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About Herald and news. (Klamath Falls, Or.) 1942-current | View Entire Issue (Dec. 21, 1955)
PAGE FOURTEEN HERALD AND NEWS. KLAMATH FALLS. OREGON WEDNESDAY. DECEMBER 21. 1955 Pioneers Lacked Yuletide Religious Significance BV PAUL W. HARVEY JR. SALEM jB Christmas in Ore Ron 100 or more years ago was celebrated with lots of whiskey, dancing and rich food for those .vho could afford it. But for those who couldn't, it was a pretty blealc offnlr. The Oregon Council of Churches Is sponsoring a move to "Put Christ Back In Christmas." But in pioneer Oregon, the re ligious significance of Christmas was almost forgotten. After reading In the Oregon State Library many account of Christ mas observances, it appears the but whiskey barrel was the central point. The first Christmas In the Pa cific Northwest was celeoiatea In 1791 by the crew of the "Colunv bla." Capt. Robert, Gray's ship, al NooUca Sound, on the west coast of Vancouver Island. The ship's officers and Indian chiefs had a dinner of wild fowl on the ship. The Columbia's officers and men pent Christmas night drinking loasts to their wives and sweet hearts, who were separated lrom their men by a continent. 'I he next Christmas celebration was Just 150 years ago, and it was an unhappy aflair. Lewis It Clark's Expedition had reached the coast on Nov. 14. 1806 and camped a few miles south of Astoria. On Christmas there was a gun salute at dawn. The smokers were given gltts or tonacco. and the non-smokers got handkerchiefs. Lets let Capt. William Clark tell the Test of the story from his journal: , "The day proved Showcrey wet .and disagreeable. We would have spent tl:ls day the nativity of Christ In feasting, had we anything to raise our Sperits or even grati fy our appetites. Our Dinner con sisted of pore Elk, so much Spoiled that we ate It thro" mear necessity. Some Spoiled pounded fish and a lew roots." But from then on, the Christmas parlies were livelier. . In the 1830's, at the Hudson's Bay post at Fort Vancouver, the Christmas celebration lasted a week. The, worker got free wills. key, and spent the whole week drinking and dancing. Christina., dinner included geese, swans, ducks, quail and plum duff. Sometimes there would be a ship anchored off Foil Vancouver, and the sailers would liven the cele brations. The sailors gambled, ca roused, and "made sheep's eyes at the fair damsels, one account says, Another Interesting Christmas was In 1842, when the expedition of John C. Fremont was camped bv a lake in Lake County. He gave brandy, coltee and sugar to each of his men. William V. Wells came lo Ore eon for Harper's Magazine in 1855 and wrote an article, "Wild Life in Oregon." He was particularly Im pressed by one phase of wild life, which was a Christinas party in Coos Bay.. Deacon I.-- gave the party. Everybody in Coos County was there. "Oceans of whisky, hills of veni son and beef, no end of pies and sech like'," Wells wrote. "For two days and nights the festivities con tinued; and after all the dancing, riding, drinking, singing and laugh ing. Ihero were buxom forms and brilliant eyes that dared us to an other breakdown." Wells, who had seen most of the world, called the party the great est event of his life, being even greater than the siege of Scbasto pol. He said the girls at the party were the fairest on earth. 1 Parties like lhat were the usual thing in . Oregon Territory. But there wore exceptions. The Thomas Klncald family'? first Christmas In Eugene in 1853 was different. They had Just built their log cabin after crossing the plains, and had only flour, pota toes, a little dried fruit, a small t ' L : ' ,W- ,4JJUJ r.JL'-. w -X'-l mWmt VvccU KLtMcNiAKT "A" Couple Waive Pre-Hearing PORTLAND (UP) ' William Clarence Peddicord, 38, and Mrs. Joyce Keller, 28. have been bouno over to a Multnomah County Grand Jury accused of the bomb ing of Meier and Frank Company store here last April. Tne two waived ' preliminary hearing before Municipal Judge J. J. Qulllan yesterday. Judge Qull lan reduced ball from J75.000 to 525,000 ou each of the accused. Peddicord, an unemployed blind chemist, has tdmltted the bomb extortion plan against the depart- re I'bAM, champions or the Duntmuir Recreation Basketball tourna- ment, posed for Lucile Gaynor'i camera. Tm members, from left, are: Chester Harris, Jon Scribner, Pater Baldo, Alvin Andreghetto, Douglas Blankenihip, Eugene Stokes, Bob Zalunardo, Frank Demarco, Curtis Jones and Woodrow Smith. This is the first time in history the Weed cubs have won the championship. , quantity of brown sugar and some bacon. 