The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1895-02-23
CIT I I a|mII|I

LADIES HALL, WHITMAN COLLEGE.
structure and never dreamed that it
would be reared as a monument to his
memory. Whitman was born in Rush
Vile, Ontario county, n. Y, Sept. 4,
1902. He studied in Berkshire Medical
institute, Pittsfield, Mass, and In 1884
was appointed n missionary physician
to Oregon by the American board. Ore
gon was then a vast, unexplored terri
tory, comprising what are now the
states of Oregon, Washington and Ida
no. DI. Whitman, Rev. Henry n.
Spaulding and their young wives start
ed for Oregon in 1886. When they
reached Fort Laramie, the agents Of the
Hudson Bay company, who were work
ing hard to save Oregon to Great Brit
ain, warned the missionaries that no
wagon train could possibly cross the
Rocky mountains. These agents had
succeeded in preventing settlers from
proceeding beyond Fort Laramie in wag-
ons, we'll knowing that if wagon trains
from the United States crossed the
great divide the United States govern
ment would exert itself to claim Ore
gon.
Whitman and Spaulding disregarded
the warnings of the Hudson Bay people
and refused to abandon their wagons,
their wives were undaunted by the per-
lis Of the proposed journey, and the
four missionaries, led by Whitman,
pushed on over the Rocky mountains,
crossing through the South pass, which
Fremont used six years later, and reach
ed Fort Walla Walla in safety. The
women We're the first members of their
sex TO make the perilous trip, and Whit
mans was the first wagon to cross the
great divide.
After several years residence in Ore
gon Whitman saw that the British were
discouraging American immigration by
harPing OH the inaccessibility of Oregon
with a view to securing the territory
Tor themselves, and learning that the
Webster -AshburtOn treaty concerning
Oregon was then under consideration he
determined 20 ride to Washington and
lay before the president the Importance
Of clinging to Oregon. He set out OH
horseback through the vast mountain
Oct. 3, IS42, and three
months later, after enduring many hard
ships, reached st. Louis, where he learn
ed that the Oregon question was still
On March 3 he reached Wash
lngton, having completed his great ride
across the continent in five months, and
soon demonstrated to President Tyler
hat Oregon was accessible and we'll
worth saving, despite the fact that John
:. Calhoun had declared that Oregon
vas a God forsaken country" and not
worth pinch of snuff.
At President Tyler's request Whit
nan volunteered to demonstrate the ac-
Of Oregon by guiding a wag-
IN train across the great divide At In |
Mo-, he found 200 wagons /
md l, 600 people en- route for the west, |
mo month later the army Of pioneers,
With Whitman at their head, arrived at |
Fort Walla Walla.
At Waulatpu, Or, Nov. 30, 1S47, |
Whitman, Mrs. Whitman, their two |
dopted children and ten other pioneers
we're treacherously slain by the Cayuse
indians. Their bones were gathered to-
ether years later and buried in a great
rave, which Is unmarked, save by a
ticket fence. Rev. DR.. Cushing Eells
ollowed Whitman to Oregon and in
500 decided to perpetuate Whitman's
lemory By founding Whitman college.
he college was opened Oct. IS, 1866,
nd has suffered many vicissitudes.
rue to the memory Of Whitman, Dr.
.eIls made mary sacrifices TO pay the
Institution del;s aid keep IL running.
lie succeeded In securing an endowment
1 $1,000 and died in 1895. D. X.
carson OF Chicago has since become in
crested Ill the college, has offered 500
90 toward a $500, 600 endowment. and
.eV. DIR. s B. l. Penrose, the new
resident of the college, is now labor
lg hard to raise the remaining $780,
DO.