The Corvallis times. (Corvallis, Or.) 1888-1909, 1905-06-21
AS BENTON WAS THEN.
Letter Written In 1916 Describes It
Mariah King, the Writer.

ASte~A "4AseSA III So1O ASSSiApSo IL
Mariah King, the Writer.
Back in Ohio, there is an aged
letter that is of striking interest in
Benton county. 1t was written in
Kings Valley on the first day of
April. 1876, more than 50 years
ago. It tells of long tedious and
and perilous journey across the
plains by OK team, and of condi-
tions in what was then the new
land, known in the East as the Ore
gon country. The writer was Mrs
Mariah King, now Mrs. Sol King.
Though written on April 1st, it
was August before the letter reach
ed Missouri. That is to say, near
ly five months was required for
its delivery at destination requir-
ing but three or four days.
The start across the plains by
the Kings was from Missouri, in
the spring of 1S45. Four years
before that, or in I841, the family
had moved to Missouri from Ohio.
In the later journey, the emigrant
train consisted of 200 OK wagons,
or a party numbering over 100
families. The letter in question
appeared recently in the Advocate,
paper published at Plain City,
Ohio. In full, it is as follows:
Lucciamute Valley, Oregon,
April I. 1916.
Dear Mother, Brothers and Sisters:
After travelling six months
we arrived at Lynton On the Will
lamette, November first. We had
beautiful weather all the way, no
rain OF any account. We got along
finely till we came to Fort Boisien,
within three miles of Lypton, when
along came a man by the name of
Meiks who said he could take us
over new route across the Cas-
cade mountains to the Willamette
river in twenty days, so a large
company of hundred and fifty or
two hundred wagons left the old
road to follow the new pilot and
Travelled for two months over sand,
rocks, hills, and everything else
but good roads. Two thirds of the
immigrants ran out Of provisions
and had to live on beef, but as it
happened, we had plenty Of -four
and bacon to last us through,
but worse than all of this, death and
sickness attended us the rest of our
way. I wrote to you at Fort La
rima that the whooping cough and
measles went through our camp,
and after we took the new route
a slow, lingering fever prevailed.
OLt Of Chamber L. Forton's, Tohn's $
and our families, no one escaped but
Solomon and myself. But listen at
the deaths: Sally Chambers.
John King and his wife and their
little daughter Electa, and their
babe, son Of nine months old,
and Dulaney G. Norton's sister is
gone: Mr.. A. Fuller, lost his wife
and daughter Tabitha. Eight of
our two families have gone to their
long homes. Stephen was taken
with the fever at Fort Bosien, he
had not been well since we left
Ohio, but was then taken worse.
He was sick for three months, we
did not expect him to live for a
long time, was raid he had the
consumption, but he is now well
and hearty, and getting fat every
day. he weighs as much as he did
when he came from over the noun
talns, and as for myself, I was nev-
er heartier in my life than I have
been since I left Missouri, I have
not had even one sick day: the rest
OF us are getting we'll and hearty,
now believe.
Those that went on the old route
got through six months before US
with no sickness at all. Upwards
Of fifty died on the new route.
The Indians did not disturb us
any except stealing our horses. We
have made our claim in a valley
On the Luccimute. western branch
ot the Willamette, not a days ride
rom the ocean. and one hundred
miles south of the Columbia river.
It IS beautiful country as far as
have seen. Every person over
eighteen holds a section by making
improvements and living on it five
years. They SOW from October
ill June, and the best wheat ev-
er saw and plenty of it at ST and
IS cents per bushel, potatoes IS
,ents; peas, ST; corn, 30 cents; beef
cents and cents; pork, 10 cents;
sugar, II IL cents; coffee. 20 cents;
nolasses, So cents; tea, * cents: