H ood River50 Years Ago By H. White Man's First Winter Laughlin Party Midnight Flight From In diansLeaves From an Old Diary. IJOOD RIVER has just passed the half century mark of its first settle ment. The ranks of those hardy pio neers, who alone can tell the story of its earliest settlement, are being so rapidly decimated by the Great Destroyer that very soon the last of these forerunners of civilization shall have crossed the dark river and passed into the great unknown beyond. Those of you who now, with wonder ing friends, as you pass from farm to farm, point with pride to the magnifi cent orchards that are scattered every where; as you pass the steepled churches and overflowing schoolhouses, can little appreciate the vast wildness the utter loneliness that surrounded the pioneer settlers of this lovely valley. For lovely it was, even in its solitude. Deer, bear and elk roamed at will through the park-like forests; cougar, wolves and coyotes were in plentiful evidence; grouse and pheasants were found in abundance, while the streams were filled FIRST SETTLER IN HOOD RIVER, WILLIAM 0. LAUGHLIN. He was born in Bourbon county, Kentucky December 21, 18H; married In Ciulncy, 111. to Mnry Yeaigaln, April 8, liO; died in The Dalles, Oregon, September 7, 1804. with trout and the river with salmon Nature was indeed lavish in her animal and plant life that could be used by the pioneer tor liimeelt ami nis herds. But when winter came with its dreary snows ana storms ana ne was unable, work however hard he may, to provide sufficient sustenance to properly care for his dumb beams, then anxiety hovered over the pioneer's home; he eagerly watched the sunset skies for the first signs of the coming west wind that meant warmth and strength to his fam ished stock. Hummer, came at last; hip herds became sleek and round as they fed upon the nutritious grasses, and all nature seemed to smile upon him. But anon distant rumors chilled his blood. They came nearer and nearer, until an Indian war in all it horrors was upon him. The sickening, monotonous beat ing of the war drum, the yells of the in furiated savages, the blazing walls of his neighbor's home all these have been the experience of the early pioneers of Hood Hiver. I am under many obligations to Mrs. Elizabeth Lord, daughter of Judge Wil liam C. Laughlin, the pioneer settler of Hood River, for a very graphic and thrillling account of' their awful winter's experience In our vallev. You who, these winter evenings, sit by your comfortable firesides, the room flooded with electric light, let your thoughts wander back to the horrors of that dreadful winter just half a century ago. Imagine if you can the little log cabin almost buried in snow, and surrounded by hundreds of starving cattle; the des perate fight for life itself, the sickness, hunger and cold within, and then tell me if you can the quality and number of joys that paradise should hold to requite the pioneer, even in part, for the priva tions he has undergone. First Winter Spent in Hood River. BY MRS. EI.1.AI1KTH LORD. Hood Kiver was first settled by Will lam Cateshy Laughlin and his wife, Mary LaUKhlin. Both of them were born in Kentucky. They moved to Illinois in 1S32; were niurried and moved to Missouri in 1840. They crossed the plains to Oregon In 1850, lived In The Dalles two years and moved to Hood Hiver in the fall of 18--2. Having accumulated quite a number of cattle and horses by trading with the Indians and 'immigrants, Mr. Lauuhlin decided to locale on n good range and make a limue for himself mid family. Dr. Furnsworth, an old friend and family physician, having arrived from Missouri early In the sea son, they concluded to settle at Hood River, then called Dog river. Mr Laughlin had looked the country over and thought it the loveliest spot nil earth. However, they delayed mov FIRST HOUSE IN y ' . ' ' ;' V . - -" " " ' . '' "L " IHIIil-JUMMWl UUWIIIIILUL.il m.Llll.lllHI llll.,l III II LU I I III . 