Lane County Historian

The Wilhelmina, steam lumber schooner, made Florence a port of call.She was wrecked August 22, 1912, near the mouth of the Siuslaw River. (Mrs. Margie Y. Knowles collection)

LANE COUNTY PIONEER - HISTORICAL SOCIETY

Vol. Xl - No. 2 Eugene, Oregon Summer 1966

PRICE 50 CENTS PER COPY LANE COUNTY PIONEER- HISTORICAL SOCIETY

Alfred L. Lomax, Editor 740 West 13th Avenue, Eugene, Oregon97402 Dr. E. E. Gray, Membership Secretory 1937 Orchard St., Eugene, Oregon 97403

CONTENTS

SOME FACTS ABOUT MY GREAT-UNCLE, JONATHAN LIMERICK MOORE 19

JONATHAN L. MOORE DIARY 23

THIS WAS NEWS THEN 34

EARLY PORT DEVELOPMENT ON THE LOWER SIUSLAW RIVER 35

ILLUSTRATIONS

FRONT COVERTHE WILHELMINA STEAM LUMBER SCHOONER 17

JONATHAN LIMERICK MOORE 20

THE HUGH HOGAN, LUMBER SCHOONER 22

18 S0m]ac1i fl1,(rcat V/nc/c, 69onaihan c,,Limcric4 'l4'7loore anti Jami4

By Foy Hampton Robertson "Do they miss me at home? 1799 Armstrong Co. Pa. Arriv. It would be an assurance most Oreg. on or before Sept. 1853. M. dear Eleanor 9 Apr. 1822 Brown Co. To know that they miss me at Ohio. Had 2 sons Jonathan L. and homeetc." John W. and 2 dau. Sarah Ann and Mary Ellen in 1853. Aff. Milton L. The above words of a poem or Riggs, Jonathan L. Moore, Alexan- song came from the lips of a tired, der Patterson" homesick twenty-two year old herd John D o u g 1 a s Hampton, my driver crossing the plains from In- grandfather, who had come to Ore- diana to Oregon in 1852. He kept gon with his parents on the now a small diary while traveling the famous"Lost Wagon Trainof rough wearisome miles. Being the 1845," had filed on a D.L.C. in No- herd driver and responsible for the vember 1845 south of and adjoin- stock, he was mostly concerned ing the Moore claim, and he mar- about the three "W's" namely WA- ried Mary Ellen Moore in 1854. TER, WOOD (or other fuel) and Both claims are situated near Go- the WEATHER. The diary is brief shen. The claim filed on by William and terse, noting the country trav- Mooreliesabout one-halfmile ersed each day, conditions of the northwest of Goshen.It borders trail, distance traveled, etc. The lit- Interstate Highway 5 on its east tle diary, poorly written, with crude side, and 30th Avenue is its north- phonetic spelling is now in the pos- ern boundary. The land is now session of the University of Oregon owned by Mr. Wm. Gonyea, who Special Collections Library. It was recently gave 100 acres of it as a givento me by Mrs. Maud A. site for Lane Community College. Schroeder of Baker, Oregon, whose It seems most fitting that part of mother was the wife of Jonathan the old Moore land claim should Limerick Moore. have been donated for educational purposes, for the elder daughter, Jonathan came across the plains Sarah Ann, taught the first school a year before his parents, William in what is now Eugene. It was a and Eleanor Limerick Moore, a small one room log building with a brother, John Winter Moore, and puncheon floor, one window and two sisters, Sarah Ann and Mary one door on its east side. Near the Ellen Moore. He came ahead of doorway was a crude bench which them to look over the situation in held a water bucket and dipper. The the Willamette Valley and to spot little school house was situated on land for claims. He found land to the point of the hills just south of his liking, and the family followed 30th street and between Harris and him to Oregon in 1853. Kincaid streets.It was heated by The record of the D.L.C. (dona- a rock fireplace. tion land claim) #2616 reads as fol- Sarah Ann had her schooling in lows: "Wm. Moore, Lane Co. b. Ohio and Indiana, and when she 19 came to Oregon in 1853 she brought Hampton, was their third child. her own textbooks, and these were Her brother, John Winter Moore, passed among her pupils. Much of became a well-known cattle man. the teaching was by rote and the He died from tuberculosis at her "sing-song" method. home Sept. 24, 1887. He was 49 Among the pupils of this little years of age and had never mar- school were Joe Lucky, J. D. Mat- ried. He is buried in the Masonic lock, Celia Christian, who later Cemetery in Eugene, and his grave married F. B. Dunn, Nancy Cox is beside those of his father and Cluer, John S. Kincaid, and many mother. others who later became prominent My great-grandparents, William citizens.Sarah Ann taught this Moore and Eleanor Limerick, were school in 1853-54. She usually rode married in Ohio April 9, 1822. Wil- a pony and tethered it near the liam was born in Pennsylvania school, but in good weather she of- April 23, 1799, and his wife was ten walked the four miles gathering born in Limerick, Ireland, April 14, wild flowers and berries in season. 