Lane County Historian

- IN THIS ISSUE - History of the Eugene Woolen Mill "John Tom's Road" building of the McKenzie road

LANE COUNTY PIONEER- HISTORICAL SOCIETY

Vol. VIlINo. 1 Eugene, Oregon March 1963

PRICE 50 CENTS PER COPY LANE COUNTY PIONEER - HISTORICAL SOCiETY 740 West 13th Ave.. Eugene, Oregon - Merle S. Moore. Editor

- CONTENTS - John Tom's RoadTHE BUILDING OF THE McKENZIE PASS ROAD by Agnes Millican McLean (Mrs. George) WOOLEN TEXTILE MANUFACTURE IN EUGENE, OREGON by Alfred L. Lomax, Prof. Emeritus Univ. of Oregon School of Business Administration

Crew of Geo. Midgley Planing Mill (before 1913). Lt. to rt., front row: Goodman, unknown, Frank Cherry, unknown, unknown, Ham, George Midgley (owner). Back row: McFarland, I. N. Wray, unknown, L. H. Wheeler, If. M. Stevens and W. 0. Heckart, Eugene contractor. See additional picture, page 10-11. Photo courtesy Midgley Planing Mill.

CORRECTION, Vol. VII, No. 4, Dec. 1962: Description of the cover picture gives the maiden name of Mrs. Masterson as "Gillispie" - it should be "Violet." Therefore she was not the daughter of Rev. lacob Gillispie or sister of Mrs. C. Walker Young. She was however a charter member of the Cum Pres. church, founded in 1853. etc.

LATEST PUBLICATION ofthe SOCIETY. REUBEN ELLMAKER (Oelmacher), 1854-1860, written from Iowa to his brother, Enos Ellmaker, who emigrated to Oreg. Terr. in 1853. Bound therewith is a genealogy of the Oelmachers beginning in 1652 and a short one of the Fisher family of Ky. and Mo. in addition is a most interesting "Autobiography" of Enos Ellmaker. edited by his son, Amos. Pictures of Reuben Ellmaker, writer of the LETTERS and of Enos and wife Elizabeth Fisher Ellmaker are included. $5.00. Order from LANE COUNTY PIONEER-HISTORICAL SOCIETY, 740 W. 13th Ave., Eugene. Oregon. McKENZIE PASS' 'JOHN TOM'S ROAD' 'BUILDING OF THE ROAD By Agnes Millican McLean Ed. Note: The "John Tom" of this story is John Templeton Craig, Lane County pioneer of 1853, road builder and mail carrier.

John Tom was a visionary spirit, ad- to work on the farm of Rodney Scott in venturous, and of indomitable courage. the McKenzie Valley. He sprang from a line of Scotch-Irish The wanderlust of such men as John folk embued with a mixture of stern right- Ledyard, followed by Lieutenant William- eousness and Celtic mysticism. His grand- son, General Isaac I. Stevens, who were father as a mere lad with a dream of sent out by President Pierce in 1853 to America beyond the sea brooding in his survey a road to the Pacific, inspired John heart, ran away from his home in Glas- Tom's first road searching. Up and down gow and boarded a vessel bound for the through the deep forests of the McKenzie New World. That was about 1810. By he plodded, learning the lay of the land 1820 the Craig family had set its roots and pursuing some secret vision. deep into the soil of the adopted country. John Tom was deeply religious. His His grandson John Templeton Craig, the philosophy of brotherly love was firmly eldest of ten children, was born of the founded on the tenets of the old Scotch first American generation on a farm near Wooster, Ohio. Presbyterian school, and the Rev. Jeremiah During his youth John worked with his Dick, who preached those days in the log- father on the farm, earning and learning cabin school house at Camp Creek, was what he could, and turned the proceeds his pastor. He always carried his Bible in into the family coffer. But in the summer his knapsack along with his coffee-pot of 1853 he joined the great trek west- and frying-pan, and read it daily, often ward, thenceforth to merge his fortunes hourly, for guidance and inspiration. The with those of the new settlers in the West Gospels and the Prophets were his litera- Thinly clad in homespun and barefooted, ture, and the Psalms of David, set to the he walked all the way across the plains wild melody of the birds of the forest, by way of the Barlow Pass and Oregon were his songs. City to Camp Creek Valley in the Oregon John Tom loved the great forests and Territory,driving an ox-team for his hills of the West. During the greater part brother-in-law, Dill Ritchey. of his life he made his home among them Now far from home and kinsfolk his wherever the shadows of evening found unselfish concern was transferred to his him. There under the great trees he baked fellow-men in the new land. John Tom, his sourdough biscuits upon hot rocks be- always ready to stretch Out his sinewy side his campfire; killed and fried the arm to a friend or neighbor in need, was flesh of the deer and bear for his meat; soon to become known far and wide for accepted an occasional beaver tail from a his kindliness and gentleness. Upon his trapper for soup; and when his supplies arrival at the little settlement he found ran low, turned to the tender growth of that a number of the newly-come families the forest, such as fern sprouts and min- were without shelter, and his heart was er's lettuce. No stranger was ever turned moved by the thought of the suffering away from his campfire hungry no matter that must follow with the storms of how meager his supply. winter. Immediately he set to work to One day George Millican came along build a saw-mill of the whipsaw type on and stopped at his camp. Noticing that Camp Creek near the Old Ford across the John's daily rations consisted chiefly of McKenzie. In this enterprise he was as- fern shoots, he offered to share his grub- sisted by Dill Ritchey; but when shortly stake; but John Tom lifted his glowing, afterward a disagreement arose between weather-beaten face and said in his high- the two men, John Tom left and began pitched voice: "No, thank you Mr. Millican, I think Here WhiteBranchsweepsbetween I can get along." salmon berry and willow bordered banks During the Indian War of 1856, John through the canyon to join Lost Creek as Tom entered Company B as a private. In it comes dashing out from under its hid- a skirmish, the Indians cut 'him and nine den lava bed. other men off from their company and Pushing their way under and over the stole their horses. The men, however, interlockingvine-maple,willow,and escaped and made their way back to Cot- grease-wood, the two men emerged at tage Grove in a half-famished condition, Alder Springsa'ndstood facing each having subsisted on wild berries for four- other at the foot of the mountain. teen days. John Tom made his way afoot "Mr. Latta, that's a natural road-bed," across the country to Eugene City for help exclaimed Craig excitedly. and George Millican with John Latta and "That's right, John Tom. There's not Walker Young went to their assistance. a singe bad hill in this canyon clear to When Felix Scott Jr., crossed the Cas- the foot of the mountainsjust a gradual cade Summit in the summer of 1862 by pull all the way." way of the McKenzie River, he was "Seems to me," said Craig shaking obliged at times to hitch twenty-six oxen with emotion, "that here is my highway!" to one wagon in order to make the grade "And now's the time to act. I don't with heavy laden wagons. Scott's men believe Scott intends to do anything," were driving nine hundred prime beef Latta declared. cattle to the Florence, Idaho mining set- "I think, Mr. Latta, we'd better have tlement. John Templeton Craig was with a pot of coffee and start for the valley him as a helper over the mountains. mighty quick," said John Tom beginning All this time John Tom had been to stir the ashes. "Let's say nothing of our dreaming of a lower pass over the moun- findings until we talk it over with George tains. He had been with the McBride ex- Millican, he'll know just how to proceed." ploring party when they discovered Salt "Felix Scott has the priority," George Springs, enclosed on three sides by high Millican advised, intensely interested. hills, and came upon the rugged moan- "He ain't done a thing and the sum- tains lying between them and the head- mer's half gone," Craig argued. waters of the McKenzie river. "That'sright,John," Georgesaid Earlythe next summer John Tom, dropping his head in meditation as John knapsack thrown across his back, and ac- nervously walked about. companied by his Scotch friend, John "A bunch of business fellows in Eu- Latta, trudged up over the Scott Trail to gene, I'm reliably informed, have their where itturned to theleftand Salt incorporation papers ready to file in case Springs. Here John Tom, naturally turned Scott fails to come through," George ex- to the right up Lost Creek Canyon. No plained after a time. one knew better than he that the hills "That's what I was afraid of," John were too steep and rugged for the building said with a tone of defeat in his voice. of a passable road over the Scott Trail. "What a capital stock of $40,000.00 The vision of a better road had haunted they plan to put on a force of twenty to him throughout the winter and he was thirty men and push the road over the still muttering to himself: mountains in one summer.''1 "And an highway shall be there!" "One summer!" John exclaimed sar- Lost Creek Canyon is a deep gorge ly- castically. ing between high wooded hillsto the "All the young fellows have gone to north and south. Deer Butte to the north- the mines - and the men - even Dill east extends in a long precipitous ridge Ritchey is getting ready to go," John toward the west. Eagle Rock juts out like Tom declared. a huge block of gray marble from the "I don't think you need to worry John, center of the south range and the Three (Continued on Page 17) Sisters rise majestically to the eastward. iOregon State Journal June 23, 1864.