1ILU Built by Naihanlt-I Coe, la IKA, near the tite or the Laughlin cabin. Now tbe o)dat noaae In Hood River. Mount Adams, the Columbia river and tbe Washington cllfls la the distance. C. COE Here Hardships Endured by ing down until the Immigration was all in, when they toon all the stock they could get to winter for a stated price per head. Mr. Lauehlin had about 100 bead of horses and the same number of cattle of bis own, and about LD0 bead of cattle to herd for others. Dr. Farnsworth had about 100 alto gether. Some time in October they engaged a flat boat to take the families and sup- piles down the river, tbe doctor coin down with them. Mr. Laughlin, with two hired men and tbe doctor's It) year-old son, drove the stock over tbe trail. The boat made the run down and landed where tbe ferry landing now is, in one day, while tbe stock took two days to make tbe trip. After driving the stock across Dog river, Mr Lautrbiiu and his men joined tbe fam ilies in camp, and the next day crossed the river by fording with ox teams. Mr. Laughlin located on tbe Coe place and built a small log cabin. Ow. ing to the lateness of the season and tbe serious illness of his eldest son. James, who had typhoid fever, he hast ened to get a sneuer over dis lamny. Dr. Farnsworth took more time and built a better and larger cabin on the place afterwards known as the Jenkins place. Everything now seemed propitious to tbe uiakiug or nappy and permanent homes. But a short time elapsed until a very heavy snow fell. I have no date but know it was in November, and much of tbe snow remained on the ground until March. The cabin was in tbe edge of a beautiful grove of medium sized fir trees, and all of tbe cattle from far and near made tbeir way to tbat grove, 't here were several men down near Mitchell's foint herding over ouu head of cattle, and tbey all came up to the Laughlin cauin. r STARVING CATTLK CRUSH IN CABIN DOOR. No one who has not witnessed such a condition can imagine what it was like. They came In tbe night, and ai! crowoea arouna our poor nine cauin bellowing and borning each otner, un til it seemed as if pandemonium had broken loose. On looking out, there appeared a sea of beads and horns as rar as tne eye could reacn. iney Drone in the door several times. Tbe family were terrified, as it seemed as if the walls would give way. Mr. Laughlin fought them away until morning, when be tried to drive them off, but they were all g6ntle animals and came to the grove for shelter. Our own cows came to us for protection and all tbe rest roitowea. wr. Laughlin leued trees to make a large enclosure to keep them away. When the storm abated he sent an Indian with a message to those men to come and take their stock away. But the men abandoned the stock and went to their homes at tbe Cascades. The cattle stayed in that grove until every one died. All of Dr. Farnsworth 's and all of Mr. Laughlin's but 14 bead also died. At that time there was WIFE OF FIRST SETTLER HOOD RIVER. IN MRS. MARY YEAROAIN LAUUHLIN, Wa born Id Hhelby county, Kentucky, Jan- nary 28, 1818. Died, January IT, 1808, at Tbe Dalles, Oregon. Mr. and Mrs. Laughlin bad three children Elliabetb, James and B. F. Laughlin all born In Scotland, Mlaaouri. Jamea waa drowned at Hood River In 1864; Elisabeth Lord and B. F. Laughlin reside In The Dalles. quite a deep ravine running from just below the spring dowu through the grove. By spring tbat ravine was full of dead cattle. After Christmas, Dr. rarnswortb be came discouraged, so he and Mr. Laugh Ii ii felled a large fir tree, dug and burn edand hewed out very large canoe, In which he loaded everything he had and drifted away from Hood River forever.- This left Mr. Laughlin's family very forlorn. They had a winter of strug gles and hardships. With the help of Indians wnotn ne hired he relied trees to make corrals to separate the weaker cattle ana try to save some u possible, hoping from day te day for a Chinook wind. Finally flour irave out.. Then he hired Initiatta to go to the Cascades to buy some. I hey were gone for HOOD RIVER. iii.miw'iw ii mm'!. i mi mtHae1"" im""mji' mi- . A , t it". ' . '" ' ' ' f . ' S ' ... ; V . -w ' j . y, ; ' . ' ' '.""' . . S-') rr ii in rrr-i -i -i i ' long time and returned with shorts, ana demanded half of that, of which they brought