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About Willamette farmer. (Salem, Or.) 1869-1887 | View Entire Issue (May 13, 1887)
li - ri ' I - '' -A- A .( VOL. XIX. OREGON PIONEER HISTORY. SKETCHES OF EARLY DAYS. MEN AMD TIMES IN THE FORTIES nY B. A CLAIIKE. i K v Copright upplled (or. All rlgliti rexrvod THE JOURNEY OF THE WALDOS AND THE AFPLEOATES ACROSS THE PLAINS. - So long as tho beautiful hills that skirt tho foot of tho Cascado rango In Marion county thnll stand, tho nnmo of tho grand old pioneer, Dan Waldo, will bo held in rcmombcranco, and bo long as tho generation that know him shall exist Ihero will bo a warm rogard, in true, loving hearts for tho bluff and al most rough mannorod, but really kind hearted and gonorous settlor, who took up tho first permanent homo in that hill region. It is only right that history should do juetico to ono who was so prominent in our early tinos and gavo cbaractor and impress to thorn. Dan Waldo was born in Virginia, but removed in his early manhood to Gas conado county, Mo., whero his son Wil liam Waldo, who so honorably bears tho nnmo, and probably tho other living son, Judge John D. Waldo, of tho Supromo Court of Oregon, woro born. Tho older Waldo manufactured lumber and rafted down to St. Louis, and mot with so much success in tho businoss that ho was ablo to purchaso 2100 acres of good land in St. Clair county Mo., whero ho rcsidod and was reasonably prosperous at tho timo of coming to Oregon. His family was growing up there, consisting of throo sons and four daughters, but tlioy suffered greatly from malaria and wcro often down with fovor and ague. This was a groat drawback to tho rogion. So much sickness was n great disadvantago and mado them look with favor on any proposition to rcmovo to a moro healthy climate At this timo 18-12 Denton and Linn wcro making Orogon known through tho Stato of Missouri, and advocating settlement thore. What struck theso Missouri families was tho promisoof im munity from tho sicknoss that mado liv ing in that Stato so distressing. Tho near neighbor of tho Waldos was Jesso Applognto, and not far away woro tho two other Applognto brothers, Charles and Lindsay. Thoy occasionally met, and as thoy had much in common, oven to being staunch supportors of Henry Clay, thoy naturally sympathized nnd harmonized. Their attontion been mo directed to Oregon, and thoy found out all thoy could from local sources j this included tho roports mado by mountain men who had been hero, or who had learned from comrades who had visited western Oregon. Denton told of this country in his speeches, and all informa tion was favorable Early in tho winter, January 1853, Whitman reached tho frontier on his return cast, by tho famous winter journoy made with Lovejoy. Mr. Wm. Waldo was then a lad of ton years and wall romembers tho many dis cussions held around tho fireaido, as well as clsowhere, with neighbor Apple gate, and tho final determination arrived at to emigrate after reading tho St. Louis papors that Whitman had arrived from Oregon and promised to pilot back an emigration in tho spring and take wagons through to tho Columbia river. No person has a hotter momory than a boy of ten years whoso mind is open to impressions and to whom all, tho world is new. Young Waldo had a clear recol lection of tho circumstances that led up to their departure for Oregon; of tho news coming by the newspapers that Whitman had returned and would pilot a company back. This news was tho turning point with tho Waldos and de termined them to come was the fum ing of sufficient inducement for their coming to Oregon. From their neigh borhood no one ventured but tho Waldo family and the three Applegate brothers and their families, and these talked on the matter and encouraged each other SALEM, OREGON, FRIDAY, all winter. Desidos tho great induae mont of a healthful climato thoy had a promiso or almost that of receiving a section of land for every family, and this land donation rnado a great diffcrenco with many who wont. Ah wo havo shown, Dan Waldo ownod 2100 acres of cxcollont land. Tho Applegatcs woro also land ownors, and all four of tho famillos that camo away from Missouri loftbohind largo landed interests that could not bo s6ld. 