer. (Salem, Or.) 1869-1887 | View Entire Issue (Jan. 21, 1887)
VOL. XVIII. OREGON PIONEER HISTORY SKETCHES OP EARLY DAYS. HEN AND TIMES IN THE F0RTIE8 DY S. A CLARKE. , ' ' Copyright ri'lloJ (ar. All rtghti reserved Joseph Watt's Experience Cronlng tne Plains Some Early EpUoaos I find that my essay, describing tho journoy of Mr. Josoph Watt to Oregon, left my worthy friond nfoot at Fort Wnlla Wnlla ns Wnllula was then call cd nnd tho worthy Archibald McKin loy, who represented tho Hudson Hay company thon nt that point, had utter ed his ovidont truism: "Yo'ro young and strong, nnd yo'ro woll nblo to walk," bccauM) Josoph Wntt had not tho cash in hand to puy for a horso. Wnllula was ns dosolnto thon ns now, and it was n poor placo to loavo nn old friond wait ing for n month, so I will hasten to his relief nnd narrate tho "mooving ncci donts by field nnd flood" that ho on countered boforo reaching that haven of rest, tho Willnmotto valloy. Mr. Watt was in compnny with a man who had ngrecd to pack his provisions but who was suddenly required to re turn to Lnpiwn to rondor nn nccount of his conduct towards another man's wife. Mr. Watt was bound for dangers and thrcatcningB nnd "chimeras diro" that stripped him even of tho dear bought grub for which ho traded off his holovcd cow. Ho could havo traded for a horso had ho boon willing to hnvo parted with his gun, but tho riflo was nn old friond, nnd not tho sort of n friond to nbnndon in nn Indian country. So, though his impoverished friend, If. II. Leo, had in duced tho Scotch warden of tho fort to mako n'trndo, Watt stuck by his trusty weapon. In this juncture Loo stood by him and ngrccd to pack his supplies on his spnro horse, It wns nrrnnged that Wntt should start ahead, very onrly in the day, and with earliest dawn push on nnd mako ns good timo as possible. This ho did nnd reached tho Umntilla river whero Leo was to wait for him. Tho rivor was booming, but a young Indian who hnpponed to bo at ,tho ford, carried him across and gavo him his host wishes in his nativo tongue. Wntt saw nothing of Mr. Lee, who had gono on boyond there, nnd being fearful that in some way that personago had missed him, passing on some othor trail than ho had travelled, ho kept on all day and into tho night Ho was so apprehensive that ho kopt on nntil 10 o'clock tho second day, whon ho took the back track awhile. When ho had gono east ward for an hour ho met two Iudinns, who gavo him eomo enlmon they had and helped themselves in return to a bar of lead and n pair of socks. As they reached to take these articles they man age! to give him an overturn, but ho righted himself instantly and cocked his riflo. A big fellow grabbed that, and holding to it with ono hand, with tho other Watt drow his butcher knife. Tho savage then grasped the wrist that hold tho knife, and tho situation was laugh able in tho extreme, only for the fact of danger that besot it. Watt grasped his cocked gun with one hand and tho handlo of his butcher knife with the other. While the savage also grasped tho gun and with tho other hand clasp cd tho wrist that controlled tho knife. But tho "gentle savage" wns consider ably in tho majority, for a little follow of his kind was operating on Joe's flank, and skirmishing in his rear. Watt was alivo to all considerations nnd attempted by a subtle doublo movement" to rout his foo in front nnd rear. He was a lover of the weed, and had his mouth well chargd with nmbicr. His simultaneous move ment was to kick behind, which wus so well timed as to send tho juvonilo sav ago to grass with a rolling motion as endden as it was effective. All this whilo his look was into tho eye of tho aggressivo Siwash and he nerer winked when he became ''a kicker," and at tho same instant his foot went ont rearward SALEM, OREGON, FRIDAY, JANUARY 21, 1887. ho sent a swift stream of ambient fluid into tho optics of his older foe. Tho fun thickened furiously when tho Indinn re sponded in kind so quickly, thnt it was hard to tell who "got first wator." And thcro thoy stood, unwinking jn gaze, sinows nervod to tho highest tension, and disgusting snliva running down each face. Just in tho nick of timo thoro camo over a roll of tho prairie closo nt hand a very motley group that all supposed to bo but tho vangard of a largor company. It camo upon them so suddenly thnt Mr. Siwash lot go of Jo Wntt, who drow back and got his gun and knife in romli ness for a bettor defenco, and then drow to a safer distance Tho nowcomor proved to bo Aldo Xonl, who lod n sore back pony that carried his thrco mother less children. Anyono but n savago of barbarous tendoncios in tho extreme would havo felt interest nnd sympathy for poor Xenl, who had buried his wifo on tho plains and wns trying to got through with his littlo childron. Tho