but little. Very soon this. too, was gone. Then Mr. Laughlin dug out a small canoe for himself and went up to Tbe Dalles for supplies. While there he made arrangements with Major Alvord to lease land for a farm on the government reservation (the same land which he afterwards held as a donation claim). As soon as the snow had gone off be gathered what horses were left and hired tbe Indians from White Salmon, who bad five canoes, to take the family up tbe Co lumbia to The Dalles, while he and bis son James drove tbe pitiful handful of stocK DacK over those bills where so few months before they bad driven such a large herd. From Portland to Fort Dalles In 1854 Early in the spring of 1854, a family excursion party consisting of N. Coe and wife and the writer, then a boy of 9 years, left Portland, Or., for a trip to Fort Dalles, at that time head of navi- tation on the Columbia river. Our first ay's ride was on the little side wheel steamer Fashion, VanBergan, master. The James P. Flint was the pioneer boat on the middle Columbia, but trade seemed better on the lower river, so she was taken over the Cascades the year before and renamed Fashion. An all day's trip brought us to the lower Cascades, where we were very hospitably entertained at the home of B. B. Bishop, brother-in-law to the Bradfords, then in the transportation business at the Cascades. OLD MCLI PORT AGS ROAD AT CASCADES. , The portage of six miles was a rather complicated process. Freight for trans- iuruiuon was uroi luuueu in scnooners, which, when the wind blew sufficiently strong, were driven to the landing then known as the middle blockhouse, but now called Sheridan's Point, where they were unloaded onto a tram car that came around Sheridan's Point, and was hauled np by a windlass run by a very patient and intelligent mule. When the car reached the summit of the incline the mule was unhitched from the wind lass, attached to tbe car and started for tbe upper Cascades alone over a wooden tramwav, with a couple of boards in the mid dle of the track for the "engine" to walk on. Arriving at his destination, the mule was unhitched, turned around and coupled onto an empty fiat car and started on his return trip. A pole was lashed to his side and then to the car. This acted as a kind of automatic brake to keep the car from running over the "engine." This arrangement worked well for a while, and saved the services of a conductor, but the mule got onto nis ion, and when well out of sight would stop to eet up more steam and in cidentally to take good long naps, there- L. : . . . i f t . . i . i . uy Boriuusiy luientsrinK witn tne trans portation business. Eventually a fire man bad to be added to the list of train hands. At the upper Cascades the Bradfords had just completed a small schooner of about 40 tons burden, which was mak ing trips to Fort Dalies when the winds were favorable. At this point stood Bradford's store, where two years after ward a handful of brave, fearless men for three days held at bay the savage hordes of Indians, in what is known as the Cascade massacre. We boarded the schooner and with a fine breeze blowing we made rood pro gress and about noon reached Hood River, then known as Dog River. We were all very much pleased with the ? general aspect of the country and my ather determined to return at his earliest convenience and examine the lands with a view of locating if satis factory, we reacned our destination that evening at Fort Dalles, which then consisted of a eovernment post located about half a mile south of the few scat tering houses on the river, where now stands the city of The Dalles. We re mained over a day at this place, which nan at that time but Jew attractions. KARLY 8T8AMB0AT ON Ml DDLS COLUMBIA, the only steam vessel then on the middle Columbia was the little pro peller Allen, Captain Tom tiladwell, mat was capable ot carrying lew nassen gers and a little freight. She only made a iew trips, nowever, when she was wrecked or cast away, and her old iron hull may still be seen at any low water a short distance above Mitchell's Point on the Edgar Locke farm. As the scnooner that we came