# Oregon Historical Quarterly/Volume 16/Number 3

THE QUARTERLY
of the
Oregon Historical Society
VOLUME XVI SEPTEMBER, 1915 NUMBER g
THE ORGANIZATION OF THE OREGON EMIGRATING COMPANIES.
By HARRISON C. DALE.
A superficial analogy has frequently been drawn between the westward movement of the American people and the Teutonic folk migrations of the fourth and following centuries. Both the Germanic nomads and the pioneers of the Far West traversed the country in much the same fashion, moving en masse, men, women, and children with all that they possessed. Many of those, however, who set out on the great trek across the so-called American Desert most of them probably were, un- like the early Germans, entirely unused to a prolonged life on the move. Some, to be sure, belonged to that class of roving pioneers that always finds a population of more than ten to the square mile too dense for comfort and is constantly pushing on to the fringe and beyond the fringe of civilization, but a great number came from the more staid and permanent regions of the East and the Mississippi valley and had been accustomed for generations to life in settled communities, where food, water, fuel, and shelter could be obtained in something like normal proportions. Most of the earlier emigrants, moreover, knew next to nothing about the nature of the country to be traversed, a fact which only served to augment the actual dangers.
​The real overland migrations began with the 'forties. Before that time only very small groups of actual settlers crossed the country, almost all of them bound for Oregon. These earlier pioneers, with one exception, the Peoria company of 1839, never undertook the journey independently, but always attached themselves to bands of traders, who each year made their way to the Indian country. Thus had come the missionaries with Nathaniel J. Wyeth and with the American Fur Company's men. This was only natural; they were a few individuals, not encumbered with much baggage, and their primary object was to reach their destination with the least danger and the greatest possible expedition. With the 'forties come the actual pioneers, moving no longer as passengers attached to some trading expedition bound for the rendezvous of the fur-trappers, but independently, owning their own outfit, driving their own oxen, employing their own guide, travelling under their own power, so to speak. It was not an easy thing to do, particularly before a stock of common experience had been garnered, and, as was to be expected, a number of mistakes in organization, equipment, and route were made. It was early apparent to them, as they journeyed en masse, that common interest and common danger enjoined some kind of organization, yet among the earlier companies (that of 1842, for example) this organization was so loose and discipline so lax that at times the emigrants were strung out over fifty miles or more of trail and greatly endangered thereby. Again, other bodies, by going to the other extreme and moving in tightly compact but huge masses, suffered from lack of sufficient feed for their stock. It was in dealing with just such problems as these, with the matter of organization and the question of government, en route, that the overland emigrants manifested ​
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in a high degree their characteristic American political ingenuity. 5
I. THE EMIGRATING SOCIETIES.
Many of the overland pioneers took the first step by forming in their home town an emigrating society. Neighbors fre- quently moved together. Fractions of whole communities were sometimes broken off and transplanted in the new soil of Oregon. These prospective emigrants naturally gravitated to each other and as naturally formed a society to study the project from all angles and to win recruits.
Societies for diffusing information about the West and en- couraging emigration had existed all through the East some time before actual pioneering began. One of the first of these, called the American Society for Encouraging the Settlement of Oregon Territory, was organized in 1829, at Boston, by Hall J. Kelley, the enthusiastic Massachusetts schoolmaster. Kelley's object was patriotic, being nothing less than the asser- tion by actual settlement in Oregon, of the United States' claims to that region which he considered far from perfect. He said, in fact, "The title to the Oregon territory and the exclusive right of occupancy yet remains vested in the aborig- ines . . . [the region] lies beyond the civil jurisdiction of the United States of America." 6 Active settlement by American citizens, however, would, he saw, help to validate whatever claims this country did possess. Two years later, he issued a "General Circular to all Persons of Good Character who wished to Emigrate to the Oregon Territory," proposing that they assemble at designated points Portland, Portsmouth, Concord, Boston, Worcester, Springfield, and Burlington in New Eng- land, and in New York City, Buffalo, Albany, Philadelphia, Baltimore, and Washington and proceed thence to St. Louis, where the actual journey was to commence. 7
Hall Kelley's project was not put into operation, for the year,
5 F. O. M'Cown, Address, O. P. A. Transactions, 1884, p. 19.
6 Hall J. Kelley, General Circular, Boston, 1831, pp. 5, 13.
7 Ibid., p. 23. ​
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1829, was a decade too early for the actual colonization of Oregon. The motive that he urged, furthermore, was not likely to meet with great response, many regarding his project as nothing less than a get-rich-quick scheme. The appeal to patriotism might attract some men (in later years it drew a number) but at this stage a more powerful incentive was demanded. It was found in religion.
In 1834, in answer to the Macedonian cry of three years be- fore, four Protestant missionaries went out to Oregon. They were not colonizers; their purpose was the conversion of the natives, but they furnished a motive which could be directed, like Hall Kelley's patriotism, to the task of actual settlement. This was evident four years later when the Oregon Provisional Emigrating Society was formed in Lynn, Massachusetts, the home of Cyrus Shepard, one of the four missionaries mentioned above. The object of this society was to further actual settle- ment in Oregon and at the same time continue the work of converting the Indians. 8 To effect this it was proposed to send out a company of settlers in the spring of 1840, and efforts were made to secure recruits. Although the project failed for financial reasons, it is interesting to note that it elicited more enthusiasm and response than had Kelley's society. Interest in Oregon had measurably grown, and the religious motive appealed powerfully to many imaginations. Not a few of those who soon after joined the great emigrations were influ- enced both by the desire to strengthen the United States' title to Oregon, by actual settlement, and by zeal in bearing the Gospel to the aborigines. 9
By the early 'forties conditions were much more favorable to
8 To stir up interest and enlist recruits the Society published a journal, The Oregonian and Indians' Advocate. In the first issue, that of October, 1838, p. 27, the objects of the Society are explained, "We publish this journal in order to spread out before the public generally information respecting the country west of the Rocky Mountains which is now shut up in a certain sense from the community in Government papers, scarce and costly books, and the private notes of persons who have spent some time in that far-off land. . . We wish to do more than this. We would act upon the understandings and consciences of the Christians of our country and stir them up to the work of civilizing the Indians and bringing them into the enjoyment of the rich grace of the Gospel. . . . And still more, this periodical is to be the Official Organ of a Society whose object is to prepare the way for the Christian settlement of Oregon."
9 Robert W. Morrison, for example. See note u. ​permanent settlement. In the first place, the West was infinitely better known. The fur companies, though of waning importance economically, were constantly bringing forward geographical information. Scientists, writers, sportsmen, explorers, missionaries, men in all walks of life and with all sorts of interests, had penetrated the Rocky Mountains and beyond, speeches were being delivered in Congress embodying information garnered from all these sources, and descriptive books and pamphlets published for common consumption. Thus fired, there were thousands who could not resist the desire to see this country for themselves; for was it not El Dorado? The financial depression and consequent hard times following the panic of 1837 naturally added a powerful impetus. Hundreds of people were land-poor, money was scarce, business dull, and the outlook in the more settled portions of the country anything but reassuring. In consequence of this increased knowledge of the country and this mingling of patriotic, religious, and economic motives, western migration set in apace.
By 1842 emigrating societies existed in all parts of the country. The Oregonian and Indians' Advocate, as early as 1838-'39, mentioned such organizations in Columbus and Portage, Ohio, at Pontiac, Michigan, at Tremont and Pekin, Illinois, at Michigan City, Indiana, St. Louis and St. Charles, Missouri, Meadville, Pennsylvania, and Boston, Massachusetts. Subsequently they appeared in Bloomington (now ​
210 HARRISON C. DALE
Muscatine) Iowa, and in Iowa City, 14 Savannah, Missouri, 15 Sangamon City, Illinois, 16 Jefferson City, Missouri, 17 and at a great many other points in Indiana, Illinois, Iowa, Missouri, and Kentucky. 18 The people of Dubuque, Iowa, even advocated a railroad to Oregon to facilitate emigration. "What next?" exclaimed a newspaper of the day, and the Oregonian and Indians' Advocate adds, "What next, indeed? The idea of a railroad to Oregon very strongly reminds us of the mode of ascent to the moon advocated by a certain renowned character, viz., on a bean vine, and we have about as much hope of visit- ing the Lunarians by the same way as we have of going to Oregon in railroad cars." 1 '
At the meeting of these societies, books, speeches, and letters about Oregon were read and discussed and information regard- ing the country disseminated. 20 At the same time active steps were taken to induce families or individuals to pledge them- selves to emigrate under the society's auspices, 21 and preliminary funds were raised. 22 Traveling agents were even sent out to secure adherents. 23 Sometimes the establishment of these societies was the work of a single individual. Peter H. Burnett has himself described the manner in which he rallied the great Burnett-Applegate party of 1843. In debt, and viewing the
14 Oreg. Hist. Quart., Ill, 392 Iowa Journal of History and Politics, X, 424. Ibid., X, 416 ff.
15 Oreg. Hist. Quart., IV, 278.
1 6 E. P. D. Houghton, The Expedition of the Donner Party and Its Tragic Fate, Chicago, 1911, p. 4.
1 7 Jeffersonian Republican, Sept. 17, 1842, reprinted in Oreg. Hist. Quart., IV, 171.
18 Cf. J. W. Nesmith, Address, O. P. A. Transactions, 1875, p. 46.
19 Oregonian and Indians' Advocate, p. 221.
20 E. P. D. Houghton, Donner Party, p. 4. Cf. "Resolutions of the Bloom- ington (Iowa) Society, March 19, 1843, in lou'a Standard, III, No. 17 and re- printed in Iowa Journal of History and Politics, X, 424 f. "Resolved, That we now appoint a corresponding secretary, whose name shall be made public, whose duty it shall be to correspond with individuals in this country and with com- panies at a distance, receive, and communicate all the information that he may deem expedient."
21 Cf. a notice in the Jeffersonian Republican, dated Sept. 17, 1842, reprinted in Oreg. Hist. Quart., IV, 171, "We learn from the Oregon Correspondence Com- mittee of this place that already they are beginning to receive the names of gen- tlemen desirous of joining the expedition."
22 Constitution of the Savannah Oregon Emigration Company, 2, Oreg. Hist. Quart., IV, 278.
23 Oregonian and Indians' Advocate, p. 287. Hall J. Kelley's society is said to have employed no fewer than thirty-seven such agents in various parts of the country. W. C. Johnson, Annual Address 0. P. A. Transactions, 1881, p. 22, ​
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future with anything but assurance, Burnett took up his resi- dence in Weston, Platte County, Missouri, in the fall of 1842, and here set to work to organize a wagon company to join him in emigrating to Oregon. He spent the fall and winter lecturing in the neighboring counties, where his eloquence and enthusiasm met with gratifying response in the shape of hun- dreds of recruits, who pledged themselves to join him with their families and goods the next spring and to proceed to Oregon. 24 They kept their pledge, becoming the nucleus of the great Oregon Company of 1843. The society, even where there was no immediate intention of emigrating, served to keep up interest in the idea and to urge on people's attention the opportunities to be enjoyed by those who should actually emigrate later. At this stage there was, of course, no attempt at final organization. This was postponed until the emigrants reached the frontier. Only a simple constitution and by-laws were adopted and perhaps committees appointed to secure further information, to make preparations for an actual start, and to draft a constitution to govern them en route. 2 *
2. MEMBERSHIP.
Active membership with full rights in the company emi- grating was as a rule confined to males over sixteen years of
24 Peter H. Burnett, Recollections and Opinions of an Old Pioneer, reprinted in Oreg. Hist. Quart., IV, 64 f, and Minto, Antecedents, Oreg. Hist. Quart., V, 43. Burnett's adddress was popularly known as "Platte Purchase by Pete Burnett," Ibid., p. 40. The Peoria company of 1839 was formed as the direct result of a lecture given in that town the previous year by Rev. Jason Lee, one of the original band of Oregon missionaries. Robert Shortess, First Emigrants to Oregon, O. P. A. Transactions, 1896, p. 93.
25 The following is from the report of a committee to draft a constitution for the Savannah Oregon Emigrating Company, printed in the Western Journal, March 15, 1845, and reprinted in Oreg. Hist. Quart., IV, 278, f, "Whereas, in order the better to prepare the way for and to accomplish our journey to Oregon with greater harmony, it was deemed advisable to adopt certain rules and reputa- tions; and whereas, the undersigned, having been appointed a committee to draft and prepare said rules and regulations, and having given the subject that atten- tion which its importance demands, beg leave respectfully to report the following as the result of their deliberations, viz." At a meeting of the citizens of Clear Creek precinct, Johnson County, Iowa, March 3, 1843, "for the purpose of taking into consideration the propriety of organizing a company to emigrate to Oregon, and devise rules by which said company shall be governed," it was resolved that "a committee of seven be appointed by the meeting to draft a constitution and report at the next meeting." The report of the constitution committee was unanimously adopted a fortnight later. Iowa Journ. Hist, and Pol. X, 416 ff, 423 f. ​
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age. 26 For those between sixteen and twenty-one, the consent of guardians was necessary. 27 Good character was insisted on 28 and no one was admitted "whose intention was obviously apparent to avoid payment of his debts." 29 Requirements under this head did not stop here. In one company every member had to be a believer in the Christian religion 30 and in another, to possess a copy of the Bible. 31 Rigid insistence, however, seems rarely to have been laid on such points as the last. Negroes and mulattoes were regularly debarred. 32 The company reserved the right to expel undesirables at any time. 33 After the company got under way, the admission of new mem- bers required a vote. 34
The dues required of members were of two kinds, a nominal fee, usually a dollar, to be paid on joining the society and a heavier assessment, intended to be a pro rata charge covering the expenses of the journey, imposed on those who actually emigrated. The members of the company which the Oregon Provisional Emigration Society proposed to send out in the spring of 1840 were to pay $400, in the case of persons over sixteen years of age, and $300 for each child carried in the wagons. In return for this the society was to furnish "horses,
26 Cf. Resolutions of the Oregon Emigrating Society, Rule i, in George Wilkes, History of Oregon, New York, 1845, Part II, p. 70. The "Oregon Emigrating Society of Iowa Territory, at Iowa City," placed the age limit at first at eighteen years but later reduced it to seventeen. Iowa Journ. Hist, and Pol. X, 417, 422.
27 Constitution, Savannah Oregon Emigrating Company, .?. See also Con- stitution of the Oregon Emigration Society of lozva Territory at Iowa City, Article V , /. Iowa Journ. Hist, and Pol. X, 423.
28 Hall J. Kelley, General Circular, Title Page. Cf. Oregpnian and Indians' Advocate, p. 223. Cf. also Constitution of the Oregon Emigration Society of Iowa Territory, at Iowa City, Article V , \2 and Article I, 15.
29 Constitution, Savannah Oregon Emigrating Company, 5.
30 "Notice to Emigrants, //' Oregonian and Indians' Advocate, p. 286, "Every man becoming a member of the society emigrating must be recommended by one with whom he is personally acquainted, as a man of good moral character and a believer in the Christian religion." Cf. Ibid., p. 223.
31 Oregon Emigrating Society of Bloomington, Iowa, Oreg. Hist. Quart., HI, 392.
32 Ibid. Cf. Minto, Antecedents, Oreg. Hist. Quart., V, 45. Constitution of the Oregon Emigration Society of Iowa Terrtory, at Iowa. City, Article V, j.
33 Constitution, Savannah Oregon Emigrating Company, 5. Robert Sl^rtess, First Emigrants^ to Oregon, O. P. A. Transactions, 1896, p. 97. Constitution of the Oregon Emigration Society of Iowa Territory, at Iowa City, Article I, 13.
34 Edwin Bryant, What I Saw in California, New York, 1849, P- 4^- Resolu- tions of the Oregon Emigrating Company, Rule 5, Wilkes, History of Orz^on, p. 71. Constitution of the Oregon Emigration Society of Iowa Territory, at Iowa City, Loc. cit. ​
OREGON EMIGRATING COMPANIES 213
saddles, bridles, wagons, tents, camp furniture, provisions, medical attendance, and all other things needful for the journey except clothing, blankets and hunting apparatus." The society further guaranteed to each member the best possible title to a parcel of land in Oregon and one year's provisions after their arrival as well as adequate shelter and defence for the same length of time. 35 Specific regulations governing the amount and quality of the equipment were frequent. Thus the Savannah Oregon Emigrating Company required each member to provide himself with 150 pounds of flour or 200 pounds of meal and 60 pounds of bacon for every person except infants, and insisted that the wagons be capable of carrying double the amount of their loads and the teams of drawing double the amount the wagons were capable of bearing. 36 The same company, like many others, required "every (male) per- son over the age of sixteen to furnish himself with a good and sufficient rifle" and a specified amount of powder and lead. 37 The transportation or consumption of liquor except for strictly medical purposes was generally forbidden. 38
Some companies were organized on a communistic plan, each member contributing his money or provisions to a common fund which was drawn on during the journey and, at the end, divided pro rata among the members. 39
3. PROBLEMS OF GOVERNMENT.
Two serious problems were presented to all the emigrating companies and were never solved uniformly. These were, first, the difficulty of reconciling military discipline, which was deemed quite essential to the safety and general well-being
35 "Notice to Emigrants, ?, .?." Oregonian and Indians' Advocate, p. 286.
36 Constitution, Savannah Oregon Emigrating Company, 14, 75. It was resolved by the Bloomington (Iowa) Oregon Company, "that each and every individual as an outfit, provide himself with 100 Ibs. of flour, 30 Ibs. bacon, i peck salt, 3 Ibs. powder in horns or canteens, 12 Ibs. lead or shot, and one good tent cloth to every six persons. Every man well armed and equipped with gun, tomahawk, etc." Iowa, Journ. Hist, and Pol. X, 425.
37 Constitution, Savannah Oregon Emigrating Company, /?.
38 Ibid., /5. Minto, Antecedents, Orsg. Hist. Quart., V, 45. Bancroft, His- tory of California, IV, 267, note 17.
39 Cf. Robert Shortess, First Emigrants to Oregon, O. P. A. Transactions, p. 93 and p&ssim. ​
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of the whole, with the excessive individualism and abhorrence of restraint savoring of militarism, which frontier democracy had bred deep in these pioneers. The second was the question of keeping the emigrants together in a sufficiently compact body through all the trials and vexations of the tedious journey. The tendency to disintegrate invariably appeared in all the great migrations, save one, and usually resulted in schism.
The first problem was sensed even before actual emigration began. It was Hall J. Kelley, who, in his circular to emi- grants, announced that the government of the body he pro- posed to send out would be military, but he added that it would be "deprived of much of its asperity and arbitrary disci- pline by the mild reform which virtue, refinement, and female presence conspire to produce." 41 Kelley well knew the innate American hatred of militarism and all that it implied.
Not everyone, however, had so clear a perception of this problem as Kelley. The first company of actual colonizers in Oregon, the Peoria party of 1839, was organized at first on a communistic basis and with an utter disregard of the needs of discipline. "They had not travelled far before the usual effects of liberty, equality, and fraternity began to de- velop themselves, so that they arrived at Independence, Mis- souri, in a rather disorganized condition." At this point a reorganization was effected which went to the other extreme by burdening the company (less than a score in number) with an absurdly military regimen. The company was divided "into platoons of four men each, sixteen men and two officers, all told." On the morning following the adoption of this arrange- ment, the company was called by sound of trumpet "to hear the following general order : 'Oregon platoons, Attention ! The order of march is : The first platoon will march" in front, the second platoon in rear of the first, the third platoon in rear of the second, which will take charge of the public mules, and the fourth platoon in the rear. Take your places. (Trumpet
40 Kelley, General Circular, p. 24. ​
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sounds.) Forward! March! Close order!'" 41 This did not solve the problem, however, for before reaching the mountains this company disintegrated. A compromise had to be effected between "virtue, refinement and female presence," on the one hand, and the pseudo-militarism of the Peorians, on the other. The problem was faced squarely in the constitution of the Savannah Oregon Emigrating Company, already frequently cited. Two forms of government were here provided for, a civil and a military. At the head of the former was a presi- dent, of the latter, a commandant-captain with a series of subordinate officials. The president was elected on the adop- tion of the constitution of the company and continued in office until the emigrants had reached their rendezvous, when his authority expired. It was then that the commandant-captain was elected, who continued in supreme command until they reached their destination. 42 His military authority was ade- quately counterbalanced, however, by an elective executive- judicial council and by the legislative power reserved by the company itself. A dual government of a somewhat similar nature was provided for in the "Constitution of the Oregon Emigration Society of Iowa Territory, at Iowa City." The civil government of this company was vested in a President, two Vice-Presidents, four Trustees, and twelve Councilmen, elected annually by the male members of the society. The President or Vice-Presidents presided at all meetings of the society and at all meetings of the Trustees and Councilmen, and also, when on the march, at all meetings of the Trustees and Council with the military officers of the company. With the consent of the Trustees and Council the President ap- pointed minor civil officers and, like the Vice-Presidents, Trustees, Council and other civil officers, enjoyed exemption from military service. The Trustees and Council made and published "all such by-laws, rules and regulations for the government of the society as in their opinion .... would be
41 Shortess, First Emigrants to Oregon, O. P. A. Transactions, 1896, p. 94. One of the companies of 1845 practiced military drill before starting. Stephen Staats, Address, O. P. A. Transactions, 1877, p. 47.
42 Constitution, Savannah Oregon Emigrating Company, 6, 7, 10. ​
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expedient and subserve the best interests of and promote the general welfare of the society," made provision by taxation for the incidental expenses of the society, audited all accounts, and kept minutes of all meetings. Along side this civil organi- zation was a set of military officers including a captain, two lieutenants, and three sergeants, "whose duty it shall be to drill and exercise the company in military tactics." All able- bodied men between the ages of seventeen and forty-five were obliged to perform military duty while on the march. It was clearly provided in the following articles that the military authority was to be subordinate to the civil. "They (the Trustees and Councilmen) shall also when on the march meet in council and consult with the military officers of the com- pany and a majority of the whole shall determine the course to be pursued in any case of emergency." As there were six- teen civil officers to six military, control by the former was assured. Even more specific constitutional regulations were made to the effect that the Trustees and Councilmen shall have "a general supervision over and regulation of the military and have appellate jurisdiction of any decrees of the military officers of the company." 423 -
The adoption of the final or essentially military organization was frequently postponed until the emigrants had got well under way. Thus the Burnett-Applegate company of 1843 waited till they had been out ten days, 43 and the company of 1845, of which Joel Palmer was the historian, seven days, 44 before proceeding to a supposedly final military organization. Such a proposition to postpone the final election of officers until the emigrants had passed the Kansas river was made at the first rendezvous of one of the companies of 1846 but was rejected. 45 This same tendency is perhaps discernible in the provisions of another company that no lieutenants (i. e.
42a Constitution of the Oregon Emigration Society of Iowa Territory, at Iowa City, in Iowa Journ. of Hist, and Pol. X, 419-423.
43 Burnett, Recollections and Opinions, Oreg. Hist. Quart., VII, 329 ff.
44 Joel Palmer, Journal of Travels Over the Rocky Mountains, Thwaites, Early Western Travels, Vol. XXX, pp. 9, 15.
45 Bryant, Whet I Saw in California, p. 31. Cf. F, O. M'Cown, Address, O. P. A. Transactions, 1884, p. 19. ​
OREGON EMIGRATING COMPANIES 21?
subordinate military officials under the captain, who was elected at the start) should be appointed until they reached the Rocky Mountains and numbered at least a hundred souls. 40 In nearly every case the final organization was effected after leaving the States. There were other reasons for this beyond this desire to postpone the period of military discipline. In the first place, so long as the emigrants remained east of the Missouri river, they were amenable to state laws and tri- bunals. To adopt a full system of self-government before entering the Indian country would be to create an absurd and invalid imperium in imperio. After they had crossed, however, they passed, as they themselves recognized and frequently noted, out of the jurisdiction, or at least the effective jurisdic- tion, of the United States and became in government, as in everything else, dependent on their own resources. 47 This frequently resulted in the adoption of a final organization by stages. Thus the Peoria Company of 1839 journeyed from Illinois to Independence organized as a joint stock company, a partial reorganization was effected there, and "at Elm Grove, about thirty miles from the Missouri boundary, on the Santa Fe road .... they remained to complete the organization of the company" by electing military officers. 48 The great company of 1843 held a preliminary meeting at a point twelve miles west of Independence, May 18, at which a committee was appointed to draft rules and regulations for the journey. The final organization with election of officers came June 1, as noted above, and after they had been under way for ten days. 49 A further reason for postponing the final organization is seen in the resolution adopted by the Bartleson California Company of 1841 "That inasmuch as other companies are expected to join us, the election of officers to conduct the expedition be deferred till the general rendezvous." 50
46 Bloomington, Iowa, Oregon Emigration Society, Report of a meeting in the Ohio Statesman, April 26, 1843, reprinted in Oreg. Hist. Quart. Ill, 392.
