Seattle daily post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, W.T. [Wash.]) 1881-1888, 1885-02-24

Bis moral example WAS Of the hizhesi
character, be said more 20 u about sh=
praesiczl matters connected WITH oar
march than De did aboai theol ~ or
religions eyseds. sud believs that lis
eou6Get au5ong tie Indians vas Of the
same practical and asefal character.
DIR. Weitnsn's co laboEsF, Rev. d H.
SpaldIDg. sB1-s % els sogk OF that sea-
sab ~ foiloEs.
And thruugh that great emigration,
during that wknIs sznTnef, The doctor
vas ;hsir everywhere present angel OF
mercy, ministeFiIse 70 the stck. helping
the weary. sbc0hragfn0 the vaTerinR.
cheering the mothers. TDsndin2 wagons,
setting broken bones. kantlDg stray
oIeu, climbing preeiplces, Eo~ IN tie
rsAr. Bo~ m The center. nos A. the front;
IN the rivers looking Oui fards; through
the quicksaEds; Ia the deserts looking
cot gater. IN the dark mountains look
leg ont passes AZ noontlde or midnight,
as though those thousands we're bis oSn
children and those focks we're his oEn
property. AlshoaKh be asked not and
expected nSs dollars reward from any
source, yet he felt himself sb1ndaHtly
rewarded when be ssw the desire Of mis-
bsaTt accomplished. the great wagon
rsnts over the mountains established.
and Oregon ia a far way " be oecuptfd
With AMERICAS settletHents and AmerI-
can eommsrce And especially he felt
himself d1ebiy paid when, 81 the end OF
his successful expedition, and standing
alive At bis home again, on the banks Of
toe Ma!ia Walls, these thousands han
dr. eds Of has fsfiow Sumner pilgrims,
- "A -
by the hard and thanked him with ieara
for what ne had dsne."
This emigration 01tnHmbered all OF
the Hudson Bay Company employ ses
and Red River smiQfaBta, and showed
aar Government that an emigration
could reach the Columbia river, 20 that
after that the Americans had no idea Of
allowing any Of the country south of
the present line. vhiek divides Wash
ineton Territory fEou5 British Columbia,
To fad into the hands Of Great Britain.
It Actually saved tha oountry TO the
Uuttsd States.
Judge " lillian Strong, ia an address
before the o egsn Pioneer Society IN
1878, said:
4" Inc arrival Of the emigration Of 1888
may be- considered tbs turning psint 10
lhe history of Oregon. Ii gave the
American population in the Territory
control Of Its evil affairs. attracted the
attention aud excited the interest of the
citizens and public authorities of the
Uaitsd States TO this then almost I'M
known land, and thus Contributed ma
teriSiIy to the DISCRIMINATION Of the
boundary question. Il made Oregon Of
too great importance TO permit dIplo-
macy to tritiu IL away. IL brought 10
the valley large band Of improved
horses and cattle. 1t afforded tue set
tiers the means Of making themselves at
home IL the country, and filled their
hearts with hopes VI being again sur
Ionndsd by AIseFican e.tdZsns.'
And Hon. ElwOod Evans, in letter
TO the writer. says:
- We zraloasIy unite in asoIibinR to
that visit the greatest results 10 the fu
tufs Of Oregon; the graudest service to
that large train; the importance that
lowed from his saceeesi al leading Of
ghat train thro1gh 30 the Columbia with
sheir wagons. hose results. those con
illusions are glorious 90 DIR. Whitman's
memory"
This determined which Of the two
countries should hold the oauutry BY
rigbt Of settlement. Nor did his infiu-
eBce cease with that years emigration.
The success of this company in reach
ing Oregon indneed anotner company
to start the next year. Says Mrs. Il. 3.
PnrRle, who came ia 1914, after speak
ing OF DR.. NhitmAn's marking the route
and guiding the emlgrants OF lS43: so
veil known WAS this fact in the western
States that Whitman and Oregon we're
the watchwords of the emigration of
1874" SO his influence goes ON down
from year 20 year aud from generation
30 Runeratian, and will be felt on this
northwest coast as long astime shall last.
" He being dead Yet spsaketh."
There at Fort Hail the final conquest
was made which resulted In the Uuitsd
states obtaining possession Of good
share at least Of this northwest coast.
Previous TO 1886, when DR.. Whitman
came 10 the coast. IN nearly every con
test which the Americans had had with
the British subjects here, they had been
defeated. Several fur companies, among
which were the Pacific Fur Company.
with John Jacob Astor at its head; the
Missoari Fur Company, the Rocky
Mountain Far Company, Wyesh's sal
Iuon canneTy and trading company,
Captain Bonneville, and others, which
awelsed the number TO eleven, according
to Gray's History OF Oregon. had fought
the battle with the Hudson BAY Con-
pany and retired defeated. The Amer
lean Society for encouraging settlements
~ the Oregon Territory, with Hall j.
kelly at It's head, had lost 80, 600 and
aaaa AL a.. Il -.
1911, before the Hudson Bay Company
were here. and Fort Hall, built IN 1884
BY n. j. Myeth, had fallen into the
hands OF the enemy. Thus previous %
1894 every American effort was defeated.
Ia thai year Rev. Jason Lee and Others
crossed the continent, and, though il was
not IN their tirst plan, actually began a
settlement IN the Willamette, which
greatly assisted IN the hnal victory.
lbs same year Rev. Samuel Parker DO.
gan - aroase tue Congregational and
Freshly terrain churches and the Ameri
eAn Board Of Com missioners for Foreign
AIisAons 10 regard 20 missions on this
ouast and the next winter found Dr..
Whitman and Interested him in the
work. Then 70 was that the tias began
10 torn ia favor of the Uuited states
10 lSs6. when Mrs. Spaiding and Mrs
Whitman crossed the Rocky Mountains
tbs fifst white women Who ever did 80
II vas victory. When, during the sane
journey. Or. Whitman bFouehs the tirsi
wagon that ever broke the brush
fton fsTt Laramie ~ Fort Beiss, Il was
another viesnry. When, four wears later
llr. Robert Newell and company took
three wagons W wAlla walla, the enemy
vas again osercome. when again De
whitman made his journey east 10 lsi :
through terrible suffering, and gave such
Information at Washington that the
opinions of the ralers as to the value OF
the conntEy and the p1s sibiiity of reach
Iils IL With Wagons zas changed, sti,l
Smother vtetory wes Won. But the 70
salts OF all theee would have been welI.
algh oF eompietely lost had Capt. Grams
- sstt Hail induced the emigration OF
llst3 to do - he wlshed. There was no
nonFish of trampcts o. sound OF orums.
no rattle Of masketry or roar Of cannon
81 thai battle. ths contest vas stmuly
between twu men. and VAS 4 hst1le OF
brains and diplomacy, but thu resalis Of
q SeFe sreaieF than oftsntiCses vheu
many thousands have been alAin. EAeh
at the parties felt Ia 8 measure ths ne.
sloaSibslisy, and Whitman wou.
Fsrs Hail vas bnlls nine years pgsyi.
Gas by an AmsFicap, baa Ia the caa,es,
estseen the trading companies aaaokfy
fsil into the haBdz of the British, Nos
u Vas tas seene Of another cousAas
@hsn anttleuieuta. net furn ware a,