The Hood River glacier. (Hood River, Or.) 1889-1933, 1905-11-16
COLONY LANDED
80 YEARS AGO
ONLY THREE OREGON SURVIVORS
Hans Lage Came Next Day-Went Out
to See the Country and Got
Lost In Deep Snow.

Thirty years ago yesterday, Novem-
Der 10, the Hood River colony landed
on the sand bar that extends along
the Columbia river opposite the now
thriving town of Hood River. There
were fourteen families in all and there
being no accommodation for hous.
Ing them they made camp and later
built building resembling barracks
and all lived together. OF the origi-
nal colony all that are left In this part
of the country are Mr.. La France and
Lyman Smith of Portland, and M. b.
Pottet of this city, at pre- sent living
with a son at Percy, Ore, and who is
over min ETY. years of age and very fee
BILE.
On this account 1t is rather difficult
to get many of the details of this epis-
ode in the history of Hood River,
which would otherwise be intensely
interesting Many of this little band
of pioneers not being able to with
stand the hardships of frontier life,
returned to their native towns or
went to more settled pats, and some
have passed away This was, however.
the first organized effort to establish
a town at the mouth of Hood River.
Thirty years ago today Hans Lage,
with his wife and three children and
his father in-law, Mr.. Hook, stepped
from the boat at what is now Bingen,
but was then White Salmon. Mr.. Lage
came to this part of the country from
Davenport, Ia, and travelled via the
Union Pacific to San Francisco and
from there to Portland by steamer
and on up the Columbia river. He
says that it cost more to transport his
household goods from Portland to
White Salmon than it had to have
them brought all the lest of the way.
In addition to this he had to pay $40
a piece fare for his family for this
ride of 60 miles up the river.
On the 18th Of November it showed
all day and there was 18 inches Of
snow in White Salmon and three back
in the country. On the morning of
the 18th with his brother in law and
another companion, he started out to
see the country. Hearing that the
people in the back country had bread
but no butter to put ON it, they pur-
chased roll and started out. After
about all day they tried to
return, but search as they would they
could not find the trail. Night came
on-a beautiful clear, moonlight night,
and as they all had matches they tried
to make fire by lighting the pine
needles, which they grubbed out of
the snow. In vain effort. Match af-
ter match was struck and applied to
the needles, but they refused to burn,
for they were wet with snow. Des-
pair now settled down on the party
and they tloundered on aimlessly hal
looing as loud as their shorte ed
breath would permit.
At last they stopped, exhausted,
with courage almost gone, and gave
one more shout, when afar off in the
distance they heard tho faint bark Of
a dog. Shouting and walking they
on toward the point where
they could still hear the dog answer
ing their cries. Finally they heard
the welcome halloo Of mans voice,
and going on encountered Mr.. Gilmer,
one Of the Oldest settlers In this part
of the country, who, hearing their
shouts, had come out to look for
them. 1t was then about o'clock,
and after walking for an hour or
more, they arrived at log cabin,
which was the home Of Mr.. Gilmer
On entering the cabin the party
found it in darkness, Mr.. Gilmer hav-
ing no oil to make light. The walls
we're the bare logs, upholstered,
through which the wind swept untem-
pered. The men we're ravenously
hungry, and soon made this fact
known to their host, who, with many
apologies, explained that there was
nothing in the cabin to eat but few
dry biscuits. These were brought
forth, and opening the roll Of butter
which they had clung to through all
their vicissitudes, the party fell to,
and we have Mr.. Lagos word for 1t
that no banquet or feast that he ever
sat down to tasted half as good as
this simple fare.
After supper the unbidden guests
could no longer keep awake, and their
host, again apologizing, said that
the only covering he could give them
for the night was horse blanket
apiece. So they went out to the barn,
wrapped themselves up in the blankets
and Mr.. Gilmer covered them up with
hay, where they slept soundly until
morning. AS they had eaten every
thing in sight the night before there
was, of course, nothing for breakfast.
So Mr.. Gilmer led them out to his
potato patch covered with three feet
of snow, which they shoveled away
and dug potatoes for their morning
meal. After this was done they butch
cred a calf and included veal steak
in the menu. Breakfast over, Mr..
Gilmer hitched u his team and
brought the stragglers back to White
Salmon. Mr.. Lage declares that he
has never appreciated anything so
much in his life as he did the hos
pitality of Mr.. Gilmer,
Mr.. Lage remained at White Salmon
until the following March when he
bought the place he now lives on,
comprising 100 acres, from a home
steader, and moved over on this side
of the river. He has since cleared
l20 acres of it entirely by hand. At
that time Mr.. Lage was the second
settler from the river, his brotherin-
law, Mr.. Hook, being the first, on
what is now known as the Joe Divers
place. His nearest neighbor was ID.
A. Turner, two miles away.
He has seen many changes during
his long residence in the Hood River
valley, and despite the hardships and
struggles of his early life, is as OPTIC
mistic as boy Of eighteen.