47 Cf. J. C. Moreland, Annual Address, O. P. A. Transactions, 1900, p. 28.
48 R. Shortess, First Emigrants to Oregon, O. P. A. Transactions, 1896, p. 93.
49 Burnett, Recollections and Opinions, Oreg. Hist. Quart., V, passim.
50 Bancroft, History of California, IV, 267, note 17, citing the Colonial Mag- azine, V, 229. ​
218 HARRISON C. DALE
The company which the Oregon Provisional Emigration Society planned to send out in 1840 would have ignored the problem of organization by electing its officers in New York City the previous fall, 51 while one of the Oregon companies of the year 1853 simply evaded the problem by adopting no organization whatsoever, holding no meetings, and electing no captain or other officers. 52
In the administration of justice, moreover, despite the obvi- ous need at times of summary procedure, a manifest effort was made to preserve to each individual all his constitutional rights as a civilian that were consonant with the maintenance of order and discipline. Offences fell in general under two heads ; first, ordinary civil and criminal breaches of the law ; and second, infringements of discipline. Frequently these last were not made amenable to a law military exactly but rather to a droit administratif. At any rate, it was not unusual for the two classes of cases to be kept separate, which was an attempt to solve this problem of civil versus military govern- ment in matters judicial. For the administration of ordinary civil and criminal law, the company adopted by vote the statutes of a particular state 53 or some of its own devising 54 and then proceeded to elect a judge quite "distinct from their military leaders." 55 In such a court a jury trial was invariably allowed. Occasionally adjudging of cases against the disciplinary, and hence in a way military, regulations of the company was like- wise left to this civil court, but more generally, apparently, such cases were brought before the Council, an executive- judicial body of from nine to thirteen men, elected by the
51 "Notice to Emigrants," 5, Oregonian and Indians' Advocate, p. 286.
52 George B. Currey, Address, O. P. A. Transactions, 1887, p. 36. Cf. Palmer, Travels (Thwaites), p. 44.
53 Burnett, Recollections and Opinions, Oreg. Hist. Quart., V, 67. See also Wilkcs, History of Oregon, Part II, p. 70.
54 Bryant, W hat I Saw in California, p. 31. O. Johnson and W. H. Winter, Route Across the Rocky Mountains, 1846, reprinted in Oreg. Hist. Quart., VII, 69.
55 Minto, Address, O. P. A. Transactions, 1888, p. 94. ​
OREGON EMIGRATING COMPANIES 219
company, 56 who acted with inquisitorial authority. Again, these cases under the quasi droit administratif might be sub- mitted to a special court of arbitration elected expressly to "try offenders against the peace and good order of the company." 57 The most frequent charge under this head was neglect of guard duty. It should be added, however, that in some cases no at- tempt was made to differentiate between civil and adminis- trative law, in which cases all suits were tried by a judge and jury 58 or by the council. 59
That there was a very real problem here is evidenced by the fact that in one company, at least, regulations were adopted strictly limiting the penalty that could be imposed by the council or court of arbitration to expulsion from the company, 00 while there are instances in which the ordinary civil courts inflicted the death penalty 61 (though only for murder) ; and, again, by a provision adopted by another company (though almost immediately rescinded), that a committee be appointed to try the officers themselves in case of neglect of duty. 62 The mass of the emigrants had a wholesome abhorrence of drum- head justice and invented these various devices and checks to insure themselves against such procedure.
A further device intended to assure democracy and thwart any tendency to military despotism was the Jacksonian pro^-
56 Cf. Resolutions of the Oregon Emigrating Society, Rule 2. Wilkes, His- of Oregon, Part II, p. 70, "There shall be nine men elected by a majority of the company, who shall form a council whose duty it shall be to settle all dis-
putes arising between individuals and to try and pass sentences on all persons for any act of which they may be guilty which is subversive of good order and military discipline. They shall take especial cognizance of sentinels and members of the guard who may be guiltv of neglect of duty or of sleeping on their posts. Such persons shall be tried and sentence passed on them at the discretion of the Council." In the Iowa Oregon Emigration Society of Iowa Territory, at Iowa City, this authority was vested in the four Trustees and twelve Councilmen, who were empowered "to impeich, try, and for good cause to remove from office the President or any other civil officer who is elected by the Society." Iowa Journ Hist, and Pol., X, 420.
57 J. Quinn Thornton, Address, O. P. A. Transactions, 1878, p. 39, 40. Bryant, What I Saw in California, p. 61.
58 Cf. Medorem Crawford, Journal, p. u.
59 Nesmith, Diary of the Expedition of 1843, Oreg. Hist. Quart., VII, 333. Constitution of the Oregon Emigration Society of Iowa Territory at Iowa Cttv Article I, /.?.
60 Cf. Rule 3, Resolutions of the Oregon Emigration Society, Wilkes, History of Oregon, Loc. Cit.
61 J. C. Moreland, Annual Address, 0. P. A. Transactions, 1900, p. 28.
62 Thornton, Address, O. P. A. Transactions, 1878, p. 39, 40. Bryant, What 1 Satv in California, p. 61. ​
220 HARRISON C. DALE
vision for a multitude of officers elected for short terms only. The Oregon Company of 1845 was officered by a colonel, captain, lieutenant, sergeants, and other subordinates, 63 that of 1844 by a captain, lieutenant, first and second sergeants, and a first and second corporal, 64 all elected. Other companies had elective wagon-masters, guards, and scouts. 65 In a few instances, apparently among the earlier companies, the sub- ordinate officers were appointed by the commanders of the expedition rather than elected. 66 Tenures were brief. The superior officers, and accordingly in most cases, no doubt, their appointees, held office during the pleasure of the company, 07 or for a month, 68 or even for two weeks. 69 Even the recall of officers was provided for in one company by the regulation that on the petition of one third or more of the members, a new election of all officers and of the council should be held. 70 The limits on the commanding officers' authority afforded by the executive council and the usual constitutional provision that all matters of importance be submitted to a general vote further checked any possible tendency toward official despotism and preserved the fundamental democracy.
The tendency toward disintegration almost invariably ap- peared in the course of the long trek. This was only natural in view of the heterogeneous elements comprising the emi-
63 Stephen Staats, Address, O. P. A. Transactions, 1877, p. 47. Palmer Travels (Thwaites), p. 42.
64 Diary of E. E. Parrish, O. P. A. Transactions, 1888, p. 95.
65 J. S. Latham, Crossing the Plains in 1852, O. P. A. Transactions, 1895, p. 91.
66 T. J. Farnham, Travels in the Great Western Prairies (Thwaites, Early Western Travels, XXVIII), p. 60. Cf. Resolutions of the Oregon Emigrating Society, Rule .?. Wilkes, History of Oregon, Loc. cit. In the "Oregon Emigra- tion Society of Iowa Territory, etc.," the Recording Secretary and Treasurer were selected by the President, Trustees and Council. Article II, j, Iowa Journ. Hist, and Pol., X, 421.
67 "The Captain, orderly sergeant, and members of the Council shall hold their office at the pleasure of the Company and it shall be the duty of the Council, upon the application of one-third or more of the Company, to order a new elec- tion." Resolutions of the Oregon Emigrating Society, Rule 5, Wilkes, History of Oregon, Loc. cit.
68 Medorem Crawford, Journal, pp. 9, n.
69 Palmer, Travels (Thwaites), p. 47. It should be added, however, that there are instances of officers elected supposedly for the entire journey. Cf. Constitu- tion, Savannah Oregon Emigrating Company, /o, Oreg. Hist. Quart., IV, 279. See also Shortess, First Emigrants to Oregon, O. P. A. Transactions, 1896, p. 94 and passim.
70 Resolutions of the Oregon Emigrating Company, Rule 5, Wilkes, History of Oregon, Part II, p. 71. ​
OREGON EMIGRATING COMPANIES 221
grating- companies. The type of man who will pull up stakes to undertake so far and so hazardous a journey is obviously the type which chafes under regulations and feels most keenly the irksomeness of subordinating himself to the general will. He is a thorough individualist; otherwise he would not be a pioneer. The members of all the emigrating companies, who were perfectly aware of this quality of mind, never ventured in their regulations to punish defection. They knew that it would be futile, and they were the last people thus to bind themselves. The most notable case in which the tendency to disintegrate never for a moment appeared as the Mormon migration of 1847 under the leadership of Brigham Young, and this is just the sort of an exception that proves the rule. The Mormon pioneers in accepting Young's guidance in matters temporal as well as spiritual renounced voluntarily much of their own independence, gaining thereby, of course, the ad- vantages of rigid discipline.
With such a latent tendency it is but natural that the actual causes of defection should depend largely on circumstances. Viewing the emigrations as a whole, no single immediate cause or group of immediate causes is recognizable as being in any sense general. Jealousy and what can be termed, vaguely, general discontent are accountable for it in a number of in- stances. 71 Frequently the disappointed candidates for office not only maintained a stubborn unwillingness to submit to the will of the majority but made it a point to stir up active disaffection. 72 Occasionally the slow rate of progress neces- sitated by the presence of so large a body of men, women, and children, of the all too frequent halts for the comfort of the sick 73 and the burial of the dead, or the lack of adequate
71 Medorem Crawford, Journal, p. 7, ff.
72 Palmer, Travels (Thwaites), p. 43, Wilkes, History of Oregon, Part II, p. 71, describes the language of these agitators. Passing the tent of one, Dumber- ton, after the adoption of rules and regulations by the great Oregon Company of 1843, he heard this gentleman discussing the veto power entrusted to the captain of the company, which he "denounced as an absurd innovation upon a con- servative system and a most gross violation of a cardinal principle of political jurisprudence!" For an estimate of the value of Wilkes, History of Oregon, however, see Joseph Schafer, Notes on the Colonisation of Oregon, Oreg. Hist. Quart., VI, 389. Cf. Bryant, What I Saw in California, p. 29.
73 Cf. Medorem Crawford, Journal, p. 7. ​
222 HARRISON C. DALE
grazing for the animals led the more impatient members to strike out for themselves. Irksome regulations against pro- miscuous hunting and the consequent abandonment of the main body of the company, 74 the limitation of the number of cattle each member might drive, and the refusal of the "have- nots" to stand guard over the stock of the "haves," 75 dis- satisfaction with incompetent officers, 76 disagreements about the route, or the determination on the part of some to seek another destination 77 were fertile causes of discontent and consequently of schism.
The problem arising out of this tendency to disintegrate was met in a variety of ways. Occasionally the company simply split without further ado, the seceders going off by themselves. So simple a solution was frequently impolitic, however, partly because of the danger to small bands from marauding Indians and partly, too, because of the difficulty in dividing the assets and common obligations of the company. In a number of cases, consequently, an effort was made to divide the com- pany merely for administrative purposes, so to speak, but to
74 See Minto, Address, O. P. A. Transactions, 1876, p. 39 and Ibid., Robert Wilson Morrison, O. P. A. Transactions, 1894, p. 56. Cf. Diary of E. E. Parrish, O. P. A. Transactions, 1888, p. 94. Under date, July 15, he writes, "Quite a confusion in camp this morning about buffalo hunting. The General seemed quite 'cantankerous' because Louis Crawford went out after buffalo this morning contrary to orders. . . . The colony (sic) was called together by the General, who, after a short abusive speech, tendered his resignation. . . . We are now in companies."
75 Cf. Communication in the New Orleans Picayune, November 21, 1843, re- printed in Or eg. Hist. Quart., I, 398. In discussing the migration of 1843, the writer says, "Several enactments were made and agreed to, one of which was called up to be rescinded, and something of an excitement arose in regard to it. The law made was that no family should drive along more than three head of stock for each member composing it, and this bore hard on families that had brought with them cattle in large numbers." (Jesse Applegate, of this com- pany, had over two hundred head and others over a hundred head. Oreg. Hist. Quart., IV, 177.) The dispute resulted in a split of the large body into two or three divisions and so they moved on, making distinct encampments all the way." Cf. also New Orleans Picayune for August 16, 1843, containing a copy of a communication in the Iowa Territorial Gazette, reprinted in Oreg. Hist. Quart., II, 191.
76 Shortess, First Emigrants to Oregon, O. P. A. Transactions, 1896, p. 97, "Before reaching the Santa Fe Crossing, our leader in consequence of intemper- ance and neglect of duty had lost all influence or authority and every one did what was right in his eyes." "Before leaving the crossing, our leader being ac- cused of incompetence and waste of funds placed in his hands, saw fit to resign along with two others who had become obnoxious to the party. They were, how- ever, permitted to stay until our arrival at Bent's Fort." A division of the com- pany was effected here. Cf. references note 74. See Bryant, What I Saw in California, p. 43.
77 E. P. D. Houghton, Donner Party, p. 32. Cf. Minto, Reminiscences, Oreg. Hist. Quart., II, 152​
OREGON EMIGRATING COMPANIES 223
keep it loosely joined for mutual defence and for the enjoy- ment of common property. 78
There are a number of illustrations of this point. The great Oregon company of 1843 set out in a single body with Peter H. Burnett as captain. A regulation limiting the number of cattle per member produced discontent and led, only eight days after their supposedly final organization, to a division of the company 79 (apparently on the advice of the experienced Dr. Whitman, who was with it) 80 into four parts. The com- manding officer was now given the title, colonel, in place of captain, and four captains were elected to head the four divisions. 81 In this fashion they proceeded. The largest Ore- gon party of 1844, comprising three divisions, started as one company under the command of Cornelius (Neil) Gilliam as general but later, because of discontent, resumed its original three divisions, each proceeding on its own account but two of them keeping within supporting distance of each other. 82 Joel Palmer, of the Oregon Company of 1845, has described the arrangements following their divisions, which likewise came as a result of discontent and disaffection, as follows : "It was agreed upon to form from the whole body, three companies ; that while each company should select its own officers and manage its own affairs, the pilot and Capt. Welsh, who had been elected by the whole company, should retain their posts and travel with the company in advance. It was also arranged that each company should take its turn in traveling in advance for a week at a time. A proposition was then made and acceded to, which provided that a collection of funds, with which to pay the pilot, should be made previous to the separation and
78 Not infrequently such a division was made perfectly amicably and for purely administrative reasons, particularly in the case of the larger companies, which suffered from lack of grazing for their stock. Cf. Bryant, What I Saw in California, p. 32 f, 43 ff.
79 See above, p. 23 and note 75.
80 Oreg. Hist. Quart., IV, 177.
81 Letter in Missouri Republican, August 7, 1843, reprinted in Oreg. Hist. Quart., IV. 403.
82 Minto, Reminiscences, Oreg. Hist. Quart., II, 151. Cf. Communication in St. Louis Reveille, November 4, 1844, reprinted in Oreg. Hist. Quart., IV, 407, and Minto, Address, O. P. A. Transactions, 1876, p. 39 and Diary of E. E Parrish, O. P. A. Transactions, 1888, p. 102 f. ​
224 HARRISON C. DALE
placed in the hands of some person to be chosen by the whole, as treasurer, who should give bonds, with approved security for the fulfillment of his duty. A treasurer was accordingly chosen, who, after giving the necessary bonds, collected about one hundred and ninety dollars of the money promised; some refused to pay, and others had no money in their possession. All these and similar matters having been satisfactorily ar- ranged, the separation took place, and the companies proceeded to the election of the necessary officers. . . . We found, too, that it was bad policy to require the several companies to wait for each other . . . (and) we adopted a resolution desiring the several companies to abandon the arrangement that required each to delay for the other and that each company should have the use of the pilot according to its turn. Our proposition was not for the present accepted by the other companies." 83 The division to which Palmer belonged and of which he was elected captain, abandoned the other parties altogether; but later a reunion was effected. 84
4. THE EMIGRANT GOVERNMENTS IN OPERATION.
Enough has been indicated already in discussing the prob- lems of organization to make it possible to sketch the actual operation of the emigrants' government very briefly. Execu- tive authority was entrusted to the president, 843 - captain, 85 commander-in-chief, 86 general, 87 colonel, 88 or whatever might be the title under which the chief officer was elected. 89 In case the company was comparatively small and moved as a
83 Palmer, Travels (Thwaites), p. 43 ff.
8 Ibid., p. 50.
84a Iowa Journ. Hist, and Pol., X, 419 ff.
85 Burnett, Recollections and Opinions, Oreg. Hist. Quart., IV, 68. Cf. Oreg. Hist. Quart., Ill, 392, F. O. M'Cown, Address, O. P. A. Transactions, 1884, p. 19, and Palmer, Travels (Thwaites), p. 42.
86 Farnham, Travels in the Great Western Prairies (Thwaites), p. 60.
87 Cf. references in note 91.
88 Stephen Staats, Address, O. P. A. Transactions, 1877, p. 47.
89 There was frequently much electioneering and the claims of the various candidates were urged with much vehemence and impassioned rhetoric. Cf. Bryant, What I Saw in California, p. 29 and a communication in the New Orleans Picayune, Nov. 21, 1843, reprinted in Oreg. Hist. Quart., I, 398 f. Minto, Antecedents, Oreg. Hist. Quart., V, 39. Palmer, Travels (Thwaites), p. 39. Gregg, Commerce of the Prairies (Thwaites, Early Western Travels, XIX), p. 198. ​
OREGON EMIGRATING COMPANIES 225
united whole, his title was usually, captain, but in the larger companies, where a division for administrative or other reasons was effected, he was frequently called colonel 90 or general, 91 while the division commanders were then designated captains 92 or sub-captains 93 as the case might be. Besides these, there were, as subordinate officers, lieutenants, 94 quartermasters, 95 orderly sergeants, 96 sergeants, 97 corporals, 98 secretaries, 99 treas- urers, 100 and pilots or guides. 101 These last, as already noted, were sometimes elected and sometimes appointed. The func- tions of the superior officers were in some cases vague and ill defined 102 but as a rule the by-laws which were adopted pretty clearly fixed their duties and powers. In general, they determined, with the advice of the pilot, the course to be taken each day, 103 decided on the site for camp 104 and the disposition of the emigrants and their effects during the night, maintained order and discipline, and presided over the meetings of the company. The lesser officers, lieutenants, sergeants, corporals, etc., attended to the details of administration. 105 The secretary or orderly sergeant took a careful census of individuals and property at the start and kept careful records of the progress
90 Communication in New Orleans Picayune, Aug. 16, 1843, copied from Iowa Territorial Gazette and reprinted in Or eg. Hist. Quart., II, 191.
91 Minto, Reminiscences, Or eg. Hist. Quart., II, 135. Ibid, Address, O. P. A. Transactions, 1876, p. 39. Ibid., Robert Wilson Morrison, O. P. A. Transactions, 1894, p. 56.
92 Minto, Reminiscences, Or eg. Hist. Quart., II, 135. Ibid., Address, O. P. A. Transactions, 1876, p. 39. Diary of E. E. Parrish, O. P. A. Transactions, 1888, p. 95. Nesmith, Diary of the Emigration of 1843, Oreg. Hist. Quart., VII, 331. Cf. Oreg. Hist. Quart., II, 191.
93 J- Q- Thornton, Address, O. P. A. Transactions, 1877, p. 40.
94 Minto, Reminiscences, Oreg. Hist. Quart., II, 152. Diary of E. E. Parrish, O. P. A. Transactions, 1888, p. 95.
95 Bryant, What I Saw in California, p. 43.
96 Burnett, Recollections and Opinions, Oreg. Hist. Quart., IV, 68. Cf. Oreg. Hist. Quart., II, 191.
97 Minto, Reminiscences, Oreg. Hist. Quart., II, 152. Ibid., Antecedents, Oreg. Hist. Quart., V, 40. Diary of E. E. Parrish, O. P. A. Transactions, 1888, p. 05. Cf. Oreg. Hist. Quart., Ill, 392.
98 Ibid.
99 Constitution, Savannah Oregon Emigrating Company, <5. i oo Ibid.
101 See note 1 10.
102 Cf. Gregg, Commerce of the Prairies (Thwaites), p. 198.
103 Ibid.
104 Ibid. Cf. also Farnham, Travels (Thwaites), p. 60.
105 Bryant, What I Saw in California, p. 33. ​
226 HARRISON C. DALE
of the company, the executive and legislative acts, and the expenditures en route ; 108 the treasurer, under bonds, 107 managed the finances, of which he had to give careful account at the end of the journey ; 108 the sergeants with the corporals posted the guards at night 109 and were responsible for the adequate performance of guard duty. The pilot, usually a salaried officer, employed by the company at the start and receiving any where from $250 to $1000 no was the chief adviser of the commanding officer in determining the route. The term of elective officers varied but tended to be short.
As a part of the executive, and frequently also of the judici- ary, was the Council, an elective body of from nine to thirteen men. Their executive functions consisted primarily in offering counsel to the commanding officers in determining the general policy to be pursued by the emigrant government and in review- ing proposed legislation. 111
The company met in regular session at the outset for the purpose of drafting and accepting their constitution and elect- ing officers. Regular meetings might be called thereafter by the commanding officer 112 or at the pleasure of the members themselves. The actual conduct of official business at the start was usually entrusted to committees, who would repre- sent more adequately the various elements composing the com- pany. Such committees interviewed and employed the guide, 113 drafted by-laws, 114 inspected the outfit of the emigrants, 115 and performed other services of this nature. 116 To secure efficiency
1 06 Constitution, Savannah Oregon Emigrating Company, 8. Resolutions, Oregon Emigrating Society, Rule 4, Wilkes, History of Oregon, Part II, p. 71.
107 Palmer, Travels (Thwaites), p. 43.
108 Constitution, Savannah Oregon Emigrating Company, p.
109 Minto, Reminiscences. Oreg. Hist. Quart., II, 156.
no See communication, New Orleans Picayune, Nov. 21, 1843, reprinted in Oreg. Hist. Quart., I, 401. Medorem Crawford, Journal, p. n. Palmer, Travels (Thwaites), p. 43.
in Resolutions, Oregon Emigrating Society, Rule 2, Wilkes, Loc. cit. Con- stitution of the Oregon Emigration Society of Iowa Territory, at Iou-a City, Article I, 5, 6, 7, 15, in Iowa Journ. Hist, and Pol., X, 420 f.
112 Constitution, Savannah Oregon Emigrating Company, .?/. Diary of E. E. Parrish, O. P. A. Transactions, 1888, pp. 94, 102.
113 Burnett, Recollections and Opinions, Oreg. Hist. Quart., IV, 67.
114 Ibid. Nesmith, Diary of the Emigration of 1843, Oreg. Hist. Quart., VII, 329. Bryant, What I Saw in California, p. 31. Thornton, Address, O. P. A. Transactions, 1878, p. 39 f.
1 15 Bryant, What I Saw in California, p. 32. Burnett, Recollections and Opinions Oreg. Hist. Quart., IV, 67.
1 1 6 Burnett, Loc. cit. Wilkes, History of Oregon, Part II, pp. 67, 72. ​
OREGON EMIGRATING COMPANIES 227
in the matter of inspection, however, it was customary to select for that purpose a committee of outsiders, who were paid definite wages and whose judgment would be unbiased. 117
After adopting a code of by-laws, it frequently became neces- sary to modify or enlarge them 118 or to hold new elections of officers. 119 At meetings for these purposes action was taken by majority vote. 120 The legislative power within the company, however, was frequently limited by a number of devices in- tended to prevent sedition and mob rule. 121 Thus, an amend- ment to the constitution in some instances required a two- thirds majority. 122 Such action was final except in companies where the commander exercised a suspensive veto. 123
In the course of the long journey from the Missouri river to Oregon, the pioneers of the middle nineteenth century en- countered many unaccustomed dangers and novel problems. Obstacles in the shape of hostile Indians, diminishing sup- plies, and devastating diseases had to be faced and conquered. But all their difficulties were not physical. They encountered problems of organization and of government as well, and these, like their purely physical trials, they overcame with character- istic American resourcefulness and ingenuity. Out of their experiments and their governmental devices of the moment came much of that fund of political knowledge from which the settlers of the Pacific Northwest and their descendants in these latter days have drawn so freely.
117 Constitution, Savannah Oregon Emigrating Company, /.?. Minto, Robert Wilson Morrison, O. P. A. Transactions, 1894, p. 54.
118 Bryant, What I Saw in California, p. 33. ngOreg. Hist. Quart., VII, 343-
120 Bryant, What I Saw in California, p. 60.
121 Cf., however, Bryant, Loc. cit., "So thoroughly, however, are our people imbued with conservative republican principles and so accustomed are they to order and propriety of deportment, that with a fair understanding, a majority will always be found on the side of right opposed to disorganization."
122 Constitution, Savannah Oregon Emigrating Company, 21.
123 Resolutions, Oregon Emigrating Society, Rule 2, Wilkes, Loc. cit. ​
THE YAQUINA RAILROAD.
The Tale of a Great Fiasco
By Leslie M. Scott.
This is a history of a monumental fiasco in railroad finance—of the railroad built in 1878–89 between Yaquina Bay and the near-summit of Cascade Mountains, 143 miles, with steamship extensions to San Francisco and steamboat connections up and down Willamette River from Corvallis and Albany.
The project aimed to make Yaquina Bay the great seaport of the North Pacific Coast and the transcontinental terminus of the Union Pacific and Central Pacific or the Chicago and Northwestern railroad. The former had reached California in 1869 and the latter was contemplating a transcontinental line in 1887–89. Oregon had no through-rail route from the Eastern States, until opening of the Northern Pacific, August 22, 1883, nor from California, until connections with the Central Pacific December 17, 1887.
The plan of the Oregon Pacific was to open the first trans-continental rail route to Oregon, by crossing the State, east and west, through the mid-State region not yet (1915) served by railroad from Idaho, with an extension down Snake River to Lewiston—this to draw Columbia River traffic. It purposed to make the commerce of the Columbia River and the Willamette Valley tributary to a proposed metropolis at Yaquina Bay; to build there a city which should win priority from Portland.
Even after Portland became the terminus of the Northern Pacific in 1883, of the Union Pacific in 1884 (November 11), and of the Central Pacific in 1887, the project continued with unabated vigor until the close of 1889. The scheme was at hey-day in 1886-89, in which period considerable shipments went by sea, to and from San Francisco, and by the Willamette River in connection with the railroad. The towns of Newport and Yaquina "boomed" and soared as "the future seaport of ​the Northwest Coast." Town lots at Newport were advertised in 1889 at $1500 and $2000 each, which in five years were to be worth between $25,000 and $50,000 (see advertisements in Oregonian, Sept. 2, 1889).
The company, Oregon Pacific Railroad, bonded for $15,000,000, went to ruin in 1890-94 and its property was sold at foreclosure December 22, 1894, for $100,000, after three successive receivers had tried vainly to earn sufficient revenue for operation, and after the sheriff had offered the road for sale at auction seven times previously. Not only did the original stock and bonds meet total loss, but wages and other debts of the receivership went unpaid or were scaled down to between three and ten cents on the dollar. Finally, the ill-starred road passed to the Southern Pacific (1907), which even to this day is unable to wipe out the continuous deficit, and which during the fiscal year ending June 30, 1914, suffered a loss, over operation cost, of $202,522 (Poor's Manual of Railroads).
I.
The Yaquina railroad originated in 1871-72 with Colonel T. Egenton Hogg, who expanded it through successive stages and finally passed out of its affairs March 4, 1893, when removed as Receiver. His bondholders were men of New York and Baltimore, among the most prominent being John I. Blair, James Blair, A. S. Barnes, F. W. Rhinelander, Joseph Wharton, Howland G. Hazard, George S. Coe, George S. Brown, Alexander Brown, J. J. Belden, Henry Martin, Sylvester Kneeland, Geo. de B. Keim, Lindley Smyth, Samuel S. Sands, Stephen H. Little, Samuel A. Stern. Many other names of bondholders appear in the mortuary relics of the Company.
The whole scheme was one of rosiest optimism. It was based on the mistaken notion that the traffic of the Columbia and Willamette Rivers could be diverted from its gravity water courses by railroad routes across mountains to a harbor that was too shallow for entrance of large ships (originally ​15 feet depth at high tide; increased to 22 feet by government work after 1880) and could not compete with the superior Columbia River. Two of its own ocean ships were wrecked at the Bay entrance. Moreover, the scheme was fatuously financed, if not mismanaged; its capital, which was to build 600 miles of railroad, was exhausted after construction of 143 miles; and without connections it could not earn enough revenue even to pay operation. One who delves into its history wonders how the ruinous idea could have gained such momentum as to risk and sink so many millions of hard-earned dollars. The actual sum expended in Oregon, as I am informed by Mr. Wallis Nash, formerly Vice-President of the Company, was $4,250,000—about $30,000 a mile. Water lines cost an approximate $1,000,000 additional. I am unable to learn how much cash was realized from the $15,000,000 bonds of the company, or how much larger that cash sum was than the actual disbursements. It appears that only about one-third of the nominal bonded debt was expended for construction and equipment.
The route of the Yaquina railroad, in earliest time, was that of an Indian trail, which followed a convenient gap in the Coast Mountains between tidewater and Willamette Valley. In 1860 the Oregon Legislature by joint resolution, requested the Oregon members of Congress to obtain right of way for a wagon road to "Aquina Bay" and stated that such wagon road "can be opened with comparatively small expense" (session laws, page 9). Congress in 1866 granted lands for a military wagon road from Corvallis to Yaquina and in the same year the Legislature passed these lands to the Corvallis and Yaquina Road Company (session laws, page 63). About this time Congress made several land grants in Oregon, namely: wagon road East of Eugene, 1864; east of Albany, 1866; Oregon and California Railroad, 1866; east of The Dalles, 1867; Roseburg-Coos Bay, 1869; Portland-McMinnville railroad, 1870. In this period the two rival railroads, projected south of Portland—"East Side" and "West Side" companies—were fighting for ​possession of the land grant for the route to California. Citizens of Benton and Linn Counties wished for a railroad to Yaquina as well as to Portland and called for aid therefor. The Yaquina railroad idea then appeared in a joint memorial of the Oregon Legislature (Oct. 15, 1868) to Congress, urging aid for the Corvallis and Yaquina Railroad Company, 45 miles (session laws, page 128). The Legislature in 1870, by joint resolution, asked for a land grant for that purpose (session laws, page 199).
II.
In 1871 Colonel Hogg first visited western Oregon and initiated the project. By this time a toll road for wagons had been opened between Corvallis and Elk City. In October, 1872, Hogg incorporated the Corvallis and Yaquina Bay Railroad Company. Two years later, for a larger purpose, he formed the Willamette Valley and Coast Railroad Company, to build a narrow gauge line, with extension into Eastern Oregon, incorporated July 2, 1874. For a subsidy, the Legislature granted to the company "all the tide and marsh lands situated in said county of Benton" (Act of Oct. 24, 1874; session laws, pages 51-62; Lincoln County not created until Feb. 20, 1893) and exempted the company from taxation for twenty years. Acceptance of the terms of this act was filed with the State by B. W. Wilson, President of the Company, and R. S. Strahan, secretary (November 10, 1874). This act required completion of the road within five years, but in 1878 the Legislature granted six years' longer time. For an additional bounty citizens of Benton and Linn Counties, headed by Green B. Smith and Dr. J. R. Bayley, raised $35,000 in 1878-79 (Oregonian Feb. 23, 1878, page 1). Directors of the company included W. B. Hamilton, Ashby Pierce, I. B. Henkle, M. Jacobs, Sol King, J. M. Currier, T. E. Cauthorn, J. Harris. In 1878-79 about $40,000 was expended for construction of the first ten miles west of Corvallis. Ground was "broken" May 17, 1877, at Corvallis and grading began May 6, 1878. ​
232 LESLIE M. SCOTT
Surveys had begun in April, 1872, under George Mercer (Ore- gonian April 12, 1872, page 2), and were continued by James Kinney (Oregonian, Sept. 14, 1874, page 1). The survey crossed the Coast Mountains in 1875 (Oregonian, May 22). The estimate of construction cost was $4,285.11 a mile (Ore- gonian, July 19, 1875, page 1).
Oregon at this time was in the first period of railroad de- velopment. Ben Holladay had opened the Oregon and Cali- fornia Railroad to Salem, Sept. 28, 1870; to Albany Dec. 8, 1870; to Eugene, Oct. 9, 1871 ; to Roseburg Nov. 2, 1872. He had opened the Oregon Central to Hillsboro December 18, 1871, and to St. Joseph, near McMinnville, Nov. 8, 1872. Henry Villard had come to Oregon as successor to Holladay in 1874-76, and in 1879 was projecting the line of the O. R. & N. along Columbia River eastward, extension of the Rose- burg railroad to Ashland and California and extension of the St. Joseph railroad to McMinnville (opened September, 1879), and to Corvallis (opened Jan. 28, 1880). The narrow gauge railroad, promoted by Joseph Gaston, who had begun con- struction in 1878 in Yamhill County, was beginning the career which was to reach north to Portland and south to Coburg, with expectancy of connection with the Central Pacific. Many residents of Benton County, spurred by these railroad schemes, thought their short and best route to tidewater was via Ya- quina Bay. Colonel Hogg, in their view, was their Holladay and their Villard, as a railroad builder.
Hogg's second company made little progress. Capital was lacking and in order to secure it he looked to Eastern invest- ors and incorporated a more pretentious company, Oregon Pacific Railroad, September 15, 1880, with Wallis Nash, Sol King, Thomas E. Cauthorn, Zephin Job, fellow incorporators. This company was to be the financing guardian of the Wil- lamette Valley and Coast Railroad Company, which it under- took to carry forward on a larger scale and to connect with the Union Pacific. Hogg was President of the new Company ; William A. Hoag, First Vice-President; Wallis Nash, Second ​
THE YAQUINA RAILROAD 233
Vice-President ; Isaac W. Smith, chief engineer; H. Yates, Superintendent.
III.
The prospectus of the new company, inviting buyers of bonds, was a highly-colored sample of rainbow finance. When one reads it at this distance of thirty-five years, he wonders that the promoters should have so badly misrepresented or mis- judged the poor security of the loan which they set about to "float." In these later days of awakened public conscience one doubts that such rainbow promises would be tolerated. (Reprint of Prospectus, Oregonian, Nov. 8, 1880.)
The bonds were to mature in twenty years and draw inter- est at six per cent. They were to be secured by first mortgage on franchises and property of the two companies, the trustee being Farmers' Loan and Trust Company of New York. The issue was "$25,000 per mile of such railroad." There was no requirement that the issue be limited to $25,000 per mile of "completed" railroad. Nor was there any requirement, before issuance of the bonds, of engineer's or president's certificate, showing that certain mileage was finished or that anything material had been done at all. The only need was a declara- tion from the executive committee that the money was to be used "for the purposes of the corporation" (New York Even- ing Post article in Oregonian, Oct. 27, 1891). The trustee issued the whole amount of the bonds, but only 143 of the 600 miles of road were built.
The prospectus continued to state that the bond issue was for construction of the Coast division from Yaquina Bay to the "lumber districts of the Cascade Mountains"; that the mortgage was secured by a "land grant which covers the ocean front for over forty miles and also covers many miles of deep water front on both shores of Yaquina and Alsea Bay." This referred to the State land grant of tide and marsh lands in Benton County, of doubtful value. Other lands alluded to as se- curity were those of the wagon road company between Corval​
234 LESLIE M. SCOTT
lis and Yaquina and the wagon road company, east of Albany, running through Eastern Oregon, neither of which, however, was an asset of the railroad then or later. Yet the prospectus said : "The proceeds of sales from the land grant constitute a sinking fund for the purchase or final payment of the bonds. .... The land grant alone, embracing, as it does, over 900,000 acres of most valuable selected lands, including all tide and marsh lands in Benton County, will be worth, on the comple- tion of the road, more than the entire amount of the mortgage, thus practically leaving the entire railroad and equipment and the steamships and steamboats and other craft with enormous earning capacity, free from mortgage."
The only assets of the company, at that time, were the grant of tide lands and ten miles of unfinished railroad west of Cor- vallis, that cost probably $75,000. The Company never re- ceived a land grant from Congress. Hogg and his associates were understood to hold options for purchase of the two wagon road grants. Even if these lands had secured the bonds, their value was very uncertain, and at best, small compared with the sum borrowed.
Further, the prospectus estimated an enormous revenue from freight and passenger traffic. The net earnings, after operating expenses, of the first 130 miles of railroad were estimated "conservatively" at $1,062,000 a year, or nearly six times the annual interest. The actual earnings never verified these predictions in slightest degree. The promoters not only over- estimated the volume of traffic of the Willamette Valley but grossly exaggerated the part of that traffic which would come to them. The Willamette Valley already had two big lines of railroad, south from Portland, and a third was then build- ing. Besides, river steamboats controlled a large traffic by way of Portland. Moreover, the port of Yaquina was inade- quate for large ships, because its entrance then had a maximum depth at high tide of only 14 or 15 feet, according to the season of the year. (Reports of U. S. Engineers.) Time proved ​
THE YAQUINA RAILROAD 235
that the Yaquima railroad could obtain only a small share of Willamette Valley traffic.
Hogg's resource for raising money had to meet many ob- stacles and it is fair to acknowledge the able manner in which he overcame them and persuaded bond buyers. At a public speech at Corvallis, October 26, 1881, he announced the success of his financing plans (address reported by Alfred Holman in Oregonian, November 2, 1881). "The means necessary to construct the line of the Oregon Pacific Railroad," said Hogg, "from Yaquina Bay to the Eastern part of our state and thence to Boise City, have been secured and we all hope the result will be speedy construction of the same. The very opposition that we met with and which seemed at times to be overwhelm- ing, called the attention of those, who were seeking invest- ments, to our project and thus the persevering effort to defeat us was the best argument that our enterprise was good. We are tonight prepared to say (and we believe that facts will bear out the assertion) that before the close of another twelve- month, the Oregon Pacific Road will be built from Yaquina Bay to a point east of the Cascade Mountains."
Hogg explained that the "opposition" came from foes in the "central portion of the state," evidently adverting to Vil- lard's railroad interests. He said his road would be "inde- pendent" of those interests and of the narrow gauge railway which Scotch investors were then building; and that he would put barges on the Willamette, Columbia and Snake Rivers to draw freight for his railroad. "But our immediate work is the grand trunk line through, to join hands with those building to meet us at Boise City and I promise you now that within two years and a half we shall have the work completed and, by joining with Eastern connections will make a grand trunk line through to the East from Yaquina Bay. . . The Oregon Pacific line by its connections Eastward from Boise City will be shorter than any of the trunk lines now built or proposed, by nearly 300 miles." The ocean voyage between Portland and San Francisco, then three and one-half days, Hogg said his ​
236 LESLIE M. SCOTT
road would cut to forty hours. Freight rates his road would cut in half.
IV.
At this time grading was in progress and locomotives and rails were en route both by rail to San Francisco and via Panama. Engineers located the line early in the Summer of 1881 under Wallis Nash. At the time of Hogg's speech grad- ing was finished fifteen miles west of Corvallis and some similar work was done at Yaquina Bay. Rails were delivered at the Bay, after being re-shipped at San Francisco, because large ships could not enter Yaquina (description by Alfred Holman in Oregonian, Nov. 2, 1881). Construction progressed stead- ily, except for an interval, August to December, 1883, until the first train ran from Corvallis to Yaquina in March, 1885. (Oregonian, March 15.) Completion of that part of the road was celebrated by an excursion train April 4, 1885. Grading had been finished Nov. 21, 1884. The Corvallis-Philomath line had been opened in Oct. 1884, on which event J. Henkle, Sr., pioneer of 1852, drove the "silver spike," signalling the arrival at Philomath of the first locomotive. Surveys for connection with the Oregon Short line fifty miles east of Huntington were completed in December, 1884 (Oregonian, Dec. 16, 1884). At this time connection with the "narrow gauge" lines of Willamette Valley was contemplated, via King's Valley. The narrow gauge had been under lease to the O. R. & N. since Oct. 1, 1881, but after Villard's retirement and repudiation of the lease by the O. R. & N. Nov. 15, 1884, the narrow gauge needed reorganization and a tidewater outlet. This plan did not develop.
The Oregon Pacific, soon after completion of its line between Corvallis and Yaquina, instituted freight and passenger con- nections with San Francisco. The first carload of wheat was shipped from Philomath to Corvallis Aug. 11, 1885. Steam- ship connections began Sept. 14, 1885. The fare between Corvallis and the California City was $14, the wheat rate $4.50 ​
THE YAQUINA RAILROAD 237
a ton. The first steamship was the Yaquina City, which con- tinued the route from Sept., 1885, until she was wrecked inside the bar of Yaquina Bay Dec. 5, 1887. In January of that year the steamship Santa Maria, was put on the route with the Yaquina City and was reinforced in August, 1887, by the steamships Willamette Valley and Eastern Oregon. To take the place of the wrecked Yaquina City the steamship Yaquina Bay arrived at the Bay December 9, 1888, where she was wrecked on the south jetty on her first trip. During 1887 the company maintained a frequent service with three steam- ships, but business was sufficient to operate only the Willam- ette Valley in August, 1888. In January-February, 1889, the Santa Maria and Willamette Valley were on the route. In October-December, 1889, the Willamette Valley operated alone. In 1887 the Yaquina City and the Willamette Valley carried 24,000 tons of wheat to San Francisco and the re- turning tonnage was about 200 a trip.
For Willamette River connections the railroad company built three large steamers William M. Hoag, N. S. Bentley, and Three Sisters, which together maintained an alternate day service between Portland and Corvallis. The trip took two days, with one night stay at Salem. These water lines were operated by the Oregon Development Company, a subsidiary of the Oregon Pacific. They were essential as "feeders" to the railroad.
After completion of the railroad from Yaquina to Cor- vallis, the next step was extension to Albany. The Willam- ette Valley and Coast Railroad Company was authorized in 1880 to bridge the Willamette River at Albany but the fran- chise was not utilized at once. For a subsidy for the extension, Albany citizens raised $40,000 in 1885-86. The bridge was finished Jan. 5, 1887, and the first passenger train between Corvallis and Albany ran on Jan. 6, 1887; the first regular freight train January 13, 1887. The whole project received impetus in 1886 from the visit of John I. Blair and Percy R. Pyne, of New York, bondholders of the Oregon Pacific and ​directors of the Chicago & Northwestern, who inspected the route to the summit of Cascade Mountains, and commended the enterprise highly. Pyne said in The Oregonian of August 23, 1886:
"I have seen enough to convince me that the story has been but half told. I believe the Oregon Pacific will be a profitable railroad and that a great city will grow up at Yaquina Bay." It was widely believed that the Oregon Pacific would connect at or near Boise City with the Chicago and Northwestern.
Notwithstanding this hopeful prospect, construction east of Albany halted in March, 1887, but on June 9, 1887, a bond syndicate at New York announced that it would carry forward the extension to Boise (Oregonian, June 10, 1887). The syndicate bore the names of Rowland G. Hazard, Samuel S. Sands, A. S. Barnes, T. Egenton Hogg, S. V. White, George S. Brown, F. W. Rhinelander. "This syndicate," ran the New York Dispatch to The Oregonian (June 9, 1887), "assures the completion of the road from its starting point at Yaquina Harbor, Ore., to its eastern terminus, Boise City, Idaho."
Contracts for construction to the summit of Cascade Mountains were let in the summer of 1887 to Nelson Bennett and G. W. Hunt. Both contractors disagreed with the company and quit December 14, 1887, and litigation followed the dispute. The company let new contracts for this work in July- August, 1888, to Brink and West for thirty miles out of Albany, and to James J. Searle, E. B. Deane and Job & Neu- gass for successive stages. Construction did not continue in 1890. The farthest point of the finished track was Boulder Creek, about twelve miles from the summit. On October 26, 1890, after the Company defaulted in interest, it went into receivership with Hogg named as receiver, by the State Circuit Court for Benton County, M. L. Pipes, Judge. The petition for receivership came from the Farmers Loan and Trust
V.
Now began four years of tribulation for the Oregon Pacific, strife for factions of bondholders and loss for employes and other creditors of the receivership, the whole culminating in foreclosure sale for $100,000, December 22, 1894, of which sum $66,000 was used to pay taxes and court fees and $34.000 remained to meet claims that had been scaled down from more than $1,000,000 to $341,971 labor and material, attorneys and various receivers' certificates. Needless to say the $15,- 000,000 bonds proved wholly worthless. Most of the indebtedness of the receivership was a total loss. The "preferred" claims selected for pro rata payment out of the $34,000 included $138,013.43 for labor; $39,525.17 with 8 per cent interest from April 10, 1893, which sum was advanced to pay labor by A. S. Heidlebach, J. H. Halstead, John I. Blair and Joseph Wharton at a critical period; $16,674.19 for insurance; $68,632.99 for material and miscellaneous items. This apportionment, filed by the referee Feb. 1, 1896, was approved by the State Circuit Court, Fullerton Judge, March 18, 1896. (Report in Oregonian, Feb. 24, 1896.)
In the four-year receivership period (1890-94) the sheriff sold the railroad three times; for $1,000,000, Jan. 20, 1892, to Zephin Job, representing bondholders; for $200,000, Dec. 15, 1893, to representatives of bondholders ; and for $100,000, Dec. 22, 1894, to A. B. Hammond and E. L. Bonner. The first sale failed, through delinquency of the bidders ; the second was set aside by the Court, which held the bid price $200,000 inadequate. The sheriff made five other attempts to sell the property in 1892-94.
Quarrels broke out early in the foreclosure proceedings, between factions of bondholders. Decree of foreclosure and order of sale were entered in the State Court April 27, 1891, and sale was finally set for Jan. 20, 1892. Priority of pay- ment from proceeds of the sale was the issue of contention. Finally after conferences of the bondholders in New York, ​
240 LESLIE M. SCOTT
October-December, 1891, it was agreed to hand over the bonds to some person or corporation mutually to be agreed upon and to accept the plan of a reorganization committee; also to have Hogg bid in the road at foreclosure sale at a price sufficient to pay floating indebtedness and bond the road anew for completion, without voiding the interests of the old bond- holders. But after Job bid in the property for Hogg, Jan. 20, 1892, for $1,000,000, a large faction of old bondholders led by Blair and Wharton began a bitter fight against Hogg, charging him with conspiracy to get possession at a low price and to cheat out the old bondholders (Oregonian, Feb. 18, 1892). The fight finally culminated in removal of Hogg as receiver, Mar. 4, 1893. But before that result, the opponents of Hogg took their contest into the United States Circuit Court at Portland, in February, 1892, where they sought to withhold the sheriff's certificate of sale, on the ground that Hogg was scheming to pass the property to a new company with a heavy prior mortgage attached, thus crowding out old bondholders. They petitioned to have the sheriff pass the certificate to a trustee, in conformity with prior agreements with Hogg. They also alleged that Hogg had issued $250,000 certificates as receiver, which were fraudulent. Hogg an- swered that the bid price, $1,000,000, was low because it had to be cash and that the bondholders had failed to arrange for such sum; that the necessary method of raising funds was a bond issue of a new Company and that he was acting in good faith towards all parties concerned. The testimony was pre- sented before Judge M. P. Deady May 2-3, 1892 (Oregonian, May 3, 1892, Z l / 2 cols.). The Court on May 9 ordered both parties into a stipulation to pass the bankrupt railroad to a new company which should bond the property for needed funds according to the reorganization agreement. The court saw no evidence of conspiracy on Hogg's part to defraud the old bond- holders (text of decree in Oregonian, May 10, 1892). Cre- ation of a new company, Oregon Pacific Railway, capital $18,000,000, followed this decision incorporated July 30, ​
THE YAQUINA RAILROAD 241
1892, at Salem by Wm. M. Hoag, Wallis Nash, B. W. Wil- son, Z. Job, Abraham Hackleman. The parties interested could not co-operate, however, the Job purchase fell through, and the reorganization plan came to naught.
VI.
Meanwhile the railroad was fast running behind its rev- enues. Bondholders' quarrels with Hogg's management con- tinued. Poor business conditions added to the company's troubles. It was plain that there must be a change of admin- istration and a new receiver. Moreover Hogg did not devote his personal attention to the property nor stay in Oregon. On March 4 Judge Fullerton appointed as receiver Everest W. Hadley, who had served as Superintendent of the road and was a resident of Corvallis. This change followed the wishes of the Blair-Wharton bondholders. Their attorney, John P. Fay, of Seattle, said that they had long wished reorganization and desired then to develop the property (interview in Ore- gonian, April 20, 1893). Judge Fullerton's order removing Hogg cited that the latter was "no longer a suitable person to serve as such receiver" ; "he has neglected the duties of his trust in that he has since his appointment (Oct. 26, 1890) constantly resided outside of the State of Oregon"; "has delegated his duties to subordinates" ; "his interests are di- rectly opposed and antagonistic to the interests of a large number of the other bondholders" ; "he hindered and delayed the experts sent out to examine the properties advertised to be sold"; "the interests of all concerned will be conserved by the removal." (Oregonian, March 7, 1893.)
Hogg's receivership lasted 26 months, during which time the payrolls of employes went arrears ten months, to a total sum of $127,000. Hogg issued in credit certificates, $800,000, which at his removal were worth 60 cents on the dollar in Wall Street (Oregonian, March 7, 1893). Other indebtedness in- cluded material claims $25,000 and taxes the whole being in excess of $1,000,000. The receiver had been selling certifi​
242 LESLIE M. SCOTT
cates at 40 per cent discount, in order to raise necessary funds. This practice was stopped by the new receiver, Hadley, but it is fair to Hogg to add, that the company continued to pile up deficit under the two successive receivers, although in re- duced degree.
Hadley's receivership, from March 4, 1893, to Jan. 4, 1894, piled up a further deficit of $59,864 earnings $171,045; ex- penses $230,909 (Oregonian, Feb. 4, 1894) this despite his best efforts to economize. This was in the midst of the "hard times" of the period, which of course, added to the troubles of the company. All three divisions of traffic, ocean, rail and river, showed heavy losses during Hadley's period ocean, $18,398; rail, $25,348; river, $9,388. Repairs cost $60,000 which was about the amount of Hadley's deficit. These were necessary because the road was on the verge of physical wreck. In his final report he stated that his economies amounted to $100,000 a year over Hogg's receivership. One of the early acts of Hadley was to pay $40,000 to employes, which sum was advanced in April, 1893, by John I. Blair, Joseph Whar- ton, A. S. Heidlebach and J. H. Halstead, and which was finally repaid ten cents on the dollar in 1896, from proceeds of the $100,000 sale of Dec. 22, 1894. Hadley went to New York to persuade the bondholders to make extensions but found everywhere "great indifference and evident inclination to re- gard the matter as a dead horse." (Oregonian, Dec. 25, 1893.)
