A History of Oregon, 1792-1849: Drawn From Personal Observation and Authentic InformationGray, W. H. (William Henry)
History
A History of Oregon, 1792-1849: Drawn From Personal Observation and Authentic Information
Gray, W. H. (William Henry)
Frontier and pioneer life -- Oregon; Oregon Territory -- History
Laws are made to protect the weak against the mighty, and we feel the
necessity of them in the steps that are constantly taken by the
Honorable Hudson's Bay Company, in their opposition to the improvement
and enterprise of American citizens. You have been apprised already of
their opposition to Captain Wyeth, Bonneville, and others; and we find
that the same spirit dwells with them at the present day. Some years
ago, when the Hudson's Bay Company owned all the cattle in Oregon, they
would not sell on any conditions; but they would lend their cows to the
settler--he returning to the company the cows loaned, with all the
increase; and in case of the death of a cow, he then had the privilege
of paying for it. But after the settlers, at great risk and expense,
went to California and purchased for themselves, and there was a fair
prospect of the settlement being supplied, then the Hudson's Bay Company
were willing to sell, and at lower rates than the settlers could sell.
In the year 1842, feeling the necessity of having mills erected that
could supply the settlement with flour and lumber, a number of the
inhabitants formed themselves into a joint-stock company, for the
purpose of supplying the growing wants of the community. Many of the
farmers were obliged to leave their farms on the Wallamet, and go six
miles above Vancouver, on the Columbia River, making the whole distance
about sixty miles, to get their wheat ground, at a great loss of time
and expense. The company was formed and proceeded to select a site. They
selected an island at the falls of the Wallamet, and concluded to
commence their operations. After commencing, they were informed by Dr.
McLaughlin, who is at the head of the Hudson's Bay Company's affairs
west of the Rocky Mountains, that the land was his, and that he
(although a chief factor of the Hudson's Bay Company) claimed all the
land on the east side of the Wallamet, embracing the falls down to the
Clackamas River, a distance of about two miles. He had no idea, we
presume, that the company would succeed. However, he erected a shed on
the island, after the stuff was on the island to build a house, and then
gave them permission to build under certain restrictions. They took the
paper he wrote them, containing his conditions, but did not obligate
themselves to comply with the conditions, as they did not think his
claim just or reasonable.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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