Indians stoppod him and bnntorcd him in honoyed tones for a trado of somo sort. Watt told him to como on with him nnd not to parley with them ; thnt thoy wero n bud lot nnd would rob him. And rob him thoy did, for ho paid no at tention to tho friendly ndmonition. Whon thoy hnd got through with him ho possessed nn old cuitnn not so valuable ns his own, nnd thoy hnd appropriated all his ictas. Ho poked on down to Tho Dalles n saddor and n much wisor mnu. Tho thorough badness of tho Columbia river tribes surprised tho emigrants who, like Xonl nnd Watt, hnd crossed tho plnins nnd supposed thoy wero within safo and almost civilized limits, to find that thoir hnrdest oxporionco was whon thoy woro within tho bounds of Oregon. Just nt this moment thcro camo riding up an Indian with a looso horse, who gavo Wntt a lottor from Leo. It said ho was to mount tho spnro horso and como on to whoro ho was. It seems that Leo hrd given this Indian n shirt to find Wntt and bring him to his camp. As Watt hnd feared, lxo had passed him on thn various trails and river crossings, but was kind and gonorous enough to tnko this pains to recover his company. IIo reached I-eo on tho emigrant road, six miles from Tho Dalles, which must hnvo been near tho DeschutcB river, whoro ho had reached a tinin of wagons. Hy this time Wntt wns vory eiek and wnntcd to ride in one of tho wagons, but thoy would not permit him to rido, except to cross rivers. His only chanco to get across tho Deschutes was to keep with this train. So walking nnd vomiting, whilo tho un feeling train boya laughed nnd jeered nt him, ho mnnnged to lipid tho gait of the cattlo train until thoy crossed tho Deso hutes. It must bo confessed that Watt's cxporionco along tho valley of tho Colum bia was decidedly varied and not alto gether ngreonble, taken from Whit man's to tho M. E. mission at The Dalles. I have alluded to tho fact that Mr. Watt's father borrowed 2 .10 in coin to give his ton a suitablo send-off. IIo says ho gavo $2 for tho boots nnd the balanco for a bottlo of brandy that he fixed for medical uses and made serviceable ns a euro for bowel complaints; in many in stances working many recoveries. With some other small change he purchased fish hook such items, that woro very serviceable in many instances when trad ing for needed articles of tho Indians. After arriving in Oregon, Wntt was of fered $25 for the boots, for shoo leather was in great demand hero then. When Watt rejoined Mr. Leo" that gentleman told him he was astonished to see him come up with his gun and boots. "Ho said tho Indians had at tacked him at tho Umatilla and ho bad to ride all night to get away from thorn, and that was the reason ho was so far in advunce of where ho told mo ho should camp. Overtaking the company I found him with, all of whom were well known to me, he sent an Indian on horseback to bco whnt hnd becomo of mo. I had been about forty-fivo hours fasting and broko it with cold coffee, bacon and llap-jncks, loft ovor from sup per. It rnado mo sick, of course, but I walked on all night to Tho Dalles." But ono important fact of tno jour neying down tho Columbia to Tho Dal los remains to bo told : Mr. Leo had packod tho $1) 95 worth of victuals that Watt owned, on his spnro pony, and tho beast anu ills cow's worth of cargo hml becomo lost on tho start, so thnt Watt novcr realized a singlo mcnl from his trado. Further tracing back tho snmo cow trado I loarnod that tho cow died boforo reaching the perennial pastures sho hnd crossod tho continent to feed. Sho did not reach tho Willamette nnd proved n bad speculation to nil con corned. A Methodist mission was located at Tho Dalles in chargo of Hov. A. F. id ler, who was so well known in after years in connection with thnt church at Satan. Thoro wns no good forming hind near tho mission or, nt loast, it was so thought nt that timn so no crops wero grown and they hnd nothing to sell tho emigrants in tho way of fruit or vegeta bles, but Father Waller had plenty of beef to trade, nnd no cash being obtain able, trado was conducted by exchang ing tho fnt hooves of tho mission for tho poor cattlo of tho emigrants, nt the rate of two for one. Whon wo arrived, said Mr. Watt's journal, thcro woro sovoml famillics waiting at Tho Dalles for boats to como up tho river and take them them. Tho second day ono of tho Hud son liny compnny's battonux enmo up. Somo of tho boys who camo ovor tho yenr boforo had got boats of Dr. Mc Laughlin, who let them havo them frco of charge, provided that thoy would not ovcrchnrgo tho emigrants. Tho boat thnt camo up, as mentioned, was man ned by n Mr. Mosio and John Cox, two rollicking, fnn-lving youngsters, who bargained to take all tho emigrants down, with their plunder and provisions. They know I had nothing from my pre vious talk with thorn. After tho others wero all on tho boat and they were ready to push on", I standing on the Hand beach, looking on. Mosio and Cox stood talking together. I noticed a nod to wards me, and directly Mosio camo to mo and said. "Well, how nro you go ing to got down?" ''I don't know." "You'vo got nothing wo want, nnd wo dou't want your liclii ; if wo did, you could do nothing. Have you got any provisions!'' '-No, nono." "How nro you going to live?" "Can't tell ; live as long ns I can, somehow." "Well. 1 snoso t. Can you sing and loll yarns?" "Yes; can do bow." " oil, get on the now of thnt boat. You must tnko your ohnuco for oating nnd sleeping." Mcnraouth Correipondence Mo.'