Corvallis gazette. [volume] (Corvallis, Benton County, Or.) 1900-1909, 1905-02-14
HISTORY OF RELIC.
B. r. Curtis, of Cheney, Wash.
Gives Full Account of Copper
Gun Barrel.

A couple of weeks ago we pub
lished an item regarding the cop
per gun barrel found on the shores
of the Long Tom river, this coun-
ty, several years back. The ar
ticle referred to was furnished by
B. F. Curtis, a gunsmlth at pres
ent in business at Cheney, Wash.
Mr.. Curtis has just sent lis the.
following Interesting write-up of
what he knows relative to this
copper-barreled gun, as follows:
In regard to the copper barrel
that was found some fonr or five
years ago, three or four miles
from Monroe, Oregon, ! will give
the hi tory of this relic. The
history of the gun, was told me
in 1881 by man named Price.
Mr.. Price had his feet frozen so
badly while coming from the
Salmon River mines to Oregon
in 1862 that it was found neces-
sary TO amputate them. | believe
that be lived ID Corvallis about
the last mentioned date.
The story of the gun as told
me IN 1883, is that he deserted
from the American Fur Co. in
1892. He then came to the Will
lamette river, which he ascended
as far as the Loug Tom. Up to
this date there had never been a
white man trapping on the Long
Tom. Mr. Price and his partner
trapped there until 1885, and Sc
cured all the pelts that they
could take down the stream in
two cauoes.
They were nearly naked and
had lived on beaver meat and
roots tor nearly a year. The cop
per gun was worn out aud Mr..
Price threw it away, where it was
discovered a few years ago. ]
think he told me that it was the
only eeppef-barrel gun that he
had ever seen. We were talking
in my shop about the improve
meut in fire arms and by chance
he told me about this remarkable
gun.
It may be that some of the old
timers will remember Mr.. Price.
The last time that / saw him be
was in Spokane. I think he had
relatives on the Okanagan River
in Wash. He must be dead now.
Should he be live, his age
would be close to 100 years.
think it probale that Henry Wat
sou came down with Mr.. Price
from the Salmon River mines in
1862. Mr.. Watson lives near
Albany, Oregon.
There were two guns left by
Mr.. PAIGE aud his partner on the
Long Tom-only one of copper.
Mr.. Price also told me that they
had only four beaver traps, but
captured four beavers every night.
They went to French Prairie with
the intention of disposing of thei1
furs. But the HUDSON Bay peo
pie would not buy them, moi
would they sell them anything tt
eat. as they were renegades from
the American Fur Co.. Mr.. Price
said to them, 1--WE must have
something, we are nearly naked. !
Then the manager told them to
throw their pelts into.a log shet
and go to,the store, where there
was a man who would let then
have all they needed. The man
ager explained that he dare no
purchase anything of them, a
they were renegades. In thi
way Mr.. Price and partner receiv
ed every thing they required.
IF you could find the gun 0
part of it, it would be a grea
thing. In the meantime I shal
endeavor to ascertain if Mr.. Pric
is living. If he is I shall hav
him at the Lewis and Clark Ex
position. He was an il1iterate ma
but possessed a splendid memor.
that ran far back.
When he left the America
Fur Co. he was in the Crow II
dian country. He then followe
the route of Lewis and Clark t
the Willamette river. Now VIII
has the copper gun barrel?