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WOMAN'S EDITION THE , DALLES TIMES-MOUNTAINEER
Coniributed Articles
Continued from page !.r.
ticulatmg that he had come a long way
but did not tell his name. He ventured
to ask what the excitement was. She
T-pnlifd that t.hp f!nvnsps had broken out
and murdered the Whitmans and that
Spalding's family had been taken for
safe keeping to Craigg's Mt. and that
they were making preparations to
defend: their Mission. Spalding then
told the woman that he was Spalding
timself. She ran back crying, "Spald
ing! Spalding!" He made his way to
Levi's tent and this Indian took him in
his armsind said, "my dear friend, I
and my people will always be your
friends." The woman's cries soon raised
the entire Mission and the expressions
of joy that Spalding had been spared to
them alive, mingled with the moans and
groans, lamentations, wails and sobs
aided to the. confusion of tongues was a
babel indeed. The men bound up his
burned feet, while the women prepared
nourishing broth which was fed to him
spoonful at a time. As soon as. the
news came that the Whitmans were
mnrdered and that the girls were taken
captive, Mrs. Spalding sent Tim
othy and Eagle to Waiilatpu to treat with
the Cay uses for Eliza's release.
Mr. Spalding, during his return to
strength, would watch the trail coming
At last he saw two horsepien, he had
expected Eliza on a third, his heart
failed for he feared that she too had
been killed. He comforted himself by
saying, "maybe she is on behind, maybe
she is too sick to ride alone and one is
holding her on before." But Levi and
Timothy came alone, the Cayuses re
fused to trade. As soon as Mr. Spald
mg was able to travel he and his family
left Lapwai for old Ft. Walla Walla.
By January Mr. Ogden had been able to
buy the release of the captives for four
hundred fifty dollars in blankets, ammu
nition, provisions, etc. From Ft. Walla
Walla they proceeded down the 'Colum
bia in small boats to Oregon city. At
Xlie uaiies tiitry ,inei nif uiiiHircii?.
On the 50th anniversary of the settle
ment of the Mission at Lapwai, in com
Mnv with Mrs. Wirle and Henrv Snald-
l' J - - - - w -
ing I visited these historic, grounds.
. 1 a 1 Tl ll'L Ii
We were snown aoout uy rerrin uim
man, nephew of the doctor, and every
point of interest discussed. Perrin"
Whitman was in The Dalles at the time
of the massacre.
We walked the length of the old ditch
'which carried water to the flour mill.
In some places it was quite obliterated,
but much of it was still a ditch. We.
fttw the mill-stone, which was hewn out
t a granite boulder found on the spot,
and with our own hands chipped relics
from it. Mr. Spalding often said that
hat boulder was placed there by the
hand of Providence for his work ; for the
nearest granite ledge is forty miles dis
tant. This mill-stone is now in the
liands of the Idaho Historical Society.
We entered the log house, now used
as a stable, which was the home
f the Spaldings and the birth
place of the children. We carried away
as relics portions of the mud plaster,
still showing green and red water colors
with which Mrs. Spalding painted the
walls with bible pictures, illustrating
the truths she wished to teach her In
dian pupils. This house was given by
Mr. Spalding, when he left Lapwai, to
a deaf and dumb Indian called Mus
tuns the Nez Perce word for deaf and
dumb to be, his home as long as he
should live. "Dummy" had always as
sisted Mr. Spalding in the care of the
children. A jrear before our visit Mus
tups was still living and Mrs., Warren ,
and Mr. Whitman found him hovering
ver the fire, an aged man, perhaps 90
years old. Although it had been forty
years since he had seen her, as soon as
the door was opened the look of instant
recognition was unmistakble. His dem-
children when they were little, to keep
them from straying into the river and
ther dangers, were remarkable. Faith
ful old "Dummy" had passed away be
fore our visit.
Timothy and his wife Tamah, lived
ntil a few years ago at Alpawai, when
they too passed away at the advanced
age of perhaps a century.
Miss Minnie Wigle and I visited these
old people in their board shanty of one
room. Old Timothy was profuse in his
expressions of joy at the name of Spald
ing and harangued at great length that
he knew Spalding before Steptoe ami the
soldiers came, before steamboats, before
the white man knew the land to possess
it.
In Jiis declining years, going to the
steamboat as it landed to load wheat,
near his shanty, was his favorite
pastime, soliciting a "cultus pot latch"
of "muck-a-muck" and "ictas," and he
was always remembered. Old Tamah,
burdened by the weight of years, receiv
ed us with usual Indian stolidity.
Upon the walls of their shanty, hung
a framed certificate, a reward of merit,
to Timothy, depicting the story of blind
Bartimeus, signed by Mrs. Spalding's
own hand.
