Evening journal., 1903-01-12
RIDE WORTH
THREE STARS
Wild and Perilous Journey OF
1000 Miles From Oregon
to Washington

over snow capped mountains and along
dark ravines. travelled only by savage
men. 1t was a plunge through Icy rlv-
crs and across tracliless pralries,
ride Of 1000 miles across a 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 a calm night in April to arouse
handful Of sleeping patriots and there
by save the powder at Concord7
Whitman's ride saved three stars to
the American Gag. 1t was made in
1912
In 1892. during the first adminlstra-
ton Of Washington, Captain Robert
Gray, who had already carried the
American flag around the globe, dis
covered the mouth Of the Columbia
river. He sailed several miles up the
great stream and landed and took pos
session in the name of the United
States.
In 1905, under Jefferson's administra-
ton, this vast territory was explored
by Captains Lewis and Clark, whose
reports were popular reading for our
grandfathers, but the extent and value
Of this distant possession were very
slightly understood. and no attempt at
colonization was made save the estab-
llshment OF the fur trading station OF
Astoria in 1911.
Strangely enough, England, too,
claimed this same territory by virtue
OF rights ceded to It by Russia and
also by the Vancouver surveys Of 1899.
The Hudson's Bay company establish
ed number of trading posts and filed
the country with adventurous fur trad
ers. So here was a vast territory, as
large as New England and the state Of
Indiana combined, which seemed to be
without any positive ownership. But
for Marcus Whitman 1t would have
been lost to the Union.
1t was In 1886 that DR.. Whitman and
a man by the 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 a mission Of the
American board. They had been sent
out to Christianize the Indians, but
Whitman was also to build a state
He was at this time 80 years old. In
his journeys to and fro for the mission
he soon saw the vast possibilities of
j the country, and he saw, too that the
English We're already apprised Of this
and were rapidly pouring into the ter
ritory. Under the terms Of the treaties
Of 1918 and 1923 1t was the tacit be.
lief that whichever nationality settled
and organized the territory. that nation
would hold 1t. II England and the
English fur traders had Deen success
ful in their plans, the three great state.
; Of Washington. Oregon and Idaho
would now constitute a part of Brit
ish Columbia But it was not destined
!. to be.
In the fail Of 1912 it looked as Il
there would be a great inpouring OF
English into the territory. and DR.
/ Whitman took the alarm. There wa.
: no time to lose. The authorities Al
Washington must be warned Hastily
) bidding his wife adieu, Dr. Whitman
, started on his hazardous Journey. Tn,
perils. hardships and delays he en-
: countered on the way we can but faint
> ly conceive. His feet were frozen, h,
! nearly starved, and once he came very
e near to losing his life. He KEEP
pushing right on, and at the end Of fv,
/ terrible months he reached Washing
4 ton.
He arrived there a worn, bearded
5 strangely picturesque figure. clad en-
: tlrely in buckskin and fur, a typica
4 man OF the prairies. He asked audience
1 Of President Tyler and Secretary o
: State Webster. and It was ACCORDED
I him. All clad as he was, with hi
Q frozen limbs, just in from his 400
4 mile ride, Whitman appeared befor
Z the two great men to plead for Oregon
? His statement was a revelation Z,
4 the administration. Previous to Whit
; mans visit it was the general idea fl
4 congress that Oregon was a barren
e worthless country, ft only for will,
7 beasts and wild men. He opened tn
: eyes Of the government to the limit
II less wealth and splendid resources O
!, that western territory. He told then
r OF its great rivers and fertile valleys
J, its mountains covered with forests ant
its mines filed with precious treas
e ures. He showed them that it was
d country worth keeping and that /
h must not fall into the hands Of tn
q English. He spoke as man inspired
= and his words were needed
AL What followed-the organization o
Is companies Of emigrants. the rapid set
,es tlement of the territory and the treat,
n made with Great Britain in lS46 b.
= which the forty-ninth parallel wa
o. made the boundary line west Of tn
ID Rocky mountains are matters Of his
"a tory.
a The foresight and the heroism OF on
% man and his gallant ride had save
Il three great states to the union.-Oma
ID ha World Herald.
The Wise Man.
le The wise man will not expect to
y much from those about him. He vii
bear and forbear Even the best hav