The Hood River glacier. (Hood River, Or.) 1889-1933, 1905-11-09
Origin of The Word Oregon.

The origin Of the word Oregon is
clouded in mystery. 1t was ilrst used
by Captain Jonathan Carver IN a book
called "Ihree Years Travel through
tn Interior Parts of North America,
for more Than Five thousand Miles,
in tho Years l766-l7GS, " which was
published in London in l71s. 1t does
not appear from the book that Carver
cam6 any farther west than Minnesota,
where, he says, the Indians told him
a great river called Oregon, or the
River of the West, - rose near the
Mississippi and flowed westward
through the mountains to the Pacific
ocean. III s il the Only reference to
tie river in 1.-THE tooE. tCaryer was
a Connecticut yankee, who served as
soldier through the French and In
dian war, and afterwards, on his own
hook, explored northern Michigan,
Wisconsin and MiDnCsC'a. lie return.
ed to his home, Ni,ie his book and
endea7ored to persuade the colonial
authorities in New YORK and N5W
England to pay the cost of its publ
cation, or at least reimburse him for
his expenses. Having failed on this
side, he went to LOndCn to appeal to
the government there. He manggcd to-
get his book printed, but obtt incd
nothing more, and died destitute IN
London in 1880
The name Oregon did not appear in
print again until William Cullen Bry
ant published his poem "Ihanatopi-,
in 1877. lie had evidently read Car
Ser's book, and his sensitive ear was
rlesaCd with the poetic rhythm of the
word Oregon. " Theodore Winthrop
created the word Tacoma" in his
Canoe and Saddle in similar
manner. So far as any one can as.
certain, it was never written or spok-
eu oiIbefore the cl ming narrative OF
his western experiences appeared III
1862
In 1920 Boston school teacher
named Hall jackson Kelly became in
fatuated with Oregon, and although
he never visited this country, he dc
sCribed it as a paradise and predict.
cd for it a wonderful future. He
wrote pamphlets and newspaper artic
les, made speeches, delivered lectures
and addressed memorials in Congress
advocating colonization Of Oregon,
and succeeded in exciting much in
qniry and interest. Among Others
whose curiosity was aroused by the
writings and speeches of Kelley was
Nathaniel j. Weyth Of Cambridge,
Mass, who dispatched "A vessel loaded
with merchandise around the Horn,
and started overland in 1852 to meet
1t at the mouth Of the Columbia
river The boat never arrived and
was probably lost ut sea with all on
board. Wyeth waited year or two
then went back TO Boston, fitted out
another vessel, called the May DaCre,
which arrived safely at the mouth OF
the willamette, whore he set up a
trading post and collected furs and
packed salmon. During his first
journey he was accompanied by John
Ball, who taught the first school in
Oregon, beginning November. 1882.
Among Balls pupils was Ronald A.
McDonal, who went to japan in
lsi8, succeeded in obtaining the
good will of the officials and the
people, and established the first Eng
lish school in that empire. Commo-
ubIb VI v 1uuIh hlll tuNlN III i'''
and used him as an interpreter. John
Ball returned to the East and after
ward founded the city of Grand Rap
ids. Mich.
The great river Oregon was after
ward called tho Columbia in 1882 by
Captain Gray of Boston, who sailed
considerable distauc, inland, in the
ship Columbia and gave the river that
name. He never heard of the word
Oregon. Careful investigation has
failed to find that word in any of the
Indian languages, or any Indian who
ever heard of it before Carver's book
was printed. 1t is a question whether
he invented It or whether he misun-
derstood the pronunciation of some
other name mentioned to him by the
Indians in Minnesota. William II.
Curtis in Chicago Record Herald.
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