K
V-
VOL. XIX.
OREGON PIONEER HISTORY.
BKETCHE8 OF EARLY DAYS. -MEN AMD
TIMES IK THE TORTIES
DY B. A CLARKE. -Copyright
applied far. All rljhU reitrv J.
THE JOURNEY OF THE WALDOS AMD THE
APPRECIATES ACROSS THE PLAINS.
Thoy readied tlio Columbia nnd passed
Tho Dalles without trouble. Somo
twonty milos below Tho Dalles tboy
crossed thoir animals to tho north sido
tho old Hudson bay route and drovo
thorn down tho trail tp Vancouver.
Their wagons thoy loft nt Tho Dallos,
and thoir animals woro inado to swim
tho Btroam. Near tho Cascades thoy
met n singular accident with a knowing
mnlo callod "Tho Qenoral." Tho old
fellow was packed with a load and re
sented it strangely, lying down occasion'
ally to try and get his pack oil'. At a
point whero a high bind overlooked tbo
river tho trail wont along tho faco of tho
bluff, somo huntlrods of yards above tho
bank of tho Columbia. When thread
ing this narrow path "Tho Goncral" con
eluded to Ho down and roll tho pack off.
Ho rolled so successfully that bo went
liko a bull from tho track to tho river
bank, catching on somo stones or brush
at tho very brink. All hands raw tho
mulo roll down tho hill and lio tlioro do
void of motion. Ho was dead, of courso,
and it only remained to savo tho goods
ho carried. So thoy cliniod down tho
steep tho mulo rollod down so easy, but
they found somo sign of lifo, for "Tho
General's" cars twitched, a suro sign of
senbo and sensibility in a mulo. Somo
ono gavo tho recumbent carcass a kick,"
tho old fellow struggled into position,
flopped his cars as natural as lifo, and
with somo boosting was got or. Ills fcot
and went to browsing. Tho boast was
sound as over, and went on his way
ehowingno remembrance of tho acrobatic
feat, oxcept by novor lying down again
with his pack.
Reaching Vancouver thoy interviewed
Mr. Douglas, who was in chargo in tho
absonco of Dr. McLaughlin, and woro
thcro furnished at a reasonable chargo
all tho Hupplics that thoy needed. Mr.
Waldo loft bohind n largo property, and
brought fifty cattlo, bosides horses and
mules, across tho plains ; somo arrived
in good order, and very few wero lost.
Mr. Douglas was very considerate ; all
they required thoy had, and afterwards
Mr. Waldo sent to Vancouver for his
winter supplios. Tho terms imposed
wcro : grow wheat and wo wi 1 take t
for pay at GO cents a bushel. Douglas
lont them battoaux to carry their goods
and ferry their stock. T. D. Koizur was
thcro at tho some time. James P. Mai tin
and Win. Martin, prcsont sherill' of
Umatilla county, remained with them,
having been with thorn all tho way,
helping drive tho stock. Thoy had on
tho road a hack and two wagons bring
ing provisions, drawn by oxen. It rained
as they came down tho Columbia, and
all tho while thoy woro forrying tho
Columbia river. It was u milo or moro
wido here, 60 thoy could not Bwim ani
mals, and the battcanx wero inconven
ient to carry thorn in. Ono day ono of
tho men said ho would liko a good drink
of whisky to warm up with. Douglas
said : "Como up to tho houso and get a
bowl of warm soup ; that is tho best
thing to work on." So all hands filled
up at Wb houso with good soup. Thoy
found him in every Way pleasant and
accommodating. After crossing the
Columbia they kopt on south to find
thoopon country they had heard of.