'They left their farms and homes as valuablo as thoy could expect to find, for tho hopo ef finding a bettor and moro healthful climato and boing near tho great ocean. It is moro than possiblo that Whitman's appeal for Americans to occupy tho country and savo it to tho Union had some forco with many who wont. Thoy rather encour aged thcmBolvcfl by tho thought that thoy might hear tho British lion growl and help to filo off his claws. At any rnto thoy camo, and by their coming producod great results. Wo must do justico as wo go along to tho pioneer women, who often did their part with no historian to rocord their dcods. Very often all thoy did was tho mero work of caring for tho family, but that was dono under circumstances Hint now sooni horoio. To havo well acted tho part of mother and wifo on tho plains nnd after arrival hero was enough to desorvo honorablo mention. Mrs. Waldo, howovor, noted her part so well that Oregon owes her much. Tho timo camo when tho four fnmilics had to de cide if thoy would go, or no. All tho talk had been dono nnd it was only necessary to dotcrmino what course to take. If thoy wcro to stay no emergen cy oxistod, and tho fnmilics wont on their plodding ways. If Oregon was tho goal thoy had much to do. Tho mak ing ready was no trivial affair. Wagons that would do at homo would not do for atrip of two thousand miles; tho best horses and cattlo for teams, tho best cows for tho Oregon range all theso mattord demanded attention. Harness must bo mndo or mouded, ox bows and yokes made. Word enmo that Indians wcro hostilo and tho way dangerous. Ono nnd an other thought of discourugomonW and uttorcd protests. It was n critical timet when u feather's woight might turn tho scalo, nud n great deal moro than that turned it towards Oregon. Mrs. Waldo, though n little woman, possessed firm ness nnd rosolution of no common order. All wintor sho hnd listened nnd silently acquiescd with tho determination to go west. All her plans had been shaped for Oregon, and when in early spring thu neighbors met to concludo what course to tako, sho was full of interest. Stio caught tho many objections urged for the first timo and bow tho rapid cliango effected in tho minds of all as the ques tion of emigration was presontcd. It was no trivial matter to loavo homes and farms and tho thousand things ac cumulated by hard toil, and outfit for two thousand miles of desert travel, to find unknown dangers on all the way and no certainty as to the country thoy sought to make thoir home. It is no wonder that tho promises of Denton faded and tho coming of Whitman ceased to inspiro and that at tho final moment all tho men as Btalwnrt men as poineors aro mado of too wore willing to drop tho question and stay in Missouri. There was a moment then when, un less sorao interposing forco came to tho rescue, Oregon would have loast her Waldos and her Applegatcs. Tho inter posing camo in tho person of a woman. Just as tho question hung in the balance- Mrs. Waldo took up the argument. As for fearing tho Indians, there would bo a largo forco of emigrants, and thoy could go through any hostile country; as for staying in Missouri, to endure sickness and bo threatened with death, she asserted that by comparison no country bad terrors for her. She had rather go live in an Indian country, and from nil they heard of Oregon gavo her voico for tho road across tho plains to roach there. Thcro was. no combatting such argument If n woman could Bland tho journey nil tho men could ; if sho was not afraid of tho Pawnees and Sioux thoy wcro not. Thoy went home, all, and wont to work to proparo tor tho long journoy, and Oregon owes it to-day to that ono pioneer wifo and mother that tho familio named camo to Orogon. Woman's voico may bo slow of utter ance, but is very pointed when thus lit torod. Mrs. Wnldo was of n southern family nnd they met and married in Gasconade county, whnro ho was lumbering. Sho possossod natural rcfincmont of charac ter and mnnncr, with dignified ways that contrasted strnngoly in tho wilds of Missouri or Oregon. Whilo of fow words, sho expressed horsolf well nnd possessed firmness, as was manifested in hor determination to como to Oregon. A woman of weak or even nvorngo will nnd judgment could not hnvoimprosscd tho minds of four rcmnrkablo men as sho did, nnd havo inilucnccd them so promptly. Mrs. Wnldo died in 1885, not long aftot her husband. Sho was greatly nillictcd with rheumatism for many years. 