At Alpawi we saw the huge apple
trees planted by "Red Wolf," from seed
brought from the east by the Spaldings.
These trees have never been pruned
and branch out and literally cover the
ground for many feet, and the fruit sells
in Lewiston for a good price and has a
reputation for fine fiavor.
A plain marble shaft marks the rest
ing place of Mr. Spalding in the old
grave yard at Lapwai, stating his age
and the settlement of the Mission. It
was at his own request the he be buried
among his people.
One of the eulogists at the open grave
of Henry Spalding truly said, "Upon
the first page of the history of the North
west coast we read the name of Spald
ing, upon its second, the name of Henry
Spalding?'
. Lulu D. Craxdall.
A Scrap From an Old Diary.
In September, 1851, I was riding from
Albany to Forest Grove, where I was
then engaged in teaching. Only for
short distances was there what could be
called a road for wheeled vehicles.
Much of the way we xode over a grassy
trail, and everywhere the "ooihut" was
in the open.
The few and far between settlers, as
soon as was possible, had a corral fence
for cattle or horses if they had any, and
a field for grain, but no place could a
fence be found on both sides of the way.
The day waned ; we met no one, we
passed no one as we rode, It was a
beautiful ride, -though a lonely one.
Several times from adjoining thickets
we saw the faces of deer steadily regard
ing us and wholly, without fear, remind
ing me, - surrounded as they were with
the green of the shrubbery, of a sofa
pillow pattern, that has been very much
admired, which represented, and very
well to, a deer's head in a clump of
green leaves.
We were still many miles from our
destination and very tired," at least one
of the riders was, and it was decided
that the next cabin (there was nothing
else) should be investigated to see if
possibly supper could be obtained. As
we turned the bend of a large hill, some
where in Yamhill county, we came in
sight of a man plowing in the open,
where he no doubt expected to fence in
a field during the winter months. At
some distance and near probably where
M ater could be obtained, was a cabin,
and a fence enclosing a piece of land for
gardening.
My escort rode to the plowman to
make inquiries and I to the cabin. Two
children about four and six years of age
apparently, were standing by a rude
stile. . I asked them to tell their mother
that I wanted to speak with her.' They
made no reply, but steadily stared at .
me. "Go, call mamma," said I, in what
Mas supposably the veracular, but
still there M as no response. I then dis
mounted, wondering that no motive of
interest or curiosity had caused the
cabin door to open, but still all Mas
silent. I said to the oldest, "take me
M-here mamma is." She readily took
my hand and led me through the tall
rye grass, and stopped by a newly made
grave. Mrs. E. M. Wilson.
Rebellion in the heart creates discord,
and one's omti heart turned traitor
makes dread of traitors evervwhere.
Tie Fruit Industry
of Wasco County.
Wasco county dates its history from
January 11, 1854. It was then the
largest county in the United States and
included that part of the Oregon territory
lying east of the summit of the Cascade
Range to the Rocky Mts, and from the
Columbia river and the 4(th parallel
south to the 42d parallel. Its area,of about
130,000 square miles, embraced more
territory than the British Isles, or than
any present state of the union, except
Texas and California, more than twice
the area of New England. During the
passing years since then the county has
been sliced into a fraction of Wyoming,
most of Idaho and the counties of Baker,
Umatilla, Union, Grant, Crook, Sher
man, MorrowrLake, Klamath, Harney
and Malheur, until its present area is
only 2844 square miles, of which 324
-quare miles are in the Warm Springs
Indian Reservation.
This is an age of scientific investiga
tion. The geologist tells us from what
source the soil was derived, the chemist
its comjosition and the chief of the
weather bureau, the temperature, pre
cipitation and climate. Through Prof.
Condon, our own geologist, we learn
that this northwestern territory, at one
.time suffered tremendous overflows of
lava and in consequence the mountain
ranges are composed of basalt and the
plateaus and praries have the same
foundation. Subsequently a vast in
land sea occupied the region between
the Cascade range and the Rocky Mts.
After the sea disappeared, there remain
ed a rich sedimentary soil consisting
largely of decomposed basalt rich in
plant foods. The Japan current sweeps
the shores of the Pacific coast giving a
temperature to Oregon equal to that of
New Jersey, Maryland and Virginia.
The Cascade range breaks the amount
of precipitation east of that point but
the chemical analysis of the soil is very
encouraging and satisfactory. Prof.
G. W. Shaw, of the State Agricultural
college, furnishes some data of the
component parts of the soil of Oregon,
which show that the soil east of the
Cascade range is superior to that west of
the range and equal in material required
to make it productive and durable as
the soil of any locality in the United
States. The difference between the soil
of Eastern arid Western Oregon is well
shown by the following table: Soluble
silica, potash, soda, lime, iron and sul
phuric acid being the greatest east of
the range, while magnesia, manganese,
aluminum, phosphoric acid, water and
organic matter is lager west of the range.
