Corvallis gazette. [volume] (Corvallis, Benton County, Or.) 1900-1909, 1905-06-20
EARLY EVENTS.
Things OF Interest Bearing on
Pioneer Days in Oregon.

d plCulC VI lS-uuIOA a. olOW no-
vile, and these occasions are of
more than ordinary interest. At
the picnic recently held w. E.
Yates, of this city, made the
principal address, and through
the courtesy of the gentleman we
are permitted to print excerpts
from the speech. The address
was quite lengthy, but unusual
ly good, and were it not for the
fact that it was largely devoted to
the particular locality in which
the re. union was held, and the
people of that section, it would
be a pleasure to print it entire.
The following taken from the
address will be found of general
interest:
GAS a matter of history and
study, it is, indeed, pleasing to
me to read the doings of the
earliest pioneers and revel in the
beautiful stories woven about the
first occurrences in Oregon his
tory. For instance, to know that
the first marriage of whites in
Oregon occurred in the year 1897;
that the first party of settlers
came from Peoria. ILL.,, in 1885;
that in 1884 the first bees were
brought across the plains; that
the first brass band was organiz-
ed in 184o; the first cattle arrived
in 1885; the first cider was manu-
factured in 1884; the first circus
held in 1852; the first lodge of
Masons was organized in 1848;
the first white twins were born in
1857; the first law passed by the
first legislature of Oregon, in
the year 1854, was liquor pro-
hibition law; the first hanging
of an Indian in 1873; the
first physician came in 1914; the
first school taught outside the
mission was in Corvallis, the pres
ent location of the Oregon Agri-
cultural College of Oregon; the
first sermon preached in 1894 by
Rev, Jason Lee; the FIRST grisl
mill was built in 1884: the first
convert in the same wear; the first
white to cross the Rockies and
reach the Pacific Coast north oi
the Columbia, was Col. Alexan.
der Mckenzie, the first womer
to cross the plains were Mrs
Whitman and Mrs. Spaulding
These, I say, and many othel
historic incidents, concurrent ane
subsequent, are quite interesting
to US younger ones, as a matte1
of study, yet detailed discussion
of such would be inappropriate
at this time.
You pioneers were a cempan,
of home-seekers and home build
ers. A great deal has been sail
and written about your usefulnes
to the United States governmen
in securing it the Pacific North
west territory by your settlemen
and occupation of Oregon at
time when the title of this coun
try was in doubt and dispute. ye
l believe the purpose of your
selves in coming to the William
cite Valley was to find a place t
make a home for yourselves, an
having found the place, to bull
upa home and maintain it.
''The incidental effect wa
that through your early settle
ment of the Oregon country th
United States government wa
enabled to secure title to it b
treaty, June IS, 1916; yet yor
= pioneers, crossed the plains ne
for this purpose. All you di
was with the principal object {
establishing a home fol you
selves and your families. Yo
established schools, they wei
but an accessory, you founde
religious institutions, they wel
but helps to the morals an
society; you adopted form
government, this was for the pu
pose of protecting your hom'
and property.
'You, no doubt, were patriot
and in full sympathy with Il
government at Washington. ar
wished that it might be success
ful in its diplomatic dealings vii
Great Britain, Interference to Or
gon territory, still, uppermost