Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1882-11-17
Oregon "reminiscences.
NIB.
Continued.

LOughiln to sell cattle to the Oregon
Methodist Mission aud ~ the Amer.
!can settlers, was Il great cause of
diSaifection to the Company. DIR.
Mclaughlin thus refers to the
course adopt d by him, aud rigidly
adhered to until 1898:
- lent them each two COWS, as in
1928 We had only twenty seven head,
biz and small, old and young. If
[ sold they woald of course be en-.
titled TO the increase, ami | would
not have the means to assist the
new settlers, and the settlement
would be retarded, us those pur-
cbasers who offered me two hundred
dollars for COW would put such a
price on the increase as would put it
out of the power of poor settlers
to buy. This would prevent in
dustrious men settling. For these
reasons would not sell. but loaned
as | say, two cows to each settler,
and i'll case the increase of settlers
might be greater than we could
afford to supply with cattle, re-
served the right to take any cattle |
required (above his two cows) from
any settler to assist new settlers.
70 the Methodist Mission, rs it was
Il public institution, | lent seven OK
en-, one bull and eight COWS with
their calves.
Tue reason offered by Dr.. Nc.
Loughlin that there was insufficient
stock i'll the country, that the i'm
portation was most expensive and
hazardous, that all that were in the
the country should be preserved to
secure increase, was uuavailing. To
the settler it was not satisfactory to
be told that the Company's start had
been few head driven at vast ex-
pense and danger along the coast
from the Russian establishments on
Bodesa Bay, in California; that
those establishments had most be-
grudgingly shared them, for their
California settlements were only in
tended to supply their northern trad
ing posts; that the colonial law of
California prohibited the exporta-
ton of female cattle. The scarcity
of cattle, the dissatisfaction of the
settlers because of this refusal to
sell, continued until the importation
of stock by the California cattle
company.
Referring to that enterprise, DR..
Mclaughlin in this journal, saws:
In the winter of 1867, we
found the means of forming q COM
pany to go to California for cattle.
l took half the stock for the Hud-
sons Bay Company, so that by pur-
chasing larger number las the ex-
pense of driving five hundred or a
thousand was the same) it would
make the cattle cheaper. Those of
the settlers that had means put it in
the stock, those that had none, en-
gagged as drivers at one dollar per
day, to be paid in cattle at their ac-
tual cost. Mr.. Slacum, who came
here in a chartered vessel gave them
a passage gratis to San Francisco.
Ewing Young was selected to COL
duct the party. p. l.. Edwards of
the Methodist Mission was appointed
Treasurer. They brought, l think,
about seven hundred head of cattle,
which cost abo ut eight dollars per
head rendered in the Wallamet.
The settlers kept the tame and bro
ken in oxen they had, belonging to
the Hudson's Bay Company, and
gave their California wild cattle in
the place, SO that they found them
selves stocked with tame cattle
which cost about eight dollars per
head. The Hudson's Bay Company,
to favor the settlers, took calves in
place of grown-up cattle, because
the Hudson's Bay Company wanted
them for beef and these calves would
grow up before they were required. 3"
Rev. Daniel Lee, nephew and as
sociate of Rev. Jason Lee, in estab.
fishing the Oregon Methodist Mis-
sion, in his " Ten years in Oregon, ="
thus refers to the formation of the
California Cattle Company:
AT this period winter of 1S3G)
the cattle in the country nearly all
belonged to the Hudson's Bay Com
pany, aud as it was then policy not
to sell any, it became necessity for
, some measures to be adopted TO OBJ
J tain elsewhere what could not be
brought of the company. In older
to effect this, an expedition was in
contemplation when Mr.. Slacum ar.
rived" (This reference was to The
visit of William A. Slacum, U. S.
Navy to the Mission, in December,
1886. That officer had been en-
ployed on special service by the
President of the United States, to
visit Oregon and California, and bad
chartered the Brig Loriot, Capt.
, Bancroft at Honolulu. Mr.. Slacum
had made calls at almost every house,
took a census of the inhabitants in.
charge, an account of the produce of
farms, their stock, &c. A petition
was drawn up to be forwarded by
Mr.. Slacum, signed by the people,
French and Americans, praying Con-
gress to recognize them in their
. helpless and defenceless state, and
to extend to them protection Of its
law
Mr.. Lee goes on: con Mr.. Sla-
cum being advised of a proposed ex-
petition to California for cattle, and
the objects of it, " he lent his aid
to carry it into immediate effect, and
rendered passage to those who
might compose the party. Of this
very reasonable and Unexpected
means of reaching California the
party availed themselves. A COM
pany was formed, and stock invested
to q considerable amount, to which
were to be added the avails Of the
labor which the party might perform
during theft detention in California,
fill tho Al,