Montana oil and mining journal. [volume] (Great Falls, Mont.) 1931-1953, 1942-03-28
Governor of Old Fort Vancouver
Ruled from Rockies to the Pacific

When a portion Of Montana belonged
to old Oregon, the seat of government
was at Fort Vancouver, where the
chief factor Of the Hudson's Bay Co.
held absolute sway, and lived In feudaI
state. One Of the best descriptions Of
this wilderness capital Is that Of
Thomas j. Farnham, who left Peoria,
III, together with Is men, on the first
OF May, 1883, to explore the western
country.
Farnham states in the preface to
the account Of his journey, that his
purpose In undertaking it was to re-
cover his health and to obtain a view
Of the great prairie wilderness, the
Rocky mountains and the sweet wales
Of the Oregon territory"
1t was q mounted cavalcade that left |
Peoria that spring day, but a covered |
wagon followed 1t containing ammuni- |
ton, camp equipage and provisions. |
Before saying farewell to civilization, !
these men each with a rifle slung at |
his back, and at his side powder horn,
bullet pouch and a long knife, rode to |
the front of the courthouse, where |
without disnounting, they listened to
a prayer offered In their behalf and |
then proceeded to a bluff overlooking
the town where their tent was pitched,
ION the threshold of journey to the
mouth of the Columbia river" A pill
grimage to the Columbia was not then
TO be lightly considered, but required
the same preparation of prayer for
a safe journey that our forefathers
demanded before leaving New Hamp-
shire or other New England colonies
to visit Boston. In this instance the
prayers were efficacious and Farnham,
after an eventful Journey reached his
destination, the mouth of the Column
bia, and wrote in most entertaining
manner of what he saw there
Domain Was Vast
At the time Farnham visited Fort !
its chief factor was John
who ruled not alone, as
said by Agnes Laut from Alaska to
California" but from the western slope
Of the Rockies to the Pacific ocean.
And here, in his stronghold, centered
The fur trade of this northern and {
western country. [
The Importance Of Fort Vancouver /
n its relation to the history of Mon [
ana, renders interesting every item
it, and it is fortunate that
n Farnham we have an accurate re-
'order. He found the fort situated in
beautiful plain-a picketed Enclosure
30 feet in length by $50 In width, the
surrounding pickets being 20 feet high. {
The fort faced the river, which was
lere 1870 yards wide, and commanded {
m extensive view of forest and noun
aims. C
Within, the enclosure was divided :
nto two courts, around which were :
ct the dwellings Of the officials;
apartments for clerks; buildings for :
tortng furs, goods and grain, and the )
hops for the many workmen the fort
equired, such as blacksmiths, tin :
miths, carpenters and others. There
vas also a schooIhouse and a brick :
uildtng where powder was kept. :
The houses were of wood and con- :
tructed In the simplest manner Into :.
rooved posts set upright were slipped 4
orizontally, boards to form the walls. :,
nd the roofs were likewise made OF
cards. Farnham fails to state what ;,
'as used to make the roofs watertight. :,
nd a shelter for those underneath !,
uring the ceaselesS drip Of the Oregon :,
aims.
Here in these shops the days we're q
OF passed in idleness. 1.-THE blacksmith t.
repairing plowshares; the tinman d
making cups for the Indians, and n
amp kettles, etc, the wheelwright Is ii
taking wagons, and the wood parts
'r plows and harrows; the carpenter ~
repairing houses, or building new y
mes; the cooper is making barrels for a,
licking salmon and packing furs; the N
erks are posting books and preparing 70
ne annual returns to the board in NJ
ondon; the statesmen are receiving r.
eaver and dealing out goods. Then q,
lere are the children of the officials =
nd servants Of the company, all of \,
lem part Indian, busy In the school ~
ouse near the rear gate, where they al
re being instructed in the three RS
this companys expense" IN
)-Acre Orchard ~
A short distance from the fort were =,