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


gathered in their annual reunion In Seattle
there is none. perhaps. whose experiences
are more Interesting than those OF Capt.
Henry Roeder. OF whatcom. Cant. Rocssr
is fast approaching the Biblical three
score years and ten. He was born in Erie
county, u. IN 1850. Al the home OF the
Roeder family in Va-niilion. o.. thera sas
IN lSse-5I a gold excitement, due 10 The His
coveTfes OF rich placer fields in California,
similar 10 that which swept over the en-
tire country after the arrival OF the treas
ure ship Portland In Seattle July Ii last.
with her miilior-do.lar cargo OF nuggets
and gold dust from the klonaike- Young
foeder, then just past his majority,
caught the fever. He was IN partnership
IN the shipbuflding and shipping business
with Capt. Alive Bradley. a man who died
several years ago worth si6.oooooa. and who
IN his time practically controlled the iron
trade OF the great lakes.
capt. Bradley entreated his partner 10
discard his ambition 10 penetrate the
traekiess waste. telling him tina, the West
was no place for him and in their busi-
ness on the lakes there was in prospect
Tor them both not only a comfortable liv-
ing, nut vast fortune statement which
was afterward borne out In Capt Brad
ley's lifetime. But the desire 10 reach
the frontier and 10 participate In the up
building and development OF that great
empire. extending from the Mexican
boundary line TO the Fraser river. on the
north. was too deeply seated in Cant.
Roeder's bosom for argument or persIa-
sion and finally the young Argonaut cast
on his business and connections in his
home and started around the Horn for
the Golden Gate
II was In Use 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 sith the fever. which incapacitated
him from earning much money for nearly
a year. After this. finding that there was
demand for freighting over the mountain
trails and passes OF California, Capt
Roeder organized pack train, working
between the camps. He amassed consid-
cradle money In this way. but after nearly
two years residence In California he de-
termined to seek new location on Puget
sound. where he learned that there exist
cd vast forests OF fir. hemlock and cedar.
Capt. Roeder came by steamer 10 Port
land and thence made his way to olympia
overland from the mouth Of the Cowlitz
river. This was In the winter of 1xss
The story OF this journey Is best told in
the words Of the veteran pioneer himself,
who yesterday narrated TO a Post-Tntelli-
then territory OF Oregon as follows:
I'm company with Fl. V. Peabody, trav-
eled overland from the mouth OF the Cow
li;z. through the mud TO Olympia. We
started early IN December from Portland
II took us four days TO walk from the Cow
litz river 10 Olympia, and II was as hard
travelling as | have ever seen. Old resi-
dents Will remember what was known as
Sanders bottom. II was mud almost 10
. mn fph v.yftt
old settler whose name cannot now re-
call. bur 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 well known
to all the old residents on the Sound. I
remember that at Olympia we got our
first taste OF the Puget sound clam, and
mighty glad We were. too. 10 get a chance
10 eat some OF them.
From Olympia to Seattle we Travelled
by Indian canoe. / remember distinctly
rounding Alki point and entering the har-
Dor OF Elliott bay. I saw what was. per-
haps, the first house that vas butt. where
now stands the magnificent city OF Seat
tie This was a cabin that was being
erected on n narrow strip OF land iutting
out into the bay. which is now right in
the heart OF Seattle DR. MAYNARD was
the builder II was situated adjoining the
lot at Commercial and Main streets. occu-
pied by the old Arlington just before the
fire OF 1889 The waters OF the Sound
Tapped the shores OF the narrow peninsula
upon which It was built. but since then
the water has been driven back by the n.i-
ing of earth. sawtlust and rock. which was
put in on both SIDES OF the little neck OF
land
after n few days stay here, Peabody
and tourneyed by Indian canoe 10 What
com. He carried our canoe overland 10
Hood canal. On the second day out, we
encountered a terrible storm and put into
shelter with a 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 bI'i 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.
I'VE were told that We could procure
something IN the edible line az Port Towns
end but were disappointed, The best we
could obtain at the stores was some hard
bread. IN which the worms had nropagasei
In luxursant fashion This food was not
as particularly appetizIng. you may
Imagine, A settler kindly took pity on us
ana shared his slender stork OF food.
Thence we fourneysd 20 Whateou. where
/ have resided near,y ever since"
spanish bandit.
Capt. Roeder told the reporter before
he had finished hts recital OF an acquaInt-
ance he had formed IN California With the
noter Spanish murderer and bandit. Joa-
auin. and his tribe OF cntthroats and rob-
bers Joaquins raids ana his long career
in crime among the mining camps 81 the
early days or California ara par: % the
history OF that state. Capt. Roeder was
travelling horseback on one occasion be-
tween MarysvIle and Rush creek. This
was in 1851. The night before he left
Marysvilie the sheriff and a posse had
attempted 10 capture joaquin and HIS
band The authorities had offered a re-
ward OF siaH9 for Joaquin and s5090 for
his men. dead or alive The sheriff went
out from AavysvlIle with n cigar IN his
mouth and hts sonsbrero on the side OF
his head as e he we're attending picnic.
II was his own funera,. however. instead
Of a picnic for his bod. was picked osit
OF fence correr ri3aied with bullets.
II was gong a. 4 l-is11rely gait over the
mountain road or bride path thai led
<~eya Ma~yx-Fg2a IN fsoA erAes esfA Cant