At the time of Hadley's appointment, the State Court or- dered the property again sold by the sheriff, but not until Dec. 15, 1893, was a sale effected, this time for $200,000, the bid coming from James Blair, Joseph Wharton, J. J. Belden, Henry Martin, F. K. Pendleton and S. S. Hollingsworth. The Court refused confirmation of this sale, Dec. 16, owing to gen- eral disappointment over a price which fell so far below the debts of the company more than $1,000,000 and which would not have satisfied preferred claims, including dues of employes. (Oregonian, Dec. 17, 1893.) Next day at San Francisco W. A. Swinerton, assignee of claims against the Company, attached the steamer Willamette Valley for $13,209. ​
THE YAQUINA RAILROAD 243
Hadley voiced the general dissatisfaction with the $200,000 bid, in a statement published in The Oregonian December 25,
1893. He said that the bid was absurd, that the property as a railroad was worth $3,500,000 and as "scraps," $400,000. Rather than confirm the sale, Hadley urged that the road be turned over to employes and material men "as the creditors most at interest, to be by them torn up and sold, as they might deem best." His appraisal of "scraps" was as follows:
13,300 tons rails at $15 $200,000
14 locomotives at $2,000 28,000
2 locomotives at $500 1,000
Passenger coaches 8,000
258 box cars at $150 12,000
Other freight equipment 1,400
50,000 new ties at lOc 5,000
Supplies in storehouse 10,000
Steamship Willamette Valley 40,000
Tug Resolute 5,000
Tools in machine shop 10,000
3 river steamboats at $2000 6,000
Land and buildings 10,000
Water tanks, switches, etc 3,000
Incidentals 10,000
$400,000
Charles Clark, who succeeded Hadley as receiver Jan. 4,
1894, was unable to check the growing" deficit. In the course of this year it became manifest that the only remedy was to sell the property for what it would bring. The Court had vainly fixed a minimum price of $1,000,000 and then of $1,250,- 000 in 1892-93. By December, 1894, the accumulated claims were more than $1,166,000: Hogg certificates $800,000; Had- ley certificates, $81,000; labor and material $225,000; taxes and court costs $60,000. (Oregonian, December 26, 1894.) On July 23, 1894, the sheriff again offered the property but received no bid. His final offer, on December 22, 1894, brought a bid of $100,000 from Hammond and Bonner. The State Circuit Court confirmed the sale January 19, 1895, and ​
244 LESLIE M. SCOTT
the State Supreme Court confirmed it July 22, 1895. Wallis Nash opposed the confirmation on the ground that certain English buyers would pay $200,000; so also George Bigham of Salem and J. K. Weatherford and Percy Kelly, of Albany, who represented various claims. (Statement of Company finances, Oregonian, January 3, 20, 1895 ; July 29, 1895 ; Feb. 2, 24, 1896; March 19, 1896.) Taxes and court costs, amount- ing to $66,000 were first satisfied out of the $100,000, leaving $34,000 for satisfaction of nearly $1,200,000 claims, that were scaled down by the referee to $341,971. (Oregonian, Febru- ary 2, 24, 1896.) The people of Corvallis voiced approval of the Supreme Court's decision at a public demonstration July 22, 1895.
VII.
A well-known and esteemed citizen of Oregon, Mr. Wallis Nash, who gave many of his best years to the Oregon Pacific, tells me that the project was wrecked by factional dissensions, which balked its completion and final success. On account of my high regard for Mr. Nash, I wish to insert here a para- graph from one of his recent letters on this subject :
"It is just to remember that no one connected with the man- agement of the Company had any idea except that the receiver- ship (October, 1890) was a step in the way to reorganization by the bondholders. Dissensions among those bondholders and financiers, of the most virulent kind, was the cause of the total wreck of the enterprise. This same dissension foiled every effort that Colonel Hogg put forth until he died (1896) for the resumption and completion of the road."
The new Company, incorporated to take over the Oregon Pacific property by A. B. Hammond, Edwin Stone and Charles Clark, April 12, 1895, was the Oregon Central and Eastern Railway. This Company was succeeded by the Corvallis and Eastern Railroad, which Hammond incorporated December 15, 1897, capital $2,500,000, for the purpose of bonding for ex- tension through Eastern Oregon, but the project was not carried out. ​
THE YAQUINA RAILROAD 245
The various accessory properties of the Oregon Pacific were sold by Hammond after his purchase in 1904, at handsome profits. Among those properties were the follow- ing, which Mr. Nash informs me brought prices approximately as follows : Steamship Willamette Valley, $40,000 ; Tug Reso- lute, $17,000; three river steamboats, $35.000; rolling stock $100,000; total $192,000. Later, on December 18, 1907, Ham- mond sold the Corvallis and Eastern Company for an addi- tional $750,000, to E. H. Harriman, who conveyed it to the Southern Pacific, where the ownership now lodges. Before this sale it was reported that the Goulds contemplated Yaquina Bay as a northern terminus of their Western Pacific railroad (Oregonian, May 21, 1905), but the report did not materialize
Impatient at the inaction of the Corvallis and Eastern, as to the Eastern Oregon extension, Wallis Nash and others in- corporated the Co-operative Christian Federation, Feb. 21, 1906, to build the road into that region, for colonization pur- poses (Oregonian, Feb. 22, 1906, page 10; March 1, 1906, page 10). Other officers of the Federation were J. Frank Watson, Samuel Connell, L. O. Ralston, C. E. S. Wood, of Portland; J. R. Blackaby, of Ontario; N. U. Carpenter, of Baker; C. W. Thompson, of Pendleton; H. S. Wallace, and David Leppert. For a railroad branch of the Federation, Mr. Nash organized at Portland in July, 1906, the Mid-Oregon & Eastern Railway, Portland to Mehama, Idanha and Ontario, $13,125,000 capital, Wallis Nash, president. (Details, in Ore- gonian, December 23, 1906.) Announcement that funds were pledged to build the railroad was made in The Oregonian Jan- uary 6, 1907, after return of Mr. Nash from London. This project ended with the sale of the Yaquina Railroad to Har- riman and the Southern Pacific.
The railroad has served since as a local branch of the South- ern Pacific. Yaquina Bay as a seaport affords little or no railroad traffic and the National Government feels no incentive
THE PACIFIC COAST SURVEY OF 1849 AND 1850.
By Lewis A. McArthur.
The first survey of the Pacific Coast by the United States Government was made in 1849 and 1850. The field work was done principally by Lieut. Commanding William P. McArthur, U. S. N., and Lieutenant Washington A. Bartlett, U. S. N., assistants in the Coast Survey. There are some details of the life of Lieut. Commanding McArthur and the work he carried on on the Pacific Coast that may be of interest to students of Oregon history.
William Pope McArthur was born on April 2, 1814, at Ste. Genevieve, Missouri. He was the oldest child of John and Mary Linn McArthur. His mother was a sister of Dr. Lewis Fields Linn, who was later to become Oregon's champion in the United States Senate. Dr. Linn took a decided interest in his nephew, and at the uncle's request, the youth was appointed a midshipman in the United States Navy on February 11, 1832. The first few years of his service were spent in the South Pacific Station, and in April, 1837, he was granted three months' leave. Two months later he was granted permission to attend the Naval School at Norfolk, to perfect himself in his studies.
​Johnston, who later became one of the greatest generals of the Confederate Army. Johnston had graduated from West Point in 1829, served in the Black Hawk campaign, was stationed at several forts along the Atlantic seaboard, and in 1836 accompanied General Scott to Florida as a member of his staff. Shortly thereafter Johnston resigned from the army, and took up the study of civil engineering. When the expedition of 1837 was sent to the Everglades, Johnston volunteered to accompany it as topographical engineer. Acting Lieutenant McArthur and Johnston became firm friends, and continued so until the death of the former.
The expedition landed at Jupiter Inlet about the 10th or 12th of January, 1838. Johnston and McArthur warned Powell as to the tricks of Indian warfare, but Powell would not listen, and as a result the command was ambushed, and had it not been for the bravery and coolness of Johnston, the column would have been annihilated.
McArthur was badly wounded in both legs, and was carried to the boats by a faithful negro sailor. Johnston kept the men in orderly retreat and undoubtedly prevented greater loss of life. Later a surgeon removed the ball from one of McArthur's legs, but the other could not be extracted, and annoyed him until the day of his death.
McArthur was sent to the Naval Hospital at Norfolk, and while recovering, courted and married Mary Stone Young, on May 3, 1838. His wife was the daughter of Lieutenant John J. Young, at that time superintendent of the Naval Hospital. During the next two years he saw service on various vessels, and on September 24, 1840, was ordered to the brig Consort, detailed to the Coast Survey. The cruise lasted over a year, and during that time a survey was made of the Gulf of Mexico. From that time on his work was almost entirely with the Coast Survey, duty calling him to nearly every nook and corner of his country's coast line.
In the fall of 1848 he received the following instructions, ​dated October 27, and signed by A. D. Bache, Superintendent U. S. Coast Survey: "I have been directed by the Treasury Department to make arrangements for commencing the survey of the Western Coast of the United States. A land party has been for some time organizing under the charge of Assist. Jas. S. Williams. I am directed also to organize a hydrographic party, to accompany or speedily to follow the land party, and you have been assigned to the command of the party. You will please therefore make all preliminary arrangements in conformity with oral instructions already received, or such as may suggest themselves as proper to you under circumstances, observing the usual routine in regard to estimates, etc. If no more suitable vessel for your purpose can be obtained, the Schr. Ewing, the transfer of which from the Revenue Service has been directed by the Sect'y of the Treasury, will be assigned to you.
"The fitting out of this vessel and her dispatch at as early a moment as practicable is desirable, say before the first week of November.
"I do not deem it desirable that you should make the voyage in the vessel, as you cannot complete work now in hand, nor so well seize the most prominent objects of the Western work as by making the journey over the Isthmus, and joining the vessel at Panama or San Francisco. The specific duties required of you will be stated later in instructions.
"You are authorized to go to New York in connection with the transfer of the Ewing at such time as you may deem best."
Lieut. Commanding McArthur left New York on one of the new Aspinwall steamers, and in due time landed at Chagres. The only route across the Isthmus was up the Chagres River in boats, and thence by mule train over the trail to Panama. Chagres was congested with a motley crowd, from all quarters of the earth, making its way to the California gold fields. Among the fortune hunters were many characterless men, and ​even fugitives from justice. They threw off all restraint, and perpetrated so many crimes, that the authorities were powerless. Prominent residents appealed to the more responsible Americans, and asked their co-operation in putting down the violence. Lieut. Commanding McArthur spoke Spanish fluently and accurately, and this coupled with the fact that he was an American officer, caused him to be put at the head of an impromptu vigilance committee. He and his colleagues took the lead so effectively that within forty-eight hours the lawlessness was ended.
When he reached Panama, here too were found many gold seekers, many ill from fever, and the place was overcrowded because of insufficient transportation to San Francisco. Passage tickets were commanding exorbitant prices.
Anchored near the island of Taboga was the ship Humboldt, 500 tons burden, owned by a Frenchman, J. B. Ferand, used as a store ship for coal, and bonded in a large sum to remain there in that service. So great was the pressure to leave Panama, that a delegation waited on Ferand, and persuaded him to forfeit his bond, and send the ship to San Francisco, if he could secure four hundred passengers at $200 each, and providing that no cooked provisions were to be furnished by him except as could be prepared "once a day in a large fifty-gallon kettle." Hot coffee was to be distributed in the morning, and hot tea in the evening, and from the perusal of Lieut. Commanding McArthur's letters, it seems probable that the tea and coffee were prepared in the same large kettle with the meat and vegetables.
Four hundred persons were found who would pay the price, and Ferand had the hulk overhauled. When the Humboldt was watered and victualled, Ferand found he had no captain, and he opened negotiations with McArthur, who agreed to navigate the ship to San Francisco, in order to clear the city of Panama of as many men as possible, as the fever was daily growing more prevalent.
McArthur boarded the ship after the passengers were on ​board, and at once saw that there were more than the contracted for number, and that the ship was badly overcrowded. He made an investigation that showed that Ferand had sold four hundred and eighty tickets. He ordered the last eighty passengers to go ashore, and proceeded to enforce the order without delay. Fortunately a British brig put into Panama that day and her captain was willing to take the rejected passengers at the same rate.
The Humboldt sailed on May 21, 1849. Lieut. Commanding McArthur enforced strict discipline, as being the only means of securing safety and comfort of the passengers and crew. Among the former was Collis P. Huntington, for many years president of the Southern Pacific Company. In the spring of 1890, he recounted to Lewis Linn McArthur, the third son of Wm. P. McArthur, some of incidents of the trip. He stated that there was one exceptionally turbulent fellow aboard, who endeavored to provoke a quarrel with him, and threatened other passengers. When this reached Lieut. Commanding McArthur's ears, he immediately sought out the disturber, and cautioned him not to repeat his annoyances. The man resented this violently and McArthur immediately took his weapons from him and had him put in irons. In a few days his spirits had cooled, and he asked for pardon and promised that there would be no more troublesome conduct on his part.
The passage was very slow, requiring forty-eight days to reach Acapulco. When the Humboldt reached that port the passengers and crew were almost famished because of a shortage of food and water.
After a week's delay, the Humboldt proceeded to San Francisco, which port she reached in due time.
By the middle of September, 1849, the Ewing had arrived from New York, and Lieut. Commanding McArthur was installed aboard, but no sooner had he prepared for operations, than an incident occurred which gave him great annoyance. ​
THE PACIFIC COAST SURVEY 251
While the schooner was lying in San Pablo Bay, Past Mid- shipman Gibson was ordered ashore for some purpose, taking five men and a boat. When the boat had proceeded some dis- tance and the men thought themselves out of sight of the Ewingj they seized Gibson and threw him overboard, and made for the nearest shore. Fortunately McArthur was look- ing through his glasses at the time, and saw the whole occur- rence. He dispatched a boat to the relief of Gibson, who was rescued, and the deserters were overtaken and captured. They were tried by court martial, and two were condemned to be hanged, and lashes were ordered for the other three, as was the custom in those days. One of the leaders, John Black by name, was hanged on board the Ewing. In all of his letters McArthur mentions the inability to get men to carry on the survey, which was greatly delayed, and this fact discouraged him sorely at times. The high wages and allurements of the gold fields kept men from entering the government service at a few dollars a month, and such men as could be secured were generally worthless.
San Francisco was in the midst of the gold excitement, and in a letter dated September 23, 1849, McArthur wrote to his father-in-law, John J. Young, who was now a commander in the Navy, as follows : "People are still crowding here from all parts of the world, and everybody seems to be as crazy as ever, but good order seems to prevail, and you would be surprised to see how quietly business is carried on everything ship- shape and orderly. There is already a good police in San Francisco, and the same was established yesterday in Sacra- mento City, so if a Vagabond comes out here to cut up his capers, he is quite mistaken.
"There is no especial news here except that the convention for forming a state and state laws has been in session for some time, and have acquitted themselves with great dignity and good sense. They will have good, wholesome laws, I have no doubt.
"The joint commission for the selection of sites for Fortifi​
252 LEWIS A. MCARTHUR
cations, Navy Yards, Docks, etc., etc., are all here on board the Massachusetts. They are without men and have done ab- solutely nothing. They have borrowed some men from the Commodore 6 to enable them to run over to the Sandwich Islands and ship a crew. ... It is asserted that the islands are nearly depopulated already. I hope seamen may be had there, as I may be compelled to recruit there myself."
On October 26, 1849, Lieut. Commanding Me Arthur wrote to Commander Young, dating his letter from San Pablo Bay. Among other things he says :
"This country is truly one of the greatest wonders of any age. The increase of population is truly wonderful. Let us estimate San Francisco at 100,000 souls, Sacramento City 40,000, and Stockton 35,000 or nearly. Eighteen months ago there was scarcely 100 people in all three. There [are] many other places springing up into importance, and I am now making a survey of a place where great improvements must take place. But as it is an island, it will probably be reserved by Government, and I presume to think that it will be the site for the Navy Yard.
"As soon as I get through with this work, I will go on a cruise of reconnaissance to the northward, and hope to be re- paid by some discoveries. At all events, I would be pleased to leave San Francisco for a time.
"Captain Williams has not been able to do any work for want of hands his men all left him but one, and he is waiting to know whether he may be authorized to give California prices for assistants. He expects to hear from the Superin- tendent on the subject by the next steamer. The joint com- mission for Yards, Docks, Fortifications, etc., are used up. They are on board the Massachusetts, and will go to the Islands (Sandwich) in a few days for men. I may go there
6 Captain Thomas ap Catesby Jones, who had the frigate Savannah as his flagship. He commanded the American naval forces in the battle with the British near New Orleans in December, 1814, and it was he who made the premature attempt to capture Monterey, California, on October 19, 1842. When he found that the United States and Mexico were not at war, and that California had not been ceded to England, he withdrew his landing party. ​
THE PACIFIC COAST SURVEY 253
also bye and bye to run away from the incessant rains which are said to prevail with winter.
"[October] 27th. Today I commence work investigating the conveniences and inconveniences of Mares Island Straits with a view of ascertaining whether it would be a suitable place for a Navy Yard. I sincerely believe it to be the only good place in the whole bay. The weather is still warm and pleasant much more so than in August. Thousands of geese and brandts cover the hills in every direction, eating the wild oats, and the Coyotl, a small animal resembling a Fox, spoken of by Prescott (see Conquest of Mexico), is also very abund- ant.
"I am very much surprised to find so few fish here. We have not caught the first one, and yet they are very abundant further up the Rivers."
In December the Ewing made an extended trip to the Hawaiian Islands. Previous to his departure from San Fran- cisco, McArthur was deeply concerned about his health, but the beneficial climate of the islands restored him to his natural condition, and he returned to San Francisco early in 1850, greatly improved in body and in spirit.
This same spring, however, brought new disappointments to Lieut. Commanding McArthur, Interested as he was in the Coast Survey, the desultory way in which the government car- ried on the work discouraged him. For weeks the Riving lay idle in San Francisco Bay, while the government refused to pay the wages demanded by sailors. Few if any could be secured at the small pay offered by the Department. McArthur chafed at the delays, and finally after much labor the vacancies in the crew were filled, and on April 3, 1850, the Ewing sailed out of the Golden Gate headed for a reconnaissance of the northern coasts.
Just before leaving for the northern coasts McArthur wrote to Commander Young, dating his letter late in March. In addition to certain family matters, he wrote as follows : "I have made up my mind to be disappointed with regard to the prob​
254 LEWIS A. MCARTHUR
ability of our usefulness on this coast. Capt. Williams has as yet done nothing and Heaven only knows when he may be able to proceed with his labors. I have abandoned the hope of his being able to do anything. I feel confident that no work can go on at the present wages of the country as it would require the whole of the Coast Survey appropriation to keep a party together. Wages are still from five to twelve dollars per day, and if anything still rising as the mining sea- son opens. I have written to the Professor and laid my views fully before him.
"In a few days I go to the mouth of the Columbia River and shall make a reconnaissance of the coast both on my way up and returning. I propose also to choose Points for a Light house, Buoys, etc., at the mouth of that river. I shall then be at the end of my tether. It will take about 3 months to perform what is at present required of me and the Superin- tendent in that time will perceive how utterly vain it is to think of carrying on work here. I am now under the im- pression that we may be recalled or ordered to disband here in less than six months.
"The country is improving very much in this vicinity and I do not doubt but that San Francisco will be a large and beautiful city, already it has its public Square and churches and other Public Buildings which give it an air of importance. The country is becoming daily more settled and improved, but not so much as might be supposed from the great number of immigrants."
On April 13 he wrote Commander Young from Trinidad Bay as follows : "I may safely say that the only happy days I have spent in the country have been spent since we started. I am at last at work and most usefully employed in making a recon- naissance of the Coast as we go up. Great success has so far attended the undertaking, and I must say that I shall have good cause to congratulate myself if I am permitted to com- plete the work to the Columbia River. I am operating on my ​
THE PACIFIC COAST SURVEY 255
own hook (as the saying is) Capt. Williams being unable to obtain men with which to operate.
"We have completed a very correct outline of the coast, its headlands, Bays, Rivers and indentations from San Francisco to this place, as well as carrying on our soundings as we go, and the results are such as to please me very much. We have discovered many important errors in the charts of the coast, and shall probably discover greater discrepancies as we go to the north, as less is pretended to be known of the country in that direction.
"I shall start from here tomorrow and shall stop at Pt. Georges, distant about 40 miles to the northward of this place. . . . There are also vessels there and a settlement has been made. Rogues or Klamet River is my next stopping place, after that then the Columbia. I may be detained at point Georges Pt. some days, as I shall endeavor to secure the bodies of Lieuten- ants Ricd. Bache and Robert L. Browning, who were drowned at that place. 7
McArthur's next letter to Commander Young is dated As- toria, Oregon Territory, June 3, 1850. Among other things he says :
"We are now in Oregon, where I shall remain until I re- ceive further instructions or orders. I hope such will be given me as will permit us to proceed at once to work. We can live better and cheaper here than in any part of the coast. The ^almon is fine and abundant, but not so good as the shad. Butter is plenty at 62 to 75 cts pr. lb., fresh beef 20 cts. pr. Ib. The climate is agreeable and healthy. The water is not inferior to any in the world. The face of the country is too uneven to permit as general cultivation, still it will and must soon become a great agricultural and stock growing country.
7 Lieutenant Richard Bache and Lieutenant Robert L. Browning were drowned on the northwest coast of California on March 27, 1850, while making some special surveying investigations. Lieutenant Bache was the younger brother of Professor Bache. ​
256 LEWIS A. MCARTHUR
The scenery is beautiful and in some places and some points of view the grandest that the eye ever beheld. 8
"Lt. Blunt who is now with me has traveled considerably through the country and is so much pleased with it, that he has taken a section of land and made a regular claim to it, he has also taken one for myself and one for Lt. Bartlett, both ad- joining his ! What do you think of that? I intend to have my claim registered according to the custom of the country, and protect it as long as I may be on the coast. I may be able to sell it this fall to the emigrants. It lies in the Willammette Val- ley and is represented to be a beautiful location. If I could hold it for 5 years it would be a fortune.
"You can scarcely imagine the change in the prospects of this country since the discovery of the new south channel, and the arrival for the first time of the Pacific Mail Steamers. Property has advanced materially, and points along the river are of much importance, which have hither passed unnoticed.
"The greatest difficulty existing here at present is the want of acts of Congress to define the extent of land claims and to regulate all matters attending the surveying and giving titles, etc. Nothing exists in the shape of law. There already exists much confusion, which is not likely to decrease till laws be passed.
"The great probability is that Oregon will develop more rapidly for the next ten years than any other part of the United States except California. You will soon be startled with the cry that gold is found in Oregon. I have no doubt of its existence myself. It has already been found as far north as Rogues River and the mines on that River are being worked successfully. Several exploring expeditions are scouring the different directions. Their return is looked for with intense interest. You may depend upon receiving letters by every op-
8 Among those who made the trip from San Francisco to the Columbia River on the Ewing was William H. Packwood, now of Baker, Oregon, who is the sole survivor of the Oregon Constitutional Convention of 1857. Judge Packwood was one of a small party of the First U. S. Mounted Rifles that was transported from San Francisco to Oregon in the Ewing. For his description of the trip, see the Oregonian for February 20, 1915. ​
THE PACIFIC COAST SURVEY 257
portunity, but especially now by the regular mails. I do not like to trust my letters to ships. They are neglected and lost/'
On July 16,1850, McArthur wrote Commander Young as follows from Astoria: "Since I last wrote you I have been all through Puget's Sound, Hoods Canal, Admiralty Inlet, etc., etc. I went over in the Steamer Carolina. We stopped at Victoria on Vancouver Island, and spent a very pleasant night with Governor Douglas of the Hudson's Bay Company. In the morning we went over the farm, visited the dairy, and garden and fields. Everything wore a charming aspect. The wilderness is now in its incipient smile. In a few years it will increase to a broad grin.
"The waters of the sound are a strange and peculiar anomaly. The deep blue sea runs up inland passing between straits but half a mile wide with a depth of over an hundred fathoms. Bays, Harbours, Inlets and Roads startle you at every turn- ing, forming a perfect labyrinth. We journeyed on to Nis- qually in the steamer and there I took possession of the "Ship Albion" siezed by the collector of the district. She was siezed for a most flagrant violation of the revenue laws and also for committing depredations on our timber, etc., etc. I would have brought her here but could not obtain a crew. We then came across the country traveling through a splendid grazing country for the first 24 miles. Our horses being tired, we tarried 'till morning with an old Missourian. The next day we reached the Cowlitz, traveling all day through the most excellent farming country I have ever beheld. We staid all night at the house of an old Canadian who treated us very kindly. We started the next day in a canoe down the Cowlitz and arrived at the mouth of the Columbia without accident, where I found I had been absent from the Ewing just one month! I found the sweet little craft all right. Whilst at Nisqually we spent 4 days at the farm of the Puget's Sound Agricultural Society, and witnessed the interesting process of the shearing of ten thousand sheep !
"We have now nearly completed our work here and will soon ​
258 LEWIS A. MCARTHUR
top our boom southward reconnoitering the coast toward San Francisco, stopping- there for provisions, etc., etc. From there we shall go to Point Conception and perhaps San Diego.
"Notwithstanding the unfavorable circumstances under which we have labored, we shall have obtained many very im- portant results and now we have a land party under way we will proceed more rapidly. This winter I shall perhaps be at San Diego, and the next by the blessing of God I shall be at home."
The next letter is dated at San Francisco, August 27. "We arrived here safely on the 22nd. from a cruise along the coast. We have been successful in surveying the mouth of the Colum- bia River and up the same as far as Astoria. You will be surprised when I tell you that the dangers of the navigation of this truly magnificent river have been vastly exaggerated. We have crossed the bar sometimes as many as ten times a day for weeks together. More vessels have visited the Co- lumbia within the last year than perhaps ever before and not the slightest accident has occurred. We have completed our work faithfully. I feel sure the Superintendent will feel as much gratified as I do.
