Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1882-10-13

wants or the community. ManF VI
the farmers were obliged 20 leav G
their falms on the Wallamet, and
90 six miles above Vancouver, Oh
the Columbia river, making the
whole distance about sixty miles, to
ye: their wheat ground, and ut a
great loss of time and expense. The
company was formed aud proceeded
to select u site. They selected an
island at the falls at the Wal amet,
and concluded to commence their
operations After commencing, they
were informed by Dr.. Mclaughlin,
who i, at the hea,: Of the Hudson +
Bay Company's aff.irs west of the
Rocky Mountains, that the land Was
his. and that he, although il chief
factor of the Hudson's Bay Com
pany. claims all the land at the east
of the 'al.amet, embracing the
falls down to the Clackamus river, a
distance of about two miles. He
had no idea, We presume, that the
company would succeed. However,
he erected shed Oh the island, after
the stuff was ON the island to build a
house, and then gave them permis-
sion to build under cert .in restric-
! tons. They took the paper be wrote
them containing his conditions, but
, did not ob.isate themselves to com
ply with the conditions, as they did
, not think his claim just or reason
able
"Many projects mad been started
by the inhabitants, but for want of
means and encouragement failed.
This was predicted for the milling
company. But after much labor
and difficulty, they succeeded in
getting a saw-mill erected and ready
to run, and entered into contract
to have a grist-mill erected forth
with. And now, as they have sue
ceeded, where is the Hudson's Bay
Company? DIR. Mclaughlin en-
ploys hands to get out frame, and
erects il at the Wallamet falls; and
we find as soon as the frame is up,
the gearing, which has been made ut
Vancouver, bought up in boats, and
that which caused a feeble company
of American citizens months of toll
and embarrassment. is accomplished
by the chief factor of the Hudson
Bay Company in few weeks. He
has men and means, and it is said by
| him that in two weeks his mill will
be saving And what will be the
consequence Why. if the milling
company sell for fifteen dollars per
thousand, he can sell for twelve; il
they reduce the price to ten, he can
come to eight, or five or two dollars
per thousand. He says he will have
a grist-mill in operation. All the
wheat in Oregon they are anxious to
get, as they ship it to the Russians
on the northwest coast. In the first
place, they measure the wheat in a
half bushel, called by them 'imper.
ial measure, much larger than the
standard measure of the United
States. This not answering, they
next proceed to Lick the half bushei
with the foot to settle the wheat.
Then they brought up a measure
larger than the former, aud now
they fill this measure, then strike il
three times with q stout club, and
then fill it up and call it fair meas.
ure. Against such proceedings we
need law which will be respected
and obeyed.
"About twelve or fourteen years
ago the Hudson's Bay Company
blasted a caual a few feet, to con.
duct water to o mill they were going
to build, the timber for which is now
lying at the falls rotting. They
however, abandoned the thing al
together, aud built their mills on
the Columbia, about six miles above
Fort Vancouver, on the Dorth side Of
the river.
"Iu the year 1888, agreeable to
orders left by Mr.. Slacum. a house
was erected at the falls to secure the
claim for him. In 1910 the Method
,st mission erected buildings and
stationed two families there, and
made a claim to sufficient land for
their buildings, not interfering with
any others who might wish to build.
A short time previous to this, DIR.
Mclaughlin, had store-house
erected for the Company, not &C.
cupied, however, further than to
store wheat and other articles in,
and as trading house during the
salmon season. After this, in I841,
q shanty was erected, and . man
kept at the falls, whose business it
was to trade with the Indians for
furs and salmon, and look out for
the Doctors claim, he. said, and to
forbid persons building at the falls,
as some had built, and others were
about building. This man was and
still is a servant Of the Hudson's
Bay Company.
During the years 1S41 aud 1912,
several families settled at the falls,
when DR.. Mclaughlin, who still re-
sides at Fort Vancouver, comes on
the ground, and says the land is his,
and every person building without
his permission is held as trespas.
ser.
Without reference to any per.
sons right or claim, he employs q
surveyor to run out the plat, and as
a bill was before the Senate of the
United State to grant every white
male inhabitant q mile square, he
has mile run out to suit his views,
and lays out town plat at the falls,
and calls it Oregon City, AL.
though some, for peace sake. asked
him for lots they already had in
possession, and which be appeared
very willing to grant, the Doctor
now felt himself secure, aud posted
up the annexed paper:
Notice is hereby given to all
whom it may concern, that those
who have obtained grants of lots in