Tho country was new and the towns
unheard of then. Only Oregon City was
beginning to be a place. They kept up
tho valley, and finally reached Alanson
Beer's place, the old mission near Wheat
land, where tho family remained a wcok,
while Mr. Waldo went prospecting for a
permanent home spot. Ho found two
men, old mountain men and trappers,
named Matt, a German, and Burroughs,
SALEM, OREGON, FRIDAY,
who had a font on tho placo oftcrward
claimed by Jcroino B. Qrctr. Thcro
thoy had somo horsos and did somo trap
ping in tho Cascades. Thoy livod on
game, as nll'mountaincors did, and whon
sott'iors ennio thoy sold out and moved
away. Thcso mon showed Waldo tho
hill conntry, as thoy know whero good
springs and good timber could bo found,
and ho then selected tho spot ho mado
his futuro homo and went back to Bccrs's
after his family. By tho aid of tho
Martins thoy put up in two weeks a
comfortable log houso that tho family
boliovcd tho host houso thoy ovor saw.
Thoy had reached tho Columbia at Van
couver in Novcmbor, and for n month
thoy had boon travoling, forrying and
building in tho rain. Tho cabin was
twcnty-llvo fcot squaro and had no ac
quaintance with a nail. Thoy split
shakes for tho roof and tho various
courses wcro hold in pluco by long poles.
Split puncheons woro also used for doors
and thoro was a dirt iloor. A chimnoy
was easily mado and with a good roof
and a rousing firo thoy wcro comfortablo
and happy, and realized all thoir hopes
of Oregon. Wm. Waldo says ho novor
hoard a single word of regret or re
proach. Thoy loft tho prairies of tho
west for snko of health, and found it in
tho hills, and located thcro for groatcr
security. Thoro Is no moro beautiful
region anywhorn than tho Waldo hills.
Thoy had tho wido rango to thomsclvci,
as no other family was anywhoro near
thorn. Thoy quickly mado n farm, brokn
and foncod twonty acres to put in wheat,
planted it early in tho spring, and had n
really good crop to tiso and pay their
''ebt. to tho Hudson Day company.
Tho noxt yoay thoy built another
dwelling houso and wero very comfor
tablo, and also built barns nnd mado
needed improvements. Tho first wintor
thoy wont to tho snwmill at or near
Snlom and got lumber for a floor. In a
year or -two Dan Waldo was a prosper
ous settler. His cattlo increased, his
crops yielded well, his homo in tho Mils
realized all their wishes, and no sickness
camo to mako them rogret their old homo
in Missouri.
Tho next year Je&o Loonoy, who
wintered at Whitman's, camo to Wettern
Oregon and located in tho Santiam val
Joy, twolvo miles southwest of tho Wal
do's. Tho families woro intima'o and as
each had young people, thoy onjoyod
lifo. On Sundays thoy exchanged visits
and in all respects thoy wcro friends.
At that timo tho hilU wcro literally
abounding with wild gamo, and vcnieoti
was abundant. This furnished a groat
part of a living. Tho wants of a now
region aro fow and n story told of othor
pioneers illustrates how tho Waldo's
prospered. Ono Goodmun lived in the
hills awhile, then went to California.
In 1841 Dclany settled on Battlo
creek, E. E. Parrish at tho Gap in tho
Red hills, towards Jefierson ; W. Hawk
hurst lived on Mill creek ; Josoph Hoi
man oast of Salem. Up to 1817 thoro
wero no claims taken on Saloin prairie.
Salem was only n mission station, with
school, church and parsonage. Tho
Mission mill, afterwards owned by Mc
Clane, was built in 1845. Peoplo settled
near tho hills and near tho timber, on
tho cast of Salem pralrio, but loft tho
center vacant In 1810 Towner Savage
located near whero tho fairgrounds now
is with his eons, John and Lewis. Also
W. It. MuHkers located on tho prairiog,
and William J, Hcrrcn took a claim
four miles from Salem. John Hcrrcn,
Sr., located on tho Swartz claim, paying
Baptisto Gobat 11000 for his' crop and
improvements, as ho had thirty or forty
acres fenced and broken. South of him
was old man Stringer, an Englishman.