"On our way from the Columbia River we were successful enough to make a good reconnaissance of the whole coast from Cape Disappointment to this place and the limits of error may be estimated at one mile in longitude and an ^ mile in latitude. This I consider quite a triumph. We visited every river, bay and headland, and in fact sailed nine-tenths of the way within half a mile of the shore, anchoring every night and resuming our work in the morning. My fame (if any be merited) will rest upon this reconnaissance. I most heartily wish I could send you a copy of it. 9 The scale is ten times as large as that of Captain Wilkes and every accessory has been successfully attended to.
9 The three sheets of the Pacific Coast reconnaissance chart were engraved, printed and published in 20 working days from the time the drawings were first received at the Coast Survey Office in Washington a remarkable record. They are on a scale of about 1-850,000 or approximately i inch to 13. 5 miles. They may be found in the volume of accompanying papers to the annual report of the Superintendent of the Coast Survey for 1851. ​
THE PACIFIC COAST SURVEY 259
Upon my return here I find San Francisco very much im- proved. The Bay is alive with steamers of every size and beautiful brick buildings adorn many of the streets. Busi- ness is quite lively and the El Dorado is flourishing rapidly."
On September 15 Me Arthur wrote from San Francisco: "For my own part I do not deem a geodetic survey required at present. A reconnaissance and the establishment of Latitudes and Longitudes of the principal points, headlands Bays, an- chorages, harbors, etc., with a selection of points for Light- houses and Buoys and general Sailing directions would in my opinion meet the present exigencies and would enable us to investigate the manner, the best manner, of operating for the future. I have already expressed myself in these terms to the Supdt. and I believe his opinion coincides with mine.
"Every day almost I meet some friend or acquaintance from the States. Dr. Rutter, and Dr. Willson, 10 a young brother of Holt, is also here as well as several others from Portsmouth. Washington is also represented and at the Columbia River I met two troupes of Artisans from Baltimore, all old acquaint- ances.
"Commodore Jones is in many respects the finest naval offi- cer I have ever met. In point of foresight and good judg- ment he surpasses any."
On October 13, 1850, he wrote: "Since my arrival from Oregon I have been very busily engaged in preparing our work and reports for the past season and will complete every- thing tomorrow and place all in the hands of Lieut. W. A. Bartlett, who is charged with the charts, etc., and takes them on to Washington." Lieut. Commanding McArthur, in this letter described briefly his visit to the Hawaiian Islands the year before and his entertainment at the hands of His Hawaiian Majesty Kamehameha III. McArthur mentions the fact that by this time wages in the vicinity of San Francisco were grad- ually resuming normal figures. On Ocober 31 he wrote of the gloom cast over the city by the bursting of the boilers of the
10 Dr. R. B. Wilson, for many years a prominent physician of Portland. ​
260 LEWIS A. MCARTHUR
Mariposa, which killed some 30 persons. He had now been away from home for two years, and the departure of Bartlett, together with the knowledge that he would be away from his family for another year at least doubtless prayed on his mind, but on November 21 he received welcome news from Professor Bache to the effect that a contract was being signed for a 225-ton steamer 11 for the Pacific Coast work. McArthur was directed to return to Washington at once to examine the vessel and prepare plans for the season of 1851. Under these flat- tering circumstances and overjoyed at the prospect of so soon seeing the family he had for so long been separated from, he set sail from San Francisco for Panama on the Oregon, on December 1. Alas, he was never to reach his home. When but shortly out of San Francisco an acute attack of dysentery prostrated him completely, and despite medical assistance he died on December 23, 1850, just as the Oregon was entering Panama harbor. He was buried on the Island of Taboga. In 1867 his remains were moved to the Mare Island Navy Yard by Lieut. Commander McDougall.
On February 8, 1851, the members of the Coast Survey met in Washington to pay tribute to the memory of William Pope McArthur. Professor Bache and Brevet Major Isaac I. Stevens, U. S. Engineers, who was at that time attached to the Coast Survey, addressed the meeting and appropriate resolu- tions were passed. Professor Bache's words perhaps best summed up the work of Lieutenant Commanding McArthur, and showed the feelings of the Survey toward the deceased officer. Professor Bache said :
We are met here, as you all know, to pay a melancholy tribute of friendship and respect to one who was dear to us all dear as a brother to many of us. Instead of greeting his arrival among us as we had fondly hoped, in health, in the full flush of success, we meet to mourn together over his loss from our band. The work which he has accomplished will live forever. Surrounded by circumstances
ii The Corwin. Before the vessel was completed it was decided thit time could be saved by sending the steamer Jefferson to the Pacific Coast. The Jefferson was dismantled in a gale off Patagonia, and had to be abandoned. It, therefore, became necessary to send the Corwin after all. ​
THE PACIFIC COAST SURVEY 261
the most difficult, perhaps, which ever tried the constancy, the judgment, the resources of any hydrographer, he vanquished cir- cumstances. His reconnoissance of the western coast, from Mon- terey to Columbia river, and his preliminary survey there, were made in spite of desertion, and even mutiny; in despite of the in- adequacy of means to meet the truly extraordinary circumstances of the country. Happy that in his officers he had friends devoted to him and to their duty, especially happy in the officer next to him in the responsibilities of the work.
Prostrated by an attack of fever of a malignant type, contracted while preparing his vessel for sea, Lieutenant McArthur neverthe- less persisted in volunteering for the charge of the hydrographical party on the western coast. A subsequent relapse did not abate his determination to enter as a pioneer upon this arduous service, trying alike to his powers of mind and body. Steady in the midst of excitement, he laid his plans in the way to command success. Seizing the peculiar wants of the hydrography of that coast, he applied all his energies to supply them. The gratitude of his fellow- citizens there is already his; the praise of a new country, the re- sources of which he had aided in developing.
He has been called away just as his wishes were realized, ample means provided, and the first and worst difficulties overcome. In his letters and reports he urged strongly the necessity for enlarged appropriations, and for a steam vessel for the hydrography. His last letters from this office brought him news that both his wishes were gratified, and called him home to make the enlarged arrange- ments for continuing his work. The arrival of Mr. Cutts with instructions, as late as the beginning of October, confirmed the necessity of his return, and he took passage in the steamer Oregon, commanded by his friend, Lieutenant Patterson.
An attack of dysentery prostrated him completely, and from this, in spite of the best medical attendance, of such nursing and attend- ance as only the circumstances to which I have referred could in- sure, he rallied but for a time, and sunk to his final rest before he could be landed at Panama. His remains were consigned to a foreign soil, to be brought, let us hope, to his country, where all his affections centered.
He has not lived in vain. His name will ever be bright in the annals of our Survey, whether in the more usual labors on our Atlantic coast, or as the pioneer on the shores of the Pacific. Always advancing as life advanced the last his crowning work.
Professor Bache having concluded his remarks, Lieut. Wash- ington A. Bartlett, U. S. N., arose and said:
Mr. Chairman and Gentlemen: After the appropriate and feel​
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ing remarks of the chairman, it is unnecessary for me to add more than to say that when I left Captain McArthur on the western coast he was in excellent health and buoyant spirits, in view of what had been, and what he hoped yet to accomplish. It was my good fortune to be long associated with him, and that associa- tion caused me to love him as a brother. I will not detain you, but offer the following resolutions for your consideration:
1. Resolved, That the civilians and officers of the army and navy engaged on the United States Coast Survey, now assembled in Washington, have received with feelings of deep emotion the melancholy intelligence of the death of Lieut. Commanding Wm. P. McArthur, U. S. Navy, Assistant in the Coast Survey; and that in his sudden and unexpected decease the navy has lost one of its most gallant and accomplished officers, and the Coast Survey one of its most zealous and efficient laborers.
2. Resolved, That the successful reconnoissance of the western coast of the United States, from Monterey to Columbia river, and the preliminary survey of the entrance to the Columbia, accom- plished under the most peculiar and extraordinary diffculties, while they are proofs of his unconquerable energy, determination, and skill, have forever identified the name of Wm. P. McArthur with the progress of the Republic in the West.
3. Resolved, That we most sincerely sympathize with the bereaved and afflicted family of our generous and warm-hearted friend in their irreparable loss, and commend the widow and or- phans to the gratitude of the Republic to whose service the hus- band and father was so ardently devoted throughout his life.
4. Resolved, That Professor A. D. Bache, Superintendent of the United States Coast Survey; Brevet Major I. I. Stevens, of the United States Engineers; Lieutenant M. Woodhull, of the United States Navy; Mr. J. J. Ricketts, of the United States Coast Sur- vey, and Passed Midshipman R. M. Cuyler, of the United States Navy, be a committee to take the necessary measures to have erected, in the Congressional burying ground, a suitable monu- ment commemorative of the services and virtues of the deceased.
5. Resolved, That a copy of these resolutions be communicated to the Navy and Treasury Departments, with a request that they be placed on the files, and also to the family of the deceased, and that they be published.
6. Resolved, That the officers of the Coast Survey will wear a badge of mourning for thirty days in further testimony of their regard for the memory of the late Lieutenant Commanding Wil- li?m P. McArthur. ​
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Major Stevens, in seconding the resolution, addressed the meet- ing as follows:
I rise, Mr. Chairman, in the name of one of the co-ordinate services associated on duty here, to pay a tribute to the memory of Lieut. McArthur. I can add nothing to the remarks that have been already made. I simply propose to pay a tribute of feeling and respect.
It was not my fortune to know Lieut. McArthur personally. But I feel that I know him well through his works. They hold up his character as worthy of all respect and admiration. In prosecut- ing his labors on the Pacific shore he exhibited a constancy, an energy, and a rare force of command which enabled him to triumph over almost insuperable difficulties. These qualities would have made him conspicuous in any career. He possessed all the ele- ments of the heroic spirit. Trials which bowed down the strength of strong men gave his feeble frame almost superhuman strength; and he accomplished, in the midst of sickness and physical de- pression, of mutiny and desertion, labors that those most highly favored by health and appliances would have shrunk from. His example appeals to us with irresistible force. How can we yield to despondency witnessing his lion heart accomplishing its great purpose giving vigor to a worn-out frame, and snatching success from the elements of defeat?
McArthur was an ornament to both services with which he was connected to that larger service, the profession of his youth, in which he took such pride; and to that other service to which his maturer years have been applied. He has, in the words of the resolutions, for ever identified his name with the progress of the Republic in the West. It has gone into history, and will hence- forth be associated with those of Decatur and of Perry.
The resolutions having been agreed to unanimously, the meet- ing adjourned sine die.
(Signed) A. D. BACHE, Chairman.
THORNTON A. JENKINS, Secretary.
Under the date of December, 1850, and published probably early in 1851, the Coast Survey issued a small pamphlet en- titled "Notices of the Western Coast of the United States." This pamphlet contained eight notices, all of them by McArthur and Bartlett, which dealt with Pacific Coast matters. A brief synopsis of these notices follows :
"No. 1. Sailing Directions to Accompany the New Chart of the Western Coast of the U. S. First edition, published ​
264 LEWIS A. MCARTHUR
December, 1850." We will omit the general directions and the directions for Sheet No. 1, and part of Sheet No. 2. The remaining- directions are as follows :
"Klamath river has 15 feet on the bar at low water. It is not difficult of entrance with a good breeze, but very difficult to get out of, the current running so strong that sailing vessels must come out stern foremost to be steered. There is a staff on the south side of the river, on which a white flag, with black ball, is generally hoisted.
"Port St. George is a safe anchorage in the summer at the point indicated by the anchor. The reef off Cape St. George consists of rocky islets. The in-shore channel is good and clear, and shown by the track of the schooner Ewing. From Pelican Bay, with a breeze, take this channel.
"From Cape St. George to the Toutounis, or Rogue's river, there are no special dangers. In the summer, vessels may anchor any- where along the coast, and there are landing places south of all the rocky points. The Toutounis, or Rogue's river, has but 10 feet on the bar, is rapid, and passes between high mountains.
"Avoid the kelp, which indicates rocks under water, and do not approach the shore at night.
"Ewing harbor 12 is a safe anchorage in summer. There is no surt in the landing cove."
"From Cape St. George to Cape Orford, 13 the coast is thickly inhabited by bands of wild Indians, and care is necessary not to be surprised by them.
"There is a reef of rocky islets off Cape Orford.
"From Cape Orford to Cape Arago, there is no danger clear of the beach.
"The Kowes river 14 has not yet been examined. The anchorage to the northward of the bluff is good.
"The Umpqua is accessible for steamers, and for small sailing vessels only, under very favorable circumstances.
"When off Cape Arago, in clear weather, the high sand bluffs of the Umpqua are plainly seen."
"The coast from the Umpqua river to the Columbia is generally bordered by a sand beach, with white sand hills, and the interior is densely wooded with fir or pine. The cliffs, when they occur, are bold, but afford no shelter for anchoring. In the summer, a vessel may anchor in twenty fathoms off any of these beaches.
12 Ewing Harbor is now known as Port Orford,
13 Cape Orford is now Cape Blanco,
14 Kowes River Coos Bay. ​
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"The Alseya, Yaquinna, and Killamook 15 rivers require further examination.
"In proceeding to the northward in winter, make Killamook head, and if the weather renders approach to the bar of the Co- lumbia undesirable, keep to the southward of Cape Hancock, (Dis- appointment,) as the current is northwardly in winter.
"There are good pilots in attendance at the mouth of the Co- lumbia, and the chart of the entrance and bar will give directions for approaching. The pilots are usually off the south channel in a small schooner showing a fly at the main. If not seen, fire your guns.
"Cape Hancock (Disappointment) has several trees trimmed up, showing a 'broom top/ and may be thus known from the cape to the northward of Shoal- Water bay.
"To avoid mistaking Shoal-Water bay for the mouth of the Columbia (the soundings being similar), make Killamook head. Never omit this in winter. There are no dangers of the beach northward of Killamook head, and the soundings in approaching it are regular.
"Note. Notwithstanding the remarks as to the general fact of the winds prevailing in the N. W. and N. N. W. quarter during the summer, it is proper to state that, in the month of June, 1850, the winds to the northward of San Francisco were light from the southward and westward, with showers north of Mendocino for the whole month, and the coasters ran to the northward with all steering sails.
"It is, however, yet to be demonstrated whether June is a regu- lar period of southerly breezes."
"No. 2. Islands and Rivers." McArthur states that he considers the "Farr all ones" to be the only islands deserving of the name between Monterey and the Columbia River, and recommends that a lighthouse be placed on them. Under the head of "Rivers," he mentions the following Oregon streams :
"The Klamath. On the bar of this river there are 17 feet water at mean low water. The channel is so narrow, and the current so strong, that I deem it unsafe for sailing vessels. Steamers are re- quired to make this river useful.
"Rogue's river. This river has 10 feet water on the bar at the mouth, at mean low water; but it is too narrow for sailing vessels, as there is scarcely room to turn in the channel.
"The Coquille river is not available for any thing larger than small boats and canoes.
15 The early spellings of Tillamook were all with a K, indicating a guttural pronunciation. ​
266 LEWIS A. MCARTHUR
"The Kowes. This river was not so closely examined, but to judge by appearances at the mouth, I do not hesitate to express the opinion that it will be found to be available and very useful for steamers.
"The Umpqua. I crossed the bar of this river in the second cutter, in 14 feet water, and passed into three fathoms on the inside of the bar, the rollers breaking at the time all the way across the channel. The channel, in my opinion, is practicable for steamers, but dangerous to sailing vessels, unless under very favorable cir- cumstances.
"The remaining rivers to the northward can only be entered by small boats, except, perhaps, the 'Yaquinna/ which might be en- tered by vessels of a larger class.
"In making my report, with regard to the navigation of these rivers, I beg leave to be considered as only giving my opinion, un- less in case when I mention particularly the depth of water, then, of course, I speak authoritatively. I would recommend, however, an early and detailed examination of all; and for this purpose a steamer is indispensable. All of which is respectfully submitted by your obedient servant."
"No. 3. Columbia River, Oregon." This is the first hydro- graphic notice ever published by the Coast Survey for the Pacific Coast, and should be reproduced in full on that account. It follows :
"Sailing directions for entering the Columbia river 16 as far as the harbor of Astoria, by Lieut. Commanding W. P. McArthur, U. S. N., Assistant in the Coast Survey.
"It is best under all circumstances to have a pilot; but should it be necessary to enter the river without one, the directions for the north channel are: First, bring Sand Island in range with Point Ellice, and stand in towards Sand Island, passing the south end of the north breaker; when Cape Disappointment and Leading- in-Cliff are in range, haul up towards the Cape, keeping Leading- in-Cliff in range until nearly abreast the Cape. Give the Cape a small berth, and continue on towards Baker's Bay until the second island in the bay can be seen; then keep off, and with the second island and Cape in range astern, it will pass clear of the north part of the Middle Sands. As soon as the soundings shoal on this course, keep off towards Sand Island, and passing close by the east end
1 6 The Columbia River chart, on a scale of 1-4,000 or about one inch to five- eighths of a statute mile, may be found in the accompanying papers to the annual report of the Superintendent of the Coast Survey for 1851. ​
THE PACIFIC COAST SURVEY 267
of the island, get the beacon on the island in range with a tree on Cape Disappointment (which is trimmed up like an umbrella), and with that range astern, stand on up the bay until the custom- house is on with Young's Point, when haul to the east, and keep the last range on till nearly up with Young's Point. Pass along the south shore, running by the lead until up to Astoria.
"To enter the south channel, bring the beacon on Sand Island to bear north 40 degrees east, (true,) and Point Adams on the peak, which can be seen east of Point Ellice, and called 'Jim Crow/ (upon which there is a notable tree,) nearly in range, the vessel will be then on the bar in the south channel in the best water. Steer for the beacon, taking care not to sag to the eastward; rather keep close to the breakers on the Sand Island shore. Pass close to Sand Island, and fall into the range of the beacon with the trimmed tree on Cape Disappointment, and proceed as already directed.
"The best time for entering is on the first or last of the ebb tide. The last of the ebb tide is preferable in either channel,"
No. 4 consists of notes on the new chart of the Columbia River, by Lieutenant Commanding McArthur, and is worded as follows:
"Notes on the new chart of Columbia river, from a preliminary survey, by Lieut. Commanding W. P. McArthur, U. S. N., As- sistant in the Coast Survey.
U. S. Surveying Schooner Ewing,
San Francisco, September 25, 1850. Sir:
"When comparing our chart with that of the Exploring Expedi- tion, the changes of the channels and shoals at the mouth of the Columbia river will be found to be numerous and considerable. Sand Island is nearly a mile further to the westward now than it was in 1840-'41. The north channel seems to be gradually filling up, whilst the new south channed is becoming both larger and deeper. This change will go on until some violent storm will throw up the sand again, and upon subsiding leave the water of the river to find a new channel.
"I have examined all the charts that have been made of the Columbia river from the time of its discovery to the present, and find that there has been continued changes going on, but at all times has there been a good deep channel at the mouth of this river. ​
268 LEWIS A. Me ARTHUR
To these changes in the channel is to be attributed the great dread which navigators have had of the Columbia.
"There is now a good Pilot at the mouth of the Columbia, and I have recommended a Light-house on Cape Disappointment, and five buoys to be placed in such a manner as best to point out the channel. I would also recommend that these be placed under the superintendence of the Pilot, who will always know when any change in the channel takes place, and he can move them to such positions as he might think best. By this means, the dangers and delays attending the navigation of the Columbia would be vastly diminished.
"The greatly increasing commerce of Oregon demands that these improvements be made immediately. The more especially since the Columbia is the most important portion of Oregon for the pur- suits of commerce.
"After crossing the bar, there is a good, unobstructed channel for ships up as far as Astoria, beyond which Tongue Point bar presents quite a serious obstacle to vessels drawing sixteen or even fifteen feet water. The channel over this bar is very crooked and shallow; vessels seldom pass it without delay. Once beyond Tongue Point bar, vessels can easily go up the Columbia as far as Fort Vancouver, on the Columbia, and Portland, on the Wil- lammette river. I am of the opinion, however, that the time is at hand when the navigation of the Columbia river will be conducted by steam vessels as far down as Astoria.
"The harbor of Astoria is perfectly safe and capacious; abund- ance of wood and water can easily be procured. The holding ground is good.
"Within the last eighteen months, more vessels have crossed the Columbia river bar than had crossed it perhaps in all time past, and during that time no vessel has received the slightest injury; and but few have met with much delay.
"I would request that our Chart of the Columbia may be pub- lished as soon as may be practicable."
I am, very respectfully and truly yours, (Signed) WM. P. McARTHUR,
Lieut. Com'g and Assistant U. S. Coast Survey.
"To Professor A. D. Bache,
Superintendent U. S. Coast Survey, Washington, D. C."
"Note. This Chart will be published at the Coast Survey office about the tenth of March, 1851.
"No. 5. Columbia River, Oregon." This note by Bartlett relates to the draught of vessels that may be taken over the ​
THE PACIFIC COAST SURVEY 269
Columbia River bar, and the statement is made that vessels drawing 17 feet could be taken over the south bar at ^ flood or 24 eD b without the least risk. In addition, this notice says :
"In addition, I would state that my experience at the mouth of the Columbia, has convinced me that the south channel is the prac- ticable commercial channel of that river for certainty and safety, with the additional advantage of accomplishing the passage, to or from the river, without waiting for a particular wind. Ships fre- quently pass the bar inward in fifteen minutes after receiving their pilot, and outward in thirty minutes after getting their anchors.
"A disabled ship, that can be sailed so as to have good steerage way, can pass over the south bar in safety, when it would be im- possible to get her in by the north channel.
"From the 18th of April, to the 5th of August, 1850, there was no day that the south channel was not practicable for vessels, and was in daily use.
"I crossed the bar (south channel) in the pilot-boat 'Mary Taylor' during the 'heaviest bar' that occurred within the above named period, beating out with the wind ahead.
"The principal pilot of the bar is Captain White, late pilot of New York harbor; he is very intelligent, and competent to his duties, and no accident has occurred at the mouth of the Columbia since September, 1849, when he commenced his duties as pilot.
"The commerce of the Columbia river the great artery of the fertile valleys of the Columbia and its tributaries is rapidly in- creasing; the Pacific Mail Steamship Company's steamers now proceed to Astoria, and return to San Francisco with the monthly mails. A small steamer has been built at Astoria, and is now employed in the river trade. A second steamer was on the stocks when we left the river.
"Regular lines of sailing and steam-propeller vessels, are also established between San Francisco and the various towns on the Columbia; also to Nisqually, and other points in Puget's sound."
No. 6 relates to the lights deemed necessary for San Fran- cisco Bay and its approaches.
No. 7 relates to the report of Bartlett on the proposed light- house at Cape Disappointment, which is as follows :
Washington, November 29, 1850.
"Sir: In answer to your inquiries as to the character of the Light-house, which should be erected at Cape Hancock or Dis- appointment, at the mouth of the Columbia River, Oregon Terri​
270 LEWIS A. MCARTHUR
tory, and for information as to the locality on which it should be placed, &c.:
"I have the honor to state, that Cape Hancock or Disappoint- ment, at the mouth of the Columbia River, Oregon Territory, where it is proposed by a late act of Congress to erect the prin- cipal Light-house for that river, is a bold cliff of columnar basalt, rising perpendicularly from the sea to variable heights of from 200 to 300 feet, terminating in unequal rolling summits, covered with a rich and fertile soil.
"These summits vary also in width from ten to fifty feet at the apex, whence they slope by a quick descent to the northward; the northern or inrshore face of the hills being covered by a dense growth of gigantic pine, alder, and other trees, with a thick growth of vines, 'Salmon Berry,' and other shrubbery.
"The summit of the sea-cliffs (which are not covered by the forest) is the proper position for locating the Light-house, say within two to four hundred yards to the westward of 'Broom Sta- tion,' as given in our triangulation of the river: should the Tower be placed there, it will show the light from the lanthorn around three-fourths of the horizon, without the necessity of felling the trees to the northward.
"In this position, the base of the Tower will be about 250 feet above high water mark, and should the Tower be raised 80 feet to the deck of the Lanthorn (and in my opinion it should not be less) on a base of 25 feet diameter, it will be a prominent land mark, for making the Cape in the day time.
"The lanthorn or light, which is to be placed on the tower, should be of a power not less than the best Light on Navesink; in other words, a Marine light of the first power.
"The Tower should be constructed of fire-proof materials, and no wood whatever should be admitted into the construction of the building; as there is at all times much danger of the forest being fired to the northward, which, in such a case, would inevitably destroy the building.
"From the cove in Baker's Bay, where the materials would be landed, the distance is about 1,000 yards by a path, now greatly obstructed by huge trees which have fallen across it. It must ever be a difficult matter to transport any great amount of bulk or weight to the summit; a good road must first be made. Whether the tower is constructed of wood, iron, or brick, the material must be transported in small parcels.
"When such a tower as I have contemplated is lighted up by a light of the first power, it will be clearly visible for a distance of nine leagues at sea, from the N. W. by the W. and S. W. to the ​
THE PACIFIC COAST SURVEY 271
south, and by the east for the entire width of the river, and for the same distance up the Columbia.
