Rogue River courier. (Grants Pass, Or.) 1886-1927, 1903-01-15
LEWIS AND CLARK FAIR
Exposition to Be Held at Port
land In 1905.

A writer in the Edinburg Review
in 1913 described Oregon as the last
corner ON earth left free for the occu-
patton of civilized race 'When
Oregon shall be colonized," he de-
clared, 1.-THE map of the world may
be considered as filled up. This
was written at the time the boundary
line was pending between the United
States and Great Britain, terminating
June 10, 1913 in the addition of the
territory between the 42d and 10th
parallels and west Of the Rocky
Mountains to our national domain.
Fifty years before Captain Gray had
discovered the Columbia river and 3S
years before Lewis and Clark had
completed their expedition across the
continent by making camp ON the
shores of the Pacific.
The one hundredth anniversary of
the arrival of the Lewis and Clark
party in Oregon will be commemorat-
ed in 1905 by an exposition which
will be representative of American
European and oriental life, customs
and industry. Preparations for this
event are now actively under way.
A company with $500, 600 capital has
been incorporated at Portland, ethe
site has been selected ON the very
point on the Willamette reached by
Captain Clark in April, 1906, and the
various state legislatures and congress
VIII be asked to make appropriations.
Our Lewis and Clark exposition will
be national in scope and importance.
Nothing that has occurred since the
discovery Of gold in California will
so attract attention to the Pacific
West and its wonderful capabilities
for home building and industry as the
Lewis and Clark Exposition Of 1905.
The east, now we'll filled up with
people, and lacking the cheap land
that in generations past was its chief
| inducement to the homcseeker, now
appreciates the west and realizes its
valuo to an expanding country. The
great task that the West had TO over.
come, the prejudice against IT, was
due to the fact that for 40 years fol.
| lowing the purchase Of Louisiana tho
land was not needed for settlement
and the people of the United States
were at loss TO know what TO dc
with the new possession. Between
1902 and 1858, purchase, exploration
and war added 2, 1873, 4ss square mile,
to our national extent, over 2i5 time,
as large an area as Great Britain by
the treaty Of 1888 declared to be- free
sovereign and independent States.
All this vast territory is west of tn,
Mississippi river and the day when II
began to bo needed for settlement il
within the memory of men yet in tn,
prime of life.
The Oregon country which the cX
petition Of Lewis and Clark assured
to American sovereignty, comprise.
all Of the present states Of Oregon
Washington and Idaho, the western
part of Montana and the southwestern
part Of Wyoming. 1t had in 1850 al
area Of 8Od 900 square miles and
population Of less than 1900. II nov
has l,5O0, 900 people with room 70
| 10, 600, 900 more, and an aggregate
wealth, all classes Of property includ
ed, Of approximately 1900, OOO 600
Its two great cities. Portland am
Seattle have over 100, 900 population
each, and three others, Tacoma
Spokane and Butte, have nearly 30,
900 each. Captain Clark found nea
Portland in 1906 a few miserable In
dian huts Today there are at til
junction Of the Willamette an
Columbia rivers, the l2d city Of th
Union with a jobbing business @
Sl35, 900, 900 a year, banking power O
f2j, 900, 900, mercantile capital Of $50,
900, 900 and foreign commerce Of Sl2,
900, OOO Lewis and Clark, il will d
b remembered, faced starvation many
] time and but for the dogs, bcrric
! and roots obtained from the Indian,
must surely have perished- In th
. very route that they followed are I
be found today some Of the world
] greatest grain fields, orchards, fsl
{ cries and cattle ranges. The City {
b Portland, near which Clark, in lsl
b was compelled to bluf A few root
g from the Indians, shipped in the
p years ended June 30, 1901, over 81
. 500 900 bushels Of wheat and 9, 3OO,0
g barrels Of wheat -four. In Oregon
T Washington and Idaho where Il
d skilled hunters Of Lewis and Clai
q. 100 years ago could not find mel
% enough 20 keep the shadow Of famii
- away from their tents, there are toda
@ over 1000, 900 domestic cattle
The main purpose of the ExpositiC
. will be 10 advertise the resources an