Daily capital journal. (Salem, Oregon) 1903-1919, 1910-05-02

The sixty-seventh anniversary O
the provisional government Of Oregon
is being celebrated today at Cham
poeg. The celebration is under thu
auspices Of II x. Matthieu Cabin No
i2 Native sons OF oregon. and ther'
ID a large crowd present to witness
and participate in the celebration
Hon. p. II. darcy, vice-president o.
the Oregon Pioneer Association
acted as president Of the day and th,
principal address was made by Hon
orable Willis s, Duniway. There
were also addresses made by othel
speakers in attendance and o mum.
ber OF good musical selections were
rendered. The feature of the even
fng's celebration will be an anniver.
sary ball at ButteviIle.
The most interesting character in
attendance at the celebration is F. X
Matthieu after whom the cabin is
named under which the celebration
was held and who had the distinction
OF casting the deciding vote in the
establishment Of the first American
government west of the Rocky
Mountains.
II. G. Matthieu.
with clear memory Of the pro-
ceedings Of the convention at Cham
poeg, held in 1S43, in which his vote
proved TO be the deciding one in
founding the first American govern
ment west OF the Rocky Mountains;
his facilities keenly alert and his in
terest in the affairs of the day not
one whit abated on account of his
great age, F, X. Matthieu, pioneer Of
Oregon, short time ago celebrated
his 92d birthday He was waited
upon by a delegation from the Ore
gon State Historical Society in honor
of the day, and he presented to the
society portrait of himself painted
by George o'Bnen, writes Lucia B,
Hartman in the Portland Telegram.
Mr. Matthieu is French Capadian
having been born in 1918 of French
parents in Montreal, Canada, which
place he left at the age of 20, going
20 Albany, N. Y. Shortly after arriy-
ing in the United States he went into
the employ Of the American Fur
Company and acted as fur trading
agent through the Black Hills dis
trict. In 1842 he joined wagon
train, originally organized by DR..
White, but captained by one Hast
Ings, at Fort Laramie, and started
for Oregon--the country Of dreams,
whose vast forests and rich valleys
were at this time beckoning to hun
dreds of other young Fellows OF the
east and middle weat.
''There were 80 wagons in the
train, and q good many head of stock
and pack animals" said Mr.. Mat
thieu,, recalling the experience. Il
was ON pack horse We got
Through with no dire disaster as far
as Fort Hall. then fur trading
station belonging 10 the Hudson's
Bay Company There they told us
that no wagons could so through and
so we decided to load what we had
left Of provisions and equipment,
and proceed by pack animals When
! recall the utter lack Of knowledge
that any OF us who crossed the plains
In that day had OF what we were go-
Ing to face; the poverty OF most OF
the families and the utter lack OF
facilities for comfort for the women
and children, It seems like a Wild
and daring venture, That next win
ter was a pretty hard one, and II Il
had not been for the unfailing gen.
erosity and kindness OF John Me-
Loughlin, / do not know what many
OF the families would have DONE
Used Wheat as Currency.
"But the winter came 70 an end
and with the sprlng and the chance
70 raise vegetables and grain a good
deal OF the Intense discomfort was
over The Iiudson's Bay Company
had all the provisions that were TO
be had ana as We had almost no
money, wheat was the currency i
remember / went to work that year
for a bushel OF wheat a day and my
board. The wheat was reckoned at
six bits The board consisted large
~ ol pea soup made from the field
peas salmon and pork occasionally.
The bread was made from the coarse
chopped wheat. While the fare was
conrse. we were All healthy. ana none
the worse for It, took my donation
claim Of Gao acres Just below Cham
poog IA 1886. ana l have lived on itI
ever since, a part Of 4 have
divided alaony my children and the
roas A Il win 60 10 them when die
We had l5 children. seven Of whom
are sim alive"
- mock apology he added: THE