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