Page:Oregon Historical Quarterly vol. 19.djvu/71

EARLY SOUTHERN OREGON 59 Southern Oregon itself and was to do more toward its real settlement and permanent development than all the rest. This was in the accidental discovery of gold within our own bounds by Cluggage and Pool, in 1851, upon the site of the present town of Jacksonville. They were packers, and were passing through the country and 1 when seeking for water at their even- ing camp the shining nuggets came to view. This so stimu- lated prospecting and exploiting in other sections as to un- cover other deposits and soon rich discoveries gave sudden wealth to many seekers in all parts of Southern Oregon. Though thieving and murderous Indians lay in wait and am- bush to rob and to massacre, yet population poured in both from California and from the Willamette settlements. This, therefore, may be said to have been the third most notable event in Southern Oregon history. Scottsburg, Winchester and the newer town of Jacksonville, were given added import- ance by these later developments. Yet to the seekers, it was not all gold that glitters. To the far-seeing and energetic the way places over which they passed presented to view another wealth in that of the fertile lands, the grassy meadows and pure waters. A vision of home and state building arrested their feverish and now more toilsome search for gold. Their packs were opened, their tents spread, and lands selected under the Donation and Pre-emption law, and cabins followed in the wake toward the social and political system of an advanced civilization. One of these wayfarers was Aaron Rose, who on returning from the mines on September 23, 1851, located upon the beauti- ful site, now the city of Roseburg, which he soon platted for a town, and which grew so rapidly as in two years to outrank Winchester, the capital of the county of Douglas created in 1852, and so to absorb its traffic as to require the removal to Roseburg, and to cause its decline, and virtual disappearance. It was in the year 1851 Port Orford upon the sea coast was located, and claimed under the Donation law by Captain William Tichenor, afterwards a noted 1 man in our pioneer his- tory. He was captain of the pioneer steamer Sea Gull which