The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1892-05-09
sEArrLE. MONDAY. Way ..
THE COLUMBIA RIVER CENTEN-
NAL.

On Wednesday next will be celebrated
the centennial anniversary of the d'scov-
cry of the Columbia river. The discovery
of this great river was the most import
ant event in the entire history of this
Coast, for it was the great foundation
upon which rested the claim of the United
States to this region.
For years it had been known that great
river flowed from the Rocky mountains to
the Pacific at some point north of the
fortv-secopd parallel, and the explorers Of
several nations had searched for 1t in vain.
A bold Yankee captain in the merchant
service. Robert Gray. was convinced OF the
existence of a river where both Meares and
Vancouver had declared there was none,
and crossing the bar he proved the cor
rectness of his Judgment.
Upon this first discovery of the river by
Captain Gray the United States placed the
foundation of her claim to the vast region
drained by the Columbia. Had Van
couver been first the title of discovery
would have resided with Great Britain.
When Jefferson became president he dis
patched Captains Lewis and Clarke across
the country to the rivers mouth, which
they reached in November, 1906. Then
Aston established his fur trading post at
Astoria.
The knowledge of the beauty, fertility
and value of the country thus obtained
prepared our government to include the
Spanish rights ON the North Pacific in the
Florida treaty of 1919. This was followed
by the gradual drift of American settlers
to Oregon and California. This American
emigration to California prepared the way
for the conquest of that state and its ces-
sion to the United States by the treaty
which concluded the Mexican war.
The historians of Washington, Oregon
and California agree in the belief that, but
for the discovery of the Columbia river by
the bold Yankee sailor, Captain Gray,
Great Britain would today be in possession
of all the territory west of the Rocky
mountains from Mexico to Alaska. The
discovery of the Columbia was far more
important historical event than the con-
quest OF California and the ''gold discov-
cry" which followed it.
Much is made of the heroism OF Stanley
and his exploration of the Congo from its
rise in the lake region OF Central Africa to
its mouth, but it was not a more remark
able journey than that of Captains Lewis
and Clarke who with an exploring party of
bat forty-four men explored the upper
Missouri. crossed the Rocky mountains,
entered the Clearwater river, descended to
the main Columbia, and were the first
party of white men to pass through the
mountain gap where the Columbia breaks
through the Cascade range.
Lewis and Clarke reached the mouth of
the Columbia the 18th of November, 1905,
after Journey of 4. 900 miles from st. Louis.
Measured by the hardships endured. by
the courage and tact manifested in dealing
with savage people. the American ex-
p.orers of 1906 proved themselves of quite
as good stuff as Stanley. for, like Stanley,
they had to win their forward way
by tact and leadership rather than
by force. The exploration of the
sources OF the Columbia and the
subsequent voyage to the sea was far
more important event in political and
commercial sense than SANKEY'S explora-
ton OF the Congo.
The Congo is vast river. greatly sur
passing the Columbia in lis length. vol.
ume and the area of It's water shed, but as
n commercial and political acquisition its
exploration was of small consequence
compared with the exploration of the Co.
lumbia. The region drained by the Congo
can never hope 10 be the home of white
civilization. The icy region OF Alaska is
of more consequence today to civilization
than the Congo state, for white man can
live IN Alaska, while the climate of the
Congo state is as deadly to the average
white man rs that Of the bottom lands on
the rivers in Mississippi and Louisiana.