'Hiey had no money. But they were thankful for their Christmas dinner. Kincald shot a grouse, and his wife made some Utile cakes. The small daughter got a home-made doll, and the boy got a cane. on Christmas nignt, Kincald rend the Christmas story from the Bible, and then he told them what It meant. Good will, he said, Is only kind ness. A person never should say an unkind word nor make a cutting or sarcastic remark. And always help a fellow man carry his bur den. This account was written by Leonore ' Gale Bnrette, Kincald's jrranddaughter, who comments It was a glorfous Christmas. The Kincaids felt they had the greatest gift of all In their safe ar rival in Oregon. They had arrived only 75 days before Christmas. From about lhat time on, Christ mas did hae more nfeaning. Neighbor Spots Lost Sleigh SPOKANE, Wash. Ifl George Locher'a open sleigh has been found. . , , Locjier told sheriff's deputies Saturday that his 60-year-old sleigh a high-runner two-horse model, had been stolen. ' DOUBLE DEATHS PORTSMOUTH, Ohio iff Mrs. Helen Rowe Cooper, 58, died yes terday of heart attack. Her hus band, Maurice, 59. died the, day before of a heart attack. MclNTYRE TRAVEL SERVICE Your Experienced Agent WILLARD HOTEL Phone 3088 w vs. m Even Santa Himself Couldn't do Better! CHECK THESE PRICES! "KIDDY KOOK" Aluminum Cooking AQp Sets. Reg. 98c. "C Battery Operated CARS Late Model Cadillac Reg. 1.98 CHOW CHOW FEED TRAIN . Makes your child want to eatl Reg. 79c 1C Reg. 1.39 " ' MUSICAL TOPSX"; 79c MARBLES Get an extra b9 ,or marble games F -baa vV PLUS DOUBLE BROWN STAMPS 1.29 For those of you who have been askinq we hove received another shipment of 66c FRICTION TOYS Battery Operated 4-PIECE TRAIN Complete With Track. 4-piece Wind up MECHANICAL TRAIN 79c American Plastic Sticks . ,. 1.49 Ride-'em Horse Cl IV If l''0''1" p'ostie head. iA Reg. 2.98 1.49 BOW and ARROW SETS Genuine Hickory bow, 3-rub-ber tipped arrows, 1 )Q Target. Reg. 2.29 l Jmf Smaller Siie 66c scole m Reg. 1. Famous SPORT CARS Friction Operated odels by Hubley 49 HQ BASKETBALL SETS Thursday - Friday Saturday on Everything in Our Thrift Department! MOTHER and DAUGHTER MATCHED APRONS Set 25' a. Nationally Advertised at Double T These Prices! V STAINLESS STEEL ECK0 WARE Heavy Weight Stainless, Copper Bottoms 4'2Qt. $98 7" Open $198 Pan J skillet A neignbor told Locher today she had spotted the sleisth only a block from where he had left it, tipped over but not damaged. 1 Locher. who had promised a . free ride to the finder and his family, said they'd soon be dash ing through the snow. ' CLEARANCE HALF PRICE A few fair traded items excepted.' FREE Parking - Budget Terms As little as 1.25 a week 11th & Klamath SERVICE STORE Ph. SI 41 ment store firm and has Implicau ed Mis. Keller, his sister-in-law. He .said she served as his "eyes.'! ATTENTION KOHE CtAFTSMEHt W if HOWIE DUZZIT; Ur vry tHYMtWf" Un r tr. Ym, rt'i Wm4 f inofvl futtj f Hp nf idii ft Meiymn (nd wmM, H) . ! Mnbind In vuful, if. tratttv eUdr yv kftf up in yttr ktm it quick nj rt)frtMt. W Invrf you t 1 mJ 9t yur "How T D M ulMir trt'ottr itort hw, U'$ LUMBER Corner So. 6th & East Main Ph. 8167 X Battery Operated 4-Motor Bomber Wheels and props turn. Reg. 3.98 B-30 Model 249 Reg. 2Sc Christmas Cotton 10c ANGEL HAIR 5C GIFT TIE 15c Reg. 25c Plush Toy Assortment 1 Musical and Non-Musical. Bringing musical toys below $2 cost. While they last 3 off HOLIDAY CALIFORNIA POTTERY 20-Picce sets Reg. 7.95. i , A QC Rich colors, modern styling. Special 3 OPEN NIGHTS 'Till 9 p.m. 3-Pc. Set Hoop, Net and Requlotion Site ball. Rcq. 6.95 Heavy Duty . TRICYCLES 10-inch Wheel. Reg. 13.95 While they lost! .4 4710 So. 6th 1 0 1 BETTER THAN GOLD J?V 235 60 Couqe - 15 Denier - Dark Seam Less than 79c per pair Tuck in a LaPointe'i Gift Certificate Phone 6875
