Wednesday, January 9, 1901
THE SUMPTER MINER
WHITMAN'S
GREAT RIDE.
Yale Professor Says It Is a
Myth Denied.
At a recent meeting of the American
Historical association, at Ann Arbor, a
Yale professor declared the story of Whit
mans ride a falsehood. President S. H.
Penrose, of Whitman colleRe, who was
in the city yesterday, refutes the staement
and gives evidence as to the truth of the
journey.
The Chicago Times-Herald recently
printed the following special from Ann
Arbor, Michigan:
It looks as though many of the pages
that have been printed in American his
tory concerning the exploits of Marcus
Whitman, who is Idolized by the people
of Oregon, will have to be torn out. The
American Historical association practical
ly agreed to this today.
The beautiful story of how Marcus
Whitman made a dangerous ride across
the continent In 1842 and enlisted the lie
tluence of Daniel Webster In saving the
big tract of land from passing Into the
possession of (lie British, was character
ized by Professor Edward G. Bourne, of
Yale, as a falsehood. Professor Bourne
asserted that Whitman's ride was simply
to save the missions' after he had been
called back by the American board, and
that the "story" sprang up twenty-three
years afterwards.
W. M. Marshall, of Chicago, stamped
the tale as a myth and delusion, and cited
dates and letters In support of his views.
Ripley Hitchcock, of New York, ac
knowledged that he had been misled and
that what he had written on the subject
was wrong, saying that he had been the
victim of misstatements.
The discussion of this matter was one of
the most Interesting Incidents of the joint
convention of the American Economical
association ,and, the, American Historical
association, which began here today.
Professor Penrose said: l knew be
fore Professor Bourne's paper was read
what it would contain. I received a letter
from him a week ago in which he ended a
series of letters concerning Whitman and
his work. I learned that the ground of
his contention on the missions would be
that the histories of Oregon, written by
Gray, Barrows and Spauldlng, contain
many misstatements and Inaccuracies,
and therefore Professor Bourne infers they
are to be distrusted on all matters.
"In regard to the 'Whitman legend,' as
Professor Bourne calls It, the professor
seems to Imagine it had never been heard
of until 23 years after the Whitman mas
sacie in 1847, and that there was no polit
ical significance to Whitman's ride across
country during the winter of '42 and '43.
"All old Oregon pioneers will be amused
at the assumption that the story of this
political significance is a fabrication of re
cent years. I have a mass of testimony
taken from survivors of the massacre and
from Dr. Whitman's nearest relatives,
which completely proves the talslty of the
stand taken by Professor Bourne.
"I have also talked with not less than
eight persons who met Dr. Whitman on
his ride across the country. All agreed
that he was bound for Washington, and
not for Boston, the headquarters of the
missionary society.
"After going to Washington he went to
Boston. I have read the original minutes
of his meeting with the prudential com
mittee of the missionary association. I
talked with Dr. Whitman's nephew, the
late Perrin B. Whitman, of Lewiston,
Idaho, known to the Indians as the "man
who never told a lie." Dr. Whitman told
the nephew that he was coldly received
by the committee and censured for leaving'
his post. Perrin Whllm.in was one of
the most Intimate relatives nf the famous
old missionary and enjoyed his confidence.
He was one of the wagon tr.iin w hlch
came to Oregon in 1843.
"This Is really the old dispute about
Marcus Whitman and his work cropping
out again. The only sutptMng tiling
about it is that a man with the standing
of Professor Bourne should, without per
sonal knowledge of the field or tact-, give
circulation to the old attack of Whitman's
enemies. I am glad he has done so, how
ever, for It will result only In bringing the
truth of the old story once more strongly
before the American people." Spokesman-Review.
'WW&&Vi&. '
OPERA HOUSE SALOON
SUMP I'r-K HEER ON DRAUGHT
BILLIARD AND POOL TABLES
RELOCATION OF CLAIMS.
Race to File Certificate! on the First of
January.
Many amusing stories are being told in
cident to the relocation of mining claims
on the first day of the new century.
Probably the most exciting race to reach
the recorder's office was from Sumpter
district.
It seems that what is considered a very
valuable piece of mining property had been
neglected the past year so far as doing the
annual assessment work was concerned.
There Is scarcely a mining property or
! promising prospect in the eastern Oregon
gold fields but what has one or more par
ties watching for a dHlnqiiency on the
part of the owners, so that it might be re
located. In this case there were half a
dozen or more waiting for a chance to lo-
j cate this particular property. Three dlf
' ferent outfits stayed with the property
until after midnight on the last day of the
year and posted their notices of location.
I Then a race for the recorder's office began,
' each one wishing to be the first to tile his
notice for record.
After reaching Sumpter they discovered
that there would be nothing gained by
starting by private conveyance, as the
train would reach the city before any team
could possibly do so. Unknown to each
other two out of the three made arrange
ments to send representatives to the
county seat with the' much coveted loca
tion notices. One, thinking to be a little
sharper than his opponent, ordered a cab
by telephone to be at the train to meet
his representative. Another, being in a
like mood, telephoned a friend in the city
to be at the train with a fleet footed saddle
horse for the accommodation of his repre-
tentatlvi- Thr third urns nnt Ini-lliii1 in
trust the valuable documents to an out
' slder and concluded to come to the city In
person. On entering the car and looking
about and not seeing either of the other
locators, he complacently sat himself back
In the lUshioued seat with the air of a
man who had full confidence in the Sump
ter Valley railroad company's ability to
land him in the county seat ahead of any
span of horses in eastern Oregon, even if
they did have an hour's statt.
When the city was readied there was a
wild scramble. One man ran a la bank
robber, to where the horse was being held,
jumped in the saddle and "lit nut" for the
court house. Another rushed to a cab,
gave hurried orders and away the team
' sped on a gallop, but when he reached the
, recorder's desk he found the horseman
I had filed his document nearly five min
utes ahead of him. The third man. 011
reaching the court house, met the other
two, and then for the first time realized
how he had been duped. He consoled
himself by contending that there was no
hurry anyway; that he had thirty days in
which to record; that he would at least
stake the claim off before he recorded it.
But he looked mad.
Another race was run fnm Rock Creek
district, but after a wild chase of many
miles ovei different routes, the parties
met where the two roads come together
below the city, and as they rode into town
came to an understanding whereby they
would become equal owners in the prop
erty. And the claim hasn't yet been re
corded, nor won't be until it is staked off
according to law and renamed. Democrat.
Agents for Matting
ly and Moore Whis
key a 2o-year-old
whiskey as good as
Elixir ot Life. All
whiskies are out of
Wind and guaran
teed the genuine ar
ticle. Popular re
sort for Commer
cial Travelers and
Miners.
SUMPTER,
OREGON
t''''''
Golden Eagle Hotel
RE-OPENED UNDER
NEW MANAGEMENT
First-Class Restaurant
in Connection
To Be Conducted on the Jll F
European Plan I
T. T. DANILSON, PROPRIETOR
Sample Rooms for Commercial Men. SUMI'Tl-H, OHUGON
WW
J
'''.
A. P. UOSS, President
A. J. GOSS, Cashier
& Bank of Sumpter 5
Tfimicti Ctntril anhlng lailMii
Interest Allowed on Time Deposits
Drafts drawn on all parts of the world. Special attention to collections.
Safety Deposit boxes for rent.
SUMPTER. OREGON
WW
t'-
t George W. Weigand...
HIGH GRADE LIQUORS
AND CIGARS
I
!
I Mining Men's Headquarters Next Door to Wonder Store
BOURNE, OREGON
4'W'''4
SUMPTER BOTTLING WORKS
Mimil.icimirs c.l all kln.ls nl ( .iiloiutt-J Diinkt nnj CUrro.
C)rratrJ In mint Hon wlili llu-
Kentucky Liquor House
WHOLESALE AND RETAIL.
GAGEN 4. SLOAN, PROPS.,
SUMPTER, ORE.
THE WONDER
GEO. W. WEIGAND,
I'KOI'KIUTOK.
GENERAL MERCHANDISE
A complete stock of Dry Goods, Ladles and Men's luiriilshini's, Hoots,
Shoes, Hats and Clothing.
THE WONDER, BOURNE, OREGON
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