The morning Astorian. [volume] (Astoria, Oregon) 1899-1930, 1901-04-18

sonably assume that the Trojan set
tiers on the banks Of the Tlber met
and overcame the same obstacles to
successful pastural life. as did those re-
firing hunters on the banks Of the will
annette: and that the life Of the she
wolf was the nourishing cause Of the in
stitutlon of government In each case.
IN may be worth our while to exam
Inc the causes for the call OF the wolf
meeting which we may coneede was
desired by a few persons then located
at or near Oregon Institute, which la
ter became Salem. as an opportunity to
begin civil government. Why was II
this call was effective? This question
might be answered simply by saying 1t
was first and pressing interest to the
poorest and most independent body OF
latest settlers, not connected With the
Hudson Bay Company or the NJ. E. mis-
sion settlers in Oregon coming subes-
quent to the first California cattle drive
in 1887, who were not supplied with cat
tie by that drive except In a few In
stances. OF the sum Of $3.50 invested In
California for cattle and horses In 1896
(S4S0 went for 40 head OF the latter at
S12 per head), DR.. McGloughlin had put
in near 5000 for cattle for the H. b. Co.
Mr.. Slacum had advanced $500 to Jason
Lee Of the NJ. Z. mission and a sum
on his own account. which amounted
to % head on their division In Oregon
ylS4. Thus on this meagre information
We have fifteen hundred and sixty-f0ur
dollars out Of twenty-eight hundred
and eighty. original capital which did
not benefit the settlers as independent
men.
"As to who originated this enterprise,
recorded information leaves us entirely
in the dark We have reason to be-
lieve that Jason Lee endeavored TO
bring at least one COW across the nlains
with him in 1884, but no reason to be-
lieve that he got her to the Oregon set
tement. 1t was natural that he should
wish TO remove the interest under his
charge from obligations to the II. B.
Co. for the loan of cattle. II was not
ural also that in order to induce Ew-
ing Young 10 employ his energies and
capital in any direction other than run
ming distlllery, he should be willing 10
join Young in the enterprise OF getting
cattle from California; and II was quite
natural for Young, who knew the
cheapness of cattle in California and the
rich grasses going 10 waste In the Will
annette. TO turn in that direction for en-
ployment Of his means and energies,
when he found his distillery enterprise
would be opposed by all the power OF
the Hudson Bay Company through DR..
NcGloughlin and by the missions Of
Oregon. These considerations leads the
writer to conclude this first cattle drive
not only originated with Ewing Young,
but was being secretly prepared for by
him and others, when Mr.. Slacum ar
rived at Vancouver. T. ]. Hubbard who
came to Oregon with N. J. Wyeth, new
er ceased to burn with Indignation at
the manner OF the crushing out Of the
second effort Of Wyeth to replant Amer
ican business in the lower Columbia
valley. had been three months In the
employ OF Ewing Young repairing traps
and guns, secretly as possible, but os-
tensibly for trading expedition to
Southern Oregon Should a reason be
required. and was at Vancouver to get
needed means for that purpose when
Mr.. Slacum arrived there. The Rev.
jason Lee happened to be there at the
same time; and a short conference led
to Hubbard's leaving to notify the
American settlers of a meeting to be
held at Wallamet (as the mission site
was then called.
Mote. this Information came TO the
writer from Mr. 7. j. Hubbard with
much other in regard to Wyeth's trade
struggle, during a ride together in the
formers wagon from Belpassa to Port
land. in 1863. But whoever originated
the enterprise, 1t is plain that deduct
ing the sums advanced by McGloughlin,
the mission and Slacum. including that
paid for horses (Which perhaps was
e. - aN~N l.. Nn...m
Ewing Young's capital and compensa-
ton as leader and that Of p l.. Ed
wards as treasurer which remained or
became part of the mission herd, there
was in all probability less than three
hundred head Of cattle from the first
drive, attained by the agricultural set
tiers of Oregon. Not near enough to
liquidate the cattle Indebtedness Of
missionaries and French Canadian set
tiers to the Hudson Bay Company. The
mission. II is supposed, cleared it's obli-
cations for loans Of cattle received
from the H. B. Co., but we have no
evidence that 1t sold any to settlers un-
til 1t was closed out by the Rev. George
Gary, in 1874. while II held Slacum's
together with Young's till after the or
ganization Of the provisional govern
ment Thus 1t was that In 1842 the
poorest settlers in the Willamette val
ley found II yery hard to purchase cat
tie. and cattle Of all domestic stock
could best defend themselves AGAINST
wolves though they were not immune.
The second cattle drive was, there
fore, poor mans movement. In 1910
there was no money in Oregon. The
Hudson Bay Company's business In
Oregon was one Of barter and it's pFin-
elDal business was to buy furs direct
ly with its goods exchanged for furs ct
Its terms, or. Indirectly, giving goods