The Montgomery advertiser., 1905-04-16

fifty-four and a half degrees and the sea. It has been proved that our claim to Oregon is derived. not from the Louisiana Purchase, but from the Flor ida Treaty of 1919, the settlement at Astoria and the explorations of Lewis and Clarke. But back of all these IS the discovery of the Columbia River bv Robert Gray, a Boston sea captain. in 1792. .1,- It is edifying to realize that this discovery was really owing to the de- mands of the feminine taste for "fin- cry" and tea. The New England mere chants saw that they would realize large profits if they could import siia and tea direct from China, but while thev cast a longing eye upon these two products of the Celectial Kingdom. they realized with dismay that they | had nothing to offer in exchange. But l inc women of America wanted some thing to wear and something to drink So these busy, brainy "Yankees asso- ciated themselves into a company, to gatber furs from the Indians on the 1orthwest coast, and with skins, 1T not srecIe. carry on a direct trade with
 Two ships were made ready, loaded ,,,th knives. bars of iron, gay bordereo blankets, and copper pans' and armed with letters from Congress ana pass norts from Massachusetts they set out for the shores of the South Sea. Tne .U, .,,,o sb,ns were the Columbia. com- noanded by John Kendrick, and the
 Washington, Robert Gray, master
 Tbese two ships left the port of Bos- ion seotember 30, 17S7, doubled Cape Horn the next January and there part ed company in a terrible storm They roet again. as they had hoped, on the northwest coast, and after success fuI barter with tho Indians, cnanseu ships. Gray carried the Columola to Canton with his cargo or furs' ana secured a cargo of tea with which ne t,Irned re-entertng Boston harbor | August 10. 179O, after an absence of nearIv three years. Of all Americans to Captain Robert Gray belongs the | honor of first carrying the American fla garound the world. oh.,t, with this success that in aoout a month they again dispatched the gooo shin Columbia and again unoer the same master. In the spring or IIst ne m was again on the northwest eo%ss as sa, search of furs. In latitude 40 desrees
 nd m minutes he came suddenly oe- sara wide opening. From this open | - rrsbed a current so strong that .hough he spent nine days in the at- tan,nt he could not pass the oreakers. ty1.oouvar saw the same opening ana thn sorne breakers, but when Gray met ti,, in Anril 1792 and told him of hls naIiof that the opening was the mouth oS great river and the breakers caused by it's mighty current. he would ,,ot accept this theory and the two nortsd But the meeting was not ,yithout It's purpose or devoid or ben
 at Convinced that he was not de-
 ont,,sd and desirous to prove the solid ttu of his judgment to the doubtins
 Enelishman, Gray returned to the open
 i,,a sailed boldly through the breakers
 and thirteen days after leaving van
 cnuver found himself May l2, l792' or
 Inc bosom of a magnificent stream
 .,hicb now bears the name of the gooS
 sbin Columbia. Proud and happy wa tba sturdy Yankee captain. He re natned on the river nine days, ex nIored it for thirty miles, traded Witl the Indians, mended and painted hi vessel filled his casks with water iron tbe river. beat out over the harbor, an after A good voyage returned for tn second time to the good town Of Bos , ton. with a fine cargo of tea, and tn ! news of A discovery which establishe , the drst claim of the United States t ] the soil of oregon.
 1 Thus began the history of America
 pluck in the far northwest histor s which eliminates this year in the eel n duration of the centennial of the Lew = and Clarke Expedition.