Southport telegraph. [volume] (Southport, W.T. [i.e. Kenosha, Wis.]) 1840-1850, 1842-05-31
THE OREGON TERRITORY.

y that region or rlcn ana fertle country,
lying between the western bank of the Mis-
sissippi river and the Pacific ocean, known
as the Oregon Territory, will be covered
with permanent settlements and thriving
populaiion-even 10 the shores Of the Pa
ciic itself. whose growth and prosperity will
form a marvellous epoch in the history OF
the enterprise Of the western CONTINENT
The spirit Of daring and industry that is TO
accomplish His work is now fast springing
into action; the same causes that have peo
pied the great west with prosperous and
happy population, and laid the foundation
of great and opulent cities are about max ng
a second appearance in favor Of Oregon
aad it cannot be otherwise than that it should
be followed by similar effects in that case
also. The attention Of the L. States is Just
beginning to be seriously turned towards
this luxuriant wilderness, and especially SO
now that it has become evident that unless
it is speedily settled by emigrants from the
States, it will be studded by British colo
MES, and its deep solitudes, many of them
yet to be gazed upon for the first time by
the eye of civilized man, be penetrated by
English pioneers.
The Oregon Territory should have claim
ed the attention Of congress long ago. 1t
properly belongs to the United States, and
the sooner it is reduced to possession, the
better. England has been attempting TO
hatch up claim to it on an alleged discovc-
ry, which lapse of time, and apathy on the
part ofou government in ordering surveys
and establishing military posts, may allow
TO grow into an apparent right-.to settle
which, hereafter, will be as veXatious as the
disputed north eastern boundary. Every
body conversant with the facts Of the case
and the evidence Of history knows that Cap
tain Gray, who for the first time sailed from
Boston to the North Pacific, in the ship Co.
lumbia, in 1900, was The real discovcrer of
the river which he subsequently, named af-
ter his ship; was the first who assembled il,
and the real discovcrer Of the Oregon Ter
ritory. Both Mearcs, in 1888, and Van
couver in 1892, sent out by the British
government to explore the northwest coast
of America, were unsuccessful. Gray and
Vancouver were upon the coast at the same
| time, and in company. Gray discovered
the bay at the mouth OF the river, and ac-
quainted Vancouver of his discovery, who
supposed it TO be an opening, which he rep
resented that he himself had passed short
time previously, and which he declared to
be apparently inaccessible, owing to break
ers which extended across its entrance
On the 18th Of May, 1892, Capt. Gray sue
cecdcd in obtaining an entrance into the
harbor passed by Vancouver as inaccessi
bic. which he subsequently explorcd-on the
18th Of May, discovered that they were in
large river Of fresh water which on the 18th
they had navigated a distance Of fifteen
miles. This river Capt;n Gray named
the Columbia, by which it has since been
known and the southern cape Of it cape Ad
ans, and the northern one, cape Hancock
The voyage Of Meares TO the North Pa
cific had terminated at this point, which. in
memory Of the entire failure Of his enter
prize. he called Deception Bay. and Cape
Disappointment. In October, 1892, five
months after Gray had explored the Colum-
bla river, and given it a name, a dctach-
nent from Captain Vancouvcr's ship sue
ceedcd in navigating the same river about
20 miles.
The Indians in the vicinity of lake Su-
perior had tradition among them, that one
of the streams which took its rise in this
neighborhood swelcd into a mighty river,
and after passing through a vast country,
empted into the Pacific Ocean. 1t is sup
posed that the Columbia is the river TO which
the tradition referred and that the vast coun-
try watered by it is that now known as the
Oregon Territory. This great extent Of
country has since been principally in the
possession of several fur companies, who
have successfully penetrated it in various
directions. A considerable portion Of the
Territory was explored in 1904 and ), by
Messrs Lewis and Clark, two commission
ers appointed by the United States TO ex-
plore the river Missouri and lis principal
branches 10 their sources; and then to seek
and trace to its termination in the Pacific,
some stream, whether the Columbia, the
Oregon, the Colorado. or any other, which
might offer the most direct and practicable
water communication across the continent
for the purposes Of commerce. They pro-
ceedcd about four thousand miles, to the
mouth of the Columbia river, discovering
and giving names to several tributarie in
their way. and gave most gratifying de-
scription Of the varicgated attractions Of the
country through which they passed.
The first settlement in the Oregon Ter
ritOry was made by the Missouri Fur Com
pany, in 1903, bot was subsequently aban-
doned. The next settlement was by the
Pacific Fur company, Of n. York, in 1910,
under whose auspices a number Of trading |
posts were established on the shores Of the |
Pacific, and also on the banks Of the Col |
umbia and its tributaries, with the general |
depot near the mouth Of the Columbia river |
called Astoria, after John J. Astor, Of n. !
York who was at the head Of the enterprise.
This soon became thriving and prosper
Gus settlement. and so continued until the |