The Seattle star. [volume] (Seattle, Wash.) 1899-1947, 1922-12-11

Gives Meaning Of Oregon
in Detail
Dear Miss Grey. Having read the
question and answer In your column
concerning the origin and meaning
Of tho word oregon. would like to
add some light on this subject
There are several explanations
given which are all traditional. and
Il IL these that seem 20 be the most
prevalent turnout tho country The
most common among these arc one
author derives tho name from a plant
that thrivcs along the Pacific coast.
Kelley claimed Il TO 30 the nafne OF
river. Steel gives u as meaning a
place OF plenty. and Bishop Blan-
chst as big ears" from tribe OF
Indians whose ears were enlarged by
loads OF ornaments. Miiler's poetic
christening was gentle falling wa
terra. and there In a theory that the
name given to this country might
have becn derived from courtesy 70
Ferdinand 81 Aragon. prince consort
OF I.atella. who offered her jewels
20 makS possible the voyage that re-
suited IN the discovery 81 America
Now. when we turn 90 facts and
she meaning Of words We viii find
the following. which IL no doubt the
true and original origin Of the word
oregon. Tho record given b. Major
Robert Rogers. Of tho British army.
gives us the FIRST record Of this name.
which he claims 90 have gotten from
the Indians Major Rogers being an
adventurous individual was active
in expeditions and Indian campaigns
Ia the Western wilderness Of North
America. II was while on these wan
behring's that he secured his knowi-
edge Of the western country and his
records first tells Of tho ouraEon
country.
As the British parliament. IN iTss.
offered prize OF 10000 pounds stsr-
ing 20 any private navigator who
would sail his vessel thru the North
west Passage into tfudson's bay.
Major Rogers dispatched two propos-
ais 20 m. kings privy council In
England Offering hts services on an
expedition Of this kind. The first
proposal by Robert Rogers. FED, for
neriy major commandment % His
aaje-fy'@ Rangers In North America.
for the discovery Of n northwest pass
age. was received by the prfvy coun-
cii on August ~. 1855. and the sec-
ond proposal was received on che nth
81 February. fTT3. In these propos-
ais hr speaks Of tho Oregon country
az follows: From tho falls Of Saint
Antoine Il In proposed 20 depart In
tho month Of April Of the second
year: 10 enter the river saint Pierre
fnow the Minnesota riveri. and 20
stem them 20 the source in about
tfth degree ~ latitude. To cross
thence portage OF about 20 miles.
into the great river OuriRan: TO fol-
low this great river. thru vast. and
most popuios tract OF Indian country
90 the straits % Anian. and the gulf
or hay projecting thence northeasfsr-
| iy into the continent and there %
pass the second winter" The frs,
proposal Of Major Rogers can he
found In the public record office. CO.
ionials office. class as. Vol is. parr
a3T. and the second can be found in
tho public record office. colonial Of
fices, class sss. Vol. 81. page iss
The French dictionary gives the
meaning Of tho word ouraEon M
meaning n region where the wind
blows. The French traders and trap
pers wer, no doubt familiar with tho
Chinook winds that blow up the Co
lumbia river at NIL times Of the year
and 10 spoke OF the Columbia river
basin nr the ouragon country.
To further bear out the foregoing
we will take the meaning or the word
Chinook First. n Ffnthead Amari-