The Manitowoc pilot. [volume] (Manitowoc, Wis.) 1859-1932, 1893-04-27
ABSOan L. gTEEY PURE

being borne along. [ wasn't certain
that | had companion IN my misery
for had not heard anything from hira
since we entered the canyon. On, on
we rushed-I was about to pronounce
my comrades name, when a blind
glare of light shot down upon us, so
suddenly that [ was astounded. Was
/ awake Or dreaming? | raised my
self to a sitting posture and looked
around.
Behind was a black opening be
tween the mountains. looking exactly
like the one on the other side of the
range, and in front and on each side
was fertile valley, through which
were flying with undiminished speed.
| rubbed my eyes and looked again
and just then my companion who had
also lain down to avoid hitting his
head against the rocks which had been
200 feet above him, Strengthened up,
revealing face SO pale and haggard
that l was startled. The river where
it entered the valley made a sudden
tarn to the right and of course the
current set into the blight of the bend.
and taking the raft with it, carried it
within ten or fifteen feet of the shore,
which was thickly lined with bushes.
My first act was to grab the painter
and Jump overheard with it, and, al
though the current whirled me along
as if [ had been feather, | succeeded
in grasping the bushes. The rest was
comparatively easy. We had just
strength enough left to make the
painter fast to sapling, then we
sank down side by side on the grass
painting and exhausted. We We're so
dazed and bewildered by our escape
from what had seemed certain death
that for time we could not speak"
At Bent's fort, Mr.. Lovejoy, who
was exhausted by his hardships, wait
ed to join DR. Whitman on his return.
The doctor went on to Washington
by stage, reaching there March 3, just
five months from the day he left Wau-
latpu. (It took the Hawaiian com
missioners a little over five days to
cross the continent. Note the differ
ence in time as evidence Of the great
growth Of our country in the last half
century,
The Ashburton treaty had been
drafted. Oregon was not included.
Gov. Simpson of the Hudson Bay
company, had been in Washington
putting forth herculean efforts to gain
a treaty in favor of Great Britain,
when DR.. Whitman arrived en- the
scene. He promptly presented the
American side Of the question. The
scale was turned. The weather beat
en- and fur -claded mountaineer, who
believed in the future Of Oregon
enough to make that fearful tri p In
the heart of winter to ensure it, was a
more eloquent argument in the de
partment of state than all that the
Hudson Bay company could bring to
bear there. President Tyler prom
ised to defer action until it could be
proved whether it was possible to
build wagon road through the
mountains
Where the wagon had been wagon
could go, and by June caravan Of
canvas-cOyered prairie schooners-
answer to DR.. Whitman's call for i'm
migrants, call which had begun to
sound all along his eatward journey
was on its way over the plains. In
September they reached the Waulatpu
mission. The question Of the settle
ment Of Oregon was answered. The
missionaries formed the nucleus of
settlements; trappers, adventures and
Western pioneers followed; cattle
were secured from California and in l.
S42 steps We're taken for a government
by choice of officers. A provisional
government was organized that year
by the people More immigrants
quickly followed. In 1916 a treaty
was concluded with Great Britain and
the United States fixing the boundry
line at 49 degrees north latitude.
In 1913 congress established a terri
torial government and the governor
Gen. Joseph Lane, arrived in March
1S49, United States courts We're then
established. The territory was ad-
mitted to the Union as q state in 1859,
and has since been divided into the
three states, Idaho, Washington and
Oregon.
On Nov. %, 1917, DR.. Whitman and
his wife with twelve associates were
massacred in an uprising of Flathead
Indians. SO perished a brave man,
for whom history has found no space
to chronicle; and yet it was owing to
his efforts and his alone. that the three
rich states above mentioned are in the
Union tO-day.-B. y fOorU