11 IM FIVIIHI
I U I I J I I II I',
jrwiVI. m IM iU.N, J 1 1 IVM J.A V , Ut'lUlilMi I?
I!
-The First Road in
By Alice C.
By Alice C. Sargent.
I 'am writing this article with the
hope that tlie people of southern Ore
gon, and the Kogue Uiver valley- In
particular, may become lntureisteil in
learning something of the history of
the first road through this valley.
The only nccnunt of this hazardous
undertaking was written by Lindsay
Applegato, one of the organizers of
the expedition, some years after the
completion of the work. ,
In order that all who read this little
sketch may understand the relives
which Induced this hli'n body of men
to undertake IhM irangerous work, 1
shall quote from the manuscript writ
ten by Lindsay 'Applegate:
f. . "Our Immigration of 1813, being
the largest that had ever crossed the
plains, our progress was necessarily
slow, having to hunt out passes for j
our wagons over rivers, uicenn, iiccii
gullies, digging down the banks where
nothing but a pack trail had been be
fore, cutting our way through the
dense forests before we could reach
tlie valley of the Columbia, and then it
appeared U3 though our greatest trou
bles bad begun, for here we bad to
encounter cataracts and falls of the
Columbia and the broad and lofty Cas
cades, with their heavy forests.
"At Fwrt Walla Walla, on the banks
nf the Columbia river, with our teams
about exhausted, we were advised to
leave our wagons und animals over
winter at that place in the care of the
Hudson Bay Company. A portion of
the Immigrants, including my two
brothers' families and my own accept
ed the proimsitlon, providing we could
procure boats in wlilch to descend the
river, ns It was supposed - we might
procure them from tho Hudson Hay
Company. Under these considerations
wo made arrangements with Nthe said
company for the care of the latter
through the winter. We failed In our
efforts to obtain bouts; having a whip
saw and other tools with us, wo hunt
ed logs from tho masses of drift wood
lodged along the river banks, hewed
them out, sawed thorn Into lumber, and
built boats, and with, our families and
the contents of our wagons, commenc
ed tho descent of tho river. Dr.
Whitman, procured us the service of
two Indians to act as pilots to The
Dalles. Krom there we thought we
would have hut little trouble by mak
ing a portage at the Cascades. Wo
did well till we roachod The Dalles, a
series of falls and cataracts. . Just
above tho Cimcnde mountains one of
our boats, containing six persons, was.
caught In one of those terrible whirl
pools olid upset. My son, Wurrun, 1 0
years old, my brother Jesse's son,
Edward, same age, and a mini by the
name of McClellan, who was a innm
bor of my family, . were' lost. The
Sj&re not Satisfied
CITY CLEANING & DYING CO.
401 South Riverside
QUALITY, WORK,
i;
Shoes Repaired While You Wait.
E. N. v BIDEIf , . Prop.' ..
..' When your "
Duds
Are iu our
Suds
you can bet, you'll getj'
sults. 'Rcme'nil)cf wo spe
cialize on-rough, dry family
wash.
; mericati
Laundry Co.
21f. iS. Riverside. Phone 873
WOOD
OF ALL KINDS
i "
Good Measure
Courteous Treatment
Phone 441 -J
LOKGWILL
Southern Oregon
Sargent.
other three who escaped, were left to
struggle the best they could until we
made the land with the other boats,
leaving the women and children on
shore while we rushed to the rescue,
It was only with the greatest effort
that we were able to keep our boate
from sharing the same fate. William
Doake, a young man who could not
swim, held on to a feather bed until
overtaken and rescued. . W. Parker
and my son Klisha, then 12 years old.
