Seattle daily post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, W.T. [Wash.]) 1881-1888, 1884-01-01

fRsja mo- - msafh a - W1nan.
sG1e, and ~ finally ssld ise = hand q
oa3t2e. vh6dA vees driven evssiAnd. II
oUnsss veEe r 8. Kilbogn. ChaA Waaaa
FIaAaant Aynstrooe, b. Wood, Johr
0rosa and 0eoeRe Davis. and the bead
caxpsnter Was Felix Hathaway, Who ~
saved from . wreck at the mouth Of tha
rivos.
In 18l2 the Willamette Milling Com
pa1y vas formed and commenced tht
boildinG Of cav mill and Rfist mill q
the falls, Oregon City. The aame yea
the Metodist mission Jut up q larry
three story wooden building, known q
Salem As the Institute. intended for til,
instruction Of Indians, and that serveG
~ the first foundation of the Willamett,
University, which was burned dow
some II or Is years ago. This Vas I
remarkable structure for those times
DR.. McLauehlin also had Touring ant
saw mills in operation at the falls in thu
year 1s45.
On the 10Th Of November, 1912, Noun
st. Helsns astonished the few settlers
and frightened the Indians by a vol
canic eruption which lasted some weeks
The scene is described As awful and sub
lime: at night flames fit the heavens
and day and night smoke poured forth
and ashes were scattered for hundreds
of miles.
DISCOVERY OF GOLD.
We have reliable account Of the dis
covery of gold on the head waters OF
the Malhear of Crooked river, in 1915 OF
tAG lxv h. g.
George Meek on his new route, where
they suffered much before they finally
reached the settlements. That they did
find nuggets of coarse gold in a creek in
that region is uadeniable; it was even
hammered on wagon tire: thrown
loose into q dunnage box. and after
wards lost, without any suspicion of its
identity or value. Many mines have
since been worked in that part Of the
Blue Mountains. The discovery of gold
at Suffers mill, on the Sacramento,
created a furore the world over. At
that time the population had greatly
increased, so that in 1850 the enumer-
alton was 13. 294. and in 1S4S the stream
of immigration had supplied at least
5000 Americans. The country vas. for
a while, almost depopulatsd of men;
and women conducted farms and man.
aged business in many cases. The incl
dents of the gold era would make a
volume and cannot be enumerated, but
the result was that many were success
full and the country was more rapidly
developed. The days of pioneering
were over. Travel by Oregon routes
was made easy and time shortened.
Commerce. grew to magic proportions;
ocean steamships brought mails at first
once q month, which was great i'm
provement ON no mails at all. Portland
was planted and became city; towns
and villages grew up on all sides; mills
were built; all the best locations were
settled npon in the Willamette, and ii
became a region of cultivated society
and beautiful homes. Gold was dis
covered and mined successfully in va
rious directions. and the settler who
had few years before lived on boiled
wheat, kept that fact as tradition of
the past, while be enjoyed the fairness
of a bountiful land. All Of a sudden
tho curtain of destiny rose on changed
scene; the early pioneers we're heroes of
a dim past, surrounded by present
that was seriously intent on business.
One of the original disOoverors of gold
at Suffers mill, was Capt. Bennett. who
lived at Salem, and built the steamer
Canemah, on the upper Willamette, in
January, 1852.
THE TERRITORIAL EPOCH.
Events that no human foresight could
foresee, and which surprised the world,
brought emigration from all directions
to the gold fields of California aud gave
TO the Pacific Coast prominence that
has increased steadily for thirty years.
The Oregon settler was now reinforced
by the arrival of sturdy immigrants by
thousands in dusty caravans across the
plains, and also the overflow from Cali
fornia came north to claim the benefit
of the munifcent grant Of q section of
land offered by the government to each
actual married settler.
The year 1919 saw about ten thousand
inhabitants in the then Oregon Terri
tory. The decade that passed under
Territorial sway was season OF general
happiness and prosperity to the inhab-
itants Of Western Oregon, except during
q period Of Indian war. The pioneer
had conquered hardships and endured
much, to at last find himself ON national
soil and With the most favored condi-
tions of earthly prosperity accorded
him. The valleys of Western Oregon
were rapidly settled, and much oulsiva-
ton Was commenced. California, in
early times. offered q good market for
all oar products ut fancy prices. Regu-
lar steamers We're placed on the ocean,
to be in time followed by the overland
stage, and with the advent Of the tele-
graph We were at last in instant c5mmu-
nication with all the world. The days
of privation and hardship were forgot
ten in the possession of every comfort
civilization affords, and Injuries, even.
were abundant. 1t Was and is true that
no people ON the earth have been more
favored than have the people of Oregon.
With the growth Of this region came
ambitious hopes, and in 1851 c0nver-
ti6n Adopted constitution for the new
State that was to be, which was adopted
by a popular vote in November Of that
year, aud State officers were also elected
at the same time. In February, 1859,
Congress passed an act admitting Ore
gon, with its present limits. An act of
1853 had organized Washington Terri
tory out ut the country north Of the Co
lumbia.