'Uncle Dan," as ho was universally called, nNo lived to old age, but sufferod all that human flesh can endure from a disoaso that mado life n torriblo burden. Spartan-like, ho suf fered in Bilonco and uttored no word of suffering or complaint. Wondorful will power alone sustained him. In his death, ns in. lifo, ho proved "tho noblest Koman of them nil." In tho spring of 1813 sovoral compan ies organized for tho plains, but only mot after tho journoy was coraiuonced. Tho Waldos nnd Applegatcs rendezvous ed nt Indopendonco, nnd soon after took tho dusty road up tho l'lntto. It wns nftcr thoy wcro well on thoir way that Whitman joined them and infused lifo and activity into their movomonts. Ho know tho need of onergy to nnko pro gress, nud only for his influence nnd exertions they would not hnvo mndo tho journoy through as thoy did. Young Waldo wns cognizant of all that occurr ed, nnd took especial notice of Doctor Whitman from tho timo ho joined thorn nu tho Flatto until ho left thorn to go in ndvanco to his stntinn, after reaching Fort Hall. To his mind Whitman was BOinetliing of n hero. This impression wan mado when, nt Fort Laramie, thoy hosltatod ns to getting thoir effects across tho rivor. They wcro preparing a wagon bod, by caulking it well to serve as a boat to ferry their goods over, but to do this thoy mint havo u ropo ferry by which to haul tho unweildly craft back nnd forth. Tho wutorH very high at that time and how to get tho lino over w.ib tho ques tion. Whilo they po'wlerod it Whitman camo up on horse back. Ho was n heavy-set man, but very strong nnd vig orous. Without any words ho tied tho ropo round his wnist and plunging into tho river with his horeo swam it across and entnblished a ferry. Tho prompt ness nnd onergy that he showed there, was evident from that time onward to tho end of his stay, with them. Ho was tho lifo and soul of tho company, and never obtruded his roligious views whero not desired. Tho elder Waldo was not orthodox, but howml Whitman sustain ed tho most frioii'lly and intimato rela tions. During hi life ho ulways spoke of Dr. Whitman with tho utmost confidence- and respect. To somo of the train Whitman was comparatively n strangor, for thero wero hundreds of wagons nnd nearly a thousand persons in it. As pilot Whitman was usually near tho lead and may havo hardly known those in the rear. To tho train at largo he was a special providence, for he was not only pilot across mountain and plains, but often officiated as phytician and spirit ual guide, as well as physical. How ever many may tay they never knew MAY 13, 1887. him on tho plains, and doubt that ho wan in Washington and on tho border boforo ha went cast, after reaching tho frontier with Gen. Lovojoy in January, thoro is abundant evidonce, liko this from tho Waldos, to provo nil that his friends hnvo reasonably clalmod. Mr. William Waldo says Whitman vns very thorough, nnd infused lifo into tho com pany. Evcrywhoro ho led and ventur ed, as nt Laramie, nnd thus scoured nil possiblo progress. It wns his efforts nnd ndvico that mndo it possiblo to get n wagon road through, ns ho promised, though tho agents of tho Hudson's Day company pronounced it an impossibility. That wns tho critical fact upon which tho fntu of Orogon in a grcnt mensuro hung. A wagon road ovor tho mount ains meant everything for Oregon, nnd ho inspired tho emigration with that viow of it, Tho greatest victory over achiovod on tho Pacific was accomplish cd whon emigrant wagons rolled into tho valley of tho Columbia in 181!). Whon they reached Fort Hall thoy found Captain Grant, of tho II. D. Co., in commnnd thcro, who told thorn it was impracticnblo to got through with wagons. Whitman proved tho contrnry. Whilo thoro n numbor, inoluding Dan Waldo woro invited to tho fort to dinner nnd Win. Wnldo romembers well tho hearty laugh thoy had after thoy return ovor a dish for tho dessort. This con sisted of dried and pounded grasshop pers mado into n Hort of pudding. No doubt 'Grant loarned to liko this raro delicacy by association with Indians. Whitman was tho only Amorican who tnslod it ns tho others hnd not boon long enough away from civilization to hnvo Indian appetites. (Concluded next wcok.) OLANDBR8. Ham:m, May -1. Kdltor Wlllamotto Fsrmeri CIIIIONIO I'AIK'Y. In chronic farcy local symptoms gen erally procodo nny apparent febrile dis turbance; but if tho thormomotor bo employed for tho examination of all horses in n stud whero glandors exist, somo elevation of tho tomporaturo of tho body may bo appnrrcnt in tho infeetod, prior to tho development of any local symptoms. Theso local symptoms consist of cir cumscribed inflamatory swellings run ning in tho principlo vessels, which gun pcrato nnd burst, without much ongorg mont of tho surrounding nreolar tissuo. Tho circumscribed elevations or buds 'nro connected together by corded lym phatic vosboIs, nnd whorovor n vnlvo is situated in a lymphatic duet, thero a swelling will nppoar, nnd n bud will form. Tho buds aro ranged in groups nbout tho inner nnd outor aspects of tho thigh, fore-arm, flank, neck, and head. From tho circumstance that thu enlarged cords and buds run in tho snmo direction ns tho veins, tho old furriers concluded that farcy was a diseaso of tho veins. Dis