The Mason County journal. [volume] (Shelton, W.T.) 1886-1927, 1894-12-28


says the Tacoma Ledger. It is q re-
markable fact that the foundations OF
the Pacific nor Invest are in 80 many
respects a repetition of the work OF
the founders of New England. The
Portland Oregonian in the autumn of
1877, in referring to a call from
Father Eells, said that >"to the efforts
of few persons, among whom were
Messrs. Eells and Walker, with DR..
Whitman as the prominent figure OF
that early time, are we intellectually
indebted for the preservation of Oregon
to the United States. Here and by
these men, with others we need not
stop to name, before most of the pres
ent generation was born, was laid the
foundation of great communities. J"
These men came to the Oregon terri
tory, then embracing all the region
west of the Rocky mountains and
north of the forty-second parallel, as
missionaries to the Indians, but they
soon became absorbed in the larger
purpose of establish ing American set
Elements and institutions in the coun-
try, and it is this work rather than
the efforts to convert the Indians to
Christianity, that history recognizes
as chiefly important. The record OF
fifty-five years of the work by Father
Eells, written by his son, Myron Eells,
and issued by the Congregational Pub
fishing society, is volume of rare
interest. It is an interesting human
story, full OF touches from nature
which make the whole world kin. DR..
Eells was in none of the accepted sem
ses hero but plain, ordinary man
without a commanding figure or any
Of those traits which are most apt to
impress mankind. He was great only
in his devotion to subjects of large
and permanent interest, and his for
tunate connection with the settlement
of the northwest. But he was never
theless man of most sturdy character
The progenitor of all of his name in
America was a major in Cromwell's
army, and his New England ancestry
were noted for their piety, love of
justice, patriotism, and long life. He
became early absorbed in most wor-
thy purpose and trained himself its
accomplishment, 30 that he had, by
descent and acquisition, the best traits
of pioneer,-"patient of toll, secure
of alarms" and confident of the future
of the country.
This volume is the more interestin g
because it is faithful representation
of the man and his work. Pioneer
history needs no gloss. If the Incl
dents truly narrated do not speak,
nothing can be told. A bare schedule
of the facts contained in this record,
beginning with the bridal tour which
extended from Massachusetts, in March +,
1888, across the continent to the Col
vile Indian country in April, 1889, is
calculated to. affect the imagination
and stir the soul, This was then
practically a foreign country. Father
Eells came into it with passport
signedb by J. r. Poinsett, secretary of
war. The first wagon reached the
Columbia river the following year, and
it was two years longer before wagon
road was opened. A cooking stove
was unknown in his household for the
first ten years. The only saw mill on
the Pacific coast was at Fert Vancou-
yer, the property of the Hudson Bay
company. The soil was prepared for
wheat with home made plough, and
for the first nine years the wheat was
was cut with old fashioned sickles.
The flour was put up in buckskin
sacks and sold for $24 q barrel. Fires
we're kindled in the primitive way, by
striking flint over rotten wood.
There were no cattle except few at
the Hudson Bay post. Their beef was
horse flesh. A letter dated Masachus-
etts September, 1871 was received in
July, l843. The annual autumnal
passage of the Hudson Bay company's
boats down the Columbia from the
great lone land above was an import
ant event. giving an opportunity to
send letters to Vancouver and thence
by way way of the Sandwich islands
to Boston. Money was almost un-,
known. The currency was beaver, to-,
bacco and clothes. DR.. Eells used but
$3.50 in money in ten years, and
that he gave tofDf... Whitman for fill.
ing tooth with gold. And get in
those times our pioneer wrote,. IT am
pleased with the taverns of Oregon"
The mission among the Spokanes,
at Chewelah, was broken up by the
Cayuse war, following the massacre of
Dr. Whitman in November, 1847. of
which DIR. Eells providentially escaped
being a'victim; and he was obliged to
retreat with all the whites to the
Willamette valley. where he taught in
the oldest <ollo.~e -. A.