The News-Herald. [volume] (Hillsboro, Highland Co., Ohio) 1886-1973, 1891-07-16
TRAINS BIG CATCH.
The Celebrated Globe Trotters Ex-
perience In the Columbia River.
A Remarkable Tale by Q Remarkable
AIan-IIis First Venture In the Sal
mon Fishing Busi-

George Francis Train, while at Port
land recently, told friend some Of the
incidents of visit he paid this state
many years ago, away back early In the
eos, says the Portland Oregonian- He
said he was the first one to discover sal.
mon in the Columbia, and caught two
hundred and sixty-four In a day. and
carried them across the Columbia, walk
ing on the backs Of the salmon which
crowded the river; also that he learned
the Chinook jargon in fifteen minutes.
Like most Of the "reminiscences Of by
gone days in Oregon, there is some
foundation for these statements, but
still they vary somewhat from the facts
in the case. A correct account, there
fore, of Mr.. Trains exploits in catching
salmon and studying Chinook jargon
will be found interesting
1t was somewhere about B4 or CO
when Mr.. Train first came out here,
just after Ferian scare in Canada. Il
was when he took run across the line
to Victoria, and the long roll Of the
British drums was heard, and the troops
were called out, sentries doubled, and
detectives kept a watch over every
move he made while he was on British
territory. Mr.. Train had aspirations of
the presidency in those days, and gen.
tleman here has a photograph Of him,
presented by Mr.. Train himself, on the
back Of which is written an invitation
for the recipient to meet the donor in
the white house when he should be
elected president. While here Mr..
Train visited The Dalles, on the invita-
tion Of Capt. J. c. Ainsworth. and made
his first acquaintance with the Chinook
salmon and Chinook jargon in their ma
tive wilds. This was long before can
of salmon had been put up on the Co
lumbia, and when the only salmon
fisheries on the river were those of the
Indians at the Cascades and ct The
Dalles. Mr.. Train was to address the
citizens Of The Dalles In the church,
and the day before paid visit to a sal
mon fishery in the rapids below Cello.
He admired the easy, graceful manner
in which an Indian, standing on frail
platform, hung over narrow chute,
plunged his dipnet into the foaming cur
rent, and lifted the salmon out on the
rocks, and he wished to try his hand.
The Indian endeavored to dissuade him,
telling him that he would "killapi copa
chuck"-that is, fall into the river; but
Mr.. Train insisted, and the Indian po-
litely yielded up his net and stand, and
Mr.. Train stepped out on the platform,
net in hand
Never before since the Columbia
forced its way through the Cascades
had such spectacle been presented to
the Chinook salmon. Mr.. Train wore q
green broadcloth swallowtail coat with
brass buttons, a tall silk hat, satin vest
and ruffled shirt. AS he passed his net
for scoop" he was the observed of
all observers He scooped, and a large
Chinook salmon was caught in his net,
but, instead Of pulling it out, it pulled
him in, and before one could say "Jack
Robinson" Mr.. Train was being whirled
away like cork in the swift current.
Several Indians, who had evidently ex.
pected this. Immediately jumped in,
and fortunately succeeded in dragging
Mr.. Train ashore. His tall hat was
dancing like bubble down the cur.
rent, but lot Of young Indians scam.
pered after it and soon brought it back.
Mr.. Train was not to be balked by
his mishap, and when he peeled Off his
coat, vest, etc., he took lesson in Chi.
nook and found out what "killapi copa
chuck" meant Having stripped down to
his ruf1ed shirt and laid his garme nts
out in the sun to dry, he again took the
net, and, telling his friends to go back
to The Dalles and send up an engine
for him at five p. M, he stepped out on
the platform and fished all day. When
the engine came after him he wished to
take the salmon to town with him to
ornament the rostrum from which he
was to speak that evening, but was dis
suaded from this on the ground that It
would not look well in church.
He delivered a lecture that evening
in which he complimented the pioneers
on their bravery and fortitude in immi.
grating to this section. and told them
that, while they were seeking for gold
in the mountains and hoping to get
wealth from their herds of cattle,
which ranged on ten thousand hills,
there was immense wealth swimming
past their doors unnoticed. he then
predicted that in a few years the
salmon of the Columbia would be
canned and exported to the uttermost
ends Of the earth, and would become
one OF the great products Of this state,
all of which has become true.
An Assortment of Races.