sections, howovor, soon oxpellod this da lusion, nnd tho roason why the disenso accompanies the vessels is explained by tho fact thnt tho lymphatics and blood vessels run in company. In somo instances farcy is found con fined to tho curvicnl lymphatics. An examination of tho nock, ulong the course of tho jugular veins will enable tho veterinarian to detect tho lymphatic (hint, swollen, hard, and presenting ir regular knots along its course Supin ation seldom occurs, but tho animal sooner or later presents sigrs of glanders or of farcy in somo other part of tho body. Chronic farcy differs from thu ncuto only in intensity and duration, and the only form of equina which is at all amenable to treatment. Thu contagious diseaso laws of Ore gon ennnot bo too stringent in regard to such diseases as glanders and farcy, but under our present laws one can do about as he pleases as to using hones at any and at all times on our public highways, and hitching them at the pub NO. 14. lic hitching posts in our towns. Thoro should bo nn net to prohibit tho uso of all such animals. Thoy should bo killed and burned, or buried deep in tho ground. I think nn exception might bo rondo with regard to tho milder forms of chronic farcy, provided always that tho nnininl bo nsolntcd nnd proporly attend od,to, medically and othorwiso. I en tirely disapprove of tho practico of working such nn animal, whilst so dis eased with glandors or fnrcy, nnd would recommend tho strictest survcilnnco by proporly qualified inspectors. Wo havo hero in our midst both forms of tho dis easo; hero in our midst ono farmer in Denton county, lost eovontcon, another twenty head of horses ; ono farmor in Linn county, lost sovon head of lino horses by its ravages. Marion, Polk, Yamhill, Washington, nnd Lano coun ties are slightly nffeotcd with tho dis ease, most furmors think it to bo "Nassal Gloot." As thoro is no euro known for tho malady, I will rccommond no troatmont but tho Antisoptio Provontntivo troat mont. Whon ginndors appears in a stablo of horscn, in addition to tho romovnl of all nd'ectcd horses, it is most essential to nttond carefully to tho ventilation, drainago, food nnd wntor, nnd to the cleansing of tho disinfection of tho sta bles, fittings, harness, nnd other appur tnnnucos ; tho romovnl of contaminated woodwork, tho painting of all fixtures, limn washing, or even scraping, and thon timo limo washing. Tho wash to contain n pint of crudo carbolic ncid to ovcry throe gallons of wash nnd to the prevention of ovor crowding, exhaust ing work, nnd nil dobilitntiug influences. It has beon found Borvicoablo to givo for snvcral wcoks ,to nil horses in tho stud, with ovnry men!, two ouncos of tho hyposulphito of soda, or two drachms of chlorato of potash. C. W. J., V. 8. Crop In Multnomah County, Etc. , 1'i.kahantHomk Or., May 2, 1887. Kditor WiUmttto Farmer i Tho last rains that foil, provontcd farmers getting all thoir seeding dono. Had tho rains dolnycd a fow days later, all tho grain in this section would havo been planted. During tho fow days of pleasant weather, tho timo was improv ed. Tho meadows look woll ; nover did tho protect for hay both timothy nnd clover, look bettor nt tho timo of year. FarmnrB mado a sicok on potntoos this year, the prices wero unusually good, and the crop wns quite largo, yot not so largo as tho year before Many in our Hcctionn had several hundred busholB which thoy took to tho Portland markot. Vegetables of all kinds do exceedingly well In this ncction; hay grows to per fection, u failure is unknown hero, ovon though nt times wo complain of so much ruin, yet thoro is nono too much to in sure good crops. So why should wo grumblo. Tho advent of our church bell caused a sensation in our villugo Saturduy 30th, It wait hung in tho spiro at 10 a. in. Many of our citizons wero present, and wltmwed. with prido what has been in contemplation for months past. At intervals till day long up to Into hour in tho night, it peeled forth its Joyous tonos of ui"lody. Our Hand boys joined tho strain by giving us somo popular airs wh'ch made thu occasion n very en joyablo one. At the. wea hours of tho night the bell Bounded forth its pealing tones so strongly that it caused old time residents to comn rushing breathless to thu sceno, with an exclamation of what this all meant 1 Was thero fire anywhere? Whon tho waggish youths innocontly said thoy wcro just swinging tho bell to hear it tinglo as nover boforo in thoir life wcro thoy so highly favored, and tbey knew it would not last long. Thu vea erablo citizen informed the wags that the safest place at that hour of the night was at homo with thoir mothors. Pijiiv Jvaua.
