Page:Oregon Historical Quarterly volume 25.djvu/324

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286
Leslie M. Scott

of non-Oregon writers, including reports of governmental agents such as Lieutenant William A. Slacum in 1836 and Lieutenant Neil M. Howison in 1846, for the United States, and Lieutenants Henry J. Warre and M. Vavasour, in 1845, for Great Britain. Some of this material is obtainable in Oregon, but great part is elsewhere, and much is yet to be made available for use. So that the present writer has finally convinced himself that the subject, "Oregon History Writers and Their Materials," should cover a wider range than the geographical limits of Oregon.

In approaching this subject, it has seemed natural to consider the "writers" and the "materials" from two viewpoints: First, for readers who seek primer or introductory knowledge, such as is afforded by the texts of Joseph Schafer, Charles H. Chapman, Sidona V. Johnson, J. B. Horner, Edmund S. Meany, and Eva Emery Dye, which were written for school uses; second, for investigators who are preparing to write upon special subjects, or upon general aspects of the history. The work of general writers necessarily must be preceded by long research on many special subjects, in order to qualify them as authentic authors. A third viewpoint, that of writers of pioneer and Indian tales, of fiction and historical romance, of Indian myths and legends, pertaining to popular literature and "easy sellers," is not included within the scope of this address; not, however, because your writer considers such works unworthy, but because of limited time afforded this afternoon. Such authors include Emerson Hough, Eva Emery Dye, Agnes Laut, Theodore Winthrop, Frederick Homer Balch, Ada Woodruff Anderson, Hezekiah Butterworth, William Lyman, Reese P. Kendall, George Palmer Putnam, George Andrew Waggoner, John H. Williams, Katherine B. Judson, Edward Legrand Sabin, Harr Wagner, Kimball Webster, Olin D. Wheeler, Cyrus T. Brady, John T. Faris. The publications of these authors represent the only renumerative