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EM.'a
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VOL. XIX.
OREGON PIONEER HISTORY.
8KETCHESIOF EARLY .DAYS. --MEN AND
TIMES IN THE FORTIES
"t BY S. A CLARKE. .. A
Copjrtght pplleJ tor. All right referred
Successful Formation or the Provisional aor
t ernment or Oregon.
I am not writing strict history in
theso sketches so much ns I am trying
to pen-picturo tho times nnd tho pcoplo
of pioneer days. It will havo nnsworod
this purposo whon wo trnco tho provis
ional government to its ultimato com
pletion and show it finally equipped
nnd organized as it was in 18-15 and re
mained until tho tardy action of Con
gress raised tho national standard over a
Legislature of its own creation. But
this faithful pooplo had long boforo or
ganized n government as effective as
need bo. They had created no now em
blem of sovereignty to designate it, but
had always governed thomsolvcs, raado
laws, nnd executed thorn as well, under
tho samo flag that was tho emblem of
powor and liberty in tho far cast whoro
they wore born. It is, touching to tho
heart of any American to-day to look
back upon tho pationt waiting of tlirco
sons of Amorica. Thoy continually
memorialized Congross for somo action,
for somo recognition, somo protection,
but could say that through all those
long yoars when thoy asked this parent
for bread it gavo them n stono. Tho
few who woro horo in 1810 had arrived
by dovious routes; soma camo down
from tho mountains becauso thoy had
killed off tho beaver and could earn no
nioro money trapping; somo strayed
northward, overland, from California,
and others drifted off tho ocean to this
faraway land. Thon thcro wcro tho
missionaries, who wero really tho only
ones with families, and tho only ones
that camo hither with a purposo, unless
wo count tho pcoplo who camo with
Astor's expedition. Tho several expeditions-
of Bonnoville, Lewis and Clarke,
Wyoth and Hall, J. Kolly, as well as
vcssols that camo horo to trade, loft oc
casionally ono or nioro to increase tho
American force. Whon almost imper
ceptibly thoy becamo a hundred, thoy
grow homesick for somo recognition
that thoy woro Amorican citizens, on
American soil, and ontitlod to protection
by tho Amorican government. Thoy
saw tho British ensign flaunt tho west
ern breezo at Vancouvor; thoy heard
tho sound of cannon doing it honor, and
know that tho British parliament had
formally recognized British subjects in
Oregon entitled to protection. As early
as 1810 thoy petitioned Congress, and
continually thereaftor thoy memorializ
ed and petitioned Congress and tho
presidents, but they had only broken
promises sont them in return.
Yet all tho whilo with unquestioning
fidelity they hoisted tho stars and
stripes and worshipped where they
seemed forgotton. It was in 1848 at
last that Congross found it of sufficient
importance to extend tho protection of
the nation to Oregon pioneers. It was
when thoy had well demonstrated that
they wero ablo to walk alono that our
government claimed thorn as its chil
dren. It was none to soon, for the in
fant settlement was thon woging war
. against combined savage power. Thoy
had demonstrated, by Ave years of home
rulo under a provisional government,
that its people were amonable to no ono
for their safety, but could compel the
eavago hordes that surrounded them to
profer peace to war. All the nation hod
road and heard of Oregon; American
pride was aroused that tho distant col
ony had proved so true and had done
so well, but that woa poor recompense
for the suffering and hardships that
these colonists endured because their
own government refused the protection
they needed and demanded. Yos, tho
story of our provisional government is
one that Oregon can point to and the
sons and daughters of those pioneers
SALEM, OREGON, FRIDAY,
can bo proud of and justly celebrato
and pay honors to. Somo may question
if patriotic motives brought tho weary
pilgrims of tho '10's tho long and dreary
journoy from tho western prairies to tho
westorn sea, but no truo man can deny
that tho purest patriotism animated
thoso who pationtly waited and carried
Orogon through thoso oarliost years.
Tho first session of tho provisional
Legislature was commenced Juno 18,
1811. It took very decidod action rela
tive to slavory nnd liquor, prohibiting
tho ownership of slaves in tho Territory
and tho salo or uso of anient spirits
which last was n necessary safeguard
against a fearful possibility of evil.
Whilo wuitos aro mean enough when
thoy get liquor "aboard," Indians be
conio insatiate fiends when thoy can
procuro alcohol. So it was necessary,
to insuro safety for tho lives of thoir
familios, that liquor should not bo per
mitted to oxist in any shapo that it
could como into general uso. I havo
boforo told of "Dick McCary" and Dr.