4 WOOLEN TEXTILE MANUFACTURING IN EUGENE, OREGON By A. L. Lomax, Prof. Emeritus, University of Oregon School of Business Administration

It is doubtful if Eugene F. Skinner en- waterpowerforturbinewaterwheels; visioned the industrial and cultural poten- clean, mineral-free water for washing and tialities of his namesake city when he filed dyeing; and a favorable climate similar to on his donation land claim in 1846. The that of the great north England woolen town grew naturally as a trading center textile area. Eugene, Lane County's grow- for a tributary farming and lumbering ing commercial center, had all of these. area at the southern end of the Willamette Waterpower was a most important nat- Valley, approximately 125 miles south of ural asset in attracting manufacturing to the embryonic Portland. Between the two a community, and where the town was sit- geographic extremities other towns like uated on a river as was Eugene, a foregone Albany and Salem were emerging from conclusion was that sooner or later suth the pioneer push. Flour mills, lumber power potential would be used. This oc- mills,blacksmithing, and othercross- curred in June, 1869, when the Eugene roads industries were established to meet Water Ditch Company was organized, the everyday demands of the surrounding probably as the result of a rumor that cer- agricultural economy, an important seg- tain parties were looking for a woolen ment of which was sheepraising. mill site. Three years later, Messrs. Un- With the introduction into Polk Coun- derwood and Osborn built a canal to the ty in 1848 of Joseph Watts plainsdriven town from a point about 2½ miles to the flock of 330 head of merinos, pioneer east. sheep husbandry in the Willamette Vailey Flour and lumber mills were the first received its first substantial impetus. industries in the state to use this source These animals, augmented by those of energy,followed by woolen mills. which came with the wagon trains, estab- Such establishments installed turbine Wa- lished the small, farm flock pattern of terwheels of which there were 18 in sheep husbandry in the Willamette Va!- Lane County in 1870. One who took ad- ley. Natural increases followed. By 1870, vantage of this power was Charles Good- Lane County claimed 52,745 sheep and child,age35,an English carder and 167,893 pounds of wool, second only to spinner who operated a small woolen Douglas County with 94,963 sheep and manufacturing enterprise on a $1,500 in- 321,643 pounds of wool. Linn, the north- vestment. A one-setcardingmachine ern bordering county, had 41,171 sheep processed the wool for 8,000 rolls valued and 108,714 pounds of WOOl.2 Further- at $4,000 during its five months opera- more,thecountystatisticsreflecteda tion. One male over 16 years of age and growing manufacturing economy.3 two children were the employees, prob- With the rapid production of wool, a ably members of the Goodchild family.5 surplus appeared which forced the settlers into a marketing situation. Woolen mills Goodchild's sojourn was of short dura- made their appearance, the first at Salem tion in Eugene, for in 1872 the family in 1857, followed by one each at Browns- moved to Ashland where he and G. N. ville, Oregon City, Ellendale (near Dal- Marshall bought the Rogue River Woolen las), Ashland, and The Dalles, in that Manufacturing Company for$32,000. order.Itis not surprising that Eugene, This mill, which had been in operation like other Valley communities, persistently i Alfred L. Lomax. Pioneer Woolen Mills in Ore- gon, Binfords & Mort, Portland, Oregon. 1941. encouraged the promotion of these enter 2 Ninth Census of the United States, 1870, volume prises as an important phase of industrial 1475, Table IV, pages 230-31. 3 IbidGeneralStatisticsofManufacturing, by advancement. Counties, Oregon, Table IX(A), page 560. 4 Ibid. Table IX(A). This habit of industrial imitation was s Original Schedules of, the 9th Census of Popula- stimulated by an available wool surplus tion,1870, microfilm. University of Oregon library; Schedulesof Industry, Lane County, Oregon State fromheavy-fleecedsheep;abundant Archives. Salem.

