Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1905-05-15
IN THE GREAT NORTHWEST
New Eueland's Paramount Influence in Building Up
That Section of the Union:


| and the restless spirit of adventure
which is their birthright, must be at
| tributed in large degree the successful
| colonizing of the Northwest and par
ticularly Of Oregon and Portland.
Years before the long war for Ameri-
| can independence was brought to
successful issue, the hardy sailors OF
New England had dreamed dreams and
seen visions of a fair country on the
| sunset slope. whose waters teemed with
| fish, whose hills were rich with aurl-
ferrous soil and whose densely wooded
slopes were the haunts of the smaller
| fur-bearing animals.
In 1887, these visions materialiZed
| into tangible shape when six Boston
merchants, two bearing the familiar
names of Bulfinch and Hatch, fitted out
the first American fur-trading expe-
dition for the Pacific Coast, and for the
| many rivers which were supposed to
empty into that ocean. John Kendrick
commanded the ship Columbia, while
Robert Gray was master of the slOOp
| Lady Washington.
| The first voyage was & failure so far
as material results were concerned, but
in no wise daunted, the Columbia was
again fitted out and sailed from Bos-
ton in the autumn of 1890, with Cap
tain Gray as her commander. 1t was
on this second vayage, that he sailed
more than a hundred miles up the
| broad and beautiful river which now
| bears the hOnOred name of his good
ship.
| During this period there were sew
| eral Boston vessels in these western
waters, notably the Hancock. Captain
| CrOwell, and the Hope, Captain InGra-
ham.
| The log and chest of the Columbia
are now in possession of the Oregon
| Historical Society, and will be exhibit
| ed with other valuable relics at the
Lewis and Clark Centennial Exposition.
| Nearly thirty years after the expedi-
| ton of Lewis and Clark had settled
| forever the supremacy of Americans in
| the great Northwest. q party of adven
| turOus spirits left Boston on the first
| day of March, 1882, for an overland
| trip TO Oregon. The men were resi-
dents of Cambridge, Mass, and were
commanded by Nathaniel Wyeth. The
| purpose of the company was to engage
| i'll the fur trade in the Pacific North
| west. The trip was not successful
| one. part of the company returning be-
| fore they reached the Rocky Noun
! tainS. and the remainder who found
| their way to Oregon returned eventual
ly to Massachusetts. This crcum-
| stance is mentioned in this article only
| to show that New England has ever
borne her rart in shaping the destinics
of all portions of this great country.
| Probably nearly every citizen of
New England who gained his first ru-
dimcnts of his education in the 'little
| red schOohouse" knows that the
thriving and beautiful metropolis of
/ Oregon. situated OH both sides of the
| charming Willamette river, was
named by patriotic New Englander
for Portland, Maine. 1.-The beautiful
town. seated by the sea-
| Among the early pioneers who saw
the possibilities of this part of the
continent, were f. w. Pcttygrove of
Maine. and A. l.. LOvejoy of Massa
chusetts, pioneers of 1915, and this
pretty story is related of them.
While Rome was said to be saved
by the cackling of goose. the tossing
of Il penny between Pettygrove and
I.ovejoy, decided whether the new
|
he Portland or Boston. Pettygrove
| won, and SO we have lovely Portland
nestled in the midst of green trees and
foliage like her beautiful namesakc.
| Had LOvejoy won. another classic Bos-
| ton would have faced the massive
| s:lOw-crowncd mountains. rising into
| the regions of perpetual snow and ice.
| But whats in Nance" In either
| case the infant town would have
| forged ahead and been what she is
| today. Il beautiful, thriving. industri-
Gus city. sending flour. grain. lumber
| and other exports to every corner of
| the world.
While giving due credit to the men
of other localities who have helped
t" upbuild Oregon and Portland, it is
still true that it is mainly New Eng
| land blood, bone and sincw which have
| made the city of Portland what it is
today. While the early pioneers have
passed on to their rest, their works
do follow Them" and many of the fore
most men, active in business and pro-
feSSional life are natives of New Eng
land, and hundreds of others born and
reared i'm the prairie states of the
Middle West are of New England de-
scent, and are proud of their ances-
try.
1t is a matter of history that the
first house built in Oregon. was erect
ed at the mouth of the Columbia river
by Captain John Winslow who was a
New England man.
When the century which had elapsed
since Lewis and Clark made this
vast Oregon country part and parcel
Of ON great nation, was drawing to
the close, and the purpose of great
exposition to commemorate that event
was formulated by the progressive
business men of Portland, the choice
of president for the corporation
very naturally fell on the most repre-
sentative and influential man in the
city. and Hon. H. w. Corbett. presi-
dent of the First National bank. and
a former United States senator from
oregon was unanimously elected presi-
dent and served until his death in
March. 1901.
MIR Corbett was a native Of West
bOro. Mass. and was born in 1927. He
pan n ;y,