after drifting through whirlpools
among cragged rocks for more than
a mile, rescued themselves by. catch
ing hold of a large rock a few feet
above the water at tho head of Rock
Island. At the time of the disaster it
was utterly impossible to render them
any assistance for it was only with the
greatest skill that wo K"cceeded In
saving tho women and children from
sharing the same fate. It was a Scene
painful beyond description. We dare
not go to their assistance without ex
posing the occupants of the other
boats to certain destruction, wlilli
tho3e persons were struggling for life
In the surging waters. The whole
scene was witnessed byt General Fre
mont and his company of explorers
who were camped immediately oppo
site, and wore powerless to render us
any assistance. The bodies, ot the
drowned ..' were never recovered,
though wo offered a rewurd to the In
dians who searched the river for
mouths. Wa reached the Cascades
without any other incidents worth .re
lating. . ,
"Wo then made a portage around
the fulls, packing the most of our ef
fects on our bucks, dragging our
boats over the rocks, reloaded and
proceeded on our way" to Vancouver,
ascended the Willamette river to tlie
falls, there made another portage
around the falls, reloadod again, as
cended the river twenty-five miles,
com'i ; to a place called Cuinpoeg,
where wo finally left our boats and
inado our way across the valley to
Lee's Old Mission, ten miles -below
where Salem now stands, and on the
1st day of December,. 18411, entered
one of the old buildings to remain
for the winter.
"Previous to this, we had been In.
the rain most ot the time for 20 dny3.
ph, how we could hnve enjoyed our
hospitable shelter could wo have look
ed around the family circle and be
held the bright faces that accompa
nied us on our toilsome journey al
most lo the end! AIub, they were not
there! That long and dreary winter
with Its pelting rains and howling
winds, -brought sadness to us. Under
those Bad reflect'ons, wo resolved If
we remained in the country to find
n better way for others who might
wish to omlgrato, as soon us we could
possibly afford tho thno.
Phone 474
QUICK SERVICE
The Model
Boot Shop
21 S. Central
THE
COZY NOOK
DeVoe's Eastside Fountain
Is open for
: . v Business in tho v v
SPARTA BUILDING
MEDFORD TENT AND
AWNING WORKS
Manufacturers
Awnings, t'ainp Outfits. We
make Auto Tops and cover
cushions.
I". I'. Ill-UK, l'rii.
V2H No, ;iii St. Mi-dfoi-il.
riimio nnn-u
NASH BARBER SHOP
Up-to-date Service.
Bowmfii & Noe, Props.
"So In 1S46, after making arrange
merits for the subsistence of our fam
ilies during our absence, we organized
a company to undertake the. enter
prise, composed as follows:
Levi Scott, Henry Boygus, Jesse
Applegate, John Oweas, Kobert
Smith. Moses Harris, Benlt Osborn,
John Scott, Lindsay Applegate, Ben
jamin Birch, John Hones, Samuel
Uoodhue, David Ooff, William Sports
man and William 'Parker. ICach man
hud his pack-horBe and saddle horse,
making 30 animals to guard and take
care of. . ,
- "A portion of the country we pro
posed to traverse was at that tlmo
marked on the map "unexplored re
gion." The Idea of opening a wagon
road through such a country at that
time, was counted as preposterous.
"One thing which had much Influ
ence with us was the fact that the
question as to which power, Great
Lritain or the United States, would
eventually secure. a title to the coun
try was not settled, and In case a war
should occur and Britain provo suc
cessful, it was Important to have a
way by which we could, leave the
country without running the gauntlet
of the Hudson Hay company's forts
and falling a prey" to Indian tribes
which were, under British Influence."
On -the morning of the 20th of
June, 184 0, the expedition was under
way. On the morning of June 2 ink
they passed over a low range of hills
from the summit of which they hud a
splendid view of the Kogue River
valley, which is described as a great
meadow Interspersed with groves of
baks, which appeared like vast or
chards. As they made their way through
the Rogue River va:ley they were con
stantly followed by the Indians and
had to be on guard day and night.
When they had to pass through heavy
timber and brush they dismounted
and led their horses, currying their
guns ucross tho'r urms ready to fire.
Tlie Indians wore armed with bows
and poisoned arrows, the pioneers
with tho old time muzzle loading ri
fles. They made their way through
tho valley, crossed the Cascade moun
tains into the Klumuth country, and
thence east to the Humboldt river.
Here they met a train of Immigrants.
They brought back with them 150
people, the pioneers truvullng ahead
and making a road over which the
wagons could pass. This train was
taken through to the Willamette val
ley. Hero I Blmll again quote from the
account of the expedition, when on the
return trip: ,
"No circumstances worth of men
tion occurred on the monotonous
march from Black Rock to tho tim
bered regions of tho Cascade chain:
then our labors became quite arduous,
livery day we kept guard over the
horses while we worked the road, and
ut night -we dared not ceuse our vig
Uancor for tho Indians rnnt'n-.nliv
hovored about us, seoklng for advan
Mason,
Wholesale Grocers fl,
Gigar Importers!
Medford, Klamath Falls, Eugene, Portland, Astoria, Seattle Spokane, Lewiston
If you want Medford ttf be a "LIVE WIRE" town be a "LIVE WIRE'.' yourself and
patronize "LIVE WIRE" business fines and purchase goods made at home by'LIVE
WIRE" factories, '.'::..''.,-.;..' ' . ;. -. ;, --;,:'-
MEDFORD
VULCANIZING -WORKS
Carl Fichtner, Prop.
Vulcanizing and retreading.
Full line Michelin and
Diamond Tires.
Phone 451-J. 15N. Fir St.
Something Delicious
; " ' Call for
Rogue River
Special
Manufactured by
Medford Candy Co.
ROGUE VALLEY
MILLING CO.
. Leading Brands ,
VILMO :: HARMONY
Medford, Oregon
tage. . By tho tlm we had worked
our way through the mountains to the
Rogue River vulloy, and then through
tho Grave Creek hills and Umpqua
chain, we were1 pretty - thoroughly
worn out.... Our stock of provisions
had grown very short, and we had to
depend, to a great extent for susten
ance, upon game. Road working,
hunting and guard duty, hud td,.ed
our strength greatly, and oa our arri
val In the Umpqua valley, knowlug
that the greatest difficulties In the
way ot the Immigrants had been re
moved, a decided to proceed at once
to ,our homes in the Willamette.
There we arrived on the third day
of October, 1840,. having been absent
three months and thirteen days. Dur
ing all this time our friends had heard
nothing from us, and realizing the
dangerous character of our expedi
tion, many believed in the news which
Borne time . before . reached, them,
that we had all been murdered by tho
Indians." , . ,
.It is a fa.ct that a great proportion
ot the popuiutlon of Oregon entered,
tho Btate by this route laid out by the
15 pioneers In 1846.
We have living here in this ya'ley
today people .who came Into Oregon
over tins Old South Road, or as it
was usually called "The Old Jnimi
grant Road." .... ,. ..
.The road was free to all, a work
of,, (humanity, the only compensa
tion, to the builders was a conscious
ness of duty nobly done.
, All the members of this road pary!
returned In safety to, their homes, ex
ctpt . Henry Boygus, a brave and
handsome youth, who was probably
.murdered by the' Indians near Fort
ami,, . , , .
i , .in closing, I will quote again from
'the Applegato munuscript:
i "Perhups few companies of moil
ever performed such a campaign with
out,, reuoatca. quarrels and even se
iriouB altercations, but 'the. members.,
jof the Old South Road company bore
tc,gether tho. trluls and privations of
me expedition wUh a, forgiving and
jfui bearing", spirit, and their ,niutusl.
'burdens and the dangers to which
they were exposed, continually devel
Sleeps Any Old Way Now
"I nm 50 yem-H old and never was
. until 8 ' youi ago when I (fot
stomach trouble'. I "have spent a for
tune for medicine which did not cure.
V kept' on Hiifferinif and getting
worse. A fellow worker told mo about
Muyr's Wonderful Jtemedy. After
taking three doHL'H I felt like a dif
ferent limn;; before taking 'U I could
not Ho on my .back nor right side.
'Now J can sleep any old way." It is
a '-simple, '.harmless preparation that
removes the catarrhal' mucus from
the 'Intestinal tract and allay tho In
flammntibn v which- causes practically
all stomachy liver-and intestinal ail
ments, including1'' appendicitis; One
'dose will: convinctf or money refund
ed.. At all druggists. , Adv-.
: C
Ehrma n
Lee Watkins 6 Co.
