The Olneyville times. (Olneyville [Providence, R.I.]) 1887-1917, 1908-05-01
WHITMAN W|LDR|DE
II Was Worth Three Stars to the
American Flag.
SAVED US VAST TERRITORY.
The PeriIous Journey Of -Four Thou
sand Miles From Oregon to Washing
ton Made by a Brave Man and tho
Results Which Followed In lts Wake.

The ride of Marcus Whitman was
over snow capped mountains and along
dark ravines, Travelled only by savage
men. 1t was q plunge through Icy riv-
ers and across trackless prairles, a
ride of 1000 miles across a continent
In the dead of winter to save a 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 In
1912.
In 1902, 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's administra-
ton, this vast territory was explored
by Captains Lewis and Clark, whose
reports were popular reading for our
krandfathers, but the extent and value
OF this distant possession were very
slightly understood, and no attempt at
colonization was made save the estab-
Mshment Of the fur trading station Of
Astoria In 1911.
Strangely enough, England, too.
claimed this same territory by virtue
OF rights ceded TO 1t by Russia and
also by the Vancouver surveys of 1892.
The Hudsons Bay company establish
ed number Of trading posts and filled
the country with adventurous fur trad
ers. 30 here was a vast territory, as
large as New England and the state or
Indiana combined, which seemed to be
without any positive ownership. But
for Marcus Whitman 1t would have
been lost to the Union.
It was In 1886 that DR.. Whitman and
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 Chrlstianize the Indians.
but Whitman was also TO build state.
He was Mt this time thirty-6ve years
old. In his journeys to and fro for
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 We're rapidly pour
ing into the territory. Under the terms
OF the treaties OF 1918 and 1923 1t was
the tacit belief that whichever nation
ality settled and organized the splen-
did territory would hold 1t. 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 n
part OF British Columbia. But It was
not destined TO be.
In the fall Of 1912 II looked as If
there would be great inpouring of
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 a worn, bearded
strangely picturesque figure, clad en-
tirely In buckskin and fur, typical
man Of the prairics. He asked audi
ence OF President Tyler and Secretary
OF State Webster, and II 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
son.
His statement was revelation to
the administration. Previous TO Whit
mans visit II was the general idea In
congress that Oregon was barren,
worthless country, fit only for wild
beasts and wild men. He opened the
eyes OF the government TO the limit
less wealth a~l splendid resources of
that western territory. He told them
OF its great rivers and fertile valleys,
its mountains covered with forests
and its mines filed with precious
treasures. He showed them that IL
was country worth keeping and
that Il must not fall into the hands of
the English. He spoke rs n man In
spired, and his words were needed.
What followed-thc organization of
companies OF emigrants. the rapid set
tiement OF the territory and the treaty
made with Great Britain In 1916 10y
which the forty-nlnth parallel was
made the boundary line west of the
Rocky mountains-are matters OF his.
tory.
The foresight and the heroism of
ona pnou ond his Gallant rfda had