Seattle daily post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, W.T. [Wash.]) 1881-1888, 1884-02-24
SC9APS OF EARLY UayroRT.
Whisky's bad osanGs In Oregon Ferry
Yaapx Age.

Whisky's Bad osanss In orexs. vsrt,
Years Age.
Correspondence Tacoma Nevx.1
LAKE vrEw, Feb. 70, 1854.
LlstensnR 10 modern temperance talk
and speeches carries my mind back e
the nrss temperance lecture delivered
In this northwest country, some forty
years ago, IN Washington county. Ore
Ron, by the Rev. j. 5. Griffin, on the
text, " Wine Is mocker strong drink
ts raging. and whossevef 10 deceived
tnsresy ~ not wise" There vas q
large audience, and many signed what
xas called the WashinQtoaian pledge
That Was in the year 1874 and vas the
nrst temperance Campaign carried on
between there and Suffers Fort.
The first legislators Of Oregon Terri.
tory passed an act prohibiting the max
ing of selling of intoxicating iiquors Of
any kind.
The 6rst distillery in Oregon was de-
strsyed By mob headed by Z. White,
and the worm WAS cast into the falls OF
the Willamette for safe keeping, and no
doubt 10 there yet. OF tho first thres
men that made the first whisky there.
two killed themselves drinking saeir own
gooda. F "Hs
OF the three first men killed two came
70 their death by whiAky. f..........
Tue cause Of the 6rst Indian hanging
Waa whisky. f M "a
The first Indian killed WAS struck with
the edge of paddle on the back Of the
neck in drunken fit.
The first white man. w. G. BOurse,
who killed his wife and three little
daughters, set fire to his house while
drunk. burning his family and every
thing he had in it. while he lay on a
plank With a bottle OF whisky in his
hand. When his nsighbors asked him
where his family we're, he pointed to
his burning house.
Five Indians we're burned to death,
and one white man killed by the In.
dians at ChectO, Oregon, instigated by
whisky.
At Scott Valley, California, one white
man was killed by an Indian, and nine
indians and the same number of white
men werc killed. In Jackson county,
Oregon, rs Indians, mostly women, were
killed. The same morning white man
that had been left by Superintendent
Palmer ON Table Rock, had his head
chopped of by Chief John, for whom he
had been left to build a house. From
there John went 10 Mr.. Wagner's and
killed his wife and child; and the In
dians then travelled north, killing the
whites As they met them.
At the big battle of Hungry Hill many
we're killed on both sides.
Then came the great war of 1854 5.
This was what the Indians told me I
Vas then United States interpretsr) that
this war started from one bottle Of
whisky, and no white man ever denied
it. could name many other similar
oases of murder and rava9es due to
whisky, but these will suffice.
The first whisky destroyed in the
north west was Mt ElleusburR, Oregon,
by Rev. J. l.. Parrish. Indian agent.
Who stove in the head of the barrels.
One Of the owners, white woman, who
had been selling to Indians, seeing her
whisky disappearing. laid down and
took a long last drink!
The first wholesalers on the coast
were two Indians between Salmon and
Siletz rivers. Two large barrels of
whisky we're foated ashore from the
wreck of ship. They rolled the bar
rsls to point above high tide, sent
word far and near, knocked in the
beads, and sold the liquor by the bucket
full.
The first keg of whisky taken from
an Indian at the Grande Ronde Reser-
vatiOn was taken by the writer and
turned owe to the agent in charge.
The day of trial was delayed from time
to time, and when the council met, the
keR was brought into court minus the
whisky, and there was no evidence.
The Judge SAID: "Give tho Indian
his keu dismiss the council. There ia
no evidence that there was whisky in
the key"
The first cargo forfeited on Grande
ROnde Reservation was load of ap.
pies. The Indian wife of an old
Frenchman had passed the gate near
Fort Yamhill time and again unmo-
listed, but was finally seized and her
cargo examined. A keg of whisky was
fonnd under the apples. The old
woman WAS put in the blockhouss and
the apples and whisky were taken in
charge. The next day the old kloot0h-
man was turned out and her horse and
cart headed tomeward. She never re-
turned. never heard of the official
report Of the affair; guess It never
went further. I think the pfilcer in
charge at the time was Lieutenant
Phil. Sheridan. since somewhat famous.
The first selling Of whisky on the
above reservation WAS. by "Indian
Dave" An induoement had been held
out to anyone reporting the sale Of
liquor to An Indian. Dave offered his
services, provided someone would let
him have the money u buy with. He
was handed Is and kss, with strict
orders 70 bring the whisky to the officer
in charge, but Dave tu0k the liquor to
Oak Grove. fixed up bar, and rstailed
it at 26 cents a glass. when he took
one quart out he put In quart Of
water. After awhile he was discovered,
and a fle Of soldiers sent to arrest him.
He refused to 90 and had - work for
thirty days with pick and shovel, adorn-
ed with ball aud chain, but would not
inform ON his customers. Dawes life
was checkcred one. He often bOasted
of being one of the first missionary boys
At Salem. having been with the hrst
missionary that came to this country,
Jason Lee, who came herr abcu, 1895.
When tirst knew Dave he could read
some. He said that be ran away from
the missionaries before his education
WAS complete.
once saw Gov. Woods strip Dave OF
nearly all his clothes. his blanket, horse
and everything he had. and leave him in
the road with i've empty whisky bottles
for stealing one Of the Governor . horses
Dave vas one Of the chiefs who signed
the first treaties that the Government
would a6cept, in March, lN4. Dave
made many narrow escapes with his life
He vas once shot in the foot BY an In
dian. and once by Ac0inni1. The quar-
rel Was absut bottle Of whisky. MO
Giuniss took his gun. Dave started Y
RON, leaning forward. Ac0inniss ahot
the bali struck on the right side, break
| ine two of his ribs Oh, and making
horrible wound. He rode 10 miles thai
evening. He married Prinoess Mary ol
Rogue river. heard that ne killed hel
in drunken spree. Dave understood
| politics better than many vhttee- HI
vas first q Democrat Of tho Johnsos
school. and afterwArd . War DemocrAt
| Quite ! history could be written Of poo
Dave, He became blind. and Vas muf
/ dored In his house. JOHN FLkTr,
An Old Timer Of 1S4l.
Nxw CoNsuIa.-On the 7th inst. tn
President appointed Robot ]. steven
4 ry..I ce-Ss- Nk,uaul AZ ViNfOPia AM