The Corvallis gazette. [volume] (Corvallis, Or.) 1862-1899, 1897-04-09
AFTER FIFTY YEARS.
Senator Carter Retravels by
Steam the old Emigrant
Route.

over the same route that
I travelled ffty-one years
ago. Perhaps some comment
upon the material changes that
have been made since then, and
especially the vast contrast in the
modes of travel, then and now,
would interest your many read
ers.
Then, the patient but slow
moving oxen toiled over the
trail, hauling us and Our worldly
goods. At the end of the wear
isome eight-months' journey, the
teams were jaded and poor, and
the ernigrants were in much the
same condition, if not worse.
Now we are whirled along at
the rate of twenty miles an hour,
riding in comfort, and the trip is
one of pleasure.
On my original trip, the first
settler we found after leaving the
Umpqua was at the spot where
Corvallis now stands, the lone
inhabitant being J. c. Avery,
long since gone to his reward.
In this last trip, we took the
local train from Albany to Rose
burg, that eve 1night travel by
daylight, and thus be able to OBJ
serve those wonderful changes
that perseverance, intellect and
industry have wrought in the
land OF the Oregon, where
naught was heard save the sound
of its own dashlngs.
After passing Eugene, the
railroad follows our old road for
quite distance, and then, turn
ing south, proceeds in that direc-
ton. Before reaching the waters
of Pass creek, the road passes
the old hotel stand at the south
side of the Calipooia mountain.
The hotel was kept by a Mr..
Estis, and was we'll known to all
early travellers. I readily rec
ognized the place by its location
and surroundings. The next
place that l recognized was the
home of the late Jesse Apple
gate, the first elnigrant of Ump
qua valley-the emigrant of al
emigrants. I remember reading
in the Oregon Spectator, Ions
ago, burlesqe story concerning
a traveller, who, lost in the for
est, heard voices one dark night
and following the sound, foune
the cabin of Jesse Applegate
The old gentleman, with most o
the early pioneers, has passe'
away. Long may their melnor
les be fresh in the minds AM
hearts of the generations t.
come, who will dwell in tn
homes of the Pacific Northwest
that these sturdy pioneers hav
left for an inheritance.
The next familiar spot wa
Yoncolla, originally school O
college, founded by Mr.. Apple
gate. 1t is now quite flourish
ing town. Then came the thriv
ing little city, Roseburg, OH tn
original enligrant route.
We soon left South Umpqua
striking across to Riddle, thirt
miles from Roseburg. Fror
Riddle we took the stage t
Canyonville. This town
built on the spot where we camp
ed ffty-two years ago, afte
emerging from that miserabl
Umpqua canyon, and l ventur
the remark that no one wh
made that early passage wi
ever forget it. We were thre
days and two nights travelin
nine miles, with nothing fe
Our stock to eat, and most of til
people in the ffty-two wagor
but little better off. Getti,s
through the canyon, the stoc
Jared better, but the people foun
7 their condition hardly improved
as far as provisions were concern
5 ed. However, the Indians we
friendly and allowed us to hu,
1 "a privilege that had been d.
, MED us for months. In castir
E my eye down the creek, al
t bringing memory to bear OH b
Y gone circumstances, thought
could almost see the spot whe
l killed a deer the first nornir
after we made a camp at tn
place. 1 am certain that no OF
can ever appreciate the value
{ that deer, as I did, for 1 had
= widowed lady and two childrt
in my care, and neither they II
a myself had had anything to e
since the morning before, al
there was not a scrap of prov
sions about the wagon. He
v changed the times, the circu1