The Daily Missoulian. [volume] (Missoula, Mont.) 1904-1961, 1909-11-15
people of the cast considered foreign


they took boat. and sailed down the
Ohio to the Mississippi. thence north
TO the Missouri. and up that river tn
! the present site of Council Bluffs.
Here they disembarked. and iourneyed
overland across Nebraska to Fort
Laramie in eastern Wyoming. thence
westward and gradually northward
across Wyoming and Idaho through
Boise into oregon and on to where
Walla Walla, wash, now stands. Their
route much of their journey closely
paralleied what is now the route of the
Union Pacific and Oregon Short Line
railroads: but they were on the road
five months instead of the correspond
ing number of days now required for
such a Journey Their trip was es-
pecially noteworthy for two reasons:
one that Whitman was the first man
to take wagon across the mountains
and the other that Mrs Whitman and
the wife OF the other missionary were
the first white women to cross the
continent.
Arrived at the location for their mis-
sion station. a place called Waiilatpu.
the arduous work began of building n
shelter. Of breaking and cultivating the
land to provide their subsistence. The
record they made is remarkable one:
for in about three years DIR. whitman
had brought under cultivation 200
acres of ground. had fenced the land,
erected several buildings. one of which
was grist MILL mastered the Indian
language. and gathered school OF
about so Indian children.
During these three years DIR. Whit
man was increasingly impressed with
the importance or the United States
doing something to hold the Oregon
country as American soil. At that
time that great stretch Of fertile coun-
try was held jointly by English and
Americans: and the ultimate owner
ship. Whitman felt. would be deter
mined by the number Of settlers sent
by each. The Hudson Bay Trading
company had busily sent false reports
to the east. telling that the great
northwest was fit only for savages and
wild beasts. Whitman had felt that
he ought to go east and urge the gov
eminent to take treaty action to
secure the Oregon country, and to in
dnce settlers to go out. This con-
viction was brought to the crisis of
determined action by an incident
which occurred at a dinner. While
the guests were eating news was an
nounced that n party of Canadian i'm
migrants was coming down the Col
umbia to settle In Oregon. At this
Jesuit priest rose to his feet and
shouted: "Hurrah for Oregon! America
Is too late. We have got the coun-
try!"
Historic Ride to Save Oregon.
Whitman decided that the time for
action had come. and the next morn
ing, October 3, 1912. he started on
horseback to ride to Washington. To
Fort Hall in southern Idaho, and thence
through Utah and Colorado
to Santa Fe, y. NJ. he rode. some
times with n guide, part of the way
with white companion. part OF the
way alone. From Santa Fe. having
gone around the southern end Of the
Rocky mountains, and thus avoided
them In the dead of winter.
he rode northeast to Bents fort in
eastern Colorado, and from there
straight across Kansas to Kansas City.
and on across Missouri to ST. Louis.
Thus far he went on horseback; the
rest of the way to Washington he went
by stage. arriving there just five
months to day after his departure
from Walla walla.
What that ride meant to Whitman
of suffering and answering deter
mination none can know who live i'm
our times of easy travel. | myself
have stood on the bank OF the Grand
river I'm western Colorado. watching
the cracking winter stream rushing
between banks of solid ice, at a place
very near where Whitman and his
horse plunged In and emerged farther
down ON the opposite side encased in
Ice. once he was lost in the snow In
the mountains. He was frost bitten
on his hands. his feet and his face.
He suffered hunger and thirst. Yet
he pressed ever on. driven by the high
and unselfish motive of patriotism.
After a visit to Washington, In
which he was not altogether success
ful. and consultation With the Of
Ticers of the board regarding the flu
lure of the mission. he headed II COM
pany of about 500 emigrants. and
plotted them safely, though through
many hazards, out tn the far away
Oregon. arriving there about year
after his departure on his historic
idle He soon found that during his |
absence opposition had sprung up. fos-
.ered by the Jesuits and by the traders
IF the Hudson Bay company: and this
VAS never entirely overcome, nor the
Indian suspicion allayed. Still he
gave himself in the most strenuous
service both 10 Indians and TO whites. i
ministering to them as physician. in
structor i'm farming. teacher of gen. !
.ral learning. and leader in things
spiritual. Always he hoped the In
lians would come To understand him /
md trust him. But this hope was !
iain: and about four years after his |
return he and his faithful wife. to-
.ether with Il others of the mission !
We're massacred by the very /
Indians for whom he had done so /
much.
4 beautiful monument now stands /
IN the hillside overlooking what used /
o be- called Waiilatpu. but is now /
named Whitman's, commanding +
'iew of the fields where Whitman /
,uilt his home cultivated his land. and .