Of these lime and potash are two essen
tial elements of plant food. Also recent
investigations indicate that the humus
(or storehouse of nitrogen) of the arid
regions carry nearly three times as much
nitrogen as those of humid areas." From
the weather bureau, we learn that the
annual mean temperature is from 49 to
52 degrees and that the rainfall is an
average of 20 inches. The winds carry
a large supply of moisture from the
ocean, and the soil is of such a nature as
to allow the subsoil moisture to rise to the
surface. On these scientific facts rests
the production of our wonderful crops
and an assurance for the same in the
future. It is well worth the time and
labor to gather up all the information
available from every source that touches
the early history of this vast and wonder
ous county. A few are still in our
midst who were here when the county
was organized. The history of the first
trees planted is a leaf from the annals of
these pioneers.
With the exception of the orchards
planted in the Walla Walla valley, these
trees planted at The Dalles and vicinity
were the forerunners of all the orchards
that would subsequently be planted
from the Cascades to the Mississippi
valley.
The government OMned a military
reservation five miles square along the
Columbia at The Dalles, Indians were
hostile and the early comers did not
make permanent settlements of land
until after the reservation M as cut down.
Judge Laughlin, after making futile
attempts in buying a home at Crates
Point and Hood River, leased land from
the military reservation the spring of
1853, but in a feM davs the militarv
reservation was cut down when he filed
upon it as his donation. Here he began
his permanent home, planted a garden,
and the next spring set out his fruit
trees. By 1857 the trees had grown
remarkably, so that one of Justin
Chenowith's small boys thought one
tree of right size to fell and elioped it
down.
The place two miles west of The
Dalles, now owned by Geo. Snipes, was
planted in trees in 1854 by Dr. Shaug of
the military reservation. A locust tree
planted there still lives "The oldest
locust tree west of the Mississippi
river." Also some of these first apple
and cherry trees still bear. While Mr.
Snipes was away to the Indian war a
man who had been in his employ and
held some grudge against him, chopped
down one row of this valuable orchard.
John Marden tells of eating apples from
it in 1858.
At the forks of Five-Mile ami Eight
Mile creeks, another permanent dona
tion was begun by Nathan Ohieyinl854.
He p'anted apple trees of only the best
varieties bought from the Walling
nursery in Portland.
On Mill creek Charles W. Denton
settled in the fall of 1853. He ordered
trees from Knapp and Dwight, of Brook
lyn N. Y. When they arrived most of
them were dead, the effects of their long
journey via. the Istmus. From these he
planted a few apple trees and grape
vines. He shows today an immense
grape vine, a souvenir of those then
planted. The next year lie set out
several hundred grafts from a nursery.
His place was a favorite camping ground
of the Indians. When the war broke
out he went as a government scout.
On his return in 1857 he found only a
few trees from his nursery left to tell
the tale.
Each of these above places boast of
owning the oldest trees in Wasco county
but they must give preeidence to an
apple tree in the government gardens,
the Academy grounds, which was
planted from a seed in 1850, brought by
one of the soldiers from the east. The
apples would never get ripe because the
boys would teal them while green.
It was here too that Judge Laughlin
raised the first water melons in 1851.
Mrs. Lord tells the following of the
first apples she saw in Oregon. "In the
Spring .of 1854, Mr. McCormack, a
brother of Mrs. Herbert Cates, went to
Portland and brought back two small
apples for the three Laughlin children.
In lieu of the third apple, he gave the
third child one dollar. The child's grief
and jealousy over the loss of those
wonderful apples was such that the
mother cut the two apples equally
among the five members of the family
and the child's heart was soothed."
Nothing since has ever tasted so good.
When an apple was given away it was
in this manner, "I will give you an
apple, if you will give me back the seeds."
The apples bought in Portland were 25
cents a pice. When the first fruit began
to be raised here it sold from fifteen to
twenty cents a pound.
On Three-Mile creek, Green Arnold
owned a donation claim, now the Whit
ney place, and in 1857 planted trees
from A. W. Denton's nursery. These
first orchards Mere apples, pear and
cherry; it Mas not certain that peach
trees Mould live.
The first farm on Fifteen-Mile creek
M'as owned by Mr. Alsuph in 1850. In
June of that j'ear the frost cut down
his melons and corn and he abandoned
it. In 1852 Mr. Lou Henderson entered
it as a donation. It proved valuable as
a hay ranch but several years passed by
before trees M'ere planted. In 1856 Mr.
