The morning Astorian. [volume] (Astoria, Oregon) 1899-1930, 1901-04-19

thNt any Englialmrn came through 10
tho country of the Lower Columbia,
ana then the Pacific Fur Company or
Astor party, was already established
here
"llut north of the Columbia river
there was basis Tor the clnlWH OF Great
Nrl,hn, ANA the controversy known In
our history aa the oregon question,
arose, Nvithrr party was, In truth,
ahlc wholly N exclude the other. but
20 waA tho expedition of LcwlH and
clark that gave uS the strength ~ onr
Htgum ut The talk On our side ~
"ntly- four forty or light" was merely
the cry or party. rather the lnsnlcnco
of pRrlISaHship for Great liumlnH
claIns ,n a standing below "hrty rour.
FORTY" rratcd ON a basis too solll to-
hr Disposed Of IN this way. ana hcaldcs,
our claim ~ "hrty- four. forty" rested
merely upon a cnny"ntIpn between thr
UpltCd S,a,cs and Russia, through
which the latter had named nfIy four
forty ~ the southern boundary ~ her
American pntsrsalous. Great britain,
by rctrpccsainn NJ Astoria tn the Unit
cd states, after the war ur 1879. had
Acknowledged our right In the country.
She had Indeed. never made any scr
loua pr'tcnslon Ia the territory south ~
The Columbia river, but had insisted nn
tha, stream ~ the boundary tine We
had. however. IA Gray's discovery. IN
the expiration ~ l.owlA and clark aud
IN the settlement of Astoria a chain oC
title that made II impossible for us to
consider ,his claim Stlll there could
b. M termination ~ the dispute tlll
the SLOW migration NJ our people Ia the
Oregon country gradually rntabllshrl
American Influence hcrv, and finally the
considerable migration VI lSiS gave the
Americans a decided prcpnndrrnnrr
especially In the country south II the
Columbia BuI the boundary question
dragged along, the British clalmms aH
FAR south "a The columbia and We
claiming uS tnr north ~ trty rnur.rr.
~ TIL the llull sctIlrm 'nl IN the yrai
lSiG
The hlb'raIlian ~ the Lewis aud
Clark party tt Fort th;sop II a famn-
lar story. herr" especially, since M
many ~ The people have visited the
spot and are perfectly acquainted with
the surroundings Hitherto the journal
dr Lewis and Clark with 10 dcs,rip.
Tons NJ ,ur country as II was then NJ
IN" Indians and their mode ~ fr has
been too little studied by lur proplr
We are coming lo The nrHt centennial
nJ ihis expedition and intend to rclr.
hrttr lt but We shalt not know much
about w. uul"'. "" study the Journal
ut Lewis ana clark
\ lirst-rttr authority FOR the runtl.
i.Iu ~ ln1l"s ~ An'orlh from ;hc At.
rival N the Astoria party In March.
ISL 'ill abandonment NJ the enterprise
In 1917 H Gabriel Ftanrhrrr. whose
book. w'i,pn ln Frnyh ana published
' Montreal IN 1912. WAS translated In.
10 ~ gllNh tnd rrpubllshcl In New York
l1 lNl Frauchrrr. IL lH we'll known
came Ia tho Tonruin and remained In
the country till NstorA partners here
solid cut the busiu ~ tp agents ~ the
british Northwest 'umrtuy. when he
returned hum'. across he continent. II
was iarg" party that lott Astoria
April I. 1914. In all there were ninety
persons who embarked In ten canoes
Frlnrhrr" q" "tchrd Montreal IN Scptcm-
hHr His statements make u certain
TIA; the partners II Astor could have
maintained their position In the country.
had they POSSESSED resolution ana cnur.
age. astoria was not In fact captured
by The British but was transferred nm.
der u buHlhrss hrtaug 'inrnt 20 agents Jt
IN" Northw"s, Company. True the
British sloop of war Raccoon N lwcn.
iv-siN guns arrived AZ Astoria yoon ar.
ter tn trytusfrr had been iunlc. and
II would not have been possible 10 hold
Astoria after that. even had the Amer
leans desired
The principal In this betrayal ~
VT AVor's interests. ls VOL us those
nf the United States. was Dun an No.
pnugull. Nhn had lrn the NorthWr.t
company In 1910. 90 enter Astors ser.
vice lie cam" our In the Tonuuln.
ana soon after took "a wife the dnugh-
Ter " Old tonchmly. chief ~ the CIat
'"ps. McDougall remained here IN
Aprll, 1871 when he finally len Fort
George ana returned 10 Canada m
selling Mr.. Astor out he seems tn have
h""n pvrrburnc by the superior tact and
force NJ J q. McThvsh the prlnclpnl
agent NJ the Northwest Company. one
NJ his associates In the Pacific Fur
'omptny alexander RosD SAYS that
Mcppugtll was a man NJ but ordinary
capacity, with an irritable, pccvlsh tenn
per, IN" most unfit man In the world to
hrh an exp ditlnn or 10 command
men
Incompatible among these who have
to the literature of his
time is Irving. but the historical clr-
mcnt In HIS Astoria IL Ovcrlaid ON all
mos, every page by the romintic. He
h every where on he bOrlcrland Of so.
nance. when not wholly within its
realm. But the arr is 0f W high dual-
n.y. simple and unobstrusIvc. that ,hr
reader scarcely suspects the narrative.
which IL tru" Indeed. In liA outline.
aud apparently the perfection Of truth
rom the way II appeals to the lmagln-
alton, through the attractive dress In
which II II pres 'nted. lrvIngs story
Is an epic.
THE only descendant ~ far ~ I
know, ~ any member of the original
AstOr narty, now living In Oregon. ls
'Olon"l Crooks Of Portland who holds
IN official position n he o. II. & n.
'0mpahy. His father. Ramsay Crooks.
anne with the overland or Hunt party.
md returned IN the same way. Much
# the Journey. both ways. was made
n the winter. and the suffcrIngs of
he part from destltutIon, fatigue and
old. were extreme. Ramsay Crooks |
md John Day were separated for a |
line from their main party. were rob !
,el Dy the lH'Il lns ana stripped OF |
heir clothing. and az the weather was !
'tIll wintry 0t vas early spring.. they |
we're saved only by simple good for |
une Perhaps we should ray II IL 'Onc
II those miraculous escapes Some OF |
heir companions whom they had not |
cen for long time and were not known |
" them to be In the vicinity. appeared.
I'd they were rescued. Day became
insane and died. It Is believed at Asto-
Ia; for to that place he was sent
,ark. after the party had started on its
cturn 10 the East Crooks lived to
N old age. and died In the state Of New
FORK In the year 1859.
TT has come to pass now In the
curse Of nature, that the citizens Of
ongest residence In Oregon were born
Icre prior to 1910. With the single ex-
eDlOn " the memorable William Gel
,"r, Of Forest Grove. I know Of no
urvvOr Of the immigrants " AmerI-