Heppner gazette. [volume] (Heppner, Morrow County, Or.) 1892-1912, 1906-03-08
WILL RETRACE OREGON TRAIL
Ezra Mceker. with OK Team
Reaches Portland.

lean undertak king that any young maj
night vel hesitate ov r before attempt
my, but neve the!ess this is what Ezr'
Neeker intends to do. This aget
pioneer, who crossed the plains in 1852
starts IN his journey to retrace The 'Ol'
Oregon Tail" Wednesday mornln,
from Portland. He will 60 to The
Ia'ies by steamer and there viii beglr
his long walk. driving his team @
oxen attached to his old-tms prairie
Acho ,rer Mr.. Meeker says he wa'kel
10 the Northwest driving his team o
oxen, and that this will, of course. b'
The way he will return to Ind auapolis
Ind silence he started for the Oiegol
untry N 1852.
Ezra Me. ker arrived in Portland witt
Ms team of oxen and prairie schooner
thursday night. He is now camped or
tract Of lali nea, Seventh and Mill
streets. H. is accompanied by two
employees, who will make tne journey
with him. Oae of them is photo
yra.her, what will take views OF varlons
points of in crest along the trail which
vas travelled by the hardy pioneers o!
ihe ca ly days.
Mr.. Nee err as Just finished retracing
the old trail across the State of Wash
mgtop, which he travelled in the Sprir G
ol 1858. He left Tumwater February 20
spd drove bis team of oxen to Toledo,
roming by boat to Portland. Mr..
Maeker went over virtually the same
youte last Summer when he came to the
Exposition, but this time be wanted to
r. more tn n ugh in his work.
He says that be found the old trail in
MANY places and that stone monuments
will be erected at various places where
he discovered it. A stone monument
has been erected at Tenino already, and
others will be placed in position at Tum-
water, Bush Prairie, Centra'ia, Cheha-
Bis, Jackson's Prairie, Ciaquato and
Toie o. He says that much of the
soun.ry is familiar to him and that with
the assistance of many of the old-timers
he experienced little ditficu ty in locat-
ing the old trail that Was travelled by
The pioneers who Were on their way to
ihe sou d.
III 1852 NJ. Neeker arrived at The
Dalles. From there he came to Port.
land, where he spent the Winter In
the fo!lowInz Spring he resureed up the
river to Toledo, where he resumed his
journey to the Soand, fually locating a,
Puyallup. He is anxious to travel over
exactly the same rout, which he trav.
srsed when he first came to the North
vest, and that is the reason why he
came to Poltland first before going to
The Dalles.
Nr. Me- ker said Yesterday that when
be came o the Oregon country it took
hin about six and a half months to
make the journev from Indianapolis.
Following the old trail, he says, it is
about 250O miles to Po rtlaud. He says
IS will take him about eight months to
make the return trip, as considerable
time will be spent in locating the old
.ral. He will pass through the States
# Oregon. Idaho, Wyoming, Nebraska,
Iowa, Illinois and through part of
Indiana.
He is of the opinion that he will have
fut little difficulty in finding the old
srai'. Wherever he discovers it he will
nake arrangements for the erection of
stone markers. He will not stop on his
Sournev to erect these markers, but will
interest the od-tme-s Of the different
sections through which he passes.
Mr. Meeker drove his team of oxen
through the streets of Portlsnd yester-
day and attracted the attention OF thous'
snds OF persons. The sight of an old,
grayhaired pioneer driving a team OF
oxen, attached to praiyle schooner, is
gerv rarely seen in this modern age.
Sir. Meeker walked along by the side of
The oxen. which are 30 splendidly train
ed that they are directed by the mere
we've of the hand. He carried in his
hands a small whip, which he rarely
1ses. The oxen are enormous animals
Of powerful build, and Mr.. Meeker takes
great pride in them.
At The Dalles Mr.. Meeker will pur-
.hase pair of milk cows. which he will |
.lso attach to the prairie schooner. He |
ays cows are very convenient to have |
Ilong because of the milk they give.
He says he had two COWS and two oxen |
.,tached to the prairie scooner when he |
across the plains. The con-
reyance is practically all made out OF
ennants of prairie schooners which |
we're hauled oyer the old trail. On one
ide Of the canvass is map showing the
'Old Oregon Trail" traced by a red line
When Mr.. Meeker. arrives at Indian
polls he will be joined by his vile,
tho is now in Seattle, and who made
8e trip with him across the plains.
me is 73 years OF age, but is not so
ardy as NJ. Meeker, aud he did not
nink 1t advisable to take her along with
in. There Mr.. and Mrs. Meaker will
CELEBRATE their 56th wedding anniver.
sry. Before returning to the North
est, H.. Meeker will write a book in