5 from 1868 to 1872, had lost money, al- the McKenzie Road to Eugene, thence by though fully equipped as a one-set opera- rail to Portland. tion. Woolen mill news does not appear With Goodchild's departure for Ash- again until 1881 when the Oregon State land,textilemanufacturing ceasedin Directorycarriedanadvertisementof Eugene, and itisnot untilFebruary Charles Goodchild, who apparently had 1874 that revival of interest was mani- returned with his family from Ashland fested with a query in the Oregon State when that mill changed ownership in Journal,'Shall we have a woolen fac- 1878. It is probable that he bought Skel- tory? Albany is making liberal offers to ton's mill with the money from the sale persons in this vicinity to induce them to of his interest in the Ashland factory. The start a woolen manufactory in their town. 1880 Census of Lane County lists Good- Eugene needs manufacturing and local child as a woolen manufacturer. His ad- people should get behind a project.' vertisement in the Eugene papers read as A partial answer came with the an- follows: nouncement by William Irving that he Charles Goodchild's had purchased the machinery of C. Good- Hosiery and Yarn Factory, child, and ran the following advertise- Eugene, Oregon ment until September 19:6 The trade throughout the northwest CARDING AND SPINNING and California supplied with hosiery, Having purchasedthemachinery yarn, etc. of superior manufacture at owned by C. Goodchild, I am now prices which are bound to give satis- prepared to make all kinds of yarn, faction. None but the best of wool batts, Hosiery, etc. for customers at used, and thebestof machinery the lowest living costs. known are used in the manufacture William Irving of these goods. He also advertised for 10,000 pounds of wool for his Eugene City yarn mills. This was followed by an explanation that The advertisements then ceased to appear, the mill had been established "some sev- and it may be assumed that the little mill en or eight years ago by W. M. Skelton closed down, for in the May 8,1875 but it did not prosper. It is three years issue of the Oregon State Journal an- since the present owner purchased the nouncement was made that parties with works and added ' Carding money and machinery were negotiating and knitting machines and a spinning for waterpower and a woolen mill site. frame of 150spindles was included. This may have been William Skelton, an Goodchild probably put his family to Englishman, who had come to Eugene in work, a 14-year-old daughter and a 12- 1874,7 and was the proprietor of the Eu- year-old son. gene City Woolen Mills. The assumption The operations were conducted in a could be made that he had bought out small building leased from the Eugene William Irving (although this would be FlouringMillCompany.Abouttwo difficulttosubstantiate)and ranthe o'clock Sunday morning, May 29, 1881, plant until 1878 when he left Eugene for the old firebell pealed out an alarm as Jefferson, near Albany, presumably to op- the structure and its contents became a erate a small yarn mill. total loss estimated at $6,000-7,000. The The Portland Oregonian, ever alert to volunteer hook-and-ladder company stood promote home industry, commented that helplessly by unable to reach the water. Brownsville had recently raised money for Goodchild was covered for $2,200 on the a woolen mill and that Eugene is left out machinery, and $800 on the inventory by in the cold, but voicing the hope that the policies written by the Commercial Insur- town would eventually get a mill. Ob- ance Company, and the Hamburg-Bremen servation was made that sheep raised in Insurance Company. the Ochoco area of Central Oregon pro- 6 Oregon State Journal, June 27, 1874. 7Walling, History of Lane County. page 501. duced wool which could be hauled over a Oregon State Directory, 1881, page 547.

6 In 1882, William Skelton returned to industry which stirred the towns as no Eugene, and with his son Joseph C. SkcI- other factory project did. ton, commenced to manufacture yarns and Indications of thisinterest were ob- hosiery in a building formerly occupied served during 1888. The Eugene Mill by the Eugene Mill Company. Machinery Company enlarged the tailrace below the had been ordered and was expected to woolen mill which for some unknown arrive about June 1st. hut it did not come reason had closed its doors late in 1887 until the last of that month; then more after having run for approximately five came in September. Power was derived years. The mill could be restored to op- from a turbine waterwheel mounted in erating condition for $3,000 pleaded a the ditch which was known as the mill- news story. Interested parties should ad- race. Production was 100,000 pounds of dress Patterson, Edris & Company, own- wool annually which was manufactured ers of the flour mill and millrace. into socks, yarns, batts, and wool beds Meetings of business men were held Eugene now boasted of various indus- during the spring of 1889 to discuss in- tries such as flour, sash and door, furni- dustrial promotion projects including a ture, beer, fruit drying and canning, tan- potato starch factory, a shingle mill, and ning, and an iron foundry. By 1885 it was a woolen mill, the latter prompted by a the thriving big town of the upper Wil- Kankakee,Illinoismill owner with a lamette Valley with about 2,000 popula- sizable payroll who was anxious to locate tion in the heart of a highly productive in Eugene. wheat, fruit, and sheep country. It was on Another was the Ashland woolen mill, the main line of the Oregon and Cali- which was rumored to be interested in fornia Railroad(later the Southern Pa- moving to Eugene providing a $15,000 cihc) from Portland and building on to bonus could be raised, which prompted Ashland. The Oregonian Railway, popu- the editor of the Eugene C1y Guard to larly called the Narrow Gauge, had been quip "and we'll bet a nickel that Eugene completed to Cohurg with prospects of will raise the bonus in three days." The advancing to Springfield (later absorbed superintendent of the Ashland mill came by the Southern Paci&). north to discuss the matter. As this looked The Portland Oregoiziaii New Years like a promising project a special meeting Edition of 1885 reported that 80 new was called for April 26, 1889 with T. G. houses had been built in Eugene the past Hendricks, chairman; D. W. Coolidge, year, and forty more were immediately secretary; and J.F. Robinson, assistant planned. Four hotels, two banks, and secretary. The meeting was as bare of ac- three newspapers placed Eugene beyond coniplishment as the Ashland proposition the category of a little village. A cultural was indefinite; but correspondence was aspect had been added with the founding authorized in the hope that a favorable of the University of Oregon in 1876. The deal could he consummated. Aspirations paper commented upon the industrial op- in this direction were blasted when the portunities,especiallythewaterpower. Ashland owners said they preferred to George Melvin Miller, brother of Joaquin remain in southern Oregon. the poet, emerged as the most vociferous Enough interest had been stimulated and prominent real estate booster for the by this and previous meetings to empow- town. er a committee to investigate the cost of Eugene could now consider itself one new woolen mill machinery as a basis for of the several communities which either underwriting any future projects. Author- contained a woolen mill or was eagerly ity was also given to test the local citizen- promoting one.Mention woolen mills ry's willingness to contribute to a stock- anywhere in western Oregon and imme- selling campaign should any woolen mill diately there was a flurry of interest and proposition develop in the near future. affirmation that woolen mills were the This was a sensible move in view of answer to sustained prosperity through the fact that the pioneer-founded Browns- payrolls. There was something about the ville woolen mill had ceased operation, and one ofitsowners, the reputable Other businesses in town were the Booth- Thomas Kay, was looking for a location Kelly Lumber Company, the Eugene Lum- to build his own mill. Competition was ber Company, Frazer's Foundry, Gross keen for Mr. Kay's favors among Pacific Brothers Foundry and Machine Shop, a Northwest communities which included cannery, a tannery, a cooperage shop, but Albany, Salem, Pendleton, Eugene, and no woolen mill, at the turn of the century. Spokane Falls. Bonuses were usually stip- This textile deficiency was broken in ulated by entrepreneurs of those times as September 1901 when H. D. Wagnon an inducement to locate their factories. of Portland, a promoter, came to Eugene Salem was the lucky town withits representing a nameless company com- $25,000 guarantee, although Albany had posed of himself, his brother W. S. Wag- contendedvaliantly.Suchasituation non, and George W. Hirst, owners of a moved the editor of the Eugene City woolen mill in Iowa. Wagnon met with Guard to say that unless the town en- a group of businessmen at the Hotel Eu- couraged manufacturing it would be out gene and stated that he wanted to move of the running, and proposed that "every his $45,000 factory to the Willamette holder of real estate should contribute five Valley, preferably Eugene. This was a per cent of its value to start manufactur- three-set mill which employed from 50-75 ing establishments." With a population people with a monthly payroll of $3,500. of 4,000, a millrace, pure water, abundant Fifty cords of wood per month would be raw material, and with main line railroad required for fuel. A $15,000 bonus must connections north and south, the town be guaranteed. A public meeting was was in an excellent position to demand called for Friday, September 27 to discuss industrial recognition. the proposition in detail. No specific woolen mill news appeared T. G. Hendricks, J. M. Shelley, and J. in the local papers during the next decade. H. McClung were appointed a soliciting The millrace changed ownership in 1898 committee for the bonus. These were aug- withGeorge Midgley and FrankL. mented by F. M. Wilkins, J. M. Wil- Chambers the new proprietors, who im- liams, M. L. Campbell, Councilman Mel mediately dug out the stumps, widened Green, C. S. Frank, and S. F. Kerns. The and deepened it and raised the bridges committee's first efforts were dishearten- for the benefit of canoeists, mostly uni- ing, but improved as they persisted. The versity students. people were reminded how gallantly they Mr. Chambers had come to Eugene in had responded for contributions to the 1887 from Dallas, Polk County, Oregon, University Building Fund in earlier years, and with his father opened a hardware and the bonus of $1,000 raised for the cx- store on Olive Street, later moving into celsior mill. Both Portland and Boise, their own building on Willamette Street. Idaho were ready to meet Wagnons de- Over the years he became one of the mands, especially Portland whose Board town's leading business and community of Trade had spent months discussing leaders with interests in real estate, bank- sites and bonuses and finally won the ing and manufacturing. Portland Woolen Mill for the Sellwood Six years later,another young man, location. Robert McMurphey, came to Eugene to In the meantime, the bonus require- marry Alberta Shelton, daughter of Doc- ment had been reduced to $8,000, but tor Thomas W. Shelton. The doctor had November came before the pledges to- organized the Eugene Water Company in talled this amount. Among the subscribers March,1886. The son-in-law became were: First National Bank $600, Robert manager of the business. McMurphey $500, F. L. Chambers250, Three manufacturing plantsavailed Frank Dunn $250, George Midgley $150, themselves of the millrace power, namely, S. H. Friendly $100, Eugene Mill and the Eugene Mill and Elevator Company, Elevator Company $100, followed by a the Eugene Excelsior Company, and the long list of names of people who gave Day & Henderson Furniture Company. from $5.00 to $100.

8 As the project became more assured, it was, held in McMurphey's office in the was announced that W. H. Hirsch, for- Eugene Loan and Savings Bank Building, mer superintendent of the defunct Eagle on December 3, 1901 with all dirertors Woolen Mill at Brownsville, and now at present ready to elect officers. These were Sigourney, Iowa, would move his three- Robert McMurphey, president; H. D. set mill to Eugene, but this apparently Wagnon,vicepresident;George W. was another rumor without foundation. Hirst, secretary; and F. E. Dunn, treas- The first meeting of subscribers was urer. Wagnon left immediately for the held in the parlors of the First National East to purchase machinery. Alley started Bank on November 21, 1901 to confer working on the foundation. with Wagnon and to draw up a contract. News broke about the middle of Jan- The contract committee was J. H. Mc- uary 1902 that eight carloads of ma- Clung,FrankE.Dunn, Robert Mc- chinery would arrive in two weeks, pur- Murphey, S. B. Eakin, F. M. Wilkins, J. chased at Fremont, Nebraska; Pittsfield, M. Shelley. It was agreed that the new Massachusetts;and Philadelphia. Two building would have 60' x 110' dimen- carloads arrived on the 25th from Fre- sions, be two stories high and of frame mont and included one set of cards, two construction. The site was on the millrace spinning jacks of 240 spindles each, one next to Day & Henderson's old furniture tenfoot gig, one mixing picker, one factory which would house the dye room spooler,adresser,a grinder, and six and picking department. Wagnon agreed looms. Four more carloads came in Feb- to operate a three-set mill to be ready by ruary, freight on which was $600 July 1, 1902. Frank Chambers, always alert to a po- The committee stipulated that the mill tential moneymaking project, conceived must run a minimum of ten hours a day the idea of an electric light plant to com- with an approximate payroll of $3,500 pete with the one serving the city, and ap- per month, and that the factory would plied for a fifty-year franchise from the not be removed or dismantled fora city council. That new capital was coming period of twenty years. If the mill ceased to Eugene was evident as a new sawmill permanently to run within one year from and small industries made their appear- the completion date, Wagnon was to re- ance. fund eighty per cent of the $8,000 bonus; By March, more machinery had arrived the same penalty prevailed if the mill and was being installed. A boss carder, failed to operate within two years and James Denton, had been hired to set up any year thereafter for five years. Fifteen the carding machine. He had twelve years per cent of the $8,000 was to be re- experience in Scotland woolen mills, nine funded if it ceased to operate permanently years at the Kay mill in Salem, and four within the second five years, the excep- years with the Jacobs brothers at Oregon tion being destruction by fire. Wagnon City. was to be paid $8,000 on or before the The old furniture factory east of the completion date of July 1. new structure was being readied for oc- Articles of incorporation for the Wil- cupancy while Bellman, the contractor in- lametteValley Woolen Manufacturing stalled the boiler. A two-story, new build- Company were drawn on November 29, ingforscouring, picking and dyeing 1901 with capital stock of $60,000. In- erected east of the main building was corporators were Frank E. Dunn, Robert 30' x39'in dimensions. McMurphey McMurphey, and Hamilton D. Wagnon. moved his office from the Eugene Loan Construction bids were opened in Mc- and Savings Bank Building to the factofy. Murphey's office with the successful con- Chambers and Midgley, millrace own- tractor N. B. Alley whose bid of $2,449 ers, spent $6,000 in improving that water- was lower than those submitted by L. N. way. Roney, $2,549 and J. M. Eddy, $2,595. A two-year contract with the Eugene Hirst was appointed superintendent. Lumber Company was made to supply The first formal corporation meeting sawdust for fuel for the woolen mill, thus &endnortheastEugene Elevator of the manulactunng from millrace Co. the(flour). eastthat furnishedendEugene center of 7th Woolenat the Ave.about water acrossMill the power. turn(center, the ofpondLeft theacross to formed century. right: the EugeneatRB. Lookingthe tracks) lower Mill mountedbeenplaningHilyardtoinand maintainingthe the combined banks Gea.millShow on was Midgleyandheavy in the 1855-6.establishedwith to millracehauling timbers.the Planinga sawmilldamfirst in woolenatThe Mill1870 the as latter (estab. headrockit bymill contained W. wasandoperationgate. 1881).H. purchasedbrushAbrams The aBarge in water flourto 1870 &repair inBro. bymilldriven foregroundand Campbell floodand was the whipsawmay Midgley builtdamage usedhave and by iceExcelsiorflowMidgleytotransmittedunder cream theof the flourthe(1881) factoryplant mill planing mill directly race(underand (toturbine mill,wasoperated the bythe toleft,which and 4" tracksthe steel justatoriginally right alsothe to outsideshafts. 9thaboveintransmitted the andto The ofpicturethesite Hilyard the woolenchanneluntil powerpicture) and aboutSte.). operated mill. toto andthe the1921.The The woolen toloft thepower above theThe took turbines Carter mill,main wassite, water the at Waterabout E.and 6th Electric between Board mill plant. and FerryPhoto Sts.. from is the now Chambers-Kerns occupied by the collection. Eugene Woolen Mill, 1901-1904.Robert McMurphey, President Eugene Mill 1910 Emil K -1934.opp.. President Successfully Eugene built Woolen up and 11 courtesycompanyoperated Koppe family.thefor mill 44 asyears a icansly-controlled (1906-1950). Photo saving two dollars a day compared to the a contract let for a 15,000 gallon water price of cord and slabwood. tank on a 60-foot high tower. Delin- As an adjunct to the mill, McMurphey quencies appeared on the woolen mill suggested that a scouring plant be estab- bonus subscription list which set the com- lished. Most of the woolen mills had mittee to work again collecting. their own scouring vats, but this was to During the early part of December the be a custom plant which would scour Willamette River went on itsannual western wool for the mills at Albany, rampage causing damage to the industries Salem, Oregon City,and Portland.It along the millrace. When the waters had would be a seasonal operation to be run subsided it was 'discovered that the foun- only four months of the year and employ dation of the woolen mill needed repair- sixteen men. This appeared to be a sensi- ing. A shutdown followed until the first ble project as there were at that time only of the year. A contemporary advertise- two other scouring millsin thestate, ment stated that two dozen pairs of slight- namely at The Dalles, and Pendlleton. ly damaged blankets, some torn and off Both of these plants scoured eastern Ore- color, were for sale cheap, obviously an gon, Washington. and Idaho woolfor aftermath of the flood. Pacific Northwestconsumption, but With 1903 came a new building, one shipped most of the output to Boston and of the many structures seen in the grow- the East. Unscoured wool paid freight on ing little town where stores, residences, burrs, ordure, and other extraneous mat- and a new theater were making their ap- ter, whereas the scoured fleeces were de- pearance. livered in a relatively clean condition at On September 4 the capital stock of a somewhat higher price, but ready for the woolen mill was increased to $100,000 processing. with 1,000 shares valued at $100 each. June 7 arrived and with it the last car- Not much is heard of H. D. Wagnon, load of machinery. By the end of the except that he continued his promotion month the mill was operating with two activities by endeavoring to start a woolen sets of cards and a third almost ready. The mill at Boise, Idaho. lack of experienced help was a handicap Changes occurred in both personnel to the full operation of the factory, a not and machinery in December. J.F. Mc- uncommon situation when a new woolen Guire, an experienced woolen mill man mill came to town. As there was now a from Jamestown, N.Y. succeeded J. G. pool of skilled textile workers in Oregon, Ladly as superintendent, and immediately it may be assumed the labor deficiency installed a new engine and other equip- was quickly remedied. ment. Business was so good that the mill Oregon woolen mills, on the whole, worked overtime on blankets and flannels provided fairly steady employment for and had orders ahead for three months. the townspeople. There were a few of these workers, not habitually itinerant, But these outward appearances of pros- whose names appeared on the payrolls of perity did not reveal the inner problems the various mills at one time or another. of management, for on March 19, 1901 Some competition could be expected from L.N. Roney,Eugene contractor and the newly established Portland Woolen builder, through his attorneys Woodcock Mills whose site was on Johnson Creek, & Harris, filed an action in the Circuit in suburban Sellwood. Court of Oregon against the Willamette Valley Woolen Manufacturing Company, Late in October, repairs at the Judkins tosatisfya claim inthe amount of Point intake disrupted manufacturing op- $1,800.45. This was the balance due for erations along the millrace. "Not a wheel construction and materialcostsfora was turning which made thestillness building which he had erected. Attach- seem like hard times" sai'd a reporter on Alfred L. Lomax, The Pendleton Wool-Scouring the Eugene Daily Guard. and Packing Company, Oregon Historical Quarterly. In the meantime, fire extinguishers had '..ol. 49. no. 3, September 1948; Oregon Wool-Scour- ing Plants of the Early 1900s, vol. 51, rio.1. March been installed in the main building and 1950.

