Aberdeen herald. [volume] (Aberdeen, Chehalis County, W.T.) 1886-1917, 1905-05-01
Northwest
The GROWTH OF empire sure
and NOT SO SLOW.
The Lewis and Clark Centennial is
Directing Attention of the World
to the Wonderful Progress of the
Pacific Northwest, and its I'M
menSe Possibilities.

The story of the discovery, exploration
and set lement of the oregon country, to
which the Lewis and Clark Centennial
Exposition at Portland is drawing the at
tenion OF the world, presents some OF
the most astounding aspects. Perhaps
the tact that arouses the greatest degree
OF ast"nishment in the up to.date, hust.
ling citizen OF today is that such a long
period of time was required for taking
possession OF this vast territory after its
discovery and exploration.
The coast line of Oregon and Wash.
ing!on was known to mariners genera.
tions before the interior was explored,
and maps more or less accurate were
made from time to time. Spanish, Dutch,
British and Russian navigatOrs We'd with
each other in exploring the coast, but
practically no attempt was made to ex-
plore the interior OF the country until
President Jefferson, hundred years
ago, sent Merlwether Lewis and William
Clark from st. Louis up the Missouri
river to its headwaters, across the noun.
tains and plains and down the Columbia
river to it's mouth.
But even after Uncle sam, with that
rare Yankee shrewdness which he is
supposed to possess, had penetrated this
great unknown territory, besecting it
from side to side, 1t was more than forty
years before anything like definite in
tention of settlement and occ upation took
form. Though from the journals of
Lewis and Clark aud the diaries Of some
of their men it was distinctly evident
that "the Oregon Country" was a land
magnticently opulent in promise, land
crying for settlers and developers even
as babies cry for pitchers of milk, full
two score years passed before q nation
finally took possession Of the region.
"ctlcnized" it and began to make it a
part OF the civilized world.
True, there was a dispute as to its
ownership. Great Britain and the United
States both claimed the Oregon country.
and each appeared to have some color Of
title. Yet it required forty years to
eettle this matter, and during all that
time Oregon and Washington and Idaho
-as now named and known-remained
wilderness, with but struggling settle-
ment here and there, and those settle.
ments harassed by hostile Indians and
exposed to the natural perils of remote
OutpOsts.
The history OF the actual development
OF Oregon and her sister states in the
territory acquired by treaty with Great
Britain in 1916 is the history OF less than
sixty years Of heroic effort and high
achievement. America was discovered
Alb years ago. jamestown was colonized
by the English 29S years ago. Plymouth
Rock was touched by the tread of the
Mayfower pilgrim 2S5 years ago. Ameri-
can independence was declared 129 years
ago. Lewis and Clark crossed the con.
tinent to the Pacific Northwest 100 years
ago. The United States finally acquired
the Oregon country, by right of discov-
cry and exploration and after forty years
of haggling and juggling SO years ago.
Westward the course Of empire takes
its way" but until three score years ago
it took its way most deliberately aud
with dignified slowness.
But after getting our clutches firmly
fixed upon this Oregon country. we have
pushed forward the work of development
with gratifying rapipity. With the ex
tension of the railroad and the invention
of the telegraph, distance has been ami
hilated-and it was distance which was
the main factor in keeping this great re.
gion undeveloped for so many generations
after the eastern part of America was
settled. The Pacific coast was so remote
from civilization that one felt, as Joaquin
Miller has eXpressedit, that it was land
that even God had forgotten. Now it is
but few days trip by rail from New
York and few seconds time by wire
from any point east or west.
Great as has been the development OF
the past sixty years, Oregon and her sis.
ter states of the Pacific West are as yet
comparatively infants. There is room
for many millions OF people in addition
to those now living in these states. and
the Lewis and Clark exposition no doubt
will be the means of drawing a large in.
crease OF desirable population.
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