.Mourn, Jan. 11, 1887. Kdltor Willamotte rVmer: Mo-it of tho students hnvo loturned from their holiday vacation, ljuitu a number of new students havo joint d our ranks thi week, among them wo notice Mowrs, 1'ihiI Hlackerby and F. Davis, SilverloiMiui! Mr. Louis Jones, of Jeff, erson. On tho 22d tho Athletic club, with the assistance of some of tho ladies, nnd the baud, will give an ontertafnnieiit Tho principal foaturo will Im tho "col ledgo song." The method class nro lining loxl book on Theory and Practice by Itmili. Mr. X. Ilutlor liought Mr. Davis' bankrupt mock of woods at Flu-tiff salo and thn drug iorn is once, moro in i mi ning order. The class in Literature celebrated Whittier's birthday by giving a class ex orciso which consisted of declamtitions and songs, tho music of which was com posed, by Professors Powell and Stanloy. The former wero quite interesting, the latter good for ametures. Tho holidays of '8(5 aro n thing of tho past. The happy greetings, said, tho good byo's given. Tho old year pant mid flower, sun shine, and gentlo showers, whilo 1887 continues equally fair. May the happy greeting of sunshine and song continue May tho labors of 1887 lo blest, and tho harvest bo plen tious. 0. A. H. Ott a bottle of Ktck'i Catarrh Cure and U cured et that Urnble iitaae. . 4Qrrt$imAtnt From Wasco County. Grants, Jan. Ill, 1887. Kdltor Willamette Firmer: As wo havo commenced with n now year, and so for an open winter nnd scarcely any snow, tho ground hits not been frozen nny to jonk of, tho formers aro still plowing nnd putting in their grnin, and tho grniu already put in this fall looks vory woll, nnd tho prospect for a largo yield this coming year is all that can be dosircd, henco tho farmer nnd nil dopcndlng on them nro happy, (rant's is 23 iiiiloaontof Tho Dallosou tho O. It. tk N. Co. railroad, and nbout half way between tho tho DcSchutos nnd John Dny llivors in Wasco county, situ nted on n flat bottom about two and n half miles long, by nbout half to thrco quarters of n mile wide, nnd tho bluff which lays behind this flat, stands n hike supplied with spring water nt nn elevation of about 700 to 800 feet, wo understand this water is to be brought into town by wntor pipo, nt prcsont wo nro supplied with wator from wells, be sides wo hnvo tho nsHistunuo of a wind mill and water fink, hut wo need tho wntor on tho hill or bluff for irrigating and orchard purposes. Thcro nro two largo orchards laid out this fall by Win. Grant nndG. W. Presley, wo uudorstnnd each nro to put out this yoar 4000 trees and vinos, nnd at tho snmo ratio annually, and at tho snmo ratio until tho full capacity of tho water is exhausted. Mr. I'rcsby informs us that ho expects in fruit season to 6hip n car load of grocn fruit dally from his Columbus nnd Grnut orchard, ho has already established a good market for his fruit in Montana and Dakota, and other eastern markets. Tho tract of agricultural land south of us produce as well, fully equal to California's best wheat land, tho land is partially held from market by tho X. P. It. It. Co. grant and othor land schemes, which are very injurious to our best load intoi est. This tract of agricultural land nbout 30 miles wido by nlfout GO miles long, is quite large enough fo n county whenovor tho Xorthern Pnciflc plaster is laiscd off tho land. Corn can bo raited with very littlo trouble in this belt of country. Mr. l'enbody is feeding nbout 100 head of beef steerc, roportf tho experiment o fur is ii success, within n period of three to five yenrs wo expect to live to fee from -1000 to 5000 corn fed bovos whipped from llii M'ctiou every spring, and flvo times as many went lie re, all of iihlch can be nwulo profitable to our farmers, stock Misers and merchant .Shall write more fully nn this subject of com feeding at another lime. One thing Is certain, that wheat raising has not o inr proven lucrative to producers, on account of being entirely at the mercy of transportation companies. Scott it McCoy nro tho lending mer chants huio nnd handlo general mcr chundteo, in other words from an needlo Ui