The morning Astorian. [volume] (Astoria, Oregon) 1899-1930, 1908-08-12
WHITMAN 5 ,',.lll w. llR|DE
1t Was Worth Three Stars to the
American Flag.
SAVED US VAST TERRITORY.

The ride OF Marcus whitman was
over snow capped mountains and along
dark rnvincs, travelled only by savage
men. II was plunge through Icy rls-
ors and across trackiess prairiea, o
rldo OF 1000 miles across cont!non.
In tho. dead OF winter 10 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 tho powder at Con.
cord7 E
WhItman's ride saved three stars 10
the American flag. II was made In
iSi2.
In 1902, during tho first administra'
tion OF Washington, Captain Robert
Gray. who had already carried the
American flag around tho globe, dis
covered the mouth OF tho Columbia
river, He sailed several miles up the
great stream and landed and took pos
session In tho name OF the United
States.
In 1906. under Jetfcrsons admlnlstra.
ton. this vast territory was explored
by Captains Lewis and Clark. whose
reports were popular reading for our
grandfathers, but the extent aud value
OF this distant possession were very
slightly understood, and no attempt al
colonization was made save the estub
llshmcnt Of the fur trading station OF
Astoria IN 1911.
Strangely enough. England. too.
claimed this same territory by virtue
OF rights ccdcd TO II by Russn and
also by the Vancouver surveys Of 1902.
The Hudson's Bay company establish.
ed a number Of trading posts aud oiled
the country with adventurous fur trad.
es, SO here was n vast territory, as
large as New England and the state OF
Indiana combined, which seemed 70 BIO
without any positive ownership. But
for Marcus Whitman II would have
been lost to the Union.
II was In 1896 that DR.. whitman and
a man Of the name Of spauldlng. with
their young wives, the frst 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 10 Christlanizc the Indians,
but whitman was also TO build a state
He was at this time tbltty.hve years
old, In his journeys to and fro for
the mission he soon saw the vast pos
slbllltles OF the country, and he saw.
too, that the English were already ap-
prlsed Of this and were rapidly pour
Ing into the territory. Under the terms
of the treaties OF 1918 and 1928 It was
the taclt belief that whichever nation
ality settled and organized the splen-
did territory would hold II. IL 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
part OF British Columbia But II was
not destined to be.
In the fall OF 1S42 II looked MS II
there would be great lnpourlng of
English into the territory, and DIR.
whitman took the alarm. There was
no time to lose. The authorities at
Washington must be warned. Hastily
bidding his wife adleu. DR.. Whitman
started on his hazardous journey. The
perils, hardships and delays he en-.
countered on the way we can but
family conceive. His feet were frozen.
he nearly starved, and once he came
very near to losing his life. He kept
pushing right on, and at the end of
FIVE terrible months he reached Wash
ington.
He arrived there worn, bearded,
strangely picturesque figure, clad en-
tirely In buckshn and fur, a typical
man Of the prairies. He asked audi
ence Of President Tyler and Secretary
of State Webster, and 1t was accorded
him. All clad as he was, with his
frozen limbs, just In from his 1000
mile ride, Whitman appeared before
the two great men to plead for Ore
gon.
His statement was revelation to
the administration. Previous to Whit
mans visit 1t was the general idea In
congress that Oregon was q barren,
worthless country, fit only for wild
beasts and wild men. He opened the
eyes Of the government to the limit
less wealth and splendid resources Of
that western territory. He told them
of its great rivers and fertile valleys,
its mountains covered with forests
and Its mines filled with precious
treasures He showed them that 1t
was country worth keeping and
that 1t must not fall into the hands Of
the English. He spoke as man In
spired, and his words were needed.
What followed--the organization of |
companies Of emigrants, the rapid set
tlement Of the territory and the treaty |
made with Great Britain In 1S46 by
which the forty-nlnth parallel was
made the boundary line west Of the
Rocky mountalns--are matters Of his
tory.
The foresight and the herolsm Of
one man and his gallant ride had |