12 ment papers were served by Sheriff Fred buildings, ground lease, and the stock Fisk on March 29 on the real property on hand to the highest bidder on October and other assets including an inventory of 15 at one o'clock in the afternoon on the blankets, mackinaw cloth,flannels and woolen mill premises, but there were no miscellaneous supplies. F. E. Dunn, sec- takers. retary of the company accepted the sum- Weeks passed until January 9, 1905 mons.'° when J. P. Wilbur, superintendent of the On May 21,the National Woolen Union Woolen Mill Company, Union, Company, an Ohio corporation with head Grant County, Oregon, and Will Wright, office in Cleveland, through its attorney cashieroftheFirstNationalBank, George B. Dorris, of Eugene, served at- Union, registeredat The Smeed Hotel tachment papers against the woolen mill and stayed just long enough to negotiate company for $983.03 for unpaid mer- with Woodcock for the purchase of the chandise sold the previous December." defunct factory, taking a ten-day option On June 10, Jerry Bronaugh, a Port- on the plant. Prior to coming to Eugene land attorney, filed an involuntary bank- they had stopped at Hood River where ruptcy against the company for three pe- theenterprisingcitizens had readya titioning creditors, namely, the National $20,000 bonus guarantee for a woolen Woolen Company, J. C. Albee Company mill. The two Union men had discussed of Portland, and the Oakes Manufactur- the possibility of moving the Eugene es- ing Company. Five days later, five other tablishment to the Columbia River town, creditors joined the above three in filing but decided adversely against the idea an amended petition alleging that the after they had appraised the situation. woolen mill corporation was in debt to Over a week elapsed before the final them in various amounts. It also alleged papers were signed giving ownership to that the stock of the corporation was the two promoters, who promised that owned entirely by F. E. Dunn and Lena woolen textiles would be coming off the Dunn, his wife, and R. McMurphey and looms by May 1. It was their plan to op- Alberta McMurphey, hiswife,allof erate the Eugene mill in close coopera- Eugene, Oregon. The petition further re- tion with the one at Union; the local ferred to the fact that McMurphey as factory was to specialize in flowered dress president and general manager of the goods, blankets, and robes. A large scour- company had filedsuit in the Circuit ing mill was proposed for Union whose Court of the State of Oregon, for Lane product would be shipped to Eugene. One County alleging insolvency of the said hundred hands would be employed in the corporation and asking that a receiver be Eugene factory thus creating a monthly appointed fortheconservationofits payroll of $4,000 and producing with the assets.RobertMcMurphey,president, Union mill goods valued at $20,000 a filedananswerthroughCharlesA. month. With an experienced management Hardy, hisattorney,denying thatthe backed by adequate capital, it was appat- company was insolvent and had com- ent that smoke would soon be billowing mitted an act of bankruptcy. out of the tall thimney on the millrace. Roney in the meantime had stated that The rejuvenatedplant would offera he had not taken judgment but had stipu- ready market for Lane County wool and lated that the matter should remain open thisdemand would inturnstimulate until the next term of court, stating that sheepraising. The monthly payroll would the corporation had sufficient assets with tend to stabilize the town's economy as which to pay its debts. He further said to L. N. Roney.plaintiff vs. Willametre Valley that he was willing to let the corporation Woolen Manufacturing Company. circuit Court Case sell the property and to apply the pro- No. Lane County, Oregon. ii National Woolen Company vs. Willamette Val. ceeds insatisfactionofthecorporate 1y Woolen Manutaccuring Company. Circuit Court debts. 12 Case No. y215. Lane County, Oregon. 12Acknowledgmentismade toRites nedecox, In October, A. C. Woodcock adver- Refereein Bankruptcy, United States District Court. District of Oregon, for data on the ahove.mentioned tised that he would sell the machinery, proceeding.