Whito and how tho stills that Dick
mado woro broken up until ho hid ono
nway in tho mountains and thcro manu
factured "blue ruin" for tho pokor club.
When I did so I supposed that Ilichard
was comfortably and years ago gathered
to his father's, but I learn that ho
resides cast of tho Cascades and his
dusky spouso also, each of them weigh
ing a triflo less than IJ0O pounds. Pco
plo aro very long lived cast of tho Cas
cades and tho manufacture of bluo ruin
did not nccossarily shorten life.
A failuro of tho act to prohibit shivery
Booms very obnoxious, though wo havo
the satisfaction to know that it nover
was enforced. Tho master of any vessel
that brought a negro into tho country
was obliged to tnko him away again ;
any negro found horo was to bo arrostod
by tho sheriff nnd have forty lashes
ovory onco in a whilo until ho conclud
ed to leave. If this act had ever been
enforced Oregon would havo equaled
Rhode Island's treatmont of Quakors,
but it fortunately was not. How such
a mcasuro over became a law is very
strango. Tho pcoplo wero not in favor
of it and no oflicer could bo found to on
forco it, so it was a nullity, though it
digracos the statuto books. Tho two
votes against tho bill wero Loonoy and
Hill, and their objection may havo been
to this featuro.
The now legislature met at Oregon
City. Tho convention was hold at
Champocg, but now there is nothing of
consequence left where Champoog was.
In the terriblo winter of the winter of
1801-2 all that was Champoog (and no
doubt including tho warehouse where
tho pcoplo moO was swept down tho
raging waters with nothing to hinder
thoir reaching tho distant sea. Orogon
City was also badly wrecked at that
time, and I cannot nay if the building
where tho first legislature mot wont with
tho rest or no. Perhaps it was built on
a rock tho waters did not reach. It was
so uniquo in stylo of architecture that
we will soo it a moment and thon "move
on." Thornton says it consisted of posts
set in tho ground, grooved on two sides
so that poles reaching from post to post
were frames to bo let into theso grooves,
and made the sidos and ends or walls.
These poles, or split timbers, wero some
what like fenco rails. Timbers woro
framed on top of the posts, and thus tho
building was walled in. The roof was of
cedar bark laid on horrizontul jolca, as
shakes aro laid. It was 20x10 feet in
area. Ho does not say if it had a dirt
floor or ono of puncheons, but a plat
form of puncheons at one end served as
a platform for Mr. Speaker ; so tho prob
ability is that tho remainder was not
floored. Around tho room woro slabs,
bark side down, lying on a framework
of poles, that served as scats for tho
the dear people. In the center three
boards twelve inches wide, laid on a
similar framework of polos, made the
table tor tho use of legislator, clerks and
rcpottors supposing thorc woro any of
the Iattor. Such buildings ato some
times found in Indian villages, but rude
and primitive as it was, wanting in stylo
and oven comfort, with stools or benches
to match, the pioneer legislature of Or
cgon met there and gravely, with m
much dignity as tho continental congress
manifested in older times whon it mot
in Liberty hall, thoy discharged tho
duty confided to them rather than im
posed upon thorn. And whero, since tho
timo when othor pilgrims landed at
Plymouth, is thcro a record of mora
earnest and competent action by thoso
who framed tho statehood of any por
tion of this Union T Whoro havo plain
men shown grcntcr wisdom in founding
a commonwealth and in framing its con
stitution and laws, thon did this body
that early roprcscntod tho pioneers of
Orogon? Wo who reap tho benefits enn
bo justly proud of tho moil who bowed
out of tho rough mountain quarries our
groat stato and laid its foundations (loop
and strong for all tho agos.
Tho oxecutivo commit tco of throe was
a cumbcrsomo sort of government, and
Oregon soon outgrow that idea. Whilo
tho convention of July, 1815J, was being
hold Dr. Whitman was piloting across
tho plains about a thousand omigrants,
who wcro dostincd to swell tho popula
tion of Oregon and dccldo tho owner
ship for tho United States. Somo dony
that Whitman had any activo intorcst
in tho emigration, but at tho proper
timo I can both provo that ho did so
and that ho canvassod tho frontier for
that purpose. It was this largo emigra
tion that gavo strongtli to tho provision
al government and mado it measurably
independent of all opposing forces. Bo
foro 1811 tho missionary party was u
power that had to bo placated, and tho
Hudson Bay company was something to
dread nnd mako terms with, but tho
advent in tho fall of twico as ninny
Americans as woro hero in tho spring,
mado tho Americans three tlmos as nu
merous nnd placed thorn independent of
missions and corporations. Hero was
a change indeed, thanks to Whitman
mora than to any othor Influence. In
tho repoct or messugo of the oxecutivo
committee, rendorod December, 181-1, it
was recommouded that changes bo made
and a convention of tho people held to
Bay what they should be. Tho legisla
ture that also mot at that time, pasi-ed u
law to nail such a convention. Elections
wero hold and delegates elected, and the
changes suggested wero all provided for.
