Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1889-05-01
WASHINGTON AS SURVEYOR.

His Trip to the Forks Of the Ohio In 1753-
A Winter Journey Full Of Hardship
His Narrow Escape.
The perilous journey of George Washing
ton to the forks Of the Ohio is interesting at
this time. The Ohio Land Company, with
a royal charter, in 1649 began to make ar
rangements for establishing a colony on the
Ohio, either to the northward of that river
or between the Kanawha and the Mononga-
hela. This company was composed of dis
tinguished Virginians, two of whom bore
the name of Washington. Acting under
the orders of the company, Christopher Gist,
in 1850, made thorough exploration of the
land along the Ohio, from the mouth of the
Allegheny to the vicinity of Louisville.
The proposed colony, however, was never
established. The mere exploration Of the
country by the Virginians aroused the
French to such exertions that the company
saw at once that it would be unsafe to make
the experiment.
wAsHINGToN's JOURNEY.
The French left their headquarters at
Presque Isle, now Erie, and descended
French creek, erecting Fort LIE Beuf at the
mouth of that stream. When news reached
Virginia in the spring of 1853 that Du
Quesne, the Governor of Canada, had dis
patched military force to occupy the ALLIE
gheny Velley and colonize the country, the
Virginians were thoroughly aroused. Gov
ernor Dinwiddie, before proceeding to hos
tilities, decided to demonstrate with the
French, and George Washington, then
surveyor, only 81 years of age, was Sc
Al ~, Il Al
commandant, giving warning against fur
ther intrusion. He sat out on his perilous
mission from Fredericksburg, Va. Oc-
tober 81, and arrived at Wills Creek, now
Cumberland, Nd, November IA, having
picked up on his way there Christopher
Gist, who was to act as guide; French in
terpreter and four other men. From Will's
Creek the party passed through the mount
aims to the Youghiogheny river and down
that stream and the Monongahela to the site
of Pittsburg. The story OF the journey
through the wilderness has often been told
and need only be briefly recounted here. 1t
was on the 9th of November, 1853, that the
future President first gazed upon the waters
of the Ohio, then flowing through grand
forests between rugged hills abounding in
natural beauty.
GAS 1 got down before the canoe" says he
in his journal, 81 spent some time in view
ing the rivers and the. land in the fork,
which think extremely well situated for
fort, as it has the absolute command of
both rivers. About two miles
from this, on the southeast side of the river
probably at McKee's Rocks), at the place
Where the Ohio Company intended to erect
IA fort, lives Shingiss, King of the Della
wares. We called upon to invite him to q
council at Lopstown"
A STORY OF HARDSEIP.
Logstown was a Shawnee village on the
Ohio, II miles below Pittsburg, where Tan
acharison, the Half King, dwelt. WASH
ington remained there until November 80,
when he set out for Venango, accompanied
by the friendly Half King. He reached LIE
Beuf December II after tiresome journey,
and was courteously received by the French
commander, who, however, made very un-
satisfactory reply to Governor Dinwiddie's
letter. He said that he had been COM
manded by his superior to eject every En-
glishman from the Ohio Valley, and meant
to carry out his orders. Washington took
note of the strength of the fortifcation and
of the preparations that were making to
send fleet of boats down the river to fortify
the forks of the Ohio.
Ihe story OF MS return through the VIII.
derness is briefly but graphically told by
Ridpath as follows:
washington returned to Venango, and
then, with Gist as his sole companion, lett
the river and struck into the woods. 1t was
one of the most solitary marches ever made |
by man. There in the desolate wilderness
was the future President of the United |
States. Clad in the robe of an Indian, with |
gun in hand and knapsack strapped to his
shoulders; struggling through interminabIe |
SHOWS; sleeping with frozen clothes on |
bed of pine brush; breaking through the |
treacherous ice of rapid streams; guided by |
day by pocket compass and at night by the |
north star seen at intervals through the |
leafiess trees; fred at by prowling savage |
from his covert not Is steps away; thrown |
from raft into the rushing Allegheny; |
escaping to an island and lodging there un-
til the river was frozen over; plunging again
into the forest; reaching Gist's settlement
and then Potomsc-the strong-limbed young |
ambassador came back without wound or
scar to the capital of Virginia. For his
flesh was not made to be torn with bullets or
eaten by wolves. The defiant dispatch of |
st. Pierre was laid before Governor Din
widdie, and the first public service ofWash-
ington was accomplished.