mii anchor, who cell nl Dalles prices. The O It A X. Co. depot is nliout 1000 fwt fioin tho Columbus ferry on tho r- .ml to Goldendale. Tho 0. It. t X. Co. and eitiens of this placo mo to put an incline here to the fori v early in tho spring, with a telephone lino to (i)ldon dale. II. M.Moiikv. Asieii Property In Wboie Hands Found: Xkw Kim, Jan. fi, 3887. Kditor Willarmtte t-'trinen I would like to ask your corresjion dent in the Farmer of Dec. 2)1 from Junction, If ho ever know u $10,000 farm to lo assessed at 10.000? If thnt is tho case iu his part of tho Htalo, Clackamas county falls vory for short of doing tho fnir thing, but I will tnko it for granted that it is not (he cu&e, and that a $10,000 farm is assessed at lest, than $5,000 and an indtbtedue&s of ib.OQO would free it from all taxes, nnd in case of salo as i. O. J. supposes aw! the $5,000 ii loaned on another $10,000 farm, it Is more than likely that it would NO. 50. clear it from nil taxes, nod tho man holding tho notes would pay tho taxes on both places. This is no supposed situation, it is only a fair stntomont of tho law as it exists at tho present time. I havo no doubt but it will bo answered thnt tho assessors do not do their duty, nnd pcihnps thoy do not, but I will con fess that as long as I hnvo lived, nnd in nil tho different places I hnvo resided, I havo never scon it much different, and I havo novor mot tho man who was so conscientious as to ask tho assessor to rnisohis asscssmonU Theory ofhonost taxation from tho man who is using another man's monoy to porhnps ono third tho amount of his own proporty, and thereby escaping all taxes on lift own pnrt, sounds n littlo liko trying to cnll tho dogs off tho trnck. In attempt ing to tinker nt tho nsscssmont laws, I would ndviso aiscssing property to tho party in whoso posossiou it is found. If ho has not paid for it yet thnt Is n mat tor betwixt him and tho othor man, nnd tho State should not bother with it. In' teicst would accomodate itself to tho changed conditions as natural as water would seek its level. It is just as hon orable to loan monoy as it is to borrow it, and tho man who has taken somo other man's money to use is in no moro need of sympathy than tho man who furnished tho monoy. It is admitted by all that it should pay its share of tho taxor, and tho question brings in who is to pay tho taxes? It is claimed that mouied inon dodge thoir sharo of tho taxeu to n great extent, and it will also havo to bo acknowledged on the other hand. A great deal of properly is sottled in behind tho ovidonccs of indebtedness ho far that it never puts in any appear ance on tho tax bonks. Which is tho farther from tho lino of hounsty is n doubtful question, though ono claims tho sanction of law, while the other simply dodges tho lnw, There is n gront deal of land held by speculators that is capable of a high stato of cultivation, nnd might bo rais ing large crops of fruit, grain, or grnss, but it is now growing up in brush. I would havo men appointed to nnpraiso laud at what would bo known as its as sessable value. That value should ro main fixed at least five years, and thoy should bo governed in determining tho valueby what tho land is capable of, so thnt land that is being held to havo its valuo enhnncod by tho industry of a neighbor would havo to hear its propor tion of taxes. This committee would have to hmi judgement in regard to tho possibility and probability of any im provements being made, but in settlod parts of tho country I would mako no difference between Improvnd nnd unim proved, other-things being cqiui), Thomas Hickman. A Pleaioot Event. l'l.KAHAST Home, .Inn. 13, 1887 Alitor Willamette ftrimrt Ono of tho uiott social events of the honsou was the entertainment at the church, given for tho hen tit of tho Pleasant Home Union llaml. Thn oven ing leiiir was occupied uith recital lit erary mid music, which tbtervo great credit to all tho participants, whoso talent, and culture, nod 1ivo for imisio cannot i o urpaMl. Th.i i and at present is under thu sup orvis on of Prof. Johuton, of Taylor, who is an elU tent baud toucher, liy invita tion, tl' lto Columbia Draw Hand, of Taylor, mono and took part i tho enter taiumeiit, they uioof very recent origin niidnio ulbo under training of 1'iof. Johiihoir. who will bring them to tho stiiudiiKl. They play woll mid render valuablufibbistaocti in making tho pro gramme first-cbo-s. Thu Indies gavo thu boys uxraud stippir, for which tho boysolfoied as a pnzu to tho lady who had tho Iwst cake a cut-glaas cako stand there wero nineteen cukes entor. ed for tho prize, many very lino cakes. Mrs. P. Uh'ggoit got the prize. Thfo was the flret enteitninment givcii pub licly that can reflect with many pleas ant roinombcniucv to all who uttonded, Plain Jiun.va