13 the employees distributed their earnings T. G. Hendricks of the First National among the local merchants. Bank, Frank L. Chambers and Darwin In the meantime, on February 8, 1905, Bristow of the Chambers-Bristow Bank the petitioning creditors had filed a mo- assisted in dosing the deal. Kay signed a tion for an order dismissing the involun- ground lease early in February 1906 as tary petition in bankruptcy. A dismissal well as a contract for millrace waterpow- order was entered on the above date. er of which utility Chambers was part Notwithstandingpromisesthatthe owner. plant would be in full operation by Sep- In the meantime, formal dissolution tember or October, nothing materialized; of the five-year-old Willamette Valley the Wilbur and Wright deal proved to be Woolen Mill Company was recorded in purely speculative. the Secretary of State's office, Salem, Jan- Toward the latter part of January 1906, uary 20, 1906. a group of Salem people headed by T. B. On February15,1906, the Eugene Kay, son of the founder of the Thos. Kay Woolen Mill Company was incorporated Woolen Mill at Salem, and now manager with the aid of Carson, Adams, & Can- of that company together with some se- non, a Salem law firm, with Thomas B. lected employees, began negotiations for Kay, Emil Koppe, C. J. Howe, and Ar- the purchase of the Eugene properties. thur W. Lord, signers of the articles. With Kay was Emil Koppe, a German- Capital stock of $40,000 was divided into trained woolen textile man whose family 400 shares of $100 value each. The papers had worked in the woolen mills of Sax- were filed with the Secretary of State on ony. February 19, 1906. When Mr. Koppe came to Oregon in The company records reveal the follow- 1887 he went to work for the Brownsville ing names of the stockholders: woolen millin which Thomas Kay, CERTIFI- CATE NO. SHARES senior, had asubstantialinterest.His 1 Thos. Kay Woolen wage there was $1.50 for a ten-hour day. Mill Company 100$10,000 Upon the dissolution of that mill com- 2 Emil Koppe 50 5,000 pany in 1888, Kay built a mill at Salem 3 Lizzie J. Owens 30 3,000 which began operation in March 1890, 4H. J. Ottenheimer 20 2,000 whereupon the Koppe family moved to 5 F. L. Chambers 10 1,000 the capital city where Mr. Koppe became 6C. J. Howe 20 2,000 acting superintendent in the new factory. 7 Mrs. Sadie Howe 20 2,000 When this plant was destroyed by fire in 8Mrs. Bessie Baillie 20 2,000 November 1895, Koppe worked in the 9A. W. Lord 10 1,000 Kay-owned Waterloo woolen mill located 10Theo. Bernheim 20 2,000 on the banks of the South Santiam River 11Asahel Bush 20 2,000 in Linn County. With the completion of the rebuilt Salem plant in May 1896, Mr. 320$32,000 Koppe resumed employment there. The first meeting of the corporation In 1902 he and Iwo other employees of was held in the Thos. Kay Woolen Mill the Kay mill purchased the Brownsville Company offices at 4:30 p.m. March 2, woolen mill but sold out to his partners 1906 with Kay, Howe, Lord, and Cham- two years later and returned to Salem bers present to elect directors, who with where he opened a men's clothing store. Emil Koppe became the policy-making In addition to the retail department a body. Ten minutes later a board meeting hand knitting machine for socks and a was called when the following officers hand loom for shawls were in operation. were elected: T. B. Kay, president and The two sons and two daughters contin- Acknowledgmentis made to Mr. Carl Koppe ued to work at the Kay mill.'3 who13 was president and manager of the company at the rime of its liquidarion in 1950 who checked the Eugene business men were eager to biographical data peatatning to the lamily history. get the woolen mill in operation again. 4From the original corporation book and stock record in the Special Collections division of the Uni- To that end, S. H. Friendly, merchant, versity of Oregon library.

14 manager;C.J.Howe, vice president; cated between the main building and Emil Koppe, secretary arid superintend- Midgley's planing mill. The blocks, the ent; F. L. Chambers, treasurer. Stock cer- first of their kind to be used in Eugene, tificates were authorized to be issued at were made in the local A. J. Daly plant. par when the stock was fully paid up. Monday, April 23, 1906 was an auspi- The manager's salary was fixed at $75.00 cious one for the industrially ambitious per month beginning April 1st, and the town. To the whine of saws and planers superintendent's at $100 beginning May at the Midgley mill and the nearby ex- 1st. celsior plant, was added the deafening hut The president was authorized to pur- welcome clatter of looms in the revitalized chase the 'Willamette Valley Woolen Mill woolen mill as the shuttles carried the Company property for $12,500 of which bright new yarns for blankets and other $10,000 was the equity of the Thos. Kay yard goods. The hoped-for payroll with Woolen Mill Company.15 the names of forty employees had at last A contract was made with the Cham- been gained. The plant under the able bers Power Company for a lease of not management of the Koppe family was in less than thirty years from February 1, almost continuous operation from the 1906 at a yearly rental of $900 for sixty above date untilit closed itsdoors in horsepower and included ground for an 1950, a span of forty-four years. additional forty horsepower at the same Matters looked so propitious that Mr. rate. This contract continued untilthe Koppe moved his family from Salem into power company was purchased many years the C. S. Frank residence on East Seventh later. and Pearl Streets. Later the Ingham house Corporation by-laws were adopted at on East Third and PearlStreets was the same meeting. purchased. The company's office was located at During May a running advertisement Sixth and Mill Streets. in the local papers asked for wool de- Organization matters engaged the atten- liveries to keep the 14 looms going and tion of the superintendent and the man- to feed the new machinery which had ager. Some of the old machinery was dis- just arrived. It was now a 4-set mill and carded and technicians from the Salem ranked as one of the larger woolen mills mill were brought in to repair the re- in the state. maining equipment. When Koppe learned Most of the wool purchased was from thata Provo, Utah woolen mill had Lane County and Douglas County flocks closed down he bought from them yarn, augmented by the finer Eastern Oregon dyed wool ends, and prepared stocks, and fleeces bought through wool dealers in at the same time ordered wool from the Portland. Salem milluntil the spring clip was The local mill, like all woolen mills available. Preparations moved right was dependent upon dyes imported from along so that the superintendent could Germany and Switzerland prior to World promise that yarn would be on the spin- War I. dles before the end of the month. The factory performed reasonably satis- The Provo woolen mill was one of factorily but not up to the expectations several manufacturingindustriesestab- of the new owners, for in August Mr. lished by the Latter Day Saints in the Kay wrote 0. P. Coshow as follows:'7 1850s and 1860s.It had been success- Everythingis running nicely here fully operated until about 1902 when it (Salem), but the Eugene people are lay idle until 1910. It was reincorporated not doing very well. They are not as the Knight Woolen Mills but was liqui- getting out as many goods as they dated in 1932.16 expected to and as they find some of Contractor W. 0. Heckert had cement 15 From the Annual Statement of the Thos. Kay blocks and other building materials on Woolen Mill Company, 1906. itThe Utah State Historicil Society and the Provo hand for a new one-story fireproof picker Chamber of Commerce supplied the above data. 17 From the files of the Thos. Kay Woolen Mill house 30' x 34' in dimension, to be lo- Company.

