CHAPTER XIII.
OREGON CITY.
That portion of the Wallamet between Portland and Oregon City, a distance of twelve miles, is very charming, in a quiet, picturesque style. On the east side the country is level, the banks being moderately high, and well wooded. On the west side the mountains keep along, at a little distance back from the river, for some miles. We pass by a skirting of bottom-land, with a belt of oak-trees on a slight ridge, and soon come abreast of Oak Island, a longish, narrow island—covered with a growth of fine, large oak-trees—on which is a house or two. The island, we believe, is used as a milk-ranch, the alluvial nature of the soil making it a good piece of pasture-ground.
A romantic bit of history is told in connection with this island. In the early times of American occupancy in Oregon—that is, about 1841—a half-dozen young men who had strayed to this remote corner of the world, where they found nobody except fur-traders and missionaries, became dissatisfied with a country where there were no white women whom they could marry; and being determined not to take Indian wives, as too many others were willing to do, resorted to this island, and together built a small schooner, with the purpose of getting to California. The only place in the country where they could procure sails, cordage, and rigging generally, was at the Hudson's Bay Company's post, Fort Vancouver. But Dr. McLaughlin looked upon their scheme as a hair-brained one, and refused to assist them to peril their lives in the manner proposed.
However, the United States Exploring Squadron happened upon the coast about that time, and the young men complained to Lieut. Wilkes that Dr. McLaughlin would not aid them, giving what they supposed to be the reason. Upon Wilkes representing the wishes and firm determination of the adventurers to the Doctor, he consented that they should be permitted to sacrifice themselves in their own fashion. Their vessel was supplied with every thing requisite, they went to sea in her, reached San Francisco in safety, and sold their little craft for a handsome sum—actually making a very good speculation out of their seemingly desperate undertaking. It is to be hoped that when they reached home, they found young women deserving of such heroic perseverance and unflinching bravery. The name of their lucky little craft was, The Star of Oregon.
Above Oak Island the river narrows somewhat, but preserves its attractiveness. The first settlement aspiring to be reckoned a town is at Oswego, about six miles up, on the right bank; and is celebrated for being the first and only iron-smelting establishment in the State. The smelting-works were erected in 1867, at a cost of $100,000; but owing to some necessity for paying a heavy royalty for the privilege of taking out the ore, was not at first considered profitable. Nevertheless, considerable pig-iron, of the best quality, has been manufactured here, both for Portland and San Francisco foundries. There is also a large lumber-mill at this place.
At Milwaukie, on the east or left bank of the river, is the famous "Standard" flouring-mill, which exports "best Oregon," in large shipments, to San Francisco, the Sandwich Islands, and New York. Here, too, is the first nursery of the Pacific Coast. From the grounds of Meek and Lluelling, at this place, were taken the first cultivated apple-trees; and the earliest export of this fruit was made to San Francisco in 1853, when two hundred pounds brought five hundred dollars. The following year the same firm sold forty bushels for $62.50 a bushel! From that time to this Oregon has maintained its reputation for apple-raising, until "the land of red apples," or "the land of cider," has come to be its synonym.
Milwaukie is one of those towns that started m as the rival of some other town—Oregon City, in this instance—and could not sustain itself. It has, however, great advantages for milling and manufacturing, from the abundance of water-power in its vicinity available for these purposes. The Wallamet receives within a dozen miles three tributaries, either of which is a good milling stream. Milwaukie has a large tannery, which turns out as good leather as is made on the coast—a branch of business very profitable in this country.
As we approach Oregon City the river becomes quite narrow in places, and in summer, when the water is low, the channel is barely wide enough for the steamer to pass between the gravel bars. The attention of the tourist is first attracted, on nearing the town, to the spray, which rises like a mist from the river, just above the steamer's landing, and he gazes with ever-increasing interest upon the leaping, foaming cataract of the Wallamet, which, although less in height and in volume than Niagara, has much of the same grandeur and force.
Formerly it was necessary to make a portage of more than a mile around the falls; but the basin, constructed at a great expense by the People's Transportation Company, now enables boats to come down to the warehouse, and the passengers are transferred by simply passing through a long, covered building to the boat lying in the basin at its upper extremity. From the deck of the second steamer a perfect view of the falls is obtained.
