court houses, public schools and theatres were commonly placed at the command of this peculiar preacher[1]—the Baptist forerunner in Oregon—who lived on plain diet and went about clad in homespun.
First Mining Code of Oregon. Upon learning that gold had been discovered in the Rogue River Valley, a crew of sailors at Crescent City, deserted their ship, and with pick and shovel ascended the Illinois River to Waldo, Josephine County, where they found gold in paying quantities. Soon other miners came, and the place was called "Sailor Diggin's." Already the belief prevailed that goldmining would be carried on extensively in Oregon. Hence there arose the demand for a common understanding regarding the rights of miners. Therefore, at a meeting held in "Sailor Diggin's" April 1652, the following mining rules and regulations were adopted:
- That fifty cubic yards shall constitute a claim on the bed of the creek extending to high water on each side.
- That forty feet shall constitute a bank or bar claim on the face extending back to the hill or mountain.
- That all claims not worked when workable, after five days, to be forfeited or "jumpable."
- That all disputes arising from mining claims shall be settled by arbitration, and the decision shall be final.
Such was the mining code of "Sailor Diggin's" which was the center of the first mining district of Oregon.
United Brethren Missionary Train. Church Colonzation Authorized. Among the church colonies that came to Oregon was the United Brethren Missionary Colony. In 1652, Rev. Thomas Jefferson Connor, of Hartsville, Indiana, was delegated by the United Brethren Conference then in
- ↑ Rev. Joab Powell was noted for humorous stories and western sayings that were clad in homely phraseology familiar to frontiersmen. It may be said in his behalf, however, that to every border story or saying attributed to Rev. Powell, ten can be found to the credit of Abraham Lincoln; and Abraham Lincoln was one of the greatest men of his age.