"A light on Cape Hancock, or Disappointment, will be of vast importance to the rapidly increasing commerce of Oregon, as it will enable all vessels to approach the coast boldly, and then to maintain their positions on pilot-ground till daylight, when they will at once be taken into port by highly intelligent pilots now fully established there.
"Very respectfully, sir, I have the honor to be, your ob't serv't, "(Signed) WASHINGTON A. BARTLETT,
"Lieut. U. S. N., Assistant Coast Survey. "To Professor A. D. Bache,
"Superintendent U. S. Coast Survey."
No. 8 is Lieut. Commanding McArthur's report on the establishment of lights at "Cape Flattery and New Dungen- ness, Oregon." This report is as follows :
"U. S. Surveying Schooner Ewing,
"San Francisco, September 25, 1850.
"Dear Sir: The portion of your instructions relating to the in- vestigation of the necessity, or otherwise, of light-houses at Cape Flattery and New Dungenness, has been attended to, and I beg to report as follows:
"I have carefully examined the roadstead of New Dungenness, and find it to be safe and capacious. The holding ground is ex- cellent, and it is well protected from all winds except those from the N. E.; a quarter from which it seldom or never blows so hard as to endanger shipping.
"The ingress and egress are remarkably convenient.
"A point, two and a fourth miles in length, extends from the main land, and completely shelters the anchorage from the strong and prevalent northwest winds. This point is quite low and nar- row, and not discernible at night. On the extremity of this point, I would recommend a light-house of the first power to be built; the shaft to be not less than 80 feet in height. Thus situated, it would guard navigators against the spit, as well as point out the anchorage. The entrance is entirely clear; but, as the profile of the bottom is so precipitous, I would advise navigators to come to anchor in not less than 10 to 13 fathoms water.
"A light-house is much needed also at 'Cape Flattery'; and I would recommend that it be situated on 'Tatoochi island,' a small island almost touching the northwest extremity of Cape Flattery.
"To vessels bound from seaward, a light-house on this island ​
272 LEWIS A. MCARTHUR
would be of much assistance. It would enable them to enter the straits, when the absence of a light would frequently compel them to remain at sea till daylight. Once inside the straits, vessels are comparatively secure.
"The advantage of having the light-house situated on the island instead of on the extremity of the Cape is, that it would serve as a guide to vessels seeking Neap or Scarborough's harbor, a small but secure harbor of refuge about four miles inside the straits. Strong contrary currents will cause navigators to seek this little harbor quite frequently.
"Traffic is very much on the increase in Oregon; and, while it must be admitted that the great increase has been on the Colum- bia river, yet it has also much improved on the Sound. Lumber has become an extensive article of export, and it is quite probable that there is no country on the face of the globe where it is so abundant, so good, and so convenient.
"It seems to me that the Government should be informed that ships are continually arriving at different points of the Sound to obtain spars and lumber, (they of course take the best and most convenient,) and it might be deemed advisable on the part of the Government to take means to arrest these depredations. I had occasion to witness them, and was called upon by General John Adair, the collector for the district of Oregon, to assist him in enforcing the revenue laws, and arrest even foreign vessels from smuggling and cutting our timber. See his report on the subject to the honorable Secretary of the Treasury.
I am, very respectfully, &c., truly yours, "(Signed) WM. P. McARTHUR,
"Lieut. Commanding and Assistant U. S. Coast Survey.
"To Professor A. D. Bache,
"Superintendent U. S. Coast Survey, Washington, D. C."
Among the papers of Lieut. Commanding McArthur was found a letter apparently addressed to him, and signed by George Gibbs, dated at Astoria, November 23, 1850. There seems no doubt but that it was written by the pioneer ethnol- ogist of Oregon. It follows :
"Dear Sir : Mr. Frost forgot to procure from you a power of attorney to sell lots at this place when he was in San Fran- cisco. It is very desirable that some one should possess the power of sale here, as it would take too long to send around to the various owners in case a purchaser appeared. Will you be good enough therefore to forward one and in case you write to Mr. Bartlett, to request a similar power from him. I intend ​
THE PACIFIC COAST SURVEY 273
soon after the steamer is out to prepare some papers which will place the affairs of the property in better order and will advise you of them. When Mr. DeWitt was here I was in some doubt whether Frost had deeded to you the exact amount he intended to. I now propose to divide it into shares, which will be a common divisor of every man's interest, and that stock or scrip be issued accordingly. Please let me know what you think of the proposal, and if you can assent to it on Mr. Bartlett's behalf. If aye, whether I shall issue your scrip to you jointly or severally. Very truly yours, etc.,
George Gibbs.
"I see a letter in the Pacific News of Oct. 24, signed by a man named Morse, puffing Pacific City in a most preposterous style. He is a person whom Dr. White brought in on the Ocean Bird to lecture up his town throughout Oregon. The letter was written before the animal had ever seen the country. I understand also that another of his new importations, a "Professor Jackman," has written something in a similar vein, but attacking Astoria, and a Weekly Cal. Courier of some- time since had an article signed by Edmonds and Edwards stating that they had piloted in or out over 200 vessels in three years, and that Bakers Bay was the only good harbor. I be- lieve that you yourself know that this statement is false on the face of it, as that number of passages of the bar did not occur previous to White's coming here and that Latty and Reve were the pilots. Now is it worth while to answer these things over two or three signatures, or say a dozen? I have only the Pacific News of the 24th in my possession. If you think that I can procure the other two papers, please send them. Jack- man's article was in the News sometime in October Edmonds' in the Courier of I believe the same month. It struck me that as there was one responsible or at any rate actual name, it might be time to pounce on Dr. White as a humbug. But you can best judge from your position whether he is effecting any- thing. I have sent by this mail two memorials to Thurston against the removal of the Custom house, and have one on the desk signed by shipmasters and owners."
In 1876 the United States government built the schooner Me Arthur at Mare Island, California, and named her in honor of Lieut. Commanding William Pope McArthur. For the past 39 years the McArthur has been in practically continuous service in the work of the Coast and Geodetic Survey on the Pacific Coast. The vessel is 115 feet long and of 220 gross tons, and has long since served her usefulness. In his last ​
274 LEWIS A. MCARTHUR
annual report, Secretary of Commerce Redfield strongly con- demns the government for requiring men to go to sea in such a ship.
In 1886, Lieutenant James M. Helm, U. S. N., surveying certain parts of the Alexander archipelago in southeastern Alaska, was in command of the Me Arthur, and he named McArthur Peak, 2239 feet high, on Kuiu Island, in honor of his vessel, and he also named Port McArthur on the same island for the McArthur.
The Coast and Geodetic Survey named McArthur Reef, in Sumner Strait, off the mouth of Clarence Strait, in the Alex-
A REVIEW.
(Reprinted from the American Historical Review.)
This account of the occupation of the gold bearing placer regions of the upper Eraser, Columbia and Missouri rivers in the decade following 1855 exhibits three salient and dominating ideas of the author: This movement of population is viewed as part of the formation and advance of an eastward moving frontier. The American frontier had in the decade from 1840 to 1850 leaped from the banks of the Missouri to the valleys of the Willamette and Sacramento. Now it recoiled eastward and met half way the old frontier still advancing westward. Secondly, the writer is concerned in tracing the rise of mining camps, with many diverse elements of population suddenly congregated, to orderly, well-organized communities. His leading idea, however, has to do with the contrast between the courses of development of those under British jurisdiction and those under American authorities.
Professor Trimble's narrative is a remarkably clear, wellordered and comprehensive handling of a large and difficult subject. The physiographical features of the wilderness of the "inland empire," the Indian tribes in possession and the sources of the population that took part in the "rushes" are graphically outlined. The vicissitudes of trial and hardship in getting to the remote locations of the different discoveries with supplies ​and the experiences of privation and danger in the early stages of the development of each camp are well worked out and told largely in the language of reliable contemporary accounts of participants. Following a realistic survey of the salient features of the rushes to the different localities of gold discovery, the economic, social and political or law-and-order aspects of these "mining advances" are brought out. The fact that these mining communities were about equally divided between British and American jurisdiction, half situated north of the 49th parallel and half south of that line, afforded excellent opportunity to Dr. Trimble to give his history the point of the record of a social experiment and verification. He establishes convincingly that the physiography of these British and American localities and the constituent elements of the population of the respective groups of mining camps north and south of the line were not divergent enough to account for the contrasting types of life and institutions developed in them. In other words, the principle of economic determinism or that of the controlling sway of the self-maintenance mores does not find confirmation in the early history of the "Inland Empire." Moreover, the virtue and efficiency of the British tradition of law and administration quite outshine what is exhibited of social control on the American side. Constituted authorities are equal to the emergencies with one, while vigilance committees and lynch law have to function with the other to secure safety for life and property.
Obituary
On March 30, 1915, Mr. Thomas Wickham Prosch, Mrs. Virginia McCarver Prosch, Miss Margaret Lenora Denny and Mrs. Harriet Foster Beecher, all of Seattle, Washington, lost their lives in an automobile accident while returning home from a visit to the Washington Historical Society at Tacoma. All four of these unfortunate persons were intimately associated with the history of the Pacific Northwest, the first three from the earliest days, as is indicated by the following:
Mr. Prosch, it will be remembered, delivered the last annual address before the Oregon Historical Society on December 19, 1914. He became a member of this society in 1904 and was a frequent contributor to the pages of The Quarterly. He was born in Brooklyn, N. Y., June 2, 1850, of German and English ancestry. He came with his parents to the Pacific Coast in 1855, and San Francisco became the abiding place of the family until February, 1858, when removal was made to Steilacoom, Pierce county, Washington Territory, where the father, having had many years experience in the printing and newspaper business, established a newspaper called the Puget Sound Herald, the first issue being on March 12, 1858—the third paper in Washington Territory. At the age of nine Mr. Prosch began learning to set type in his father's office, and continued for six years. At fifteen he was a salesman in a store; a hand in a logging camp at seventeen; legislative clerk at nineteen; clerk and inspector in the custom house at Port Townsend at twenty; and between times worked at his trade. In 1872 he became the owner of the Pacific Tribune at Olympia. In 1873 he moved his plant to Tacoma, and in 1875 to Seattle. From that date to 1886 he was identified with the newspapers of that city, chiefly, the Post-Intelli​gencer. In 1876 Mr. Prosch was appointed postmaster of Seattle by President Grant, which office he resigned in 1878. In 1890 he supervised the municipal census of Seattle, and in 1891-1893 was a member of the Seattle Board of Education. In 1894-95 he with two other men platted and appraised the tide lands of the state in front of Tacoma, Ballard and Seattle—3,500 acres, all in King county. Soon after the latter date Mr. Prosch practically retired from active business, except so far as was necessary in the performance of the duties involved by his connection with civic organizations, and pioneer and historical societies. In connection with the latter bodies he was the author of several pamphlets and books of a descriptive and historical character, as well as many newspaper contributions along the same line, all of which, by virtue of his painstaking efforts, have become important sources of early history.
On September 12, 1877, Mr. Prosch was married to Miss Virginia McCarver, a daughter of Morton Matthew and Mrs. Julia Ann McCarver, pioneers of 1843 and 1847. She was born on a farm near Oregon City, April 17, 1851. In 1858 the family removed to Portland, and Miss McCarver secured her education at the Portland Academy and Female Seminary, and at Spencer Hall, Milwaukie, which was the beginning of what afterwards became known as St. Helen's Hall, Portland. In 1868 the McCarver family removed to Tacoma, and in 1870 Miss McCarver became the second school teacher in that city. With the exception of a year spent in California, she followed the vocation of teaching until her marriage. Six children were born to Mr. and Mrs. Prosch, five daughters and one son, and three daughters and the son survive their parents. Miss Denny was the daughter of the late Arthur A. and Mrs. Mary A. Denny, pioneers from Knox county, Ill., where she was born on August 14, 1847. The family arrived at Portland on August 23, 1851, and a few months later embarked on the schooner Exact for Puget Sound, in what was then known as Northern Oregon. The vessel arrived at Alki ​Point—West Seattle of the present day—on Nov. 13, 1851, and twenty-four persons—twelve adults and twelve children—disembarked; several of them remained there, and thus became the first settlers and founders of Seattle. Miss Denny's father took a claim of three hundred and twenty acres on Feb. 15, 1852, under the Oregon donation land law of September 27, 1850, and in the subsequent years this came to be the site of what at the present day is the heart of Seattle. On the death of her father and mother she inherited an ample fortune. This was most liberally used in promoting- the public welfare, particularly for the support of charitable institutions, schools, churches, and for perpetuating the memory of pioneers. She is survived by four brothers and one sister, all residents of Seattle.
Mrs. Beecher was the wife of Captain H. F. Beecher, a son of the Rev. Henry Ward Beecher, the famous preacher and lecturer of Brooklyn, New York. She and her husband went to Washington Territory more than thirty years ago, and for a few years made their home at Port Townsend, where he was engaged in steamboat service, both as master and pilot. About twenty years ago this family removed to Seattle, and there, Mrs. Beecher became a recognized leader in literary, musical and art circles, and achieved an enviable reputation as a portrait painter.
The untimely and tragic death of these four persons, so closely associated in supporting institutions for public service, is not only an irreparable loss to the immediate relatives, and the organizations to which they contributed most liberally, but also to a wide circle of intimate friends. And of the latter, none can be more deeply affected than the writer of the foregoing feeble tribute to their worth, because of the cordial relations which have existed for more than fifty years between the first three named and himself.
George H. Himes.
Correspondence of the
Reverend Ezra Fisher
Pioneer Missionary of the American Baptist Home Mission Society in Indiana, Illinois, Iowa and Oregon
Edited by
SARAH FISHER HENDERSON NELLIE EDITH LATOURETTE KENNETH SCOTT LATOURETTE
Oregon City, Oregon Ter., February 26th, 1846.
Dear Brother:
After a protracted journey of more than seven and a half months and a distance of more than 2500 miles, we now find ourselves situated in the lower part of Oregon in the midst of an extremely interesting country, but in all the rudeness of nature. Consequently you will not be disappointed when you learn the true state of society as it exists in this place and the surrounding country. I arrived with my family at the Tuallity Plains about the 6 of December last, after traveling in the rains about 15 days and having occasional rains for the preceding month. When you learn that I walked further than would cover the whole distance of the journey, bearing my full proportional part of the services of the company, and that neither myself nor family laid off our clothing more than four or five nights during the whole journey, always sleeping in our tent on the ground, you will not be surprised that we were worn down with protracted fatigue and care. But a merciful Providence has sustained us all the way through the wilderness and blessed us with more than a usual measure of health and strength. Yet the last month I found my strength ​gradually yielding. On our arrival, although we were greeted with kindness by the few brethren we met, we did not find our lot cast in the midst of wealthy churches who were participating in the fruits of centuries of labours in civilization and Christianity. We were, however, kindly received into the cabin of Br. Lenox where we have resided up to the present, and, although his house contains but one room, about 18 feet by 22, without a single pane of glass, and his family consists of 13 souls, besides, almost every night, one, two or three travelers, and my family consists of six souls, we have passed the winter thus far quite as pleasantly as you would imagine in view of the circumstances, and probably more so than a large portion of the last emigration, although perhaps a little more straitened for room.
With the exception of the last two weeks, our health, as a family, has been very good since our arrival. . . . The amount of ministerial labor that I have been able to perform since our arrival would seem to a minister in the eastern or middle states to be trifling indeed. But were you in an entirely new country not reclaimed from the savages, with only one settler on each mile square and that only in the open plains, in the dead of winter, with the rains almost daily falling till all the small streams are swollen to swimming, and numbers of bridges, of which there are as yet but few, swept away, with all the cares of a family to be met, after eight months' consumption of provisions and clothing where supplies are to be procured at distances of from ten to thirty miles, it will appear less strange. I have visited but little, have preached every Sabbath but three, and then my place was supplied by others, except once when journeying, the rains and the distance from neighbors prevented. Yet I am almost daily ​having intercourse with citizens from various parts of the country and, through that means, hope the way is opening for more extended labors in the opening of the spring, which is now beginning to make its appearance. I have established an evening spelling school for children of the family and one of the neighbors and a Bible class on Sabbath evenings in the same families. About twelve children attend regularly....
As it relates to my views of the importance of the field we are now just entering, I am by no means discouraged, but on the whole have a growing conviction that I never in my life was placed in a more responsible relation ; yet at the same time I feel borne down with the surrounding and opponent obstacles to extended usefulness. If you will not regard me desponding, I will name a few of them: First, we have but one church in Oregon and only two of the members living within 25 miles of the place so that all efficiency by church organization is lost, and those that have emigrated the past season are generally poor and but just able to provide for their immediate wants. The forty or fifty Baptist members are scattered over an extent of country, perhaps 90 miles in length and 50 in breadth. Again, we are destitute of juvenile books and periodicals, and books peculiar to the wants of our denomination. And then, the settlements are fast extending south and west and north- west to points which soon must rise to very considerable importance, and here are Br. Johnson and myself, with exhausted funds and beyond the reach of your aid for more than a year (and we must necessarily apply ourselves in part to procuring the means of present sustenance), with the labor of five or six men before us in the ministry, and that, too, at a time which most of all is the most favorable to give permanence and character to a rising nation. Do you ask how our means are exhausted so soon? We answer that when we arrived at The Dalles exhausted of provisions, we paid $8 per hundred for flour and $6 for beef; at the Cascades, from $6 to $10 for ​
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flour and $6 for beef, and on our arrival in the Plains we found flour worth from $4 to $5, and beef $6 and pork $10, fresh ; sale shoes, coarse, $3 per pair and custom work $6 ; axes, $4 each ; nails 16c per pound; coffee 33*/2C per pound; common calico from 25c to 62 ^2 c per yard ; a common cast bake kettle, with a lid, from $3 to $6, when to be had at any price, and most of our wearing apparel is somewhat in the same proportion; school books cannot be had at any price. 94 Now, could our able brethren and pious too, see and feel as we do the great reluct- ance with which we must leave the work in part to serve the present urgent wants of our families (and these wants must be still more urgent before we can get any remittances from your Board) would they not esteem it a pleasure to make up a box of common clothing or clothes laid by in their families which will cover nakedness and render the appearance of our children in the house of worship decent in Oregon? We are sure we do not covet the softest raiment for ourselves or families, but we do greatly desire to be able to give ourselves wholly to the work, and something in this way might lighten the expense of our support and add greatly to our usefulness. The subject of education, too, allow me to say, rests with great weight on my mind. Judging charitably, with all the laudable efforts of our citizens, it is beyond their power to do much by way of educating their children while they have so much to provide for present animal wants, and are placed beyond the reach of books. Besides this, the greatest efforts made, are those by Romans 95 and the Methodists. Now could we obtain a few school books so as to enable us to operate a common school, they would be of great service. I hope to be able to organize two or three churches, by the aid of Br. Snelling, and to explore generally the settlements above and
94 The first school books to be brought into Oregon in any quantity were by Dr. G. H. Atkinson in 1848. Geo. H. Himes.
95 A Catholic school for boys, "St Joseph's College," was opened in 1843 at St. Paul, on French Prairie. The Sisters of Notre Dame opened a school for girls on French Prairie in 1844 and in Oregon City in 1848. E. V. O'Hara, Pioneer Catholic History of Oregon, pp. 123-125.
The boys' school at St. Paul's was closed in 1849, the girls' school in 1852, and the school at Oregon City in 1853. Ibid. pp. 129, 130.
The Methodist "Oregon Institute" (the precursor of Willamette University) was organized in 1842. Bancroft, Hist, of Ore. 1 1201, 203. ​
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visit the mouth of the Columbia and Pugets Sound during the coming dry season, should Providence give us and our fam- ilies life and health. We are often strengthened and encour- aged by the reflection that we have the prayers and sym- pathies of many, very many, personal and dear Christian friends, as well as of many whom we shall never know till we see as we are seen and bow together around the throne of our exalted Redeemer.
Yours, E. F.
Rec'd July 22.
Oregon City, Feb. 27th, 1846. Dear Br. Hill:
The haste in which I write and the circumstances will be the only apology for the want of order in which the subjects are thrown together. What, however, you publish, you will cull out and arrange, as I would, had I paper and time before the return party leave this place.
I was upon the subject of education last night and I cannot leave it till I have still further urged its claim upon our churches at home. And here I will say that, with few excep- tions, we have had very few schools in Oregon and most of those of a character such as might reasonably be expected in so new and remote a settlement. Our Methodist friends have a school in operation, about 60 miles above this, in which are taught the branches usually taught in common schools in the States, with a male teacher part of the year, a female teacher through the year, about 40 scholars, and a spacious edifice partially completed. About 30 miles above this, the Roman Catholics are making a strong effort and this year they are erecting a large edifice to be devoted to the purposes of edu- cation and have a school in operation, 96 and I am credibly in- formed that they contemplate a similar institution on the Cow- litz. In both of these they propose to teach all the branches
96 In March, 1846, Vavasour described the Roman Catholic Mission on French Prairie, as having "several large wooden buildings, two churches, dwelling houses and a nunnery." On the Cowlitz he mentioned the Catholic church as being near the settlement of about 19 families. Ore. Hist. Soc. Quar. X:gi, 93. ​
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essential to a thorough education without directly inculcating their peculiar religious tenets. The influence of this sect is becoming strong in this territory. I am informed by indubit- able authority that there is not a place in the whole territory where the higher branches can be acquired except by a private teacher or in a Catholic school. We then need extremely a series of elementary books, geography, grammar, arithmetic, natural philosophy and other school books, but we have not the means of compensation except by exchanges. They would be purchased were they .here, if wheat would buy them. Can we not have them? Again we are in perishing need of juvenile reading such as the publications of the Am. Bap. Pub. Soc. and the religious periodicals of our denomination both for young and old. We are almost in a heathen land so far as relates to the circulation of religious intelligence, while there is a readiness and eagerness on the part of citizens generally to read anything late from the States. Some of our numerous brethren in New York and Boston could easily send to Br. Johnson and myself the files of their own religious periodicals, after reading, without increasing their expenses. I know of no country where religious tracts would be read with more interest than in Oregon. I know Br. J. M. Peck to be em- phatically a western pioneer, and through his influence and yours, may we not expect immediately an appropriation of the Am. Bap. Pub. Soc.'s publications for Oregon, a proportion of them advocating our denominational views and exhibiting the true character of popery ? Should a box of clothing be made up for the relief of our families, allow me to state that common calico, shirting, any woolen clothing either for men or women, or children between the size of infancy and manhood, shoes, half hose, or any articles of bedclothes would be very accept- able; our hats and shoes are literally worn out and Br. John- son's boys have been barefooted, and little girls, too, all winter, and mine are candidates for the same treatment unless we get returns from New York or supply them and varied other de- mands by the labor of our hands. ​
284 REVEREND EZRA FISHER
Should your Board continue us in their employ, I shall need a large portion of the appropriation in clothing and books purchased by you in New York, as I may designate in my reports, one of which I shall make and forward by the next return party after this, which will leave in April or May. I had forgotten to mention in the catalogue of our wants writ- ing paper, an article not now in this city. Please send me a few reams and charge it to me from the next appropriation.
Hitherto I have but barely alluded to the field before us. The present population from the States is estimated at about five or six thousand souls, and, when once settled in their homes, will extend up the river about 120 miles above this and up the varied tributaries, and from this downward to the lower mouth of the Willamette. 97 At the mouth of the Colum- bia a strong settlement is being made, and another on Pugette Sound. Our country below the Cascade Mountains is not ex- tensive; yet, as far as I have seen, I think the fertility of the soil generally will exceed the description given by Lieutenant Wilkes and Mr. Townsend. 98
The truth is, it is in a great measure an unexplored country, except by trappers who have probably but little interest in judging of the fertility of the soil and still less in publishing it to the world. I have traveled down the north bank of the Columbia on foot from The Dalles to Vancouver; from Van- couver to the Tuallity Plains ; through the Plains four times ; from the Plains through the Chahalum Valley, across the Yam Hill river and up the Willamette Valley across the Rick- reall about half the distance to the Luckymao," making a dis-
97 This estimate of the American population of Oregon seems about correct. See F. G. Young, The Oregon Trail, Ore. Hist. Soc. Quar. 1:370.
The history of the settlement at Astoria is well known. The Methodists oc- cupied Clatsop plains in 1840. Bancroft, Hist, of Ore. I:i8s, 188. It was rather optimistic, however, to call the settlements here and on Puget Sound "strong." The American settlement at the latter point had only just begun, and was very small. Bancroft, Hist, of Wash., Idaho and Montana, pp. 1-5.
98 Lieutenant Charles Wilkes, commander of the U. S. Exploring Expedition of 1838-42, was in Oregon in 1841. His "Narrative" was published in five volumes in Philadelphia in 1844. A "Synopsis of the U. S. Exploring Expedition during the years 1838-41," appeared earlier. Bancroft, Hist, of N. W . Coast, pp. 670-683.
John K. Townsend was a naturalist who was in Oregon in 1834-6. His "Nar- rative of a Journey Across the Rocky Mountains to the Columbia River" appeared in Philadelphia in 1839. Ibid. p. 577.