Crooks bought out Woodward and Rey
nolds just above Dufur and in 1856 he
planted the first orchard on Fifteen-
Mile creek. The same year Mr. Herbert
bought Mr. Marshe's right M-here Dufur
now stands and the next year planted
his young orchard. Mr. Mays bought
his first place The Mountain ranch
from an old bachelor Mho had planted
apple seeds as a start for his orchard..
From this seedling orchard Mr. Mays
saved a few of the best for his future use
and planted others better. In 1862.
they bought a place at the Tygh from
Mr. Herbert, Mho had already planted
another odchard. At the Tygh, a
Frenchman of the Hudson Bay Co.,
Jondreaux by name, planted trees in
1858. These came from the Denton
nursery. This was afterward the Jeff
ries place. Also a Mr. McDuffy, near by
in 1859. On the Dechutesa Mr. Wm.
Nixon planted his orchard in 1859,
afterward the Gordon place.
The oldest orchard at the Cascades
was planted by Col. N. H. Gates, other
old orchards are here, Altwell's etc.
At Hood River, Hon. Nathanial Coewas
the pioneer orchardist of 1353. He was
an educated horticulturalist. A delicious
plum, "Coe's golden drop," attesting his
ability to produce new varieties. Few,
orchards today are laid out with greater
care and beauty. When they came into
bearii g, fruit was so scarce that they
had to net their trees to keep the fruit
away from the bird. . This early history
would be incomplete, if we left out the
old pioneers the Joslyns who settled
at White Salmon, Wash., in 1853. They
immediately began the beautiful home,
which is crowded so full of happy
memories in the minds of old timers.
In 1856, they were obliged to leave
their home on account of the Indian war
and when they returned in 1859, it was
to find their home burned and their
orchard entirely destroyed. They reset
from theCW nursery and many are the
boxes of apples, iears, cherries and
plums sent to The Dalles friends and
market.
The close of the Indian war marks a
change in donation claims. Many new
farms were taken and old ones planted
in orchards. Thus we find the Boltons,
Menefees, Logans, Rices, Walkers,
Rudios on Fifteen-Mile, Theodore Mes
plie, Lafayette Caldwell, M. M. Cushing,
John Moran on Mill creek ; Captain
Danragh on Three-Mile; where Elder
Fisher afterwards bought ; Brownlees at
the Three-Mile crossing, Bushtree on
the Floyd place, Brown and Marshbank
at the R. S; Thompson place, Talbot
Low on the Frizzell place, Geo. Snipes
on his lower ranch at Rowena, John
Irvine n Chenowith creek, Mr. Curtia
across the river, Jim and Nate Benson
and John Marden at Hood River, J. H.
Mosier at Mosier creek, Col. Fulton and
Z. Donnell at Ten-Mile creek,Butlers and
Shamrocks at the Tygh. There are
others, two or three in these localities,
whose history has not been obtained.
In 1862, The Dalles had the following
homes" with bearing fruit trees and
small fruits in their yards. The Law
rence Coe place, now the Geo. Ruch
and Congregational church property,
Mr. Graves in the same block, now the
Wm. Condon and M'cGee property, and
the Juicer place between the two, the
Hu mason home, now the residence of
Wm. P. Lord, the Vic Trevitt place,
now E. Schanno's, the Laughlin home,
and the Buchanan place, the lot now
occupied by Col. Lang's family, had a
few trees and a vine covered house.
In 1861, Elder Fisher bought out
Capt Derrah and the following spring
began the orchard and nursery which
held so prominent a place in The
Dalles markets for a number of years.
He, too, was an educated horticultur
alist and florist. It was a rich treat to
be a guest in that home and enjoy the
fruit and (lowers. It was his purpose
to have the finest pear orchard in the
state.
It will be noticed that up to this time
the orchards were planted on creek
bottoms or springy, land. Elder Fisher
held the belief that fruit would do as
well on dry land as oc moist, and
planted a few trees and vines as aD
experiment. Ths most desirable creek
farms had been taken. People wanted
homes. Miles upon miles of rich fer
tile government land lay untouched,
because "fruit and vegetables will n&t
grow without water," said the old
timers. In 1854, Caleb Brooks fettled
on dry land, one mile south of The
Dalles in Dry Hollow renamed Am
berdale. He planted a few trees in
the valley, thinking to protect them
from the inds and cold, thus making
practical what Elder Fisher bad before
experimented upon. As men rode
over the hills for their stock, they
reasoned thus: The natural growth
of vegetation'' on these hills is 'as
luxuriant as on the creek bottoms;
cold and heat are not so intense, frost
is seen earlier and ofteneron the creek
bottoms than on these hills. Why
should not cereals, vegetables and
trees do as well? especially when under
cultivation. The fall of 1868, Rev. E.
P. Roberts settled in Amberdale and
the following year Robt. Cooper cam