Daily capital journal. (Salem, Oregon) 1903-1919, 1914-06-15

Duilmct otfctN, mas Hdu sOmt tAcllihH
experiences during his life on the Pa
eitie coast. He was an expressman for
Governor !. !. Stevens Of Washington
when that state, tnen a territory, was
wracked by Indian wars, and the red
men terrorized the Columbia river val
ley. Where now there are fertile fields
and productive orchards the tomahawli
and firebrand then reigned. He tell:
some interesting tales concerning his
adventures and says he figured in some
of the incidents of the following nara
tive:
BY E. James Jones.
II is nard to realize that the beauti
full and productive valley of the Co
lumbia, teeming with life and now in
the full tide of commercial develop
ment, once echoed the Indian wal
whoop and was dominated by terror OF
the tomahawk and firebrand.
Yet Columbia river history abound.
in narrowing tales of Indian wars
which for many years rendered settle
ment by the whites almost impossible
Dusky tribes of Spokane, Yakimas
Walla Wallas, Palouses, Cayuses, Ne7
Perees, Colvilles, Okanogans, CoeuI
d'Alenes, Pend d'0reilles, Umatillas
and Klickitats for many years held
the valley in reign of terror and tac
mastery Of this region was only at
tanned through the sacrifice of heavy
toll of human life and the loss Of q
vast amount Of property, with all the
hardships and dangers of pioneering in
eident thereto.
Even as early as 1892, when Captain
Robert Gray entered the lordly river
for the first time in the ship Columbia
and gave it the name it now bears, q
boats load of seamen were captured
from ais vessel and held for heavy
ransom, at Tillamook. A short time
afic wards the willy old chief Maquinna
sei@ea the ship Boston and her entire
crew at the same point. In 1912 the
shil Tonquin, first vessel of the Pa
eitic Fur company, under command OF
Captain Thorne, was captured at q
point north of the mouth of the Co
lumbia yariously known as Eyuck
Whoola on Newceutu bay, or Newity
bay, or Newcetee. Every white person
on board was eventually killed, but
the adventure cost the Indians a heavy
toll before the ship was finally blown
up by one of tho crew with bundrod,
of the lootinp and nillooing Indians or
hoard. Wasbinoton Irving nortrov.
This event very nrominentlv In bis H.
terestino book Astorio
Tn tho fan Of Isl7 tbc bostilitv of +b.
red men broke forth in tlo nassocr,
of DIR. Marcus Whitman and family md
other inhabitants of tbe Waiilatnr
mission. six niles from tbe nrosant
city Of Wallo Wallo An cn;dnmie -,
measles had broken ont IN tbo lo1oo.
of tho rod men in that veor opd t5o,
certainly had n unionc If not snccoss
ful method of treating tho drnod III
ease. Entering pit Of heated rocks
water would be thrown on the rocl.
and the patient enyeloped in n clond
of steam. from ,yhich he wonId cmerge
and plGnee into the lev waters of t5r
river AS u natural result death pene,.
ally cnsued.
Masaacro &c urh,.r,o,
n. w,..
Dr' whitman treated many OF the
,' n".l'cs anu uld an ne could to re.
1vno ,In,', i 1ne,r sull,er'nsss' put many OF
,n''n @ u'eu - spite OF all ms efforts
1..,y ~ e,ery lanure the susPicions OF the
i. Ihuians peGamo ,t, more fuliy aroused
,. wn'n naitoreed, named doe Lewis
~, ~ iuluu pe,t on sauRhter raplhe and
pliase, tolu tne Indians the doctor
s mas POISONING them' ana q plot was
Formed 10 take the life of the great