John Martin camo that year. Next to
Stringor was Billy Hughes, a Kentuck
ian, who went back in '48. Then all
was vacancy Bouth until you reached
Stanley, Genor and Rector, who settled
along the foot of tho Waldo Hills, south
of Salem, in '40. Thus was the county
slowly settled south of French Traino'
and very fow occupied land south of tho
Santiam river until '48. Thoro wero a
fow Bettlors who followed tho foothills
south and chooso favorablo locations
whoro wood and water wcro convenient.
It is truo that thoso locations woro all
In tho rogion that produces tho best
buolity of wheat grown in western
Oregon.
Dan Waldo was gonial and hospltnblo
as a man and kindly as a neighbor, and
his houso becamo headquarters for all
who livod in or noar tho hills. Tie
namo of Waldo was synonymous for nl
that was loyal in Americans and truo to
humanity. Ho was plain, and mado no
pretenso to loadorship. Tho influenco
ho possessed was duo to his firm and ro
liablo character. Ho owned consider
nblo means hero and back in Missouri,
and tho possession ot modcrato wealth
was a means of influoncc. Waldo was
not an cducatod man, but read and pon
dered what rcaohod him, and possessed
cotiBidorablo inforntution for n frontiers
man. Ho had an imporativo senso ot
Justico and no ono questioned his fair
and honost intention. Ho despised cant
and hypocracy and rospected an honest
man wherever ho found him, and as
sisted many n man with monoy aid who
noedod it. Ho waB genorous enough
and just enough and possessed means
and wisdom to givo him prominencoand
desorved all tho prominonco and popu
larity ho received If incidents of Ills
times conld bo preserved thoy would bo
of interest, but it is not easy to gather
from existing sources such items. His
houso was tho gathering placo of tho
country side whonovor any mattor of
importanco arose. At tho timo when
thoro woro no towns or villages, no
county scats, no country Btorcs, as now,
Waldo's was tho rendezvous nnd bond
quartora for ovorything that was Ameri
can. Mr. Waldo's senso ot justico rulod his
business matters. Ho would not soil
any nrticlo for moro than ho thought it
was honestly worth, and people some
times triod to tako advantage of this
trait, Ono instanco is Uld that illus
trates his way of dealing. Waldo had a
fino lot of boot cattlo and beef was very
high priced, so ho could name almost
any prico ho pleased. A man who know
him woll rodo up ono day and asked:
"What will you tako for your Iwef Hteors?"
Wuldo named sixty dollars as his
price, though ho know beef was soiling
much higher. His theory was that sixty
dollars was enough to pay him well.
Tho cattlo dealer, from forco ot habit,
said '-Isn't that rather high?" "You
needn't tako them it you don't want
them," said Waldo. Tho man rrdo off,
but before long ho rodo tip again and
said ho hud concluded to tako thoso cat
tlo at sixty dollars. But "Uncle Dan"
said : "It you want tho-io steers at sixty
five dollars you can have them." Ho
romonstrated. "You needn't tako them
if you don't want them," was tho laconic
roply. When ho camo back for them at
sixty-fivo dollars, ho found they wcro
worth sovonty, and was sharp enough to
take them before thoy went higher.
"Thoso steers wero worth sovonty dol
lars" was all tho remark Waldo mado
tho third timo. Tho old gentleman did
it, too, with tho utmost indifferenco nnd
mado no remarks as to tho whys and
and wherefores of his conclusion. Ho
was simply enforcing tho senso ot justico
and making this particular individual
know that ho know well what ho was
about.
