The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1898-06-08

gathDsa in their annual reunion in Seast.e
there is none, perhaps. whose experiences
are more interesting than those OF Capt.
Henry Roeder. Of whatcom. Capt. Reeder
- fast approaching the Bibilca! three
score years and ten. He was born in Erie
county. o., in $3.50. Al the home Of the
Roecer family in Fer-nillson, o. there was
In ls5a-Si a gold excitement due 10 the dis
coyeries OF rich placer fields in California.
similar to that which swept over the en-
tire country after the arrival Of the treas
ure snip Portland Ia Seattle July II last,
with her miliion-do.Iar cargo OF nuggets
and gold dust from the Klondike. Young
Roeder. then Just past his majority,
caught the fever. He was in partnership
IN the shipbunding and shipping business
with Capt. Alive Bradley, a man who died
several years ago worth $1,000 ooo and who
IN his time practically controlled the iron
trade OF the great lakes.
capt. Bradley entreated his partner 10
discard his ambition TO penetrate the
trackless waste. telling him that the West
was no place for him and in their bust
ness on the lakes there was In prospect
for them both not only a comfortable liv-
ing. but a vas. fortune n statement which
was afterward borne out In Capt. Brad
ieys lifetime But the desire TO reach
the frontier and 20 participate I'm the up-
building and development OF tina; great
empire extending from the Mexican
boundary lire TO the Fraser river. on the
north. was too deeply seated in Capt,
RoedeT's bosom for argument or persia-
sion and finally the young Argonaut cast
of his business and connections In his
home and started around the Horn for
the Golden Gate
1t was IN 1850 that Capt. Roeder entered
the harbor of San Francisco, then a small
frontier camp. His early experiences in
the gold fields were disastrous. He fell
sick with the fever. which incapacitated
him from earning much money for nearly
year. After this finding that there was
demand for freighting over the mountain
trails and passes OF California. Capt.
Roeder organized a pack train, working
between the camps. He amassed consd-
cradle money In this way. but after nearly
two years residence in California he de-
tsrmined to seek a new location on Puget
sound, where he learned that there exist
ed vast forests OF fir. hemlock and cedar
Capt. Roeder came by steamer to Port
land and thence made his way 10 olympia
overland from the mouth OF the Cowlitz
river. This was in the winter OF 1852
The story OF this Journey is best told in
the words OF the veteran pioneer himself
who yesterday narrated TO Post-Intelli-
gencer reporter his first experiences in the
then territory OF Oregon as follows:
I'm company with r. V. Peabody I trav-
eled overland from the mouth OF the Cow
litz. through the mud TO Olympia. We
started carly in December from Portland
II took us four days to wax from the Cow
litz river TO Olympia. and II was as hard
travelling as I have ever seen. Old resi-
dents will remember what was known as
Sanders bottom. It was mud almost to
your waist. We stopped one night with an
old settler. whose name cannot now re-
cali. but whom we all called in those DAYS
Old Hardbread.' On the Skookumchuck
we found lodging with Judge Ford. and
on arriving at Olympia we put up with
Mr.. Sylvester. whose name is wei known
to all the old residents on the Sound.
remember that at Olympia we got our
first taste OF the Puget sound clam. and
mighty glad We were. too. to get a chance
to eat some of them.
From Olympia to Seattle we travelled
by Indian canoe. I remember distinctly
rounding Alki point and entering the har-
Dor OF Elliott bay. / saw what was. per-
haps, the first house that was built where
now stands the magnificent city OF Seat
tie. This was cabin that was being
erected on a narrow strip OF land jutting
OH. into the bay. which Is now right In
the heart OF Seattle. DIR. Maynard was
the builder. II was situated adjoining the
lot at Commercial and Main streets. occu-
pied by the old Arlington just before the
Tapped the shores Of the narrow peninsula
upon which II was built. but since then
the water has been driven back by the AL
ing of earth. sawdust and rock, which was
put IN on both sides Of the little neck OF
land.
after few days stay here. Peabody
ard journeyed by Indian canoe to What
COM He carried our canoe overland 10
Hood canal. On the second day out, we
encountered terrible storm and put into
shelter with settler on the shore Of the
canal His name was O'Haver. and he
lived with an Indian wife. We had white
turnips and dried salmon for breakfast
and dried salmon and white turnips for
dinner. This bill Of fare was repeated IN
this fashion for three days and I want to
tell you that we were glad when the
weather moderated and we were enabled
20 proceed.
1--WE were told that we could procure
something IN the edible line at Port Towns
end. but were disappointed. The best we
could obtain at the stores was some hard
bread in which the worms had propagated
In luxurisnt fashion. This food was not
as particularly appetzng. as you may
imagine 4 settler kindly took pity on rs
ana shared his slender stock Of food
Thence we iourneyed 10 Whatcom. where
| have resided near,y ever since"
spanish bandit.
Capt. Roeder told the reporter before
he had finished his recital Of an acquaint-
ance ne had formed in California with the
noter Spanish murderer and bandit, .Joa-
quin. and his tribe OF cutthroats and rob-
bers. Joaquin's raids and MS long career
in crime among the mining camps Of the
early days OF California are Part OF the
history OF that state Capt. Roeder was
travelling horseback on one occasion be-
tween Marysyille and Rush creek. This
was in ISL The night before he left
| Marvsvllls, the sheriff ard a posse had
attempted 10 capture joaquin and bis
band The authorities had offered a re-
ward Of $1,000 for Joaquin and $500 for
his men. dad or alive. The sheriff went
out from MarygyilIe with q cigar In his
mouth ami his s0Mhraro on the side OF
his head as II he were attending n picnic.
II was his own furera,. however. instead
Of a picnic. for his body was picked out
of fence corner. riddIed with bullets.
II WAS going a. a leisurely gait over the
mountain road or bride path tina; led
from Marysyille 20 Rush creek said Capt