At a popular convention held at Cham
poog A. L. Lovojoy was nominated for
governor, but die friends of tho candi
dates that were defeated made common
cause to beat him, and George Abcr
nethy was elected ut tho general election.
The voters of Oregon in Juno, 1815,
amounted to 800. A now organto law
was framed that year by a committco of
fivo Leo, Nowoll, Applegato, Smith
and McCluro which was endorsed by
tho popular vote, and is now incorpn
rated in tho laws of Oregon.
Gcorgo Aborncthy was in the Sand
wich islands when elected governor, and
as he could not return for somo timo tho
executive committco retained jwwor un
til ho camo back. Tho scat of govern
ment was located at The Falls, as tho
place was called until 1815, when it was
styled Orogon City. It is probablo that
they had secured more ngrocablo quar
ters by that tune Thcro is a record
that when tho legislature met tho first
act wa3 to havo a cjiiiinittoe provide u
tuitablc room, and one was seemed for
f 2 a day, fuel and lights inoluded. So
the day of slab seats, puncheon plat
forms and earthen floors was gono to re
turn no more. 31. M. McCarver wob
epcaker. A law against dueling was
passed one day under great pressure ;
done, as it is turned out, to prevent a
dud between Iloldcrness and Dr. Elijah
White. Holderness was mad enough
to shoot with deadly intent, and that
was the measure taken to get Dr. White
out of this rather uncomfortable scrape.
JUNE 3, 1887.
orrcuomltucf.
Notes or upon a Trip from the WlUunette to
the Ohio.
Salem, Or., May 21), 1887.
Editor Willametto Farmer!
Leaving Ssloni on April 21st of courso
wo loft flowers in bloom, as, though tho
season was rather lato thnu onrly, tho
cherry and plum wcro shedding their
blossoms and npplo and poar woro in
full blow. Lenving Portland at -1 P. M.
tho run was mado in tho night up to
near Pendleton where daylight showed
tho orchard trees in bloom also and tho
cattlo near tho lino as having barely got
through tho winter. .Stock had much
tho samo nppoaranco as scon from tho
ears ns wo passed through Qrande
Hondo, l'owdor river, Burnt river nnd
upper Snako river valloys, but dead
cattlo wcro not noticod from tho cars
until near tho head of tho Portnouf
nbovo Pocotello. Up to that point tho
grass in tho valloys nnd foothills was
fairly started, though thcro was yet
plonty of snow in sight upon tho moun
tains. As wo crossed the divido into
Bear river valloy wo began to sco ovi
doncos of tho sovcro winter, and about
Montpolicr wo could soo men removing
tho evidences of its destruction. Grass
was starting and stock was boing turned
out to got tho benefit of it. On many
farms thoro seemed to bo great attention
given to cattlo and tho romains of etrnw
stnoks showed that tho hay knife wits
used as nn aid to feeding oven straw
with tho greatest economy. The trim
ncss of tho fencing and tho Holds indi
cated an industrious careful community
nnd wo had boon notciug various signs
of a difl'erenco from tho rango methods
management of tho stock boforo tho
thought camo to us that wo wero actual
ly looking at some of tho industrial life
of Mormonism. It had n foreign look
about it somehow, tho cattlo feeding
closor together than range cattlo com
monly do. A fow llocknof sheep (coarso
wooled) wero n-on and it was uoted that
tho herders outfit was in a wagon near
which tho horses, presumably thoso used
to haul tho wagon, woro cither grazing
freo or staked near by. Wo passed
quite near ono wagon which was covered
apparently with light ducking and tho
horses worn clothed with the samo kind
of cloth. The number herded in ono
band was not boliovcd to bo more than
1000 mud.
Passing from tho Bear river valloy
into that of Colorado, wo see nioro
abundant signs of loss of range cattlo
with very little qvldonco that any at
tempt to help thorn through tho winter
by feeding had been mado. There was
yet considerable livo cattlo in sight as
tho train rolled down towards Granger.