Daniel Waldo was justice of tho
peace under tho provisional government,
and Mr. W. J. Herren, who furnishes
these data, relates an instance of provis
ional justico that illustrates tho charac
ter of thoso times. In 1810 there was
a case in his court, McKinley vs. John
Durbin, wherein the plaintiff sued for
trespass in jumping his land claim, land
claims having been defined by the pro
visional legislature. The plaintiff bad
MAY 20, 1887.
for his attornoy J. W. Ncsmith, nn ex
Chief JiiBtlc of tho Supromo Court ot
Orogon. Dcfondant secured tho services
of Potor H. Burnett, tho existing Chief
Justico. Bill Martin, now Sheriff of
Umatilla county, was tho constable
Ho had a long journny to mako to got a
jury togothcr. W. J. Horrcn, ''Billy"
Hughes, "Bill" Bealo, nnd ono of tho
Dolanys woro on the jury. Ncsmith
mado nn opening spocch, deprecating
the great influenco thoy might attach to
tho fact that tho defendant's counsel was
a Chief Justico. Ho said thoy mustn't
bo led away by tho distinguished coun
hoVs high position as a jurist. Alter all,
ho was only utuuti. Ho had filled tho
samo ofllce himself, and know all about
it. Nesmith raked up a story ot cross
ing tho plains againBt tho othor sido, and
attacked tho poor dofoudant furiously
and won his case. It Is probablo tho
financial results woro moro satisfactory
than in tho mattor narrated in a recent
papor whoro ho mado his maiden effort
at Oregon City. Thcso incidents illu.
trato tho oarly times, and possess valuo
in that connection wo would not now
attach to similar proceedings.
Wm. Martin crossed the plains with
Daniel Waldo, and resided somo years
in his family. Ho was tho lint Shorlff
ot Champoeg county, as what is now
Marion county was callod in early years.
Martin is now well advanced, but retains
health nnd strength remarkably. Ho
lives in Umatilla county, and has boon
for many yoars sheriff thcro, being
olduted on his moriU and personal pop
ularity, though opposod in politics to
tho ruling party, a caso without parallel
in our Stato.
Wasco County Letter.
Tub Dalles, May 5, 1887.
Editor WiUmette Farmer i
This is a regular Wobfoot day, and it
has been raining for sovoral days, and
A I A.n nliAtiiAiHi n m a IiiiiI li n A A nil .IVft.ftft
uivbu niiuwum utu jimt nuiii. mi uii mint,
out in Kastorn Orogon. Tho farmers
aro still plowiug up sod laud ; it is plon
ty wot enough, and somo few aro plant
ing corn. This crop seems to bo all tho
go. It is ono that doos woll on our
land. All tho early planting ot corn is
up, at least what I havo scon. Thoro is
ono man who has just finished a small
field ot 150 odd acre?, all of which is
corn. This Is Dr. Sloon, of Arlington.
Tho farm is about six miles from this
town. Then tlioro is ono of our Orogon
boys, and n. neighbor, Mr. Samp. J.
Jones, of Marion county, who aro put
ting in quite an oxtonsive crop, nnd
breaking u largo tract of now land his
winter sown grain looks woll. So docs
tho oarly sown. It looks liko ho meant
business, for thoy havo fenced in about
ono hundred acres, and aro still fencing.
Stock looks well, here, cattlo and
horses faro woll on tho bunch grass,
which is plenty hero in Gilliam county,
at this timo. This country is filling up
quito faHt with sottlcrs; this is just
what wo want to si 3. Tho bauds and
and slnow of the willing firmer taj
hold of tho plow, work liko a man wl:o
meant it, and not ono who only wants to
hold his land till somo ono comes alonj;
and would buy him out, then get an
other piece of It. It., and do likewise
Thoro is plenty of what I call good
land, to bo had, but tho great drawback
is water. Thcso lands aro good for gruin,
and vegetables, they do well hero in this
county.
Well, this is a thriving little town, of
about 1 MX) inhabitants; thcrotaro now
buildings going up overy day, This is
on tho Bouth bauk of tho Columbia, with
ono main street filled up or crowded
with teams, both firmer and freighters.
Then thoro is Front stroot, whero it is
a crowd of teams all tho timo, at this
timo of year.
