The Caldwell tribune. [volume] (Caldwell, Idaho Territory [Idaho]) 1883-1928, 1916-04-14
ESSAY WHICH WON YEARS
SCHOLARSHIP AT C.. OF I
THE Oregon Trail" Offered by the
Pocahontas Chapter, D. A. r.

lS45, group of people, looking for
adventure or homes. decided to ex-
plore the far west. The particular
land that lured them on was Oregon.
In the winter of 1844-45, meetings
were held every day to discuss this
Mecca OF hope. Deeply interested,
the people read and discussed let
| tiers, made plans that were only to be
destroyed and relaid at a better sug-
gestion.
| AT last it was decided to start in
the spring, and to start from 4 town
by. the name of Nordaway, about IS
miles above St. Joe, Mo. The journey
contemplated was to go through the
territory now occupied by the states
of Kansas, Nebraska, Colorado, Wyo-
ming, Idaho and Oregon ending in
the present state Of Washington.
The train itself was over a mile
long and the van could often be seen
on one hill, when the wagons further
est behind were stretched out on sew
eral other miniature mountains. The
size OF the train was a great protec-
ton, but to further insure safety. a
strong force of troops from Fort
Leavenworth, Kansas, escorted them
to the Rocky Mountains.
| The Indians along the trail were
the Sioux, tribe noted for their
bloody war methods, and besides there
was the various families of this tribe.
For some reason or other they re-
ceived the invaders quite cordially. AT
Fort Laramie, Wyoming, they came
forward and protested undying friend
ship for their white brothers.
AT Pacific Springs. camping spot
situated at the summit of the South
Pass IN the Rocky Mountains, the
military escort returned to their sta
ton, leaving the settlers to continue
the way on to Oregon unaided
After crossing the plateau, and feel
ing, rather timid on account of the lack
OF troops. the train had it first Indian
scare. But the Indians" turned out
to be settlers on their way back to
the States" from the Willamette val
ley, Oregon 1t seemed that their
patriotism had not deserted them, for
one of the first questions asked was
WHO is the President?' Is it Polk or
Poke; and who is he anyhow ?"
Continuing the journey the train
now travelled up the Green River to
Fort Bridger, from there to Bear
River Valley. On August the ff-
teenth the Soda Springs were reach
ed. They were not very imposing
spectacle, being only few springs
bubbling beneath the shade of scat
tered dwarf cedars. The twentieth of
August the immigrants arrived at Fort
Hall on the Snake river. Westward
from the fort, the path led along the
southern bank of the river to Three
Islands From here they travelled
i lat, a., al, ID
The latter stream was first reached at
a point now known as Boise, capital
OF Idaho Here the tired travellers
camped. perhaps on the court house
lawn.
The Boise river valley was, at that
time, no different in appearance to
the arid plains Of all southern Idaho,
only in that it contained sparkling
river fringed by wormy cottonwoods.
1T was necessary to camp three time
on this river, before Old Fort Boise
was reached The fort at that time
was fur trading station owned by
the Hudson Bay company and in care
of Mr., Payette, for whom the Pay
cite river was named.
From the old fort the pioneers now
went to the Dalles, Oregon, then to
|
from the path made by the former inn
migrants up the Grand Round Val
leys, over the Blue M ountains to the
!, Umatilla river.
This party was not the first to
cross overland to Oregon. but it is
one of the first, and although doubt
less helped by those who had already
been here, they yet had to suffer
many privitations. A DR.. John Nc
Laughlin, at the head of the Hudson
Bay company stationed at Vancouver
extended great deal of aid to these
immigrants after they had landed, al
though he risked his position in do
ing so, as the company was much
averse to the settling of Oregon by
Americans. 1t seems that the United
States people had way OF not trap
ping for the Hudson Bay company.
1t is curious that our government
did not respond more quickly to the
call of her settlers in Oregon, but the
fact remains that Washington, d. c.,
was very slow, trusting the pioneers