The Evening statesman. [volume] (Walla Walla, Wash.) 1903-1910, 1905-09-13
Tiff STORY OF DIR. MARCUS WHITMAN f:

found mission DR.. Whitman was
married and accompanied by Rev. Mr..
and Mrs. Spaulding, they were sent
10 work among the Indians of Oregon.
Fort Walia Walla was reached Sep
built and ready December 1886 at
Waiilatpu, the place of the rye grass
% miles from Fort Walla Walla. They
had blankets for the doors of the
house and cotton cloth for the Win
dows. Success attended their efforts
and a church was organized August
IS, 1888. AS suggestive of the pecu-
liar conditions Of this time let it be
remembered that in all the territory
now covered by Oregon, Washington
and Idaho there were but so Ameri-
cans. 1t is also interesting to remem-
Der that in the frugality of those early
days the secretary of the American
Board asked each of these two mis-
sionary families to live on $500 a year.
Of Whitman's famous ride in the
winter of 1923 I have no time tC
speak at length. 1t was a fearful
Journey full of peril and exposure and
almost certain death. Lost in the snow
his safety seems to partake almost Of
the miraculous. There is certainly
hardly any other event in American
history more thrilling or more i'm
portant. His faith in God and his in
domitable will carried MIN through for
he was determined to bring back
company of immigrants to settle the
country. He apparently had two pur-
poses in view. First, to confer with
the American Board officers in Bos-
ton, and second, to save this great
Oregon territory to the United States
He saw that the Hudson Bay company
was determined to have this region
for selfish interests. They continu-
ally declared that the country was
valueless, mountains were impossible,
the SHOWS of winter insurmountable,
ETC. Of the workings of the Hudson'
Bay company at this time Sir Edward
: Fitzgerald said: 9Th Hudson's Bay
company has entailed misery and des-
| tructiOn upon thousands throughout
the country which is whitening under
its curse It has stopped
the extension of civilization and has
excluded the light of religious truth.
1t has nut off the
earth from the knowledge of man and
man from the knowledge of God" It
was the purpose of this company to
bring this whole Oregon territory into
the dominion of Great Britain. In his
rounds as physician he was present
at dinner at Fort Walla Walla, where
there were present employees of the
company, some officers and a few Je-
suit priests. While the dinner was in
progress news came that immigrants
from the Red River country had passed
| over the mountains and had reached
| the Columbia river. This news was
| received with great joy by most OF
those present, and one priest rose to
his feet and shouted "Hurrah for Ore
gon. America is too late! We have
got the country! " 1t was probably
| this incident that was the turning
point which led Whitman to start for
| Washington at once
He reached Washington just in
time to save the Oregon country
to the United States. In the senate
document of the 41st congress, Febru-
airy 9, 1871, we read: There is no
doubt but that the arrival of DR.. Whit
man In 1913 was Opportune The presi
dent was satisfied that the territory
was worth the effort to win it. The
delay, incident to transfer of nego-
tlations to London, was fortunate for
| there is reason to believe that if for
mer negotiations mad been renewed in
Washington, and that for the sake of
the settlement of the protracted con-
troversy and the only remaining unad-
Judlcated cause of difference between
the two governments the effort had
been renewed of the 10th parallel to
the Columbia and thence down the
river to the Pacific ocean, it would
nave been accepted. The visit of WHIT
man committed the president against
any such action"
Whitman, in the face of almost in
surmountable difficulties, pilotel
large company back to the territory in
1s43. During the next few years he
was most faithful to mis- work but be-
cause of treachery or political intrigue,
or both, he was murdered by an Indian,
November 20, 1S47.