up on would not be ready to return for some days, and a down river trip was likely to be a tedious one, we determined to take passage on me Alien, wnicn was to start the next morning. - 1 he trip down the river was a rough one, and after an all-day battle with the winus anu waves we reaches White Sal mon, then the onlv settlement between Fort Dalles and Cascades. The sole white resident here was E. S. Joslvn. who with his wife had located there, if niy memory serves me right, the year previous. It was determined to remain here over night, and as there was no accommodation on the boat not even a cold handout Mr. Joslyn, who was at the landing, very cordially invited all hands to his home, which invitation it is needless to say was gladly accepted. It is remarkable how a man's person ality is reflected in everything that sur rounds him, and the welcome extended to the hungry and tired passengers and crew of tbe Allen by Mr. Joslyn and his estimable wife seemed to extend down to even the old watch dog, whose busi ness it was during the night to post the moon on tbe events of the preceding day. The morning proved pleasant and the rest of the trip was uneventful. , Coe Builds First Permanent Home. In the following article on the earlv history of Hood Kiver I have to depend largely on my memory rrom our ar rival here until 1858, when our family record begins, to which I shall refer freely. Of that little band of pioneers who came to Hood Riverin 1854, James M. Benson of Tbe Dalles and mvself are the only ones living. Mrs. 1'hila Burt (nee Jenkins) died in Los Angeles. aoout eigni montns ago, at a ripe old William Jenkins, with tiis son Wal ter, was drowned at tbe mouth of Hood river in 1854. Nathaniel Coe died at the homestead In 18t8. Mary W. Coe died at Hood River in 18!tt. N. 8. Benson died In Auburn, New York, In 1809; Charles C. Coe at Hood River in kiigeue r. Coe in Portland In 18D3; and L. W. Coe in San Francisco II 18i8. The only landmark left of these earlv ays is tbe old Coe homestead, on State street in this city, a picture of which is here given. UI our Indian friends, nearly all of those who were old enough to take an active part in those days ave passed over to the huppy hunting rounds. A uotatile exception is old ohu Slibiuder, whose picture is here given. He must now be clnee to his centennial year aud Is still a hale and hearty old man. After an intimate acquaintance, lasting nearly half a cen tury, I can truthfully say that I never knew a more honest, truthful or up right man, black or white, thau old Slibinder never wavering in his friendship to tbe whites, ever risking the anger , of the bostiles during the troublous times of tbe Indian war of 1856. Charlie Copiax, another Indian friend, still lives ou his farm in tbe Yakima Indian reservation, and old Ueorge Kinney, the self-iuflicted pen sioner of our little city, still lives.moves and has his being. Pat Williams and Jim Cluhoc were mere boys of about 10 or 12 vears. All tbe rest have gone, faded before tbe breath of tbe white man. as the mist before the morning sun. and in tbe dreamland of their happy bunting grounds chase the red deer from bis lair as in oays or oid. ORIGIN OF THR NAMB "DOG RIVER." In tbe early part of June, 1854, N Coe. with bis son, E. F. Coe, accom panied by William Jenkins and his brotber-iu-law, Nathan S. Benson, ac quaintances of ours rrom Auburn, Psew York, left Portland for Hood River, Hood River was originally known as Dog river, and obtained its name in the following manner. I can not give the date of the occurrence, though conversed with a man only a few years ago who was one of the party. A band of cattle was being brought down from The Dalles and reached the river at dusk. The cattle were driven across the river, while the party camped on the east side, in tne night a heavy rain storm came up, ana in tbe morn Ing the river was too high to cross The rains continued for a number of days, and the party ran out of food and CAME TO HOOD RIVER IN 1854. v S if NATHANIEL COE Was born in Morrlstown, New Jersey, Sep tember 6, 1788. Removed to Rochester, N, Y., when a boy, traveling