Page:Oregon Historical Quarterly volume 17.djvu/333

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CORRESPONDENCE 325

by the proprietors and citizens of Portland. 21 ? We can find employment at this time for more than a dozen good teachers in our territory, where they would be well paid and at the same time opening the way for fourfold that number more. As it respects our want of ministers, allow me to re- peat the request with earnestness that your Board make an appointment for a minister to labor at Astoria, Pacific City and Clatsop Plains as soon as you can find a man who is suited to the place. The great commercial city for Oregon must rise at the mouth of the Columbia. This must be the key to the whole country. We have a fair proportion of Bap- tist members and adherents there, and I shall never rest when I think of this place till it is occupied. A Brother Newell, 218 formerly a teacher of music in N. Y. and Au- burn, is in Pacific City and will probably take his family to that place. The Baptist interest is rising in Salem, the seat of the Methodist Institute, and a church will be constituted in a few weeks at that place. 219 I have referred your Board to this place on a former occasion. An efficient minister would soon find his support there, by your aid, in a few years. This is the best point in all the upper country from which to reach all points in the Willamette Valley, Another minister is wanted about as much on the west side of the river five miles above at a new town called Cincinnati. 320 This place is in the bounds of the La Creole Church, form- erly called Rick-re-All. Two ministers thus located would always be near each other to counsel and give aid and at the same time would each have a wide and rich field on each side of the river. Another minister is much needed on Tual- atin Plains. This is the strongest church in the Ter. and would do their duty as they learned it. The immigrants to


217 This was Portland Academy and Female Seminary. The building was com- pleted in November, 1851, largely through the efforts of Rev. J. H. Wilbur. Wm. D Fenton, Father Wilbur and His Work, Ore. Hist. Soc. Quar. X:2i.

218 George P. Newell (1819-1886) was a native of England, but had lived in America some years before coming to Oregon in 1850. He was Government Sur- veyor and Inspector of Customs at Pacific City for three years, and was for fifteen years a deacon in the Oregon City Church. Mattoon, Bap. An. of Ore. I:?*.

210 See note 185.

220 The town wa laid out by A. C. R. Shaw. Th name is now Eola. George H. Himei.