Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1882-12-22
PIONEER "REMINISCENCES.
THE SETTLEMENT OF OREGON.
1913.
The Oregon City Claim.

wrongs perpetra'ed by Congress ,"
The solution will be found III the ID
dress of OreGon's Representative to
his constituents, embodying the
fal-ehouds and misrepl
used. Here is an extract from his
letter to members of Congress urging
the passage of the Donation Law:
" L vii next call Your attention to
the I1th section of the bill, reserv-
ing tue townsite OF Oregon City,
known as the Oregon City claim. "
Inc capital of our Territory is To-
Gated here, and here is TIE county
seat of Ciackamas county. 1t is
dnquesliOnably the finest water pow
Il III the known world; and rs it is
now, SD 1t will remain, the great in
aud business point for the Territory.
This claim has been W.ongfuily
'rrrSi'd by DR.. Mclaughlin from
american citizens. The Methodist
Mission first took the claim, with a
view of establishing here their mills
and mission. They were forced to
leave it, under the fear OF having
the savaGes of Oregon let loose upon
them, and successfully number of
citizens of our coun Try have been
driven flom it, while DIR. McLough-
lin was yet at the head of the Hud-
sons Bay Company, west of the
Rocky Mountains. Having at his
command the Indians of the country,
he has held it by violence and dint
of threats up to this time. He had
sold lots up to the 18th of March
1919, worth 5000, 900. He also has
upon it Touring mill, granaries,
TWO double saw mills, large num-
Der of houses, stores and other
buildings, to which he may be en-
titled by virtue of his pOssessory
rights, under Treaty of 1916. For
only part of these improvements
which he may thus hold, he has been
urged during the last year to take
$3.50 900. He will already have
made a half a million out of that
claim. He is still an Englishmen,
still connected in interest with the
Hudson's Bay Company, and still
refuses to file his intentions to be-
come an American citizen, and as
signs as reason to the Supreme
Judge of the Territory that he can
not do it without prejudicing his
standing in England. Last summer.
he informed the writer of this, that
wha tever was made out Of this claim
was to go into the common fund of
the Hudson's Bay Company, of
which he and the other stock holders
would share i'll proportion to their
stock; in other words that he was
holding this claim for the benefit OF
the company. Now, the bill pro-
poses to reserve this claim, subject
to whatever rights he may have to it,
or any part of it, by virtue of the
treaty and confirms the title to all lot
sold or donated by him previous to
March 4, 1919. This is designed to
prevent litigation. That day is fixed
on, because on that day, in Oregon
City, Gov. Lane took possession of
the Territory, declaring the laws of
the United States i'll force, and ap-
prising DIR. Mclaughlin and all
others, that no one had right to sell
or NEEDLE with the Government
lands. Dr.. Mclaughlin ought to
have been made to pay back $780,
600, but not wishing to create any
litigation, the Committee concluded
to quiet the whole matter by con-
tirnng the lots. Having III this
way, made 5000 900, and his pos
sessory rights, if it shall turn out
that he lawfully acquired any, being
worth $500, 900 more, the people of
Or, gon think your bounty is suffi-
cient to this man, wko has worked
diligently to breal: down the settle
ments ever since they commenced
and they ask you to save their cap
ital, their county seat, and the bal
ance of that noble water power from
the grasp Ct this British propagan-
dist, and bestow it on the young
American generation in Oregon in
the shape of education, upon whom
you and the country are to rely to de-
fend and protect the western out
posts of this glorious Union.
When the Methodist Mission
were driven from this claim, they
went on to an Island in the middle
of the river, and constructed mills
aud made other improvements.
This island is known as the Aber-
nethy Island, and is Of no value,
except for the improvements upon it.
1t consisted of about two acres OF
barren rock. This Island was sub
sequently sold to George Abernethy,
and the bill ought to confirm the same
to Abernethy or his assigns. This
is a simple act of justice to American
citizens, who now have their mills
and property staked on those rocks,
and which, for long time, stood the
only mill in the valley where an
American could get any grain
ground for toll"
The eleventh section of the Ore
gon Land Law could never have
received the sanction of Congress but
for the representations that John
McLou him had refused to become
an American citizen, that he had re-
fused to renowned allegiance to the
British crown. Congress should not
be censured for acting upon inform
alton before it, for reaching the de-
cision that the Oregon City claim
was without lawful claimant and
donating it to the Territory for edu.
cationol purposes. John McLough-
lin who had assisted the American
immigrant, who had given up his
high rank and salary in the HUI ison' s
Bay Company, rather than ignore
the claims of humanity and refuse
to trust the destitute settler, was in
his old age thus unjustly despoiled
of his property. The island went
70 the ASSIGNS of tle mjIlinu rom.