by oz team all the way. Was married to Miss Mary White in 1826, and removed to Hunda, N. Y. where he remained until he came to Ore gon. He was twice elected to the state leg islature. In 1851 President Fillmore ap pointed him special postal agent for the territory of Oregon, which then included all the territory lying north of California to tbe Britlxh line and west of the Rocky Mountains. Removed to flood River in 1854, where he died October 17, 18(18. were compelled to kill oldTowser. the aog. My mother, jure Mary w. (Joe, objected to the name, and as the stream had its head in Mount Hood she proposed to call it Hood river. This name was thought very appropriate ana was auoptea oy every one. x have no written data to set tbe ex act day of the departure of the party from Portland, only remember a little circumstance that occurred the day before they left, when Mr. jeiiKins Drought to our bouse little brown cornucopia containing 12 nice ripe cherries, for which he had just paid 25 cents. So I concluded that it must have been early in June. ... ' The party were more than pleased with the country and decided to make their homes here, iliev returned to Portland for an outfit, and Mr. Jenkins sent for his family aud anotherbrotuer in-law, James Benson, and then all bands returned to Hood River to pre pare nomes ior tueir raruiues. on what has of late been known as tbe Coe homestead they found a small log caom, erected by Judge JLaughlin. in 1852, and on the land selected by Jen- Kins, a nouse nad been built bv Dr. Farnsworth at the same date as the one built by Judge Laughlin. Previously to our selection of Hood River as our future home, our folks hnd decided to start In the mercantile busi ness at The Dalles and had had a bill of lumber sawed at the Cascades for store building. This lumber was sent to Hood River, the old homestead was built of it, aud in September my moth erand I came up from Portland. We were all domiciled in the old Laughliu nouse, as tne new house was not com plete but was finished so that we moved in before the rainy season set in. The bouse was no palace, though much better than out of doors. There was no ceiling nor cloth or paper; no par titions; only one large room 20x40, The winter, however, proved to be a reiiiurKituiy mim one, so we managed u nve very comionaoiy. OTHER SETTLERS ARRIVE FROM THR EAST. In November, Mrs. Jenkins and her brother James M. Benson arrived from New oik, making a very acceptable addition to our little colony. We had brought with us a sufficient supply of WOMAN WHO NAMED RIVER. HOOD MARY WHITE COE Was born in New York elty In 1803, where she lived until her marriage. Came to Oregon in ISM and to Hood River the same year, here be died in laS. 8he had Ave child-ren-L iwrenee W., Cornelia, Charles C. Eugen F. and Henry C, dour, pork and beans, but vegetables were scarce and high, we having to de pend UKn our kind neighbors across the Columbia for them. These we had to bring from the lauding on horse back, a we had no team. Our supply of candles gave out early, as we had hen able to obtain but a few. We thou resorted to tallow dips, but tbis supply alo gave out, and our last re mirt was pitch pine torches. This soon became an unliearable nuisance, ss it covered everything with soot, which got in our food and bed clothes; in fact we could have successfully posed as a band of Kentucky negro minstrels. 8o we gave up the idea of light and sat (Continued oa 1th page.) U -U ,'ii'ii,'i,Mi..n;i;,'HL.Mi, WWliyilui, !'. JW W Hi. Closing Ladies' Dress Goods, Flannels, Blankets, ladies' Underwear, Men's Shirts, ladies' and Children's Hose, Mackintoshes, Gloves, Queensware, Cutlery, Shirt Waists, German Sox, Men's Hats, Axes, Rubbers, ladies' Arctics, And dozens of other e mean Intend to Retire. Outside business De mands Our Attention. We are now working for you. You can have all the profit. We are paying expenses out of capital. No profit to us In these goods. Our prices will convince you. There Is a good substantial Christmas present for every man, woman and child In the valley In our store at factory prices. RIVERVIEW PARK. BEGIN THE YEAR