East Oregonian : E.O. (Pendleton, OR) 1888-current, 1922-09-21
Old Oregon Trail Has Romantic History;
Team Tourists of Long They in West

Trail should be preserved to the his
tory, Mr.. Meekcr, set out from his
home in Puyallup, washington with a
tPraire Schooner and an OK, team to
traverse and mark the route which
he had travelled as young man aver
so years before. Quoting Mr.. Meeker;
"The purpose of this expedition is
to perpetuate the memory of the Old
/ Oregon Trail and to honor the In
trepid pioneers who made it and saw
ed this great region the "Old Oregon
Country" for American rule
! Mr.. Meeker reached The DallCs
where the real start was made on
March 10. 1906. Here he erected the
| first stone monument, March 18th.
Then he travelled on his slow, tiresome
way through Oregon, Idaho Wyom-
ing. Nebraska. erecting markers on
the way and on to Indianapolis. In
diana, which ne reached January ),
1907. On March 1st he started for
Washington. d. G. with his on team
and after a diversity of experiences
on the way reached the White Hous"
and interviewed Teddy Roosevelt. then
president of United States who was
greatly interested in the venture and
promised his aid in securing govern
ment recognition of the Old Oregon
Trail.
Mr.. Meeker's big idea of the trip
was to mark the route and to create
an interest in the building of a nation
al highway across the continent in
commemoratjon of the Old Oregon
Trail.
Mr.. Meekcr found to his astonish-
ment that many of the places promi-
nently identified with the early his
tory of the Oregon Trail knew moth
ing of it. owing to the erosions of time
and the influx of new people.
Mr.. Meeker made a second trip by
Ok team, starting from The Dalles,
March 16, 1910, and ending at Puy-
alup, Washington, August 90, 1912.
The outfit of Ezra Meeker is now a
permanent exhibit in the State Histo-
rical building of the state of Wash
ington the taXidermist's skill making
the oxen look as natural as life, lean
ng against the yoke, and the old prair-
G schooner looking fit for another |
rip across the continent. The oxen
md wagon, being under a glass case |
IA by IS feet.
Pioneer Women Courageous.
A word regarding the pioneer wo-
men is appropriate at this time. Mr..
Ieeller recounts that on the west
pound trip in 1852 they met nine wa
IONS going back east, all driven by
women. the men having died of Chol-
era on the way west. The pioneer
women went into the wilderness. shar-
ng the same dangers and undergoing
he same privationS as the mcn, as
he population grew, it was through
Ter efforts that churches and school
houses were erected and the cause of
Utilization advanced,
Northwest Saved to Y. S.
Had it not been for the migration
f 1843, it is doubtful if American con-
rol would have continued over the
oregon country and to the Old Ore
ION Trail must be given the honor OF
being the pioneer way over which the
uture citizens of this great northwest
,ame and dominated its future.
The pioneers of 1S43-57 were neces-
arily brave and hardy for If they had
ot been they could not have faced the
Iangers of the journey or have with
TODD the rigors of the trip.
1t was a case of the weak perishng
nd the strong and brave surviving.
here were no such word as fall in
CONTINUED on page 14.)