At that point a slight fall of fresh snow
had fallen and it increased as we went
down to Green river. From tho cross
ing of tiroen river down to Choyonno
snow was on tho ground and but littlo
stock of any kind was neon from tho
road, indeed the rango was so bare of
cither green or dry grass that only very
few animals could have lived on tho
range. Below North Platte things bo
gnn to look much better; moio stock
was seen and some ranches showed
haystacks yet unconsumed, herds of
stock cattlo wore seen feeding close
irigfther as thoy had been observed on
Hear river, which I concluded was one
of the good results of carcf luwintcr
feeding. Further down toward Omaha
we saw herds of young cattlo that wero
just being turned out of tho cars for
summering on tho range. They wcro
baing fed hay as a help to young grass
whiclu was yet hardly a full bite. Still
nearer to Omaha feeding stations wero
seen where long corn sheds still con
taining largo supplies of corn on the
cob, formed ono side of the feed yard,
making it as cany as possible to givo tho
fattening hooves their regular rations.
East of Omaha growth was moro for
NO. 17.
ward and in passing through Iowa I
could but admiro the, to me, great num
bers of woll bred cattlo feeding so closo
together in such small Holds, closely BOt
with nutritioun bluo grass and whito
clover. Iown has hor long winters, tho
contemplation of which is repellent to
an Oregonian, but on inquiry of somo
of tho most careful farmers in a rich
stato full of such, I learned that an
aero of her good pasturago would cary
a Jl-yenr old stocr from early spring
until the frost camo (about bSx months)
and tlic gain on tho stoor would bo
about P.00 pouuds. Tho aero of land
giving such results being valued at $50.
It is n stato of good laud, and good
farms, tho most neatly kept of any I
Baw while away. I say so much for
Iowa with n clear recollection that ns
much may bo said of Illinois, Indiana,
Ohio and stendy sturdy old Pennsyl
vania and with tho admission that per
haps more timo nnd closer examination
might causo mo to place ono of thoso
last first, but I givo tho result of u mero
glanco at each. As just a slight indi
cation mention is mado of tho very
gouoral caro that has boon given to
planting timber belts of Iowa homo
steads located on what was onco open
prnirio. In somo districts, notably in
tho vicinity of Tipton, the pino and fir
intermixed with tho maplo nnd elm
add greatly to tho beauty as well as tho
shelter of tho homesteads. '
Twonty to-thirty years ago tho whito
willow and osago orange wero largely
planted as hedge plants, but now wiro
fencing is beginning to suporscdo both,
nnd 25 years henco Iown farms and far
mers will bo fonccd with steel and
homed in brick or stone respectively.
.1. M.
-LANE COUNT! ITEMS.
tii'RixnpiKLii Or., May SO, 1887.
Editor Wihmetto Farmer
Fruit in Lano county will not bo n
full crop by any means. Baldwin,
Spitzcnberg, Newtown Pippin nnd some
tithor kinds of apples are bearing a good
crop, but tho earlier blooming trees uro
generally light. The samo is truo with
rogard to Plums, whilo tho Gorman and
Itallinn Prunes will bear a fair crop.
Tho Peach Plum seems to set fuller and
succumb quicker to cold weather than
most othor kinds, Cherries will only
yield a partial crop, while Pears seem to
hold thoir own. Peaches nil killed as
also bluckborrios. Grain and grass is
looking woll and promise a gml yield.
Farmers aro learning to go slow in con
tracting debts for storo bills, and also to
demand goods at u cheaper price than
formerly. Many of tho fanners in this
county aro loaded with mortgages and
eventually will bo sold for barely enough
to pay tho mortgage, interest nnd costs
and thus leave the farm without a homo.
Moro intorcst is being taken in fruit
growing, and somo largo orchards aro
boing set. A great desideratum now is
what varieties to sot to meet tho do
munds of climate, and of market. Shall
wo have cannories or shall we havo to
sot kinds suitable for drying only?
J. B. Ciiuiiciiiu..
The Mastor of tho Indiana Stato
Grange hits appointed Saturday, Juno
4th, us "Children's Day" among tho Pa
trons of that State. In the young folks
aro centered the hoiies of tho family,
tho Graiign and the nation ; none too
soon can ihoy now receive lessons that
tend to develop a higher and better
manhood and womanhood that will holn
them "in loving tho good, the beautiful,
tho true; the home, the farm, thoGrnngo
and their native laud." Yes, wo opou
the doors and bid them welcome ; wol
como to our Orange hulls, weleomo to
our social gatherings, welcome to all our
hoics and efforts for tho better life, wol
como "for the good of our Order, our
country and mankind."
At Jonoy an aged couplo, over 00
years old, committed suicide, lie had
been a professor of chemistry but in
his old ago wus feeble and destitute. A
very pitiful case.
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