Oregon City stands upon a bed of basaltic rock—a ledge of which extends quite across the river, and crops out on the opposite side. This ledge is about twenty feet higher than the surface of the water below the falls, and worn and broken into a jagged crescent, with rather a sharp angle in the centre, where the river deflects toward the western shore. In low or ordinary stage of water the stream divides into several parts, seeking the deepest channels in the rocks, and forming a number of different cataracts; yet the central one, at the angle spoken of, is always the principal one. Above the falls the river parts, flowing around an island of rock, on which once stood a mill belonging to the Methodist Mission, but which was carried away in the great flood of 1862, along with numerous other buildings from the mainland.
The current, always strong just above the falls, is terrific when the heavy rains of winter have swollen all the tributaries of the river, and filled its banks with a rushing torrent fifteen to twenty feet in depth. At such times the rocks are mostly hidden, and the falls extend from shore to shore, or about a quarter of a mile. In the early history of the country, a party of four persons—two gentlemen and two ladies—with their two Indian boatmen, were carried over the falls by the force of the current while attempting to make a landing above. A few years later a small steamer became unmanageable, and was borne swiftly to destruction in the maelstrom below the central fall, carrying with it the captain and three others to an appalling death. The current which sets into the "basin" in high-water is alarming to the nervous passenger; and a steamboat is often an hour in getting out of it into the river above, during which hour he has plenty of time to imagine all that might happen should the machinery become disabled, or the cables part, which, for greater safety, connect the boat with the shore. In ordinary stages of water there is no difficulty in contending with the force of the water. A canal around the falls is in course of construction, which will do away with the portage entirely.
The Falls of the Wallamet constitute the great water-power of the State. The favorite term for Oregon City is, "The Lowell of the Pacific Coast;" and there is indeed every natural agency here for the making of a second Lowell. One of the largest woolen-mills of the State is located here. It is built substantially of stone and brick, four stories high, and 190 by 60 feet in ground area; and contains twelve sets of the most improved machinery. Its manufactures are blankets, flannels, and cassimeres, and light cloths. It is the intention of the Company in time to manufacture delaines, and other fabrics used for women's dresses.
The celebrated "Imperial" flouring-mill is located at Oregon City, which has a capacity for turning out five hundred barrels of flour every twenty-four hours. Another flouring-mill; a paper-mill, for the manufacture of coarse and printing paper; a lumber-mill, machine-shops, and other industries, show the business resources of the place, which, although the oldest town in Oregon, is yet only a small one.
Oregon City, like Portland, has a good number of churches—Methodist, Episcopal, Catholic, Baptist, and Congregational. A seminary, and graded public school, besides two or three private schools, furnish educational facilities. A Government Land Office is located here, where the lands for the northern portion of the State are entered. The necessary transfer and handling of all freights intended for the valley, or coming from it, gave Oregon City formerly a great deal of business. The opening of the Oregon and California Railroad may divert a portion of this freight from the river, but there must always remain a much larger amount of the transportation of the valley which will seek the cheaper water-carriage.
Oregon City was first claimed by Dr. John McLaughlin, of the Hudson's Bay Company, in 1829, who commenced to build a saw-mill at the falls. Three log-houses were erected that winter, and timbers squared for the mill; but the building progressed no further at that time. Some portion of the land was planted to potatoes in the following spring; and in 1832 the mill-race was blasted. The houses built in 1829 were destroyed by the Indians, and replaced in 1838 by one small dwelling and store-house; and the square timbers for the mill were hauled upon the ground, but not put together that year. In the meantime the Methodist Mission asked, and obtained, permission to build upon the claim, which they did in 1840, erecting a dwelling and store-house in one; and Mr. A. F. Waller took possession of, and resided in, this building.
Disputes then arose as to the possession of the claim, and a series of aggressions, concessions, and compromises took place. In the meantime the Mission opened a store, receiving a fresh supply of goods in 1842. There was also a Milling Company formed this year, which proceeded to build a saw -mill on the island, already mentioned. Several gentlemen came out from the States that fall, one or more of whom entered into trade at Oregon City, or Wallamet Falls, as it was then called. In the following year quite a large immigration arrived; such persons as did not desire to reside upon farms, congregating at this place. Soon a Provisional Government was talked of, was finally decided upon, and adopted. Oregon City became the recognized capital, as it was the principal seat of American enterprise in the Territory. As early as 1846 it boasted a newspaper—the Oregon Spectator—a seminary, and a debating club. Its pretensions to literary attainments, judging from the contributions to the Spectator, were very well founded. From the same source we learn that it was not without its social entertainments, its local politics, and other excitements—and, from the advertising columns, that almost every branch of business common to the ordinary town life was even then represented; while an export trade was carried on by Dr. McLaughlin, and in a measure by the Americans—the articles exported being lumber and wheat.
