The Dalles daily chronicle. [volume] (The Dalles, Or.) 1890-1948, 1893-05-23

own state, but also of our sister states,
upon whom we depend SO much for the
future welfare and prosperity of Oregon,
our first love, as well as of the great
Pacific Northwest in general.
The services of the. pioneer farmers in
home building and laying foundations
upon which are built the beautiful and
comfortable homes both on the farm
and in the towns and cities which have
sprung up as the result of their labor,
is a part of the history of this country.
When reached this place in Septem-
Der, 1852, after a six-months' journey
across the plains, and for several years
afterwards, almost all the territory west
of the Rocky mountains, north of Cali
fornia, and extending to the British
gon Territory. Think of being in Ore
gon at once on reaching the western
slope of the Rocky mountains! Out of
this territory many grand states have
been carved, leaving still our Oregon,
the grandest of all.
The whole population of Oregon terri
tory in 1852, including the large immi-
grafton of that year was less than $4,000
people, and they were scattered from
Puget sound on the north to Jackson
vile on the south. Portland was then
a village of less than 1000 people; Or
egon city was the capital of the territory !;
Salem was an embryo village, while Al
bany and Corvallis, the latter then
called Marysville, were small trading
stations; Eugene City was then un-
/ thought Of All this great country east
of the Cascade mountains and on to the
Columbia river was without a score of
permanent white settlers.
1t is very pleasant indeed to those of
us who have witnessed the great changes
and the rapid advancement that has
been made in this country, who have
followed lives of manual labor. to know
that this manual labor and honest toll
have been the principal factors in pro-
ducing such satisfactory results.
Forty years ago many of us old men
were graphing with the privations and
hardships Of new country. But we
had come to Oregon to make home for
hour wives and little ones; and the hard
ships of six months trip across the
| Aeserts had aroused sufficient pluck and
tenergy in US to prevent us from being
discouraged by any trifiing Inconvenience
Ilwhile such great odds were against US
for many years. Thanks to the pro-
Iducers of this beautiful state we are now
reaping the reward of our pioneer priva-
tions. Beautiful towns and magnificent
cities have sprung up all about us and
villages are now found as frequently as
stock ranches used to be; our rivers and
harbors are being vigorously improved
and our railroad facilities are remarka-
bly, good; but of most Importance of all
| to us are the beautiful homes and pro-
ductive farms where the husbandman
can enjoy the fruits of his honest toll.
Agriculture Is the first and most noble
of occupations; history proves that
where agriculture has been fostered and
encouraged by the people that nation
has prospered and reached a high degree
of perfection; we should apply there
fore the means that we may receive the
| benefits.
Gentleman and ladies', we are pleased
to see you meet in fraternal conference.
We know that you will profit by such
meetings and that you will be better
able to preform your duties as good pa
irons of your order. You are looked to
by your membership for counsel and in
struction and both morally and intellect
ually you are expected to be strictly ex-
emplary your meeting will enable you
to cultivate socially and intellectually
that which will be of much worth to you
when you have returned to your brother
hood at home.
We are pleased to have your meeting
river; they are great obstacles to the
pr ogress of the Inland Empire; we hope
your meeting here will give you addi-
tional information and further cause to
aid US in securing an open river.
To each of you I now in behalf of our
citizens extend the freedom of our city.
regret that the great fire from which
we have not yet entirely recovered makes
us unable to accommodate you as we
would wish: but we trust your meeting
may be none the less pleasant and bene-
fetal, and that when you go it will be to
retain pleasant reccollections of our
town and people.
The response was by Grand Lecturer
Hayes, who responded in very fitting
terms.
Judge Boise followed with speech of
great merit, which cannot help but be of