Clarke courier. [volume] (Berryville, Va.) 1869-1997, 1908-05-13
WHITMAN W|LDR|DE
1t Was Worth Three Stars to the
American Flag.
SAVED US VAST TERRITORY.

The Perilous Journey Of Four Thou
sand Miles From Oregon TO Washing
ton Made by Brave Man and the
Results Which Followed In Ite Wake.
The ride OF Marcus Whitman was
over snow capped mountains and along
dark ravines. Travelled only by savage
men. 1t was a plunge through icy riv-
ers and across trackless prairies. q
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-
cord7
Whitman's ride saved three stars TO
the American dag II was made In
1912.
In 1872. during the nrst administra-
ton OF Washington, Captain Robert
Gray, who had already carried the
American dag around the globe. dis
covered the mouth OF the Columbia
river. He sailed several miles I'D the
great stream and landed and took pos
session In the name OF the United
States.
In 1905, under JefIerson's adminIstra-
ton, this vast territory was explored
by Captains Lewis and Clark. whose
reports were popular reading for our
grundfathers. but the extent and value
OF this distant possession were very
slightly understood. and no attempt at
coionization was made save the estab-
lishment OF the fur trading station OF
Astoria in 1911.
Strangely enough. England, too,
claimed this same territory by virtue
or rights ceded 10 Il by Russia and
also by the Vancouver surveys OF 1892.
The Hudson's Bay company establish
ed a number OF trnding posts and filed
the country with adventurous fur trad
ems. So here was n vast territory. as
large ss New England and the state Of
Indiana combined. which seemed 10 be
without any positive ownership. But
for Marcus Whitman IL would have
been lost TO the Union.
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 a mission OF
the American board. They had been
sent out TO Chrstisnize the Indians,
but Whitman was also 20 build q state.
he was az this time thlrty-five 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 were rapidly pour.
Ing into the territory. Under the terms
OF the treaties OF 1918 and 1928 II was
the tacit belief that whichever nation.
ality settled and organized the SPLEEN
did territory would hold f. II 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 4
part OF British Columbia. But IL was
not destined 10 be.
In the fall OF 1872 Ii looked as Il
there would be great importing OF
English into the territory, and DR.
Whitman took the alarm. There was
no time 10 lose. The authorities al
Washington must be warned. Hastily
bidding his wife adieu. Dr.. Whitman
started on his hazardous journey. The
perils. hardships and delays he en-
countered on the way we can bu
faintly conceive. His leet were frozen
he nearly starved, and once he cam,
very near TO losing his life. he KEEP
pushing right on. and at the end Of
I'VE terrible months he reached Wash
! ington.
He arrived there a worn, bearded
strangely picturesque fgure, clad en-
tirely in buckskin and fur, a typica
man OF the prairies. he asked audi
ence OF President Tyler and Secretar,
OF State Webster. and Il was ACCORDED
him. AL clad as he was, with hi.
frozen limbs, just In from his 400
mile ride, Whitman appeared befor,
the two great men TO plead for Ore
gon.
His statement was a revelation {,
the administration. Previous TO Whit
mans visit 1t was the general idea Il
congress that Oregon was q barren
worthless country. ht only for wild
beasts and Wild men. He opened tn,
eyes OF the government to the limit
less wealth and splendid resources o
that western territory. he told then
OF its great rivers and fertile valleys
its mountains covered with forest
and It's mines filed with precious
treasures. he showed them that 1
was country worth keeping anC
that 1t must not fall into the hands o
the English. He spoke as q man in
spired, and his words were needed
What followed-the organization O
companies OF emigrants, the rapid set
tement Of the territory and the treat,
made with Great Britain in 1916 b,
which the forty-ninth parallel wa
made the boundary line west of tn
Rocky mountains-are matters OF bis
tory.
The foresight and the heroism O
one man and his gallant ride ha
saved three great states to the Ur
ion.-Omaha World Herald
1