Morning journal and courier. [volume] (New Haven [Conn.]) 1848-1894, 1885-04-28
tuesday, April IS, 1855.
COLONY HISTORICAL SOCIETY.


COLONY HISTORICAL SOCIETY.
ssyotes of n Three and One-E4aIf
Years, Residence in Oregon-1 $50
1.2.3,,-From a Paper Read BY Mr.
George sherman at the Meeting
of the Colony Historical Society
Last Evening.
A well attended meeting of the Historical
society was held last evening at which Mr..
George Sherman, the curator of the rooms,
read the concluding part of paper entitled
as above He said:
NV last paper closed with hasty sketch
of nv experience in Washington territory,
then the northern half of Oregon. One more
noteworthy pioneering incident of the coun-
try was our patriotic celebration of our ma
toms birthday July 4, 1863 The exercises
were concluded by an Grafton after the great
dinner given to all the country around. A
beautiful grove was fitted up excellently for
the occasion and a long level spot was found
near the river bank for the dining table.
Great prairies of tall herds-grass have given
to the country the name of the Cowelity
Farm. Near by was forest of lofty fir
trees.
SA4AAS ~ ~OS->~S~>~~
in Portland, my first work was taking charge
of the books of Messrs. Couch & Co. and al
so the consignments of lumber, which was
mostly seasoned dimension pine board.
These lumber shipments often paid profit
both ways between California and Oregon
without diseharging but once. Captains
Drew, George Flanders and Andrew settled
in northern Oregon. Captain Storer of the
brig emma Prescott" had been too careful
of the fresh fruits and canned goods and fell
sick and died soon after his arrival in Ore
gon, 100 days direct from New York by way
of Cape Horn.
Housekeeping articles were rare and cost
ly. Saleratus was worth $1.25 per pound.
The cargo was sold direct from the vessel for
gold which we sent to San Francisco and
thence to New York The losses on lumber
and vessels were very heavy, and the houses
in San Francisco and New York were obliged
to suspend payment. The entrance at Cape
Disappointment, Astoria Bay, is very diff
cult because of the breakers and shoal wa
tiers. To assist sailing vessels in crossing the
bar in calm weather and in ascending the
Columbia and Willamette rivers ship yawls
and large rowboats were fitted up with steam
engines, which proved useful and good pay
ing investment.
The return of gold parties inspired us with
the idea of visiting the mines in
Gold Gulch, and Mr.. Campbell, a
lawyer, Mr. Ortus, the schoolmaster, and my
self packed off to the mines. We packed one
mule and two horses. With the three horses
we rode the pack animals and their loads
made up our venture of four or five hundred
dollas. At our second nights camp severe
thunderstorm occurred. So long and drench-
ing was the rain that our frail shed of a
blanket and evergreen boughs afforded little
or no shelter. We kept our camp fire kim
died at the foot of a tall dead tree. This
was a relief till after midnight when the fire,
burning through the outside, reached the
hollow part of the great tree. The flames
rose high up among the branches, parts of
which fell so frequently that we had to move
in the night to place of safety.
The next day we overlook long pack
train of fifty or sixty mules, with an old
white horse having bell on his neck at
their head The packers were two young
adventures from Massachusetts. They
showed us the best place for our nights
camping ground. The animals were tettered
out at night with long rope to prevent
| their becoming lost. When we had made a
| fire and attended to the animals, we cooked
l
| water was very convenient
| The trees of the Mupqua valley are mostly
! white oaks and seem like great apple trees.
/ The journey was very pleasantly enhvened
| with singing and anecdotes. My compan-
| ions were very fine fellows. Each of the
mules when brought in in the morning and
| talked to for little knew his place and took
| it. where he was loaded up. Each mule
| knew his name.
| We reached Gold Gu1ch in about week.
/ The location is beautiful 1 stayed there ard
tried to strike gold, but after only little
success Thought would try another means
| of livelihood. The layout of the town of
Jacksonville, near which Gold Gulch is sit
uated, is confused and irregular. was en-
ployed in stalking out the streets, blocks and
| lots The pay brought me little more than
the gold which 1 had struck. Sand
stone abounded in layers of 1noder-
ate thickness. 1t makes good grindstones
and hearth stones. traded off my horses
| for half acre of land in the city limits.
The place was very pleasant and soon religi-
| Gus people moved in and built houses there.
News of the sickness of my wife de-
| termined me to come home as soon as pos
| sible 1 was in company with young man
who paid his way with his rifle. We were
greatly hindered and cut off by snow storms,
| and at one time it seemed as though we
would die of starvation. We made houses
of pine trees sawed and cut up into convenient
| form The windows were narrow openings
| covered with strong white cotton cloth. The
| chimney was built over the hearth about foul
feet wide with wide opening. The back OF
| it was of stone, forming part OF the real
| side of the house. Lattice work rose from
the curve, four feet above the hearth, to the
| top outside the roof This was covered with
clay, which the fire baked very hard Some
times the fire would set fire to the chimney
top but it was easily put out.
Christmas, 1852, was the time of our direc
/ starvation. Our only food was beef fried IL
| water, with no salt, no -four, no sugar DeeI
| snow On all sides made our situation almost
desperate Our chief hunger was for bread
When we could get out we prospected fol
| gold, but found no new paying places. Tit
gold was found at first near the surfac,
| OF the. ground and the dirt yielded
giving quantities of paying gold. saw on
lump taken out which resembled in size al.t
shape a mans fist. Lawsuits to determine
the ownership of land were frequent, ant
often very protracted. In March, 1858,
left Gold Gulch and went to Portland. Mos
of the way 1 carried my blankets in bun
die, sometimes riding and sometimes walk
ing l stopped at the lodge of the Indian
! war chief "Sam.'' There young Indian o
the peace chief 'tJo" met me. He under
stood dialect with which I was familiar
This was providential, for 1 was venturinl
into den of lions with priz
more tempting than gold. 1 went to tn
Cowelity Farms and took charge of the place
In six months 1 earned enough to buy clothe
and to pay my passage to Portland and theme
to San Francisco After some delay at tn
Columbia river we entered the Golden Cat
in weeks voyage with fair wind. Their
got my passage to Panama and across tn
Isthmus. I reached my wife's old home
st. Stephen, N B., in October, 1858, afte
an absence of four years and two months.
THE COURT RECORD.
| Superior Court - Civil Side & Judg
Reardgley.