15 the machinery very poor they are Piece goods were sold direct to gar- having more troubles than I had fig- ment manufacturers on the Pacific Coast ured on. It will take some time, but and through a Minneapolis broker for the I think they will get on a good run- Eastern trade. Blankets were distributed fling basis in time. through wholesalers on the Pacific Coast. At the close of the year Eugene could Over the years a large variety of fabrics boast of an industrial nucleus composed was produced such as shirtings, men's of a woolen rail!, two iron foundries, two suitings and coatings,ladies'coatings, sawmills, three planing mills and sash and mackinaws, and sport coatings. One line door factories, a fiouring mill and grain of blankets was successfully sold under elevator, one excelsior mill, a soap fac- the registcrcd trademark 'Three Sisters." tory, a fruit cannery and dryer, a vinegar The company had now established it- and cider plant, a brewery, an ice plant, self as a successful, family controlled en- one water plant, an electric light plant, terprise,making money foritsstock- and a gas plant. holders and maintaining a stable payroll In this setting the Eugene woolen mill for its employees. Labor troubles, if any, prospered as evidenced by the annual were minor. Eight per cent dividends statement of the Thos. Kay Woolen Mill were declared regularly, some as high as Company for 1906 and 1907 which listed forty per cent on the capital stock. In its equity in the Eugene company as an 1918, the capital stock was increased to asset worth $10,000. A footnote at the $150,000 with 1,500 shares at a par value bottom of the 1907 statement reads: "The of $100 per share. Stockholders in 1918 annual report from the Eugene mill shows were Emil Koppe, C.J.Howe, Mrs. a good profit and though undivided, we Baillie, Theo Bernheim, F. L. Chambers. figure our stock in that company worth In 1919 there were stockholder changes at least $12,000."le This figure was car- and Theo. Bernheim was elected secretary. riedinthe annual statement through In 1923 Carl Koppe was elected to the 1909, but increased to $14,000 in 1910 board of directors and appointed assistant and then not listed thereafter. The stock manager. Paul Koppe became vice presi- was purchased by Emil Koppe and his dent. Sons Paul, Louis, and Otto. An item of importance was the acquisi- During the above period the same tion of the Eugene Power Company's stockholders and directors were in charge millrace owned by Frank L. Chambers. except that F. L. Graham became treas- The transaction involved the purchase of urer in place of Frank Chambers. In a one-half interest in the water right for 1910 the latter resumed office. Various $5,000, the other half by the Eugene Ex- items were discussedat thedirectors' celsior Company for the same amount to- meetings such as installation of a sprinkler gether with land purchased from the system and an increase of electric power Southern Pacific Railroad. In 1928 all from the Chambers Power Company. water wheels were discontinued and the Koppe's salary was increased to $125 per two mills operated exclusively on their month and Howe was appointed assistant own privatelyoperatedelectric power superintendent at $100. plant. With the withdrawal of the Kay inter- Details of operations, labor, finance, est, Emil Koppe became president, treas- and marketing and other managerial rela- urer and superintendent; Howe vice pres- tionships are embodied in the company's ident and assistant superintendent, and records in the custody of the Special Col- Lord, treasurer. The stockholders felt that lections division of the University of Ore- Mr. Kay was selling the production of gon library. Later, these will be made both mills and possibly apportioning the available for further research to reveal least desirable orders for fabrics to the how a family

16 McKenzie Pass, John Tom's Road Story fifteen feet, formed the four walls of his (Continued from Page 4) chamber, and the whole out-of-doors was his living-room. Thenceforth Craig's en- if these fellows do get in the field, one thusiasm never waning, he worked all of summer's work'll likely be an eye open- his life on the construction of his road. er," replied George with a twinkle in Under his pick and shovel steep hillsides his eye. were leveled into roadbeds, deep gulches "Thank you Mr. Millican," John said filled; streams were bridged and timbers and turned away with renewed hope. shaped with hts meager tools; the floors No mention of this company appears of bridges were nailed down with cedar in the records thereafter although John pins whittled from the trees of the forest; Tom worked incessantly throughout the trails that wound in and out to avoid the summer season and far into the fall grub- majestic trees standing in the way were bing brush roots and smoothing his Lost straightened. Patches of the winding trail Creek Road. All the while something was and deep earth scars were years afterward telling him that a new company was in to remind the tourist passing over the the process of organization, highway of the former road-bed. On September 25, 1865, George Mi!- As the difficult construction of the road lican, William Y. Miller, J. M. Dick, and went on the demand for financialas- James W. Gray, filed articles of incor- sistance became more and more urgent. poration for the McKenzie Valley and The helpers must be clothed and fed. In Deschutes Wagon Road Company. The those days the country was sparsely settled purpose of the corporation was to con- and the farmers had large families to struct "said road from Robert Millican's clothe and feed and their ranches must be Place by way of the valley of the Mc- cleared in order to keep the wolf from Kenzie and the most feasible Pass of the the door. Thus it was that the burden of Cascade mountains, north of the Three soliciting funds fell heavily upon Craig's Sisters to the crossing of the Deschutes shoulders. Again and again Eugene City, above the mouth of the Crooked River." Springfield, and vicinides 'cere solicited John Templeton Craig, as engineer and for provisions and the necessary funds to builder, then established himself at Rock carry on the work.3 House for the winter and traveled con- The bridging of the McKenzie River at tinuously up and down through the settle- Craig's Prairie, or Strawberry Prairie, as ments telling the farmers of the advan- it was sometimes called, was a vexing tages of his road across the mountains problem to John Tom, and the mainte- and how much easier it would be to travel nance of it afterward caused him grave than the Scott Trail. A road, he explained, concern. One day he began to build the could be built with their united efforts bridge by felling a large fir across the from which a substantial toll' might be river and clambered over it to the op- collected. posite bank and felled another tree to John Tom never carried bedding with serve as a second stringer for his bridge. him but fashioned his bed out of moss Unfortunately,itswerved totheside and fern and lay down wherever night striking the first one and breaking it into overtook him in the forest. On his first pieces. Then the swift waters carried both trip he built his bed on the north bank of trees down the stream leaving Craig on the McKenzie at the foot of a hollow the side of the river farthest from his cedar snag stripped ofits rough bark, supplies. weather-beaten and bleached by the sun, i The toll was collectedat Walterville for years and later transferred to The (McKenzie) Bridge in which was ever afterwards called "Craig's order that those citizens who had contributed both Bedroom."z This natural shelter was the money and labor might be exempt. In time the old cedar snag toppled over with the mere shell of a tree perhaps seven or winds, but Craig's bedroom still remained a monu- ment to his vision, until the floods of 1925 carried it eight feet in diameter at the swollen base down the river. above the sprawling surface roots. The 3 Robert Millican's diary in the summer of 1S67 records''iOO of flour and 14* of coffee sent by hollow center, extending upward ten or George Millican to the road builders." Nine days he searched for another tree companies should get control. After the suitable for a stringer, felled it across the reorganization of the Craig Company5 the stream and was able to reach the opposite road-building was carried on in a more bank. During this time he had lived on business-like way, donations were secured Miner's lettuce and sourdock and was with less difficulty by solicitors, and the almost exhausted. Nevertheless, he started progress was more rapid. trimming the limbs from one of the trees One day in August John Tom stopped he had felled, and his ax slipped from at Robert Millican's house. His faded his trembling hands into the surging blue overalls and jumperhis sole ap- waters. John Tom needed his ax. He did parelwere dirty and so worn that his not have the time to go after another; bare flesh showed through the holes, and neither did he have the money to buy his red-topped boots sagged in wrinkles. one. Accordingly, he set to work to re- From under his slouched black hat thin cover it, planning to fill a sack with rocks grizzledcurlsmatching hisstraggling and tie it across his back to make him beard, fringed his bald crown, and partly sink before the swift waters could carry hid his gentle but penetrating blue eyes. him down stream. He intended to grab He leaned over the picket fence talking his ax, slip off the bag, and rise to the to himself and looking hungry and tired. surface. The helpers who already re- He had been soliciting funds all day. garded John as an impractical visionary, "Hello, hello, John Tom!" called Rob- winked at each other and pointed to their ert heartily. foreheads. "Come in and stop for supper. Do!" John Latta protestd vigorously against he urged stepping out on the little cabin such a perilous unci[ertaking. "Listen to porch bright with Mary Abigail's flowers. me,' he pleaded. "TIiat will never work." "No, thank you, Mr. Millican, I want With difficulty he persuaded him not to to talk to you about the road, then I'll be try that way of recovering his ax. But getting along." John Tom always dclared that his plan But after many protests he was per- would have worked. suaded to enter the house and remain for After thefirstringers were finally an hour or so talking about the Road placed, the cedar puncheon floor was laid the need of funds and the advantages it and nailed down with cedar pegs fash- would bring to the settlers. "When John ioned during the long evenings around Tom talked Road to an intelligent and the campfire. The railing was then set up, sympathetic listener he waxed eloquent. and the bridge was pronounced safe for One forgot the ragged tramp and recog- travel June26, 1869.4 nized the Evangelist, bearing good tidings At the time of the completion of the to a new kingdom. road to Salt Springs, in the summer of'71 Afterward Robert's curious little daugh- and the promised opening of a road to ter asked, "How can Mr. Craig work so Foley Springs, a Military Road Company hard in the cold and rain to make a road began to survey along the river with the for us? II think he is beautifulnot purpose of securing government aid to his clothes, but him." finish Craig's road. The increasing num- "No other man on earth could with- ber of emigrants passing both east and stand the toil and exposure. I 'don't know, west in search of homes, the prospectors daughter, perhaps heis - beautiful - bound for the Idaho mines, and the large within." droves of cattle and sheep being herded After the repairing of the bridge and over the mountains to grazing lands to the reorganization of the company, John the east made the opening of a passable Tom the president, filed on a homestead6 road imperative. In view of the substan- and built himself a cabin under the fir tial tolls the road would bring in, Craig, 4Oregon State Journal June 26, 1869. 5 Oregon State Journal, January 14,1871. the stockholders of the company, and the 6 SW of SW¼, Sec. 13 and lots 67 & 68, Quarter contributors to the project decided to rush of Sec. *14, Twp. 16 So., Range4 East containing 136 acres and 64/100 Corn. Homesteadt1937, July the completion of the road before rival 10, 1872.