RIGHT ! n You will never regret it if you Hood River WILL NEVER BE AS CHEAP AGAIN. We can offer you fine City Lots on grade, with good water and fine view on EASY TERMS. SPECIAL INDUCEMENTS TO THOSE WHO WILL BUILD. Bystreets will be improved in the Spring. For full particulars see Prather Investment Co. HOOD RIVER, OREGON. SEXTON & WALTHER, The Dalles, Oregon, Agents for the Celebrated Smith Grubbing Machines. We also carry the best Steel Wire Cable for Stump Pulling; Rope Shorteners; Snatch Blocks; Grubbing Hooks and extra Rope Hooks. Write for Prices. FOR Books, Stationery, GO Good Values, Everything rsew In On the square. Free Delivery. Phone 571. 0. B. HARTLEY, Hood River, Or., -DEALER IX- Groceries, Fruits and Wood. H. F. JOCHIMSEN; Real Estate Dealer, Has Lands of all kinds in Hood River valley for sale at from $," an acre up to $100. Strawberry land, apple land, Meadow land and Timber lands. Also, Town Lots and Blocks. See Him for Doors and ALL KINDS OF BUILDING MATERIAL, Paints and Oils, Furniture, f arpeU, Beds and Bedding. FITXERAT. HI HECTOR AND EMKAI.MER. DPADI RAlPDV- and RESTAURANT. Fresh Brvad, Cakes, Pies and Confections. Cig ars, Fruits, lee Cream, and Ice Cream Soda. Fresh Oysters alwavs on hand. White help only. MRS. FRANCES BROWN, Prop'r. Out Sale ! We Have Bed Spreads, Comforters, Rubbers, Children's Underwear, Sweaters, Shoes for everybody, Mackinaws, Children's Suits, Glassware, lanterns, House lining, Mrs. Potts' Sad Irons, Cow Bells, Mattocks, Rubber Boots, Men's Arctics, usually carried in a general store articles bone & Mcdonald. buy some of our bargains, as Real Estate School Supplies, TO School Supplies, Legal Blanks, Oregonian, Crepe Taper, Orders taken for and Magazines 'Sold. Bargains. Windows. E. A. S0ULE, Contractor and Builder. Plans and Estimates Furnished Ul'QN A ri'MCATION. Established 1881. PAGE & SON, Pioneer Fruit and Produce I PORTLAND, - - OREGON. Solicit Consignments of Apples, Pears; all Green and Dried Fruit. ol7tf EUREKA Meat Market. McGuihe Bros., Propr's. Dealers in Fresh and Cured MeaU, Lard Poultry, KruilHaud Vegetablen. Free Delivery. Phono 85. Changes May Gome And time may go, but we will con tinue to do all kinds of plain and fancy Job Printing at the same old stand, satisfactorily and expeditioualy. Your orders respectfully solicited. E. R. BRADLEY. Regulator Line Steamers. Regulator and Dalles City. Between Portland and The Dalles dally except, ftunaity. Leaves The Dalles 7 a. m.: arrive at Portland 4 p. m. Leave Portland 7 a. m.: arrive at The Dalles 5 p. m. Leave Hood Kiver, down, 8:30 a. m. Arrive Hood Hiver, up, 3:30 p. m. II. 0. CAMPBELL, General Manager. THE Barber Shop, On the Hill, S. C. JACKSOX. Proprietor. Will da picture framing In connection. Konm tniililiiikrn and nil kinds of picture and window glBH coiiMMntly on liHiid. I all and nee nm- plen of wall paper. Phone W). For Sale. Tfn aT(H fur kw), 5 or wrw of It m rood fruit land as there is u hhI River vnlley; otitMjimrUT unit from ios.t oflire And school, ntir river and railroad luriuin-of hIj M K NORMS. At K rink ton, Water & Light Notice All water and light hiilw arc pavahle at th Hood liivt-r KJertrie Light, i'ower tuid Water Co. ofllre frnik the it to the 101 h of the month, lu ttUvunee. o; 1 tf ,n. C. F.VANH, Manager. Wanted. A mnn to mnke rond money for himself In the next few week. A rrmn who understand pruning fruit trev preferred, t'all at I j A A tiKIX'hKl, Buggy for Sale. A sccoiid-luuiii liuugy lor wile t'H KAP. Ad- ply to ir.T) H. H. KKWIN. Blacksmithing And wagon rrmlrinir attended to promptly it my Miepon the MU Hood road, south of tow a 000 worn at rvwwnmoie pricea. 17 O. A. HOWEM. Government Land. 1 ran kwate home-N-ker on rovernment iand K'Kd frnit land, with pringn; om with water to irrigate; easily cleared; 12 to IS mil from Hood lliver: near county road. 1 K. C. MlM.Ml, Hood Kiver. Or. Wood for Sale. ljn rickf of pine wood from largntrw. If ld bjr April M, any or all of It at HO rut rick, alrt K. W. ANol'H. For Sale. htl and 11-roorn b mw for aaie e leap for a-h. A good cellar and frcr wttor. Apply to lti A. It L1U., Hot a Kiver.