The Hood River glacier. (Hood River, Or.) 1889-1933, 1907-09-26
WASC0 COUNTY
ANCIENT HISTORY

At request from headquarters the
Portland Journals Dalles correspond
ant secured data and in a well written
article, gives good history OF the
old couIt house in that city, which
has been used as city jail for many
years, and was last week removed to
its present quarters. Accompanying
the article is fine picture OF the old
building taken by Paul Velarde and
kindly furnished to the writer.
The article is as follows:
The old city hall. formerly tho first
court house in Wasco county, now
moved to give place to modern
building, is a historical relic worth
possessing. In 1858 the contract for the
oil building was let, and it was CON-
pleted in 1859 At that time Wasco
county, which was organized by an
act of the territorial legislature in
1852 and included that part of Oregon
territory lying east OF the Cascade
range to ihe Rocky mounta ins, and
from the Columbia river and the 10th
parallel, south to the 42d parallel, was
the only political division smaller
than territory between California on
the south aud British Columbia on
the north. Its sIea OF about l30, 600
square miles embraced more territory |
than the British Isles or than any |
present state OF the union with the |
exception OF Texas, California and |
Montana and more tLan twice the
area of New England.
The diminution OF this immense |
territory was first begun when Oregon |
was admitted into the union, Febru-
ary II, 1859. by that act Wasco eoun
ty WAS deprived of one-third OF its
area and all that portion east of the |
Snake river was annexed to Washing |
ton territory. Five years later this |
became the southern portion of Idaho
aud in che meantime portions of the
old county had been attached to Mon.
tana and Wyoming.
Then the legislature of Oregon be
gan whiting old Wasco into other
counties. In 1862 Baker and Umatil
la ccounties we're organized by act OF
the legislature, with Baker City as
the county seat of the former and
Umatilla OF the latter. Grant county
was cut off from Wasco in 1864 and
Canyon City was named as the seat OF
government. In the same year Union
county was formed, with Union as the
ounty seat. Then followed Lake in
1874, county seat Lakeview 1882,
Crook, Prineville county seat same
year Klamath with Klamath Falls
county seat; 1885 Morrow ana Gillian
with Heppner county seat of the for
mer and Condor of the latter; 1881
Malheur, Vale; 1889 Harney. Burns;
1891 Sherman, Moro, and 1890 Wheel.
or, Fossil being designated as county
seat.
From an area of 100, 900 square miles
II has been whitfield down to a little
over 1000 square miles, and from ex-
tending from the Cascades to the
Rocky mountains, it's extent is only
about 5S miles from the Cascade
Locks to the mouth OF the Deschutes.
When Cascade county is sliced off II
it ever Is, Waseo will be one of the
smallest counties in the northwest.
The first session of the district
court was held ia The Dalles by JUS
Lice Cyrus Olney, one of the justices
of the Oregon territorial supreme
court, ON August II, 1854, but after
the court house was built and Wa co
county was formed into a judicial dis,
trict, Joseph q. Wilson was appoint
cd judge. This was In 1861, and the
was made by Governor
A. 9. Gibbs.
Judge Wilson was the frat judicial
officer who presided in the old court
house. he was elected to and contin.
ued in the office until 1870, when be
Il l. l. i
republican rarly for congress, but
was defeated by James Il. Slater. In
1872 he was again candidate and de.
feated John Burnett. He went to
Washington city and on the eve OF the
oonvening of congress was invited to
deliver an address before the Alumni
of Marietta college, of which he was d
graduate. Arriving ut Marietta he
went to his room and was found dead
the next morning OF heart failure.
Judge Wilson was succeeded by B. |
Whitten, who served OF the bench un
til the next election, when l.. Il. Nc
Arthur was elected to the position. He
served until 1882, when he resigned |
and the new court house was complet.
Cd the following year. Judge Written |
returned to the practice of his profes.
sion, and died at Baker City few
yeaIs afterwards.
Judge Macarthur, after resigning his |
position on the bench became lead |
ing member OF the Portland bar, and |
died there "a few years ago.
This is the history of the old ooun.
ty and of the old court house, but |
hereafter they will be "reminiscences
to be recounted by some OF the old |
inhabitants.