18 trees on the bank of the river to the south along the way. Next morning the high of it. The cracks between the logs were climb tothe summit began,the road chinked with sticks and mud and the one leading up Alder Springs Gulch. At the window without glass could be closed and Springs the road turned to the left straight pegged shut from within. The fireplace up Dead Horse Hill to the top and Frog before which he cooked his food was Spring in a little open prairie where the fashioned of boulders to the height of Sisters looked down upon them. four feet and the chimney was made of "Only three-fourths of a mile of lava sticks and clay. His box-shaped bed was to pulverize, Boys," said Craig with en- fastened to the wall and cushioned with thusiasm not shared by the workers. fragrant boughs and fern. His table was Then his mind revertedto Windy a large slab of red cedar with legs pegged Point and to the days when he and George into holes bored at the corners. Later he Millican had tramped over the difficult laid a puncheon floor of cedar over the trails in search of a better route until the packed earth. This was the first and the solesoftheir high-heeled boots were only home John Craig ever owned worn to shreds and they were obliged to One day,thesecond summer after retrace their steps and equip themselves Craig had built his cabin, he and his for another expedition. There was Shell helpers were piling tools and provisions Rock Grade from which loose rock came into the wagon which was to carry them shattering down after every hard freeze. to the eastern stretches of the lava fields. After those years of beating and sledg- "Wagons will be rolling over these here ing the lava (on the summit) with torn mountains this fall before the snow flies," and bleeding hands wrapped in discarded John Tom said as he carefully checked boot tops, the road bed was made passable the load to be sure that nothing needed and two emigrant wagons from Walla for the undertaking was left behind. Walla, Washington Terr. came over the He was proud of the bridge he had road to the Willamette Valley thelast built and proud of the little cabin home week in October. The emigrant from the which stood under tall firs on the beauti- east was no longer compelled to travel ful Strawberry Prairie. That morning as two hundred miles farther by the Barlow he rode through the level stretches his Pass as he was nearing the end of his eyes followed the smoke spiraling upward journey across the plains to reach the from the chimney black against the in- Willamette Valley which lay with ouE- tense blue of the sky and, pausing a stretched arms to welcome the weary moment, he lifted his slouched hat and traveler to a land of green hills and blos- whispered a fervent prayer of thanks- giving soming valleys. "The Lord answered me and set me in 7Oregon State Journal, November7, 1874. a large place Then he followed Scott Trail, winding ED NOTE:After the McKenzie Pass road throughtallcolumnsof Douglasfir was completed, John Templeton Craig, where at this season a rosy tide of rho- secured the contract to carry the mail to dodendron in full bloom flooded the val- Camp Polk, near the present town of ley and the hills, to its juncture with his SistersThat story JOHN CRAIG A own road. There Craig's party turned to PIONEER MAIL CARRIER, by Ruth E. the right to make camp at Alder Springs Richardson was publishedin VolIII, after doing some repair work on the road No. 2, HISTORIAN of Nov. 1958,

19 The Dr. T. W. Shelton home on the south side of Skinners Butte. He was pioneer druggist and physician in Eugene Cityorganizer of the Eugene Water Company in 1886. when the reservoir was built on the east end of the butte and water mains were laid along Willamette St.replacing the old watering troughs. The house was built in 1888 by L. N. Honey, contractor. It also became the home of the only daughter. Alberta Shelton and her familythe Robert McMurpheys. Picture shows the Universityof Oregon observatory atop Skinners Butte. Photo courtesy Mrs. Adah Mc- Murphey Brown. #67-H.

Non-Profit Lane County Pioneer-Historical Society Organization 740 West 13th Ave., Eugene, Oregon U. S. POSTAGE PAID Permit No. 96 Eugene. Oregon

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