The Barre daily times. (Barre, Vt.) 1897-1959, 1908-06-08
1t Was Worth Three Stars to
the American Flag.
SAVED US VAST TERRITORY
The Perilous Journey Of Four Thousand
Miles from Oregon to Washington
Made by Brave Man and Results
Which Followed in Wake.

The ride Of Marcus whitman was
over snow capped mountains and along
dark ravlnes. Travelled only BY savage
men. II was plunge through icy riv-
ers and across trackless prairies, i
ride Of 1000 miles across continent
In the dead Of winter to save mighty
territory to the Union.
Compared with this what was the
feat Of Paul Revere, who rode eight
cen miles on calm night in April to
arouse a handful Of sleeping patriots
and thereby save the powder at Con.
cord?
Whitman's ride saved three stars to
the American flag 1t was made Ia
1912.
In 1892, during the first administra-
tion Of Washington, Captain Robert
Gray, who had already carried the
American flag around the globe. dis
covered the mouth Of the Columbia
river. He sailed several miles up the
great stream and landed and took pos
session In the name OF the United
States.
In 1905, under Jefferson'g administra-
ton, this vast territory was explored
by Captains Lewis aud Clark. whose
reports were popular reading for our
grandfathers, but the extent and value
OF this distant possession were very
slightly understood, and no attempt at
colonization was made save the estab-
iishment Of the fur trading station Of
Astoria In 1911.
Strangely enough, England. too.
cIuimed this same territory by virtue
OF rights coded to 1t by Russia and
also by the Vancouver surveys OF 1909.
The Hudson's Bay company establish
ed a number Of trading posts and filIed
the country with adventurous fur trad.
ers So here was vast territory. as
large AS New England and the state OF
Indiana combined which seemed to be
without any positive ownership. But
FOR Marcus Whitman It would have
been lost to the Union.
1t was In 1886 that DIR. Whitman and
a man Of the name OF Spaulding. with
their young wives, the first white wo-
men that ever crossed the Rocky
mountains, entered the valley OF the
Columbia and founded mission OF
the American board. They had been
sent out to chrlstianlze the Indians.
but Whitman was also to build state.
lie was at this time thirty-five years
old. In his Journeys TO and fro for
the mission he soon saw the vast Dos
sibilities OF the country, and he saw.
TOO. that the English were already ap-
prised OF this and were rapidly pour
ing into the territory. Under the terms
of the treaties Of 1918 and 1928 it was
the tacit belief that whichever nation
atty settled and organized the SPLEEN
did territory would hold It. If Eng
land and the English fur traders had
been successful IN their plans, the
three great states Of Washington. Ore
gon and Idaho would now constitute a
part Of British Columbia. But 1t was
not destined to be.
In the fall Of 1912 Il looked as II
there would BE a great inpouring OF
English into the territory. and DIT.
Whitman took the alarm. There was
no time to lose. The authorities az
Washington must be warned. hastily
his wife adien, Dr. Whitman
started On his hazardous journey. The
peFils, hardships and delays be en-
countered on the way We can bat
family conceive. His feet were fFosen.