Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1908-05-05
Mistellaneuas 8eading.
WHITMAN'S WILD RIDE.
it Was Worth Three Stars to the
American Flag.

it Was Worth Three Stars to tn
American Flag.
The ride of Marcus Whitman wa
over snow capped mountains anC
along dark ravines, travelled only b!
savage men. 1t was plunge through
II icy rivers and across trackless prai
ries, a ride Of 1000 miles across a con
tinent in the dead of winter to save ;
mighty territory to the union.
! Compared with this what was thu
feat of Paul Revere, who rode eigh
teen miles on a calm night in April t
arouse a handful Of sleeping patriot
and thereby save the powder at Con
cord?
Whitman's ride saved three stars t.
the American flag. 1t was made II
1912.
In 1892, during the first administra
ton Of Washington, Captain Rober
Gray, who had already carried th'
American flag around the globe, dis
covered the mouth Of the Columbia
river. He sailed several miles up TIT
great stream and landed and tool
possession in the name Of the United
States.
In 1905, under Jeffersons admins
tration, this vast territory was explor
ed by Captains Lewis and Clark
whose reports were popular reading
for our grandfathers, but the exten
and value of this distant possession
were very slightly understood, and M
attempt at colonization was mad
save the establishment Of the fu
trading station of Astoria in 1911.
Strangely enough, England, too
claimed this same territory by virtue
of rights ceded to it by Russia ant
also by the Vancouver surveys o
I1792. The Hudson's Bay compan!
established a number Of trading posts
and filled the country with adventur
Gus fur traders. So here was a vas
territory, as large as New England
and the state Of Indiana combined
which seemed to be without any posi-
tive ownership. But for Marcus
Whitman it would have been lost Il
the Union.
1t was in 1886 that DR.. Whitman
and man Of the name of Spaulding
with their young wives, the first white
women that ever crossed the Rocky
mountains, entered the valley Of th'
Columbia and founded q mission o
the American board. They had beer
sent out to Christianize the Indians
| but Whitman was also to build {
state.
He was at this time thirty-five year!
old. In his journeys to and fro fol
the mission he soon saw the vast pos
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 thu
terms Of the treaties Of 1918 ant
1928 it was the tacit belief that which
every nationality settled and organ
lied the splendid territory would hold
| it. If England and the English fuI
traders had been successful in theil
plans, the three great states of Wash
ington, Oregon and Idaho would nov
constitute a part of British Columbia
But it was not destined to be.
In the fall of 1912 it looked as i
there would be great inpouring o.
English into the territory, and DR.
Whitman took the alarm. There wa!
no time to lose. The authorities a
| Washington must be warned. Hastil!
bidding his wife adieu, DR.. Whitman
started on his hazardous journey. Th'
perils. hardships and delays he en-
countered on the way we can bu
family conceive. His feet were fro
zen, he nearly starved, and once III
came very near losing his life. HI
kept pushing right on, and at the enc
of five terrible months he reached
Washington.
He arrived there a worn, bearded
strangely picturesque figure, clad en-
tirely in buckskin and fur, typica
man Of the prairies. He asked audi
ence Of President Tyler and Secretary
of State Webster. and it was accorded
him. All clad as he was, with his fro
zen limbs, just in from his 1000 mile
ride, Whitman appeared before the
two great men to plead for Oregon.
| His statement was revelation t
the administration. Previous to Whit
mans visit it was the general idea II
congress that Oregon was barren
worthless country. fit only for wild
beasts and wild men. He opened th'
eyes of the government to the limitles!
wealth and splendid resources of tina
western territory. He told them of 1t!
great rivers and fertile valleys, it!
mountains covered with precious
treasures. He showed them that it wa!
a country worth keeping and that 1
must not fall into the hands of thu
English. He spoke as man inspired
and his words were needed.
| What follOwed-the organization O
companies of emigrants, the rapid set
tlement of the territory and the treat!
made with Great Britain in 1S46 b!
which the forty-ninth parallel wa!
made the boundary line west of the
Rocky mountains-are matters of his
tory.
The foresight and the heroism o
one man and his gallant ride had sav'
ed three great states to the Union.-
Omaha WOrld-Herald.
GOLD FROM PLACER MINES.
Wealth of Dust Taken From the