99 Probably the Luckiamute, a stream in Polk County. ​
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tance from the Plains of about 80 miles; from the Tuallity Plains to this place twice, a distance of about 28 miles, and I think I hazard nothing when I give it as my opinion that its fertility is scarcely excelled by the same extent in the Missis- sippi Valley. In wheat it far exceeds in yield any part of the United States. The crop never fails by winter killing, by blight or by insects, and produces from ten to more than fifty bushels to the acre of the best wheat I ever saw. All the small grains and vegetables do well as far as tried and turnips excell anything I ever saw. The climate is remarkably mild during the winter, although rainy, and is said to be extremely fine during the spring, summer and autumn. It is ascertained that there is a large extent of country north of the mouth of the Columbia reaching to the Sound and back for perhaps more than a hundred miles, much of which is open and fertile, susceptible of immediate settlement. The country of the Umpqua, the Rogue and the Clamet 100 is represented as re- markably fertile and somewhat extensive. New towns must soon rise up on the river, both above and below us. At the mouth of the Columbia and on the Pugets Sound there must soon spring up small cities whose extent and importance will in a great measure be determined by the intelligence, virtue and enterprise of the people of the tributary country. Our climate, our soil, our timber and our water power conspire to render our resources, when developed, great, for the extent of the territory, beyond that of any country I ever saw. But with all these facilities, we greatly need a few discreet young brethren, with perhaps families, who love our Lord and His cause, who can teach and operate upon the mind of the rising generation in bringing them to adopt correct views in all the social and moral relations of man. We also greatly need brethren with families who know how to feel and act for the wants of the church, with whom ministers may counsel and execute.
ioo The Klarnath. For the different spellings of the name, see Frederick V. Holman, History of the Counties of Oregon, in Ore. Hist. Soc. Quar. XI 155. Clamet was the spelling given in Elijah White's "Ten Years in Oregon." ​
286 REVEREND EZRA FISHER
In truth the door is fast opening for business men on the coast as well as in the interior, and the facilities for emigrating from the eastern states are about as good, if not better, by water than by land. Five hundred dollars invested in clothing or mechanics' tools in New York or Boston is better than the same amount in cattle and wagons in Missouri, and then emi- grants might sail in the fall and arrive in the spring in time to make a crop.
You can forward any papers or boxes from New York or Boston or other port by any ship bound to the mouth of the Columbia. The firm of Gushing, Newberry Port, will prob- ably send out one vessel each year. 101 The firm of A. G. & A. W. Benson, No 19 Old Slip, New York, will probably send one vessel each six months. Should you send by any vessel directed to either Br. Johnson or myself, Oregon City, Oregon Territory, to the care of E. O. Hall, Financier of the A. B. C. F. M., Honolulu, Oahu Island, and pay the freight, he will for- ward such packages or boxes to us. Yours, &c.,
EZRA FISHER.
N. B. : It is due to Br. Johnson to state that his family has suffered much with the camp fever 102 since their arrival in this place, but through a kind Providence their lives are all spared and their health is gradually returning. Sister J. is beginning to take the charge of the family. We design fixing our fam- ilies near this place the coming season, sustaining preaching regularly each Sabbath, traveling as much as we can and searching out the scattered sheep.
Tuallity Plains, Tuallity Co., Oregon, April 17, 1846. Dear Br. Hill:
I have just learned that the return party to the States will leave Oregon City on Monday. It is now late at night, and
1 01 F. W. 'Pettygrove, at Oregon City, had come out as agent of A. G. and A. W. Benson in 1842. Bancroft, Hist, of Ore. 1:422. The firm of John and Caleb Gushing of Newburyport had sent a ship to Oregon as early as 1839 (it arrived in 1840) and in 1846 another of their ships appeared in Oregon. H. W. Scott (ed), Hist, of Portland, p. 86.
102 Camp fever was much like dysentery or typhoid fever. It was sometimes called mountain fever. Geo. H. Himes. ​
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my last chance for sending is early tomorrow morning. I can therefore do nothing more than sketch a few lines in the greatest haste. The mercies of God are still passing before us, giving us life and health as a family. We find presented almost daily opportunities of contributing to the formation of the moral character of the people of our Territory. Yet we find everything so dissimilar to anything we ever experienced that we often feel placed almost beyond religious privileges as you are wont to enjoy them in the States.
The population as yet must, from the nature of the case, be very sparse and, as the settlements are somewhat remote from each other, it renders the labors of a missionary difficult, sit- uated as we are at this time many thousands of miles from home and with exhausted funds. We cannot reasonably expect any supplies from your Board for at least twelve months. With these obstacles before us we do not despair, but must be pained while we are obliged to minister to our temporal wants temporarily, and hence limit greatly our field of labour. I have pretty nearly concluded to teach a school a few months, as soon as we get settled, as the most convenient method of promoting the moral and religious condition of the people. I have just returned from the mouth of the Columbia River. I find it an interesting part of the country, and, to all prob- ability, should the emigration continue as we have reason to anticipate, the commercial point for the Willamette Valley and a great portion of the Territory must be located either where Astoria once stood or between that and the mouth of the river. I found about thirty or forty log cabins in this vicinity occupied by families and bachelors. On the south side of the river about the mouth is a tract of rich land large enough for a small county, susceptible of cultivation, but mostly timbered. That portion now occupied is mostly plains, and portions of the timbered land would be more easily cleared and put under cultivation than most of the timbered land in New York. 103 The climate is remarkably salubrious. Noth-
103 The history of Astoria is too well known to need repetition here. The Clatsop Plains were apparently first settled by whites in 1840 when the Methodist Mission established a station there. Bancroft, Hist, of Ore. I .'185.
This station was ordered sold out in 1844. Ibid. I:22i. ​
288 REVEREND EZRA FISHER
ing but the small number of people and the distance of this point from the present populous part of Oregon will prevent me from fixing my family in this vicinity and labouring from this point. Even now my convictions are so strong of the relative importance of this point and of the probable future character of its population, that I may in a few months deem it my duty to take my family to that place.
I still preach on Sabbaths and visit only as I travel from place to place.
Your Board may be desirous of knowing what will be neces- sary to enable us to devote ourselves to the ministry. I think that after fixing our location we can support the family, should the Board see fit to make an appropriation of $150 or $200 the first year, and hope we may be blessed with favor of the people so that we can afterward live on a less sum. Should your Board make an appropriation for another year, we wish you to put us up a box of the following articles and pay for the same from the appropriation : 1 pair no. 9 thick calf-skin boots; 1 pair of calf-skin shoes no. 4, women's; 2 pair of no. 3 shoes, boys' ; 2 pair of children's shoes for a girl 7 years old, and 2 pair for a girl 4 years; 2 bolts of common calico, dark coloured, worth 12 or 15 cents per yd; 10 yards of Ken- tucky janes and 4 yards of black cassimere ; 20 yards of woollen linsey, plaid, for children's dresses ; 25 spools of common sew- ing thread ; 8 pounds of cotton batting ; 1 cast bake kettle, with lid, that will hold about ten quarts; 1 large octavo Bible and five or six spelling books. We are in an entirely new country and have little or no crockery or cooking utensils at any price. You will probably get the box on board Mr. Benson's ship bound for the mouth of the Columbia ; if not, direct to me as one of your missionaries, Oregon City, Oregon Territory, to the care of E. A. Hall, Financier of the A.B.C.F.M. at Hono- lulu, Oahu, one of the Sandwich Islands, and it will probably come safe. Yours truly, EZRA FISHER.
Rec'd Aug. 19, 1846. ​
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Oregon City, Oregon Territory, Aug. 15th, 1846. Dear Br. Hill:
I am at this time on a visit to this place with Mrs. Fisher and to spend the Sabbath, and have just learned that Mr. Stark, supercargo of the Tulon, 104 leaves this place on Monday morning, and I have but an hour to write and that too in a visiting circle. I have many things to write which I intend to do before winter, but must dispense with order at this time. We are all in tolerable health and presume Br. Johnson's family are, although we have not yet seen them since coming in town. You can have but little conception of our feelings at the present. We find Oregon emphatically presenting a most interesting field for missionary labor, but quite dissimilar to any we have formerly occupied, and our circumstances wide- ly different. I wish you to be assured that we are not at all inclined to complain of the allotments of Providence. They are all in mercy. And it becomes us to rejoice that we may endure hardness for the cause of Christ so long as duty and necessity demand it. But rest assured, dear brother, I tell you the sentiments of my inmost soul when I say I have no desire to become secular when I see a civilized nation (shall I say) bursting into existence on the dark side of the globe, with a character entirely unformed and less elevated than that of Iowa or Missouri, and removed thousands of miles from the moral and religious influence of old and established institu- tions of morality and religion. Your means of communication are easy and direct throughout the entire states and territories drained by the waters of the Mississippi, and even through Texas ; but here we are, separated by great mountain and desert barriers, or a voyage of more than 20,000 miles by sea, sur- rounded by heathen near at hand, by Romans all along the southern coast line, with the isles of the sea waiting for the law of God and some in the very act of receiving it. What can be done must be done or our opportunities for doing as
104 The "Toulon," Captain Nathaniel Crosby, first cime to Oregon from New York in 1845. For a number of years beginning with 1846 it made trips from Oregon to the Hawaiian Islands. Benjamin Stark, Jr., was supercargo. Bancroft, Hist, of Ore. II:i6, 48, ​
290 REVEREND EZRA FISHER
a denomination will be largely lost. A country is now settled, at favoured points, about as large as half the state of Illinois, and we are expecting large accessions the coming fall. Then the most important points will be seized upon with great eager- ness, if it is true, as we fondly hope, that the notice bill 105 is passed by both branches of our National Legislature and become a law. We see Romanism taking root in our soil and special effort being made to secure the influence of the leading men in our colony, and to establish schools for the education of our children and youth. We have already three churches, if they may be called churches, 106 and members favourably located to organize two or three more ; besides, we must soon look after more important interests than any already brought into existence, or entirely leave the seaboard to others. My heart bleeds at this view of things, while I find myself confined in school as the best way temporarily to exert a limited influence while I provide my family with the present necessaries of life. With this state of things before us, we have but three Baptist ministers in good standing in the churches, 107 and the other two are more confined than myself. We know your Board does not expect we will exhaust our physical powers for the bread that perishes, and, were you here to view things as they are, you would lift up your voice in the churches till we 'were liberated from the necessity of serving tables, or say, We will leave you to your ways, but appoint more faithful laborers in this vineyard of our common land. You know what we have to expect from the first emigrants from Missouri and Iowa. It is too much to expect to be thrown into the bosom of affectionate churches who sympathize with the faithful ministry and study to make his labors delightful. 108 Men do not rejoice
105 The bill provided for twelve months' notice to Great Britain of the termi- nation of the joint occupancy of the Oregon agreement of 1818. The news of the p-issage of the notice bill did not reach Oregon until a number of days after this letter was written. Bancroft, Hist, of Ore. 1 1589.
1 06 These three Baptist churches were at West Union (Tualatin Plains), La Creole (Polk County), and Yamhill (South Yamhill). Mattoon, Bapt. Annals of Ore. 1: 1-4.
107 The three Baptist ministers were Rev. Vincent Snelling, Rev. Hezekiah Johnson, and the author. Mattoon, Bap. Annals of Ore. 1:43-50.
1 08 Biptists from these western states and territories were not yet accustomed to supporting the ministry of the church. ​
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at the sound of the gospel even here ; but we feel strongly assured that the time is not far distant when all the discourage- ments peculiar to a new country and an extremely fluctuating population will give place to the order and efficiency which the gospel of Christ so forcibly inculcates. At present I am teaching school, as I have intimated, in Tuality Plains, 25 or 26 miles N.W. from this place, but greatly fear that my lungs will not long allow me to continue in that employment. I preach and superintend a Sabbath school on the Sabbath, or preach and visit abroad Saturdays and 'Sabbaths. Two weeks today and tomorrow I assisted in organizing a small church near the mouth of the Yam Hill River, 109 and on Sabbath presented to the public the peculiarities of our de- nomination, in a sermon of about an hour, and at the close baptized a brother of some talent who wished to prepare for the ministry. The three churches now organized are most favorably located, being organized so that their future place of worship must unavoidably be at the county seats of three important counties on the Willamette river. But our brethren are in a new country and have everything to do to render their families comfortable, and have not been formerly trained to the principles so happily carried out by our Pilgrim fathers in the settlements of Plymouth and Boston. I preach every Sabbath. We have a Sabbath school, in connection with other denominations, and Bible class consisting in all of about 25 scholars and 5 teachers ; ten of the children are of Baptist families, and three teachers. I superintend the school when at home. Four days in June I attended a camp-meeting of the Congregational Church in the upper plain ten miles from my present residence and participated as much as my strength would admit. Our labors were blessed, and it is hoped that some ten or twelve souls were truly converted. . . .
Tell our brethren that tracts and Sunday school books are greatly needed, and we feel that we cannot be denied this
1 09 This was the church at South Yamhill, twelve miles or so from the mouth of the river. Mattoon fails to mention the author's part in this organization, giving only the names of Snelling and Johnson. Mattoon, Bap. An. of Ore. I:s. ​
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request as soon as a package can be made up and sent. Our brethren will not forget to send us files of religious periodicals. We have now been cut off from all the blessings of religious periodicals and literally shut out of the religious world for 17 months except that we find occasionally an angel visitor of this kind in a Pedo-baptist paper. We trust it is our love for the cause of Christ in Oregon which has led us to forego, with our young families, all these privileges. Shall our wants meet with a response from the hearts and hands of our brethren in the Atlantic states? We maintain a weekly prayermeeting and Mrs. Fisher and our little daughter, with two other young females not yet baptized, sustain a weekly prayermeeting. I visit but little as a minister, but embrace every opportunity I can for that purpose. I must close this for want of paper and time but hope I shall be able to fill another sheet before the Tulon leaves the mouth of the Columbia. If possible we must have two good Baptist preachers sent out from east of the Alleghany mountains immediately and I think they will find support. Remember us affectionately to our dear brethren in New York. Yours truly,
EZRA FISHER. Rec'd Feb. 5, 1847-
Tuallity Plains, Tuallity County, Oregon Ter.
Aug. 19th, 1846. Dear Br. Hill:
Since last writing, learning that the Tulon may be delayed a few days at the mouth of the Columbia and being about to visit Clatsop and the coast immediately north of the mouth of the Columbia, I hope to be in time to forward you another sheet. Consequently, I hasten to communicate another letter. We returned from Oregon City on the 17th. Found our family in usual health. I wish . . . that your Board may know as near as possible the true state of things with us. As it relates to the character of our Baptist brethren with whom we have to co-operate, they are mostly from the upper ​
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part of Missouri and ... a very considerable number of Baptists from Iowa. . . . We have some few who have been accustomed to work in prayer meetings and Sabbath schools and would like to see the ministry devoted to their appropriate calling, but as yet very little can be realized by way of ministerial support. Yet I think the time is near at hand when the brethren will take a gospel view of the subject and carry out the gospel plan. We greatly need a few working brethren located at favoured points for business and influence in Oregon. It is not difficult to see where those points will be. Such brethren as could engage in farming, lumbering, mechanic arts, such as are indispensable to a new country, and in the salmon fisheries will find that a small capital judiciously in- vested, with industry, would soon enable them to rise to compe- tency and probably to affluence. I have never seen a country where, at so early a period in its history, so many avenues are opened to reward the industrious as are found in Oregon . . We greatly need a few efficient brethren who have formed their habits east of the Alleghany Range- It is as easy for brethren to come by water direct to the mouth of the Columbia, to Vancouvers Island or Pugets Sound, which are certainly among the most favored points in our country, as for the inhabitants of Missouri to cross the Rocky Mountains by ox teams. The time has already come when money or merchandise will buy neat stock at no very extravigant prices in New York or Massachusetts, Who- ever can reach the Sandwich Islands will be able soon to find a passage to the mouth of the Columbia.
I wrote you in my last that we greatly need two good teach- ers. My reasons are these: 1. I think they will undoubtedly be able to sustain themselves. 2. The Romans are now very industrious in attempting to occupy every important point with a school. I was credibly informed that a proposition was recently made by a priest to the proprietors of Portland, the highest point which merchant vessels reach on the Wil- lamette, to build a church and establish a permanent school ​
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in the place, if the proprietors would give the site and pledge their attendance on the services of the Roman Church. 110 A somewhat similar proffer has been made to some of the settlers of the Clatsop Plains south of the mouth of the Columbia, if my informant, a resident of said plains, is to be relied upon, and I think him a man of veracity.
I have taught one quarter and probably I shall teach another, commencing about the first of October, if my lungs will allow me to teach and preach; if not, I must abandon teaching and find some other employment sufficient to sustain my family till relief comes from your Board, should it decide that a mission must be sustained here. Our Pedo-baptist friends have very freely expressed to me the opinion that I ought to have gone to Oregon City. But as the circumstances are and Br. Johnson seems desirous of remaining, I have for months been decidedly of the opinion that I should hold myself in readiness to make my home at or near the mouth of the Columbia, as soon as our brethren in this region will give their consent and Provi- dence opens the door. I rejoice to be able to say that quite unexpectedly to me our brethren are now adopting my views, and the probability is that by next summer settlements will become sufficiently extended on the coast to justify my re- moval to that point . . . We need men in Oregon who desire to magnify the office of the ministry and love it more than all other pursuits. We need more ministers, but we shall doubtless be better able to say what the character and qualifications should be after the arrival of the forth-coming emigration; volunteer ministers will probably come then and we shall then probably have an opportunity of writing you by way of the Sandwich Islands. We shall probably need one more at least in the Willamette Valley, one at Vancouver and one in the neighborhood of Pugets Sound before you
1 10 There seems to be no other record of this offer. If it was ever made it was not accepted. The first Catholic chapel was not erected in Portland until 1851, and not until 1859 was the first Catholic school opened in Portland. Hist, of Portland, Ore., ed. by H. W. Scott, pp. 348, 394. ​
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can commission and send them out. The coast and Van- couver will probably be peopled with an enterprising and intelligent people.
I think Br. Johnson and myself will need $200 cash another year to enable us to devote ourselves to the work, and, should we place ourselves so as to stop our rents and keep a little stock, perhaps we can live with that by subjecting our families to taking the charge of our little temporals. Probably one half of that in such goods as families need in wearing apparel and articles of furniture, would be as convenient for us as the money, and, by this means, your Board may sustain its missionaries by the assistance of friends who would cheerfully contribute wearing apparel when money is out of the question.
Rec'd Feb. 5, 1847.
Astoria, Clatsop County, Oregon Ter.,
Jan. 4th, 1847. Dear Brother Hill :
Being in daily expectation that the ship Tulon will leave the mouth of the river for the Sandwich Islands, I embrace this as the only opportunity I shall have till spring to address you by letter, and this will not reach you for eight or ten months, if ever.
Through the tender mercies of God, we are all in good health, except that I am confined to the house with a wound received from an axe in my foot last week. The wound, however, is doing well and will probably heal in two or three weeks. I will here remark that we probably have one of the most salubrious as well as mild climates in the world. But I have taken my pen for other purposes than to give a descrip- tion of climate and soil, and the beauties of the scenery. We have chosen this as our field of labor should God graciously please to spare our unprofitable lives, although at present the population of the place and vicinity is small. This I have done from a strong conviction that the coast must soon become the most important part of the country, and that, too, probably ​
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as soon as we shall be so situated as to be able to do much permanently for the cause. We feel a strong assurance that we shall soon enjoy a stability of government which will give an impulse to emigration and commerce, and we trust that in the emigration we shall find some who care for the cause of Christianity, and will co-operate with us for the promotion of the Kingdom of Christ on these shores. We have three Baptist sisters about ten miles from us on the Clat- sop Plains, who have moved there since we came to this place, with whom we had a slight acquaintance in the states. 111 We are in expectation of other members in the spring or summer, and hope by that time to constitute a feeble church in this county. If we shall be able to do this, and to awaken in the community an interest in substituting religious order on the Sabbath for visiting, hunting and transacting worldly busi- ness, we shall feel that we have not lived in vain in Oregon. We feel the strongest conviction that ours is a very important position, although at present we labour under the greatest inconveniences of any of your missionaries. Your Board is my witness that I have not in years past made the privations of a missionary the burden of my communications with you. The duty I owe to Him who bought us with His own blood and ever lives to intercede in our behalf, as well as the relation I sustain to the Home Board of Missions, and to our new and promising territory, demands of me, however humiliating the task, a disclosure of facts. Before I proceed, I will state that to me, and I doubt not to the other two Baptist ministers labouring in Oregon, the work of the ministry is desirable above all other works, and I know of no field for which I have any desire to abandon Oregon. But what can a man do without his bread and his tools? To be sure, under the most adverse circumstances, something may be done for God every day, but we know it is not God's plan that Zion's teachers shall be removed into a corner, but that they shall be brought into sight and hearing, that she may hear the word: "This
iii These were Mrs. Robinson and her two daughters, Mrs. Motley and Mrs. Thompson. ​
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is the way, walk ye in it." We are all as Baptist ministers driven to the necessity of going to secular pursuits to give our families food, and but very insufficient raiment.
As a people, we are a colony removed far from all civiliza- tion and commerce, except what the small surplus products of our country attract. The consequence is a monopoly in commerce, very oppressive to the community. Our settlers are generally industrious, and should the Government grant them 'their lands, they are laying the foundation for wealth despite the temporary monoply in trade with which they are op- pressed. 112 As before stated, we have very few Baptist brethren who have been accustomed to see a minister sustained by the church, and those few are scattered so as to prevent anything like a systematic effort to aid in the support of the ministry. They love the gospel sound and delight in its ordinances ; but ministers must travel far from settlement to settlement to preach. This creates a large tax on the time of the man who must leave the word of God and serve tables. Added to this, the rainy season five or six months in the year renders the roads in this new country very difficult to travel, and when we travel by water we have to go in open boats and sleep in the open air, perhaps in wet blankets after rowing all day in the rains. These difficulties might and would be overcome were our hands liberated and our family cares abated. With the improvement of the country, the difficulties of travelling will soon be overcome, and are now probably as few as might reasonably be expected . . . Our white American popu- lation now numbers nine or ten thousand sottis scattered over a territory more than two hundred miles from Pugets Sound and this place to the headwaters of the Willamette, and is aided in science, religion and morals by only one printing press, and that issues a semi-monthly half sheet. 113 Its proprietors
112 Probably a reference to the Hudson Bay Company, which did most of the shipping at this time. Geo. H. Himes.
113 This was the Oregon Spectator which first appeared Feb. *, 1846 under the editorship of W. G. T' Vault. H. S. Lyman, Hist, of Ore. IV:2 79 . The spelling book was published Feb. i, 1847. There were 800 copies, none of which are known to be extant in their complete form. The book was an abridgement of Webster's Elementary Spelling Book, about two-thirds the size of the original. Geo H Himes Hist, of the Press in Oregon, in Ore. Hist. Soc. Quar. 111:347. ​
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have lately resolved to strike off 200 copies of Webster's ele- mentary spelling-book somewhat abridged. You can form some estimate of our poverty and want. Probably not one family in three in the territory has a spelling-book. I have no doubt men would gladly have paid one dollar per copy for spelling-books for their children in the school which I taught last summer, but there was not a spelling-book at any price. We have a few Sunday-school books sent out from New York . . . which have been of great value to the children and youth as far as enjoyed; and we have a few volumes of the publications of the American Tract Society and some tracts sent to Rev. Mr. Griffen, a Congregationalist. 114
Our Methodist brethren are doing something towards sup- plying some of the children with juvenile books, and their Sunday School Advocate, with their hymn books, and some Bibles and Testaments; but all this is a very small fraction of what is greatly needed. I have not seen a Baptist periodical from the States for more than 20 months I have omitted to mention that the country is almost destitute of all suitable elementary school-books and juvenile reading. It would do your heart good to see the eagerness with which a periodical, a tract or Sunday school book is seized upon and read by a large portion of our citizens. For example, when our eldest daughter of fifteen years was sent for to teach a school quarter, 115 and a request came for hymn-books and any other suitable books so that they could have a Sunday school during her stay, I had nothing but a few copies of the Divine Songs and a few tracts to send. Cannot our request be responded to so that as missionaries we may be supplied with suitable tracts and juvenile books of the American Baptist Publica- tion Society, with a fair proportion of the former exposing the evils of Romanism, and others vindicating our denomina- tional peculiarities ; also some Bibles and Testaments. I know
1 14 This was probably Rev. J. S. Griffin, who came to Oregon in 1839 (Ban- croft, Hist, of Ore. 1:238), sent by the North Litchfield Association of Connecticut.
115 This school was at Skipanon, near Warrenton, in Clatsop County. Geo. H. Himes. ​
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there would be an effort made, if our brethren in the States were to feel our wants as we daily feel them. Imagine your- self and family of children surrounded by heathen and daily under their influence, and at the same time Romanism uniting its influence with heathenism to bring into disrepute the sim- plicity of the gospel in a new and isolated republic rising on the western borders of America ; would you not plead for help ?
Our brethren will not forget to send us files of some of the religious periodicals as well as the annual reports of the Mis- sionary, and other benevolent societies. So far as these auxil- iaries are concerned, we famish in a dry and barren land. When I left the Western states I sold and gave away a large portion of the few books which composed my library because they were too heavy to transport across the Rocky Mountains, so that now when I would consult a commentary or some of the standard writers of the last and present century on the great truths of the Gospel, I seriously feel my need. My library consists principally of Mosheim's Church History, Home's Introduction, Buck's Theological Dictionary, Butter- worth's Concordance, a Greek Testament and Lexicon and Wayland's Moral Science. One of our ministering brethren on the Willamette has Fuller's Works and McKnight on the Epistles. As ministers we greatly need a few books, and could any valuable ones be sent, they would be thankfully received. De Aubin's History of the Reformation 116 would probably be an invaluable work here. We have consumed most of our available means, and find ourselves placed in the strait of in- volving ourselves in debt or providing with our hands the bare necessaries of life, not knowing how soon we shall get any communications from you- I have received a few presents from two of our brethren here and a few from some friend, amounting perhaps in all to thirty dollars.
