The daily morning Astorian. [volume] (Astoria, Oregon) 1883-1899, 1897-12-04
THE WHITMAN
MEMORIAL DAY
Story Of the Memorable Gathering
Ia kalla kalla.
HERO OF THE NORTHWEST
PLASTER Casts aHd Photograph, to &c Taken
Of the SkuIls Of the Nar,yfed flo
nsefs Interesting Scenes
HERO OF THE NORTHWEST

wara Malta. Washington. Noyomo, +,
%. Special corrcsroulcnssD-'r re-
markablc historical contrast tnat
has hcen csiaIng al fact between rf,y
years ago ana the present IN ,he colum-
bln river country r. vel emphasized by
tho Whitman monument cxerclses-a day
OF triumphant aAyaRrry then. today. hap.
rg AMI peaceful civilization. WIN broad
mind and bis heart. which are shown
by nothing better than IN this very lbn-
ny 4" reproduce IN ts'" ninutes' details
The He lived and s1vcn here By whitman.
ana TO give him generous honor
A bright rly over the snow, sooi
ending Tor f,r days uf ugly weather.
sunlight on ghe valley and hills. and IL
long train made up apparently Of an ne
available pass"nevr cars IN the vicinity.
and that train twice fllcd At w,llla Wal.
ia ana cmpued a; Whitman station. was
how u looked On TuesdAy ,he aoth. lSg7
Tho walla wsnn valley Is one Of ,hs
most beautiful and fertile IN all tho north.
west Pacific From whitman. station.
wanAtpu. on the line OF the O. Il & y.
It lies open 20 one glance from tn, Blue
mountains TO the Columbia river NJ Wal.
luh-s0inc 1fiy miles long. Two str.ams
moct hcrc-,hc walla waMa from ,hs
eouih and Nan creek from tho south yast.
Il Is upon the point or lana between ,ae
two. scv'n miles from walh wa.la city.
hin IS fcct high above the plain. ,ha,
tho granite shaft "a TO be- rcarcd. !, win
10 consptpous ror miles around II over.
looks Immediately the li'uc graveyard
the mill race; ana remnants ~ houscholi
ted. the little church at the foot Of the
hnl, called whitman-Eells memorial
church, and the farm by the ,wo streams
where Whitman lived and Was Killed
There arc th.cc OF the apple trees left
now out IN a hcld-whch Whitman plant
cd: there are relies OF his grist mill and
the mill race; AMI rcmnants OF household
or sohoolhouse articles are sometimes dug
up at tho site dr the old buildings. Tho
original buildings themselves are entirely
some
There sct ms no reasonable doubt that
the skulls Of Whitman and his wife. taken
from the old grave. have been ,dcntined,
That Of Whitman is mans OF about
4S years old. an intelligent and massive
head very long from front to back. with
remarkably developed porccptvc facul.
ties; also great hrmncss and strong mus.
cuar attachments, \ rugged chin, deep
ly cloft and strong teeth-one OF which
is gold-filled-corrspond to the formation
OF the skull, and the wounds. tomahawk
cut at the back on the left side and two
on tho top Of the head correspond TO
what is known of the blows thar took
his life. Tho filling OF the tooth is recog-
nlzed as Of whItman's by his nephew.
The other skull. that Of woman OF
about 81, which is large and finely formed.
and has remarkably large eye sockets.
indicating the large eyes OF Mrs. Whit
man. Is evidently OF that noble woman
certainly 50. indeed, as she was the only
woman KILLED In the massacre
rhe puzzling feature respecting both
these relies Is that they have been sawn
half In two down the frostal bone-by
whom and for what purpose is mere con.
lecture.
They have been carefully examined by
expert physicians, and are to be measured
and photographed and plaster casts taken.
Walla wallN has done everything to
make this commemorauor equal 10 the
occasion. \ committee Of which Dr. B,a.
lock was chairman, secured liberal sub
scriptlons to provide entertainment for
distinguished guests, carriages for their
convenience; the use Of the magnificent
Paine opera house for their services, and
free excursion to the old grave for some
thousands of people President Penrose.
Of Whitman college, both in his attentions
10 visitors and in his presiding at the pub
lie meetings, showed himself a true host
-arely are such duties performed.
While the number of visitors from
distance was not great, It was represen-
tative and from many dlffehrent places.
There were representatives from Puget
sound and other parts Of Western Wash
ington, from the interior OF both Oregon
and Washington and from Idaho, and