Wool is coming in at a lively rate,
also pelts ; there is somo fine Herofords
hero in tho stock yards, fifteen in num
ber, Some people think thoy aro all
and all. Others take the Short Horn.
NO. 15.
As for my part, givo mo tho Short
Horns and tho Holstoln Frissian cattlo ;
then you havo beef and fino dairy cattlo
What havo you of thoso white Hereford
cattlo? When in flesh thoy aro fino look
ing fellows, but oh, what poor looking
creatures thoy aro, when poor, fudging
from what wo can bcc.
Como up and boo our country,
and givo us a call out on our farm. I
hnvo a pleasant llttlo farm on tho south
bank ot tho grand old Columbia river,
and tho II. It. is on tho farm, and both
front my houso. Xoithcr aro to exceed
2,000 feet from tho house. I have in a
good orchard. All applo and some fow
penr trees. I havo a good garden in,
potatoes beets, onions, cabbage, carrots,
and about two acrog ot molonst all aro
up and looking woll. All within ono
milo and thrco-fouths of a milo ot town.
Como and help mo eat.
Somo of thoso fino mollons you can
sco, when riding along on tho train,
for tho track runs through tho molon
patch, or noar by. This is what payB
hero, for I con soil them at Portland
nnd at homo for a good prico. I havo
about as early varieties as grows, in tho
U. 8., nnd I wish you could bo horo
about tho 1st ot July, and see.
David D. Gauiiibok.
lettw trom Dayton, W.T.
Dayton-, W. T., April 25, 1887.
Editor Wlllimctto Firmer!
Wo liko tho Farmeii, ond appreciate
it for tho many good things which it
contains. I havo boon quito intorostod
in reading tbo Pionoor History of somo
of your first settlors. What toils and
dangers and difllcultlcs somo of thorn
had to pass through I ' This brings baok
to my mind events that transpirod in
tho early sottlomont of Kansas. I wont
to Kansas whon it was a Territory, and
holpcd to mnko it a froo Stato. Tlioro
wo had tho pro-slavory element to faco,
while you plonoers hod Indians to fight.
My, what changes havo takon placo
Blncol Your Stato ot Orogon is looming
up grandly nnd becoming tho homo of
many good citizens.
This Territory Is filling up vory fast ;
quite a number from Kansas havo ar
rived alroady, and moro are on tho way.
I was up In tho Palouso country last fall
and observed that a great numbor of
peoplo woro planting out orchards. Ono
nursery in Kastorn Oregon filled ordors
to the amount ot $1,000, mid thoro woro
sovoral counties represented, A good
deal ot your fruit, raised in tho valloy,
would find a market hero, if freights
wcro only reasonable
Yours, very respectfully,
ItmiiAiii) Hill.
How to Preserve Eih.
Halhy, Or.
Kdltor Willamette Fanner i
As you bolong to tho public, I writo
for a recipo for preserving eggs. You
published ono somo timo ago tho liming
process ; you did not stato fully how to
procood, nnd I havo lost tho numbor of
tho Farmer containing what you did
publish of It. If you will sond mo tho
process, you will much obligo a sub
hcriber. I want to inquire through tho Faumeii
it any one has ferrots in this Stato, and
whether thoy would not bo an excellent
thing for ridding tho country of rats.
If you hnvoopportunityor think proper,
answer by mail or through tho Faumeii.
Yours, respectfully,
8. ',. Taylou.
Siuco tho Colfax County Commission
on) renewed tho bquirrcl bounty at thoir
Fobruary term, 100,050 scalps woro ro
coipted fur at tho Auditor's office up to
tho presont time, making an amount of
$5,332.50. Eighty-seven cayoto scalp i
wero also received, at $1 each.
Tho following process has been made
in tho Stampede tunnel up to May 12th :
East end, heading 2270 feci, breast 2248
feet; went ond, heading 2271 feet, breast
2247 feet
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