We are living, and have lived ever since we came to the country, except for about five weeks, in a rude log cabin with- out a single pane of glass. Our furniture consists of three
u6Not De Aubin, but D'Aubigne (1794-1872). ​
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chairs, three stools, a small pine table about two feet by three, two old trunks which have traveled with us about 20 years, and a very few cooking utensils which we have brought with us or obtained at exorbitant prices. We have two tea cups and four saucers ; more are not to be obtained in the country at any price. Most articles of clothing and furniture, when they can be obtained, are three 'or four times the price they are in the States. We have neither fire shovel, tongs nor and- irons, but a common barn shovel. We often think, if we had a few of the most commonly indispensable articles of house- hold furniture and could provide our children with the most coarse but comfortable apparel so that we could meet the many pressing and important calls for ministerial labor all over the country in all the varied relations of our calling, we should be happy.
Our Territory is needing the labors of at least five or six devoted Baptist missionaries. The time has come when we, as a denomination, must have men in the field, or other men will gather the harvest. Our Methodist brethren are now sustaining five or six missionaries in the settlements, and at this very moment, had we the men and means, our denomina- tional views are as favorably received as any other. Brother Snelling is a worthy brother, and would gladly wear himself out in the ministry but for the pressing cares of his family. Brother Johnson is doing what he can at Oregon City and vicinity. My labors will be principally confined to this county, unless we are so liberated from secular cares as to enable me to spend a portion of the time in traveling through the settle- ments now forming on the Chehalis and at Puget Sound, 117 as well as the upper settlements. Should the settlement of the Oregon Question be what we anticipate, we shall greatly need a missionary stationed at Puget Sound before you can com- mission a suitable man and send him to the field. And should Upper California remain under the United States govern- ment, a missionary will be greatly needed at San Francisco
117 See note 220 for the early settlements on Puget Sound. The upper set- tlements were probably those in the Willamette Valley. ​
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Bay immediately upon the settlement of the Mexican War. It is my deliberate opinion that missionaries in whom your Board can confide should be appointed and sustained till by God's blessing an interest shall be awakened sufficient to sustain itself, and afford assistance to the surrounding country This whole country and Upper California are emphatically mission- ary grounds, and our relation to the whole Pacific Coast and the half of the globe in our front demands prompt and faith- ful action. If our position excites so much interest in the political and commercial world, ought not the churches to turn the eye in this direction and ask: Have we no interest in all these movements ? Whatever God has in store for our majestic River and our spacious and safe harbors on the Pacific, one thing is now reduced to a demonstration: We must become a part of the great North American Republic. It remains for the Christian churches of that Republic to say whether our territory shall prove a blessing or a sore curse to the nation. Shall the needed help be denied us? As a people, we are in the most help- less infancy; the power of the Gospel of our ever Blessed Saviour must be exerted to bind this legion and drive it into our mighty Pacific, or we shall be abandoned, the prey of the worst of spirits and the basest of passions. Dear brother, it is far beyond the power of language to describe the blessings of the Gospel. While we, almost isolated and faint, pray and labor and look with longing eyes toward the parent land, shall we not see this bow of promise hanging over our eastern skies : "The Lord will send deliverance out of Zion"? No doubt the time is near at hand when the facilities of communication will be greatly multiplied and a direct mail route will enable us to correspond directly two or three times a year, 118 and vessels will be monthly leaving this place for the States and bearing cargoes directly from the States in return. We wait with patience for these changes. We feel that we are passing
n8For a time in 1846 direct mail service had been established with Weston, Mo., at the rate of fifty cents a single sheet, but 'this was discontinued after nine months. Geo. H. Himes, History of the Press in Ore., Ore. Hist. Soc. Quar. Ill :343. ​
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through a crisis in the history of the country, and ask God for grace that we may be brought through without repining at his providences. We feel a strong conviction that the time is near at hand when God will enlarge Zion on these shores, and we shall enjoy all the blessings of civilization and Christi- anity for ourselves and our children.
I preach every Sabbath, although the number living in our place is as yet very small. I shall probably divide my labors between this place and Clatsop Plains, in the opening of the spring. I have spent most of my time the last two months in building a small frame house, and have it now almost en- closed, and shall probably soon move into it. 119 We shall then open a small Sunday school of the few children we have in the place. We feel pretty strong convictions that we shall make this region the field of our future labors, should God permit, and this becomes the commercial point on this river, which is very probable. We are waiting with anx-iety, how- ever, to learn what the Government will do for this country; you probably know at this time, or will before the rising of congress. 120 I have written you five or six times since our arrival in the country, and two or three times on our way, but have not yet had a single line from you- Will not a box of clothing be sent to aid Brother Johnson and myself in clothing our families? Second-handed clothing and coarse, too, will be very valuable to us. You can have no conception of how thankfully it would be received, or of the difficulty of obtaining clothing in this country. I know positively that our families would rejoice exceedingly, if they had the old clothes which are regarded useless by hundreds of our brethren in the old States.
1 19 This house was used as a post office by John M. Shively, who was one of the first two U. S. postmasters appointed for Oregon (1847). Bancroft, Hist, of Ore. 1:614. A picture of the house was in the Oregon Daily Journal, Dec. 31, 1909.
120 It may be that the author had not yet heard of the final settlement of the Oregon boundary, which was made in the summer of 1846. ​
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(Jan. 4, 1847).
I have repeated the request for books and clothing through fear that any former letters may have never reached you. I know it will afford many a sister pleasure to collect a few com- forts for those of us who are laboring in these ends of the earth. We make not these appeals because we think we could not meet the wants of our families should we give ourselves entirely to secular pursuits. But this we cannot do. God will have his ministers feel a necessity laid upon them and a woe too, if they preach not the Gospel. We very much expect to hear from you in the spring, so that we can feel relieved in spending the dry season strictly as missionaries. We ought to visit every large settlement and hold a meeting of two, three or more days, and gather up the scattered sheep and feed the lambs. But I must desist. My heart is full of the wants of our country. May God give us grace to do His will. You can send any boxes or letters on board any vessel that passes the Sandwich Islands, directing all such packages to me at this place to the care of E. O. Hall, Financier of the A. B. C. F. Missions at Honolulu, Oahu or Wahoo.
Your unworthy brother and fellow laborer in the gospel field,
EZRA FISHER.
N.B. Let us have an interest in your prayers and the prayers of all those who mourn over the desolations of sin, that the richest blessings of the gospel may be poured out upon Oregon.
Received July 13
Astoria, Oregon Territory, April 2nd, 1847. Dear Brother Hill :
I wrote you three sheets by the Tulon in January, making known in some measure the wants of our country west of the mountains, and directed it by way of the Islands, but after writing, Captain Crosby determined to take a cargo ​
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of flour to the American squadron at San Francisco Bay. 121 The package may be a year in reaching you, and it may be that he made over his letters for the States to the war ship which was dispatched to take Captain Howison to the States to account for the loss of the Schooner Shark. 122 It is pos- sible that you will receive it in two or three months, but, through fear of a long delay, I shall repeat some of our obstacles in the promotion of the cause of Christ in Oregon. By the abounding grace of God we are alive and in good bodily health; yet our remote situation from the seat of op- erations of American churches, together with our temporal embarrassments, and the inconvenience of reaching the remote settlements, both as it relates to the time employed and the expense of traveling, has compelled me to confine my labors to the few people in Clatsop County. The winter has been extremely severe, and to human appearances Providence has frowned upon my attempts temporal.
We moved to this place last fall, as probably possessing the most favorable indications of future usefulness, and with pretty strong encouragement that we should be joined by other Baptist friends this spring. But the severity of the winter which has been destructive to cattle in this place and to the wheat already in the barns probably determined our Baptist friends otherwise. My cattle, which were more than twenty head in the fall, are now reduced to two, and I feel myself compelled to remove to Clatsop Plains on the coast immediately south of the mouth of the Columbia, but cut off from this place by Young's Bay, three miles in width, as the most probable place of sustaining my family by my own hands and at the same time sustaining a small congregation; our daughter Lucy Jane Gray can have a small school part of the time, and a small Sabbath school may probably be sustained during the year. In the meantime we hope that the day is
121 This was, of course, the Pacific squadron which had helped in the American occupation of California in this and the preceding year. Bancroft, Hist, of Cat. V, passim. Captain N. Crosby was prominent in the history of early Oregon ship- ping. Bancroft, Hist, of Ore. 11:26.
122 The "Shark" was wrecked at the mouth of the Columbia, Oct 10, 1846. Bancroft, Hist, of Ore. 1:587. ​
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not far distant when we shall have such relief sent us from your Board as will enable me to reach more remote portions of the settlements and devote my whole time to the appropriate duties of a gospel minister.
In the abstract I think this county presents as much present prospect of permanent usefulness as any part of the country, if we except the immediate vicinity of Oregon City and the country accessible from that point. We feel a strong confi- dence that the first national work by way of fortification and the facilitation of navigation must be done at this great outlet of travel and commerce, and but a few months will be sufficient to decide this- 123 I cannot therefore think of leaving this point unless the seat of commerce should be fixed at another point and Providence should plainly indicate a more advantage- ous situation. We % have three Baptist sisters [married] in Clatsop Plains and there is a general desire manifested that we shall remove there for the present. I learned by Captain Kilborn of the Brig Henry that he had sent a letter for me to the Willamette Falls (Oregon City). I suppose it is from your pen, but have not had the satisfaction of seeing it. Rest assured we wait with great anxiety some communication from you. At present we have here only two American families besides my own, and a few bachelors, and besides the Hud- son Bay Company's servants, and it is not probable towns will improve much in Oregon beyond the absolute necessities in business transactions, should our Government make grants of lands to the first settlers and require each family to reside for a term of years on his land to perfect his title.
I have received no direct communication from Brother Johnson since I left Tuality Plains, but occasionally hear from him. I can assure you that to all human appearance our use- fulness would be increased ten fold were we only placed in such circumstances as we were in the Great Western Valley, and yet our labors as ministers are as greatly needed as they
123 The first defensive works at the mouth of the Columbia were besrun in 1863. Bancroft, Hist, of Ore. 11:510. No work on the channel was done until much later. ​
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ever were in the Mississippi Valley. O ! how blighting to the Christian graces is this secularizing of the ministry ! Surely no minister, who values holiness of heart and desires the en- largement of the Redeemer's Kingdom on the borders of idolatry and Romanism, can do otherwise than exercise the deepest regret at the necessity of consuming his precious time and attention in providing but partially for animal wants. Such at present must unavoidably be our condition unless aid come from some quarter. Our few churches are but partially organized, and need frequent visiting and instruct- ing, and to see practically demonstrated the utility of a devoted ministry, that they may appreciate it and put forth laudable efforts to sustain it. We feel a strong confidence that all necessary relief would be forthcoming with many and pre- vailing prayers, could our liberal brethren stand by and see us as we go to our daily labor with almost all the spiritual needs in their pressing importance urging themselves upon us, yet neglected. I do trust that another summer will not leave Brother Johnson and myself in a still more straitened con- dition than we were the past . . . Were we placed in other circumstances ... I might be justified in being less opportunate . . . but where all depends upon the efficiency of the ministry to bring before the infant churches the doctrines, the ordinances, the precepts and examples of the gospel, we ought to be given zvholly to the work. We covet not this spiritual exile because it is to be preferred to all those pleasing associations which daily bring to your door the triumphs of the gospel from the four quarters of the globe, and that habitual enjoyment of elevated Christian society which is to be enjoyed in all the older parts of our country. But we have chosen our position and chose the sacrifice with the hope that under the blessing of God and by the aid of those more highly blessed with temporal and spiritual gifts, we might become both His and their servants in shedding abroad God's gifts in these benighted ends of the earth. It will be two years the twelfth of the present month since we left ​
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the field of our former labors. With it we cheerfully re- linquished the prospect of enjoying those almost inestimable privileges of religious publications of all description, as we supposed, for one year, hoping that a few months after our arrival we should occasionally be greeted by those welcome visitors. But Alas ! the Mexican war and the inf requency of arrivals by water direct from our eastern ports has held us in banishment up to this present. When I look to the people and see them left in ignorance of all the great religious movements in the world, except for a few packages sent to the Methodist and Presbyterian missions, my feelings are often left to wander between despair and that indifference occasioned by the care and fatigue incident to meeting our temporal needs. Our whole country is oppressed by an excessive mon- opoly of our merchants, so that most of the people are unable to meet the pressing wants of their families. If they could sit down at night as they come in from their daily labor, take up a religious periodical and read their half-clad families some interesting accounts of the triumphs of grace over depravity instead of meditating and teaching the principles of revenge, how would the family circle be cheered and the lowering cloud of our Western solitude be dissipated ! The question is settled that Oregon is destined to be numbered among the states of our great American Republic ; the scenes of our early sufferings and privations will soon be known only as they are engraved on the memory of the sufferers, or recorded on the pages of history. A brighter day is before us and we fancy that we already descry the first dawning light breaking over the tops of the eastern mountains. We must look to the older and more gifted states to aid in giving us a religious as well as a political and commercial character. Will not our Baptist churches aid in this work? Romanism is making strong attempts at planting deep its root in Oregon soil and availing itself of every inefficient effort of Protestant- ism to bring into disrepute the vital godliness of both it and its ministry. So long as our ministers are unsustained, the ​
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priests herald the stereotyped reproach through community, both savage and civilized: "These men are not ministers. See, they work and trade and live like other men." "We are the founders of schools and are always ready to minister to your afflictions and care for your souls."
Can there be some method devised whereby we can have forwarded several numbers of some good religious periodicals of our own denomination, and some of the publications of the A. B. Publication Society adapted to Sunday schools and to vindicating our own denominational peculiarities and breathing a spirit of devotion and Christian philanthropy? Books of all kinds are eagerly sought for and Sunday schools can easily be sustained where ten or twelve children can be found suffici- ently contiguous. I have several times written relative to the best and cheapest way of sustaining your missionaries in Ore- gon. Such is the feeble and scattered condition of the settle- ments that your missionaries must be sustained principally from your Board, or they must sustain themselves. Yet there is great hope that a few years will change the aspect of things in this respect. When the people once see the happy effects of a devoted ministry, they will cheerfully contribute to its support, and be blessed in so doing. When the time comes that a fair competition in trade takes the place of oppressive monopoly, industry will probably be as amply rewarded in this as in any other part of the nation, and we all hope that day is near. None but those who have experienced it can tell the inconveniences and privations of a new country so far removed from civilization. But really our early settlers have performed their part nobly, and are still contending undis- mayed with obstacles which would be regarded almost in- surmountable in the old states. On arriving here the few people of this country were all poor and for the past three years they have brought almost all their breadstuff 125 miles in canoes and open boats, making a trip in 10 or 15 days and camping out in the open air through all their jour​
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ney: 124 these journeys are often performed in the dead of winter while the rain is falling every day; all groceries and store goods are obtained in this way, except such as are purchased off of ships. The people have just put in opera- tion a mill sufficient to meet the home demand, and the days of privation are fast passing by. Now the actual expense of living in Oregon, with half the comforts of life, is twice as great as it is in the western states, and how to meet these expenses of your missionaries is the question to be considered. Articles of clothing are exceedingly difficult to be obtained here. Sisters of the churches could make up clothing or send the articles unmade, or even half worn clothing, such as is laid by, and would contribute largely to our wants. They would probably thus provide for us with great cheerfulness; at the same time it would not at all diminish the annual cash contributions. You can have no conception of the manner in which we are clad in our ordinary business. We are still wearing old clothes which we had laid aside as unfit for use in the Western states, and have purchased but a few of the most common articles, and those of the coarse and substantial kind when they could be obtained. We still prefer to practice this kind of self-denial to the abandonment of our enterprise, while we have the hope left that we may be made instrumental in laying the foundation of the cause of Christian civilization where it is so much needed. We wish not to make the gospel an item of merchandise, and I think both Brother Johnson and my- self are willing to practice the most rigid economy for the sake of carrying out the great object of our mission. As to the amount necessary to sustain our families, you will be able to judge by referring to the Methodist Board to find what it costs them to sustain the families of their ministers in this field. It may be proper to write a few lines relative to the sufferings of the late emigration which in far too many cases have been great, and in some cases perhaps without parallel
124 These were probably brought from Vancouver or Oregon City, and possibly also from Portland. ​
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in American history, and I fear it will be read to the preju- dice of future emigration. I believe all the emigrants who followed the usual roads to Oregon and California ar- rived in good season and with good health and no serious loss. It was only those companies who were either desirous of finding a new and better route, or were induced to follow imprudent and self-interested guides, who reaped so bitterly disappointment and disaster and even starvation. The great- est sufferers were probably a party who, before crossing the Sierra Nevada range of mountains, left Mr. Hastings who was conducting a part of the California emigration. After travelling till all hopes of reaching the lower company failed, a party of fifteen of the strongest, in attempting to cross the snowy mountains, were compelled to leave their animals and travel on foot almost destitute of clothing and food. Such was their extremity before reaching the San Francisco Bay that eight perished, and the survivors subsisted on the flesh and blood of those that perished, some upon their own relatives. Five of the seven who reached the settlements were women, and when they arrived they were reduced to a perfect state of nudity. May these sufferings prove an effectual warning to all successive emigrations to follow none but explored and opened roads. 125 A practicable wagon road is now opened from the States to the settlements on the Willamette River, terminating at Oregon City, where plenty of provisions can always be had at the ordinary prices of the country. We trust we shall soon have regular mails at least quarterly from this to the States; and then we can rely with some certainty on our packages being safely carried to the place of destina- tion. I have written you every opportunity since I arrived in the Territory, but as yet have had no letter from you. You may judge by this that we are greatly discouraged,
125 There is also probably a reference here to the party which in 1846 came to Oregon via the southern route from Ft. Hall. This party suffered great hard- ships while getting into the Willamette Valley from the Rogue and the Umpqua Valleys. Bancroft, Hist, of Ore. 1:556-565.
For the hardships of the California party, which are here not exaggerated, see Bancroft, Hist, of Calif. V .-529-542. The author mentions only the party called the "forlorn hope," but a much larger party suffered somewhat similarly. ​but you may rely upon it that we entered this field expecting to meet many privations- Our greatest embarrassment is that we are doing so little for Him who has bought us with His blood and we trust clothed us with his righteousness. As ever yours,Ezra Fisher.
ELI THAYER. (See Page 364)
Mr. Thayer was born in Mendon, Mass., June 11, 1819, and died in Worcester April 15, 1899. He graduated at Brown University in 1845, and in 1848 founded Oread Institute. He is chiefly remembered for his connection with the "Kansas Crusade," the purpose of which was to secure the admission of Kansas as a free state. With this aim in view, he early in 1854 organized the Massachusetts Emigrant Aid Company; soon afterwards affiliated it with the Emigrant Aid Company of New York, and a year later reorganized the two under the name of the New England Emigrant Aid Company. Local leagues were established whose members emigrated to Kansas and settled in localities where the company had erected hotels for their temporary accommodation and had provided sawmills and other improvements. The company proved a financial failure, but its main purpose was successful. Under its auspices the towns of Lawrence, Topeka, Manhattan, Osawatomie and other places were settled, and in this way contributed greatly to the saving of Kansas for freedom. In 1856 Mr. Thayer began a somewhat similar but unsuccessful work in Virginia, and founded the town of Ceredo, containing about five hundred inhabitants from New England. From 1857 till 1861 he was a member of the National House of Representatives. In addition to the foregoing he was an inventor of considerable note. During his terms in Congress he was an ardent supporter of the bill for the admission of Oregon to the Union, which was passed on February 14, 1859, and it is reasonably certain that had it not been for Mr. Thayer's untiring efforts the admission day of this state would have been postponed until after the Civil War. As it was, success was attained by a very narrow majority—114 to 103 in the House, only one of the Massachusetts delegation voting with him.—George H. Himes, Assistant Secretary.
* ↑ E. g. Roosevelt, Winning of the West, New York, 1900 I, 20ff. John Minto, Address, Oregon Pioneer Association, Transactions, 1876, p. 44.
* ↑ This need was felt very early. In the Oregonian and Indians' Advocate for April, 1839, p. 220, occurs the following (the italics are not in the original), "Western America will be settled, but it cannot be done safely or profitably by individual enterprise, and the strongest bonds should unite those who emigrate." Cf., also, J. W. Nesmith, Address, O. P. A. Transactions, 1875, p. 46.
* ↑ —See Medorem Crawford, Journal, Sources of the History of Oregon, Vol. I, Part 1, Eugene, 1897, p. 10, and passim.
* ↑ F. G. Young, The Oregon Trail, Oregon Historical Quarterly, I, 360 f.
* ↑ Young, Oregon Trail, Oreg. Hist. Quart., I, 353.
* ↑ The mingling of these motives in the case of a single individual is well brought out in Minto, Antecedents of the Oregon Pioneers, Oreg. Hist. Quart., V, 40. In speaking of R. W. Morrison, he says, "First, he believed that Oregon of right belonged to the United States, and he was going to help make that right good. Second, he supposed there were many of the native races in Oregon who needed instruction to a better condition of life than was theirs; and though no missionary, he had no objections to help in that work. Third, he was unsatisfied to live longer so far from the markets that there were few products he could raise whose value in the world's markets would pay the cost of production and shipment." There were naturally many other motives operative such as the recovery of health and a determination to leave states where slave labor competed with free. See, on this head, Young, Oregon Trail, Oreg. Hist. Quart., I, 352, and Rev. G. H. Atkinson, The Pioneers of 1848) in O. P. A. Transactions, 1880, p. 32ff.
* ↑ Oregonian and Indians' Advocate, p. 349.
* ↑ Ibid., p. 219.
* ↑ The author of this paper is a grandson of William P. McArthur and a son of Lewis Linn McArthur.
* ↑ Gertrude Atherton, in her "California, an Intimate History," states that Bartlett was the first American alcalde at Yerba Buena, and that he changed the name of the village to San Francisco in 1846.
* ↑ "General Johnston," by Robert M. Hughes; Appleton, 1893, gives further particulars of Scott's campaign, and the expedition described here.
* ↑ Alexander Dallas Bache was one of America's foremost scientists, and was a grandson of Benjamin Franklin. He was born at Philadelphia on July 19, 1806, and died at Newport, R. I., on February 17, 1867. He served in many positions of note, and was superintendent of the Coast Survey from 1843 to 1867.
* ↑ Julius H. Pratt, in the "Century Magazine" for April, 1891, gives an account of his trip to California in 1849, and describes the voyage of the Humboldt in greater detail. He states that the British brig that arrived so opportunely was the Corbiere.
* ↑ A quotation from a letter of a fellow immigrant of the same train as the author throws sn interesting sidelight on the trip.   "Another trial that one has often to meet on the way is disregard for the Sabbath. I suppose there was about as much contention arose on that subject in the company in which I came as any other. A good part of the company cared nothing about that, or any other religious question, and if it suited them they wished to travel on that day as well as any other. And even then when they did stop on that day it was only to mend their wagons or wash their clothes. I do not say that all did this, for there were some of our company that were devotedly pious. There were three ministers in the company; one a Seceder minister from about Burlington [this was T. J. Kendall, D. D.]. The other two were Baptist ministers, one from, Iowa, the other from Rock Island County, Illinois, whose name was Fisher. . . . He manifested more of the true spirit of Christ while on the road than any other man with whom I was acquainted. . . . The company in which I came traveled, maybe, half of the Sabbaths on the way. We had preaching most of the days on which we stopped."—Letter of Andrew Rodgers, Jr., April 22, 1846, quoted in "The United Presbyterian" (Vol. 46, No. 2), Jan. 13, 1898, p. 10.
* ↑ There is much obscurity surrounding the origin of the names Tualatin and Tuallaty. Geo. H. Himes, from his investigations, believes Tualatin probably to be an Indian name meining "a land without trees," describing the natural prairies of what is now Washington County; and Tuallaty (the accent on the penult) to be an Indian name meaning "a lazy man," describing the sluggish river. If this is true, Tualatin was the name applied to the plains, and Tuallaty to the river; but a confusion of the two early took place which ultimately resulted in applying Tualatin to both river and prairie. The plains had begun to be settled at least as early as 1840. Bancroft, Hist. of Ore. I:244. They had at this time about 150 families, Canadians, half-breeds and Americans. Warre and Vavasour, ed. by J. Schafer, Ore. Hist. Soc. Quar. X:75.
* ↑ See note 73.
* ↑ The nearest points where supplies could be purchased were Oregon City and Portland. Pettygrove had established a store in the latter place in 1845 and with Lovejoy had cut out a road to the Tualatin plains. They may also have been able to get a few supplies at Linnton. Bancroft, Hist. of Ore. II:9. Oregon City was begun in 1829-30 by Dr. McLoughlin and by 1845-6 had 300 inhabitants, two church buildings, about 100 dwelling houses and stores, a grist mill, and several sawmills. Warre and Vavasour, ed. by J. Schafer in Ore. Hist. Soc. Quar. X:47-51.
* ↑ The West Union Church on Tualatin Plains. Sec note 73.