The Lambertville record. [volume] (Lambertville, N.J.) 1872-1968, 1899-08-02
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WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 2. 1899
A HISTORICAL RIDE.
1T WAS WORTH THREE STARS TO
THE AMERICAN FLAG.

Marcus whItmnn's wild and PERIL
Gus Journey of 1000 Miles From
Oregon 10 Washington nnd the RE-
suits which Followed In Its wake.
The ride of Marcus Whitman was
ever snow capped mountains and along
dark ravines, Travelled only by savage
men. 1t was II plunge through Icy rlY-
crs and across tracklcs5 prairles,
ride of 1000 miles across continent
In the dead Of winter TO save a mighty
territory to the Union.
Compared with this what was the
feat of Paul Revere, who rode IS miles
on n calm night In April TO arouse
handful of sleeping patriots and there
by save the powder at Concordf
Whltmans ride saved three stars to
the American flag. 1t was made In
1912.
In 1892, during the first admlnlstra-
ton OF Washington, Captain Robert
Gray, who had already carried the
American flag around the globe, dis
covered the mouth of the Columbia
river. lie sailed several miles UP the
great stream and landed and took pos
session In the name of the United
States.
In 1905, under .Jcifersons admlnlstra-
ton, this vnst territory was explored
by Captains Lewis and Clark, whose
reports were popular reading for our
grandfathcrs, but the extent and value
of this distant possession We're very
slightly understood, and no attempt It
colonization was made, save the estab-
lishment of the fur trading station of
Astoria in 1911.
Strangely enough. England. too.
claimed this same territory by virtue
of rights coded To II by Russla and
also by the Vancouver surveys of 1872.
The iIudsOn's BAY company establish
ed II number of trading posts and filled
the country with adventurous fur trad
ct's. So here WIS II vast territory, NJ
large MS New England and the state of
Indiana combined, which seemed to be
without any positive ownership But
for Marcus Whitman It would have
been lost TO the Union.
II was In 1876 that DR.. Whitman and
man by tile name of Spaulding. with
their young wives, the first white wo-
men that ever crossed the Rocky
mountains. entered the valley of the
Columbia and founded II mission Of the
American board. They had been sent
out to Christlanlzc the Indians. but
Whitman was also to build Il state.
He was ut this time - years old In
his journeys 10 and fro for the mission
he soon saw the vnst possibilities of
the country, and he saw, too, that the
English were already appraised OF this
and were rapidly pouring into the ter
rtory. Under the terms of the treaties
of 1918 and 1898 It was the tacIt be-
lief that whichever nationality settled
and organized the territory, that nation
would hold It, If England and the
English fur traders had been success
full In their plans. the three great states
of Washington, Oregon and ldahC
would now constitute Il part of Brit
ish Columbia. But II wns not destined
to be
In the fall of 1912 it looked as II
titif NbNi'i ht u EItul bI
English into the territory, and DR.
Whitman took the alarm. There was
no time to lose The authorities at
Washington must be warned Hastily
bidding his wife adicu, DIR. Whitman
started on his hazardous Journey. The
perlls, hardShips and delays he en-
cOuntcrcd on the way we can but faint
Ia aananixtn l. 10
nearly starved, and once he came very
near to losing his life. He kept
pushing right on, and at the end of Ave
terrible months he reached Washing
ton.
He arrived there n worn. bearded,
strangely picturesque figure, clad en-
tircly In huckskin and fur. typical
man of the pralrics. He asked audience
of President Tyler and Secretary of
State Webster. and II was accorded
him. All clad as he was, with his
frozen limbs, Just In from his 4,OOC
mile ride, Whitman appeared before
the two great men to plead for Oregon
Ills statement was a revelation tC
the administration Previous to Whit
mnn's visit II was the general Idea In
congress that Oregon was n barren
WORTH" country. fit only for wild
beasts wild men. He opened the
eyes ol the government to the limit
less wealth and splendid resources of
that western territory. He told them
of It's great rivers and fertile valleys
It's mountains covered with forests and
Its mines filled with precious treas
ures. He showed them that il was II
country worth keeping and that Il
must not fall into the hands OF the
English. He spoke ms a man inspired,
and his words were needed.
What followed the organization of
companies of cmigrants, the rapid set
Element of the territory and the treaty
made with Great Britain In 1916 by
which the forty-nnth parallel was
made the boundary line west OF the
Rocky mountains are matters of his
tory.
The foresight and the heroism of one
man and his gallant ride had saved
three great states TO the Unlon.-0ma-
la World Herald.