The state rights democrat. [volume] (Albany, Linn County, Oregon) 1865-1900, 1895-07-05
The First Boat to Eugene!

The following interesting account 10
told by Portland paper OF the first "
steamboat trip ever made to Eugene, one
that seems to have been made about as
easily as those made nowadays. When T.
several more surveys are made that city
will probably have the benefit OF steam
boat competition. ! But.here is the arti-
Gle:
'sIt was long time before steamer
ever got up as far as Eugene" said some
one. "I remember when the frs arrived
late in the spring of '57, think 1t was.
Colonel Joe Teal had her freighted with
big lot OF merchandise, and when she
reached Eugene it was great day there
I tell you"
.'Yes," said Colonel Joe, II was hand
ling good deal of merchandise in those
DAYS at Eugene. 1t was great disburs-
ing point then, for provisions and all
kinds of articles, but Corvallis had al
ways beenlthe nearest steamer point.
They called it Marysville then. ] used
to send OK teams there for my freight,
sometimes coming clear to Canemah and
even to Portland:with those OK teams.
The sternwheel steamer James Clinton
used TO run between Canemah and Cor
wallis, but up to 1857 no steamer had ever
come up to Eugene. Well. that spring l
had a pretty big consignment OF mer-
chandise from San Francisco. and ]
| freighted the James Clinton at Canemah.l
says to Captain Cochrane, who WAS her
Captain, 'Now,I am not going to haul all
this stuff from Corvallis to Eugene. l
want you to take it right up to Eugene.
r We'll, says he, TIL tell you how it is:
There's a certain stump low down on the
bank up by Corvallis, and if that stump
, is sticking out of water. faint TO u.e
for us to try to get up to Eugene; but If
Q she's under. Pll risk it,
"When we got to Corvallis We found
that stump just % inches under water,
4 and go the word was Eugene or bust.
By the time we had started everybody at
: Eugene and surrounding country had
heard tina. the steamer was coming, and
there was great excitement up the valley
II ahead of us. We went s'ong all right
until we got into Prices slough. and here
t, things began to get mighty ticklish. Lem
d White and Bass Miller were the pilots,
and they got nervous, and so did Captain
J. Cochrane. Finally an old cow spluttered
and floundered acsoss the slough just
: ahead of US and diss ppeared over the fur
: ther bank with snort and We came to 8
dead stop.
Il "'We'ye got to lack down out 81 the
slough some way says Captain Coeh-
% rane.
s pilots.
IT "But l went into the pilot-house and
talked the thing over with them. The
y result was that signed paper agreeing
te to pay ons.third of the value OF the
James Clinton (she cost 81 ,OO0', in case
she went to the devil: SO gith q little
toot Of the whistle We went ahead We
reached Eugene without mishap, and
found both banks there just packed with
people. Ttsy were on horseback, cn
muleback. on foot, by OK team and by
= every possible means OF conveyance, and
+ they Just turned themselves lOose yelling
,e and cheering. and the James Clinton
IT whistled out most all the steam she had
Il left in her boilers. There was 8 Shole
1t lot OF people there who had never seen g
D, steamer before in their lives.
l. The officers and crew came up by
b the pillot-kouse. AMI introduced each
= of than To tine crowd, AMI there was a
Ie cheer at each Introduction. There
IA was Captain Cochrane, the twl
1t pilots, Lem White and Bass Miller; Bos-
le ton was purss., Ike Springer was slew
N ard, and Jake Workman was fireman
70 They were all good fellows. The fire.
(, man is now Jacob Wortnsn. the Nc
= Ninnvillr banker.
n That was a very great day at Eugene
= The fun and reyelry were carried far in
% to the night. The citizens got up a grand
Ia ball, and topped il of with splendid
d supper, and there's lot OF old-timerE
= left up the valley today who will re-
/ member the day the irst steamer came
It to Eugene"