Oregon City continued to maintain its supremacy until the gold discovery in California, which, giving rise to an active commerce with that country, imparted to Portland an impetus that soon enabled it to outstrip the city at the falls, which had not the required depth of water for floating an extensive merchant navy. Railroads will ultimately remove any disabilities of that kind, and with its splendid water-power, backed by a country productive in soil, timber, and mineral deposits, its future seems as well assured as that of any town in Oregon.
Canemah, a mile or more above Oregon City, and ultimately to be a portion of it, was the upper landing when the People's Transportation Company used to transport their freight and passengers around the falls by a horse-railroad. It is rather a more favorable site for building than just about the falls, where a high bench of trap-formation crowds the lower portion of the town quite to the river-bank.
Opposite to Oregon City is another of those abortive attempts at a town for which this country is rather remarkable. Of this one, nothing now remains but one or two decayed buildings, and the name—Linn—after that Missouri Senator who introduced the Oregon Land Bill, of 1843, which occasioned the immigration of that year.
From Oregon City, for a distance of more than fifty miles by the river, there are no towns of any importance; though there are numerous "landings," where freight is put on or off for various places in the interior, indicating that there is a considerable population scattered through the valley. The scenery of the Wallamet is of rather a monotonous character, though pretty—the best portion of it being between Portland and Rock Island, above Oregon City a short distance. After this is passed, we begin to wish away the belt of timber which hides the level country back of it. It is not, however, until about twenty or twenty-five miles have been passed above Portland, that the prairie country commences; the lower portion of the Wallamet Valley toward the Columbia being heavily timbered. Even when we Lave come opposite to the open plains, there is still a screen of trees between us and them.
It is apparent that most of the level country lies on the eastern side of the river, and that a chain of hills crosses the west side of the valley transversely. Some of the high, rolling land of the west side offers beautiful farm-sites, preferable for their splendid views and sunny exposures to the level plains. Fruit, it is understood, does better upon these farms than upon those of the prairie.
Steaming along up at rather a low rate of speed, there is little to entertain the traveler, except the frequent windings, the luxuriant vegetation of the river-banks, and observations on the current, which is often miles between Portland and Eugene City, at the head of high-water navigation on the Wallamet. This being true, rapids might reasonably be looked for in this river. At no place, except at Oregon City, is navigation seriously impeded by them; but very frequently they give the shallow, narrow hull of our boat all it can do to make its way against them. The water is beautifully clear, and the bed of the stream has a gravelly bottom.
Mention should be made of Champoeg, the French-Canadian settlement of the retired servants of the Hudson's Bay Company, on the east side of the river, twelve or fifteen miles above Oregon City. It was here that the "Organic Laws" were adopted by a majority of the Oregon settlers, in May, 1843, and a Provisional Government erected, to last until such time as the United States Government should see fit to acknowledge Oregon as one of her Territories.
About twenty-five miles above Oregon City, the Yamhill River enters the Wallamet from the west. It is a narrow stream, and its entrance is almost hidden by the profusion of overhanging shrubbery and trees. Waiting here for freight and passengers, is the Dayton, a commodious steamer of light draught, which will convey us, if we so elect, to the towns of Dayton, La Fayette, or McMinnville, in Yamhill County—one of the finest agricultural portions of the State, and celebrated for having domiciled, at one time or another, almost every person of prominence in the State, prior to 1868.
Above the Yamhill, the traveler sees nothing of interest, beyond a wood-yard or a grist-mill, all the way to Salem. There is, however, a memorable spot twelve miles below Salem, on the east bank, where the Methodist Mission made its first location in 1834; this being the very first American settlement in the Wallamet Valley. Here, too, in 1843, after the acceptance of the Organic Laws, was held the first Legislative Assembly of nine persons; their Council Chamber being a public room in a building belonging to the mission, known as "The Granary." Subsequently, the Legislature removed its sessions to Oregon City. The high-water of 1862 carried away a portion of the old mission ground, which was situated on the bank of the river, where the open prairie approaches quite to it.