FEED STORE
' V;-'--:
Choice Grade, Grusiiod Bar
ley, Flour, ' Bran and Middlings,-
Hay, Grain and
I'oultry Feeds'
397 South Front St.
Veterinary
Hospital
AM)
Sale Stable
DR. G. A. GITZEN
111 N. Fir St. Phone 551
Kxport Sorvltt'. lUasoiuil:e (lini-gp
Peart's Garage
11.1 South ltiu-tlctt '.Slrrr, .. '
AlTIIOUIZr.l rilEVKOhET
skkvick ;aii.(;k
3. XV. IVnrt lriirlotoi
oped and strengthened their' frlend-
I
ship. A reunion of them, were such a,
thine practicable, would be a season:
of peculiar joy, one to be remember-
ed by tho . veteran - survivors with
UvUl
&
MAGAZINE
SUBSCRIPTIONS
i . ..
Arc down . to rock bottom
now;"' s Get your orders in
early before -fall raises.. in
price. .
O.' L. DAVIDSON
." Cigar Store ,
Cor. Fir -and Main Streets
When you store voiir irousc
holdFfffeeta Choose a reliable- firm, ;.
. EADSV
Transfer and Storage
22 North Front St.
MEDFORD
BLACKSMITH SHOP
Repairs and builds . spring
All new springs guaranteed
General repair, Blacksmith
ing. Only Spring Furnace
in Southern Oregon.
113 S. Eartlett. Phone 183-J
Keeping faith .
pleasure, until they, too. shall pass
...... . i it
away into the great unknown.
Since the account of the road ex
J pedition was written, ail members of
'the partv have passed "into the great!
v . Our lifelong '-knowledge of
baccos, our years of manufacturing ex
perience "and our .up-to-date facilities, are
concentrated on .-making; CAMELS . the
finest cigarette that can be produced. ;; ? ..
Into 'THIS ONE" BRAND we put" the :
UTMOST- QUALITY. ; A better ciga
- rettecannpj be made even for a higher
price.-.C1, ! ;V-'.: .'.'"'"-". ' ';
' CAMEL 'is ; THE J QUALITY CIGAw ;
RETTE made for men who think for -themselyes
for folks who appreciate; .;
realjy fine tobacco . : ''' :::
! ONE BRAND ONE QUALITY
ONE SIZE 'PACKAGE. ' ;
That is the way we keep faith with the
smoker. "''':-": " x " ''".'' .
REiVrJOtOS-TOBACCO COii.Wlnfton-SklMH.
w.-i-.-j
:. THE GUSHER CAFE
:. , Bert M. Sullivan, Proprietor ' ' ' v . '. -'
15 So. Front Street Fa i'. , ( U ; Nask Hotel Building
Automobile Springs
Merrirhan's Blacksmith Shopf
, . THOMAS T. MERREttAN, Propritr.
20 South Riverside .
Auto and Bus Bodies
Built to Order '
I'pholslory given your rnr.u hnalthy
n(iMArnncc, .(hiic -jttti om- figures.
We lAakt Hufo io fttn'iKI tip nii(hp nil
nt-nllu-r .conditions;. - Windshield re
pairing.. . 1 ... . , .
C. E. 'COtMXS ' J. F. COOIv
:W S. Kin-rnl(lo Ave... I'lionn 270-V
ARTHUR WEST
PAINTING
PAPERING
TINTING
Phone All-.
231 Fast Ninth St.
unknown."-But their memory should
ha iranf prppn hv thosa who wbta in
be kept green by those who were so
greatly aided and benefitted by their
labors and unselfish sacrifices. May
their brnve souls rest In peace.
choice ta
N..C;
the
Are
:
ft-.
Phone 279-J
For Printing That Excels
.. . Phone 70 1- ,
Medford Printing Co.
wnere
.... Experience" : ":;
Caunte
Tour wearin appurel and ftouia
bold goods cleaned in the most up-to-date
fashioh, with new. and up-to-date
machinery. , ;,
Apparel Cleaners
Dyers and Hatters
.. Phona 223 . r( ut
DAVIS
Transfer and Storage
t MOVED t .,v ' .
to larger quarters at 29 South
Grape street. V move everything
and have storage for household
and other gooda '
Phone 641 Medford