1799. She migrated to the United In 1959 a monument was erected on States at an early age with her the north end of the Masonic Cem- parents. The family left Ireland on etery to honor the little school and account of the political strife and the work of the young teacher. the "Potato Famine." My great Sarah Ann Moore married Jo- grandmother Moore never quite seph Garrison Gray in 1855. They lost her Irish brogue and inflections moved to his D.L.C. near Albany. in her manner of speech. Both died Later this home site was sold, and near Goshen at the home of their they moved to Maiheur County on daughter, Mary Ellen Hampton. Willow Creek. Life on this isolated William Moore died May 10, 1872, Eastern Oregon ranch was hard age 73 years, and Eleanor died May and laborious, but my great aunt, 20, 1876, age 77 years. Both are Sarah Ann, always found time and buried in the Masonic Cemetery and strength to be nurse or mid-wife markers are on their graves. to the scattered settlers. She passed Now a little history about the away January 20,1885, having author of the diary, Jonathan Lim- been stricken with pneumonia dur- erick Moore. He was born in Brown ing one of the coldest and hardest County, Ohio, October 3, 1830. He winters in thirty years. She was married Nancy Orilda Wilson near one of the army of gallant pioneer Harrisburg, Oregon, January 13, women of Oregon who by sheer 1859. He was drowned by what the force of character helped build the early timerscalled a"freshet" state. She was only 56 when she (high water) in Bear Creek east of died, and her life of toil, patience, Creswell and west of Cloverdale on sacrifice and courage should make February 25, 1862. He was at- us all very grateful and humble. tempting to ford some cattle over One of her five children is still liv- the swollen stream when his horse ing. She is Mrs. Zetta Gray Bowers floundered and threw him.The of Battle Ground, Wn. Mrs. Bowers Mrs. Wilson whose illness and bur- was 99 years of age on Nov. 5, 1965. ial he mentions on pages 6-7 of his Mary Ellen Moore married John diary was the mother of Orilda Douglas Hampton near Goshen Oct. whom he married. Orilda was 14 26, 1854, and eleven children were years of age at the time of her born to them. My father, Horace mother's death, and she took over 20 the dutiesofcooking, washing, m o d e r n mortuary there. Maud nursing and tending her younger Caidwell Schroeder gave me the brothers and sisters. Upon reach- diary of Jonathan Limerick Moore, ing Oregon in 1852, her father set- who was the first husband of her tled on a D.L.C. near Harrisburg mother. and became a prominent rancher of While visiting Maud in 1964, I that area.When Jonathan was discovered this interesting article: drowned, Orilda was left with two "Thirty-One Y e a r sin B a k e r small children. Susan Winter Moore County," written by Isaac Hiatt was born near Goshen October 25, and published by Abbott-Foster, 1859. She graduated from the Uni- 1893. On page 150, quote: "June 1, versity of Oregon in 1884 and 1870, taken from the Bedrock Dem- taught school for many years, first ocrat, the first newspaper published in Eastern Oregon and later for in Baker Countytherein it makes many years in the Portland schools. mention of S. A. Caldwell & Co. at She died in Portland in 1938, aged Gimletville taking out a gold nug- 79 years. She is buried in the Ma- get weight, 247 oz. 18 pnts., 8 grs. sonic cemetery in Eugene beside Value $3,966.64. And on the 29th of the grave of her father. The second May 1870 a snow storm fell all over child was Frank Limerick Moore, the valley." born near Goshen in 1861. He died in San Francisco February 8, 1905, where he had gone to seek medical help. For many years he was a prominent attorney of Baker, Ore- gon. He married Amanda Christ- man of Lakeview in 1890. Frank and wife are buried in Baker. After the tragic death of her husband, Orilda married a widower, Stanley Alexander Caldwell.Mr. Caidwell was born in New Hamp- shire in 1824. He caught the "gold fever" and came around the Horn with a party of thirty in 1849. He mined in the gold fields in Califor- nia until 1852. He came to Oregon and took up a D.L.C. in 1853. He married Mary Hampton, a sister of my grandfather, John D. Hampton. Mary died of tuberculosis in 1859. They had one son, William Cald- well, who became a well-known rancher and later hardware mer- No expensive metal coffin held the remains chant in Baker, Oregon. of Jonathan Limerick Moore; plain boards nailed together sufficed A hand-made com- Mr. S. A. CaIdwell and Mrs. Or- forter lined the crudely made casket, and at ilda Moore were married Sept. 17, the head a lace-trimmed pillow completed 1874, and a daughter was born to the interior furnishings. His Master Mason's this union. Maud lives in Baker, apron,symbolicofthetraditionsofthe order, was buried with him. (Formerly in the and for many years she and her collection of Pay Hampton Robertson, now husband owned and operated a in Special Collections, U of 0.) the 1890's(Mrs.MargieY.Knowlescollection) The HughHogan,typicalthree-mastedlumberschoonerwhich loadedintheSiuslawRiver

22 4 -9onct1han cL 7//1 &b Book, this Sept 16, 1855 river 4 PM Cold and windy Fords bad travailed 15 m reacht camp the grass is green the 6 P.M.April 6Laide by this day A rose is read my name on the acount of the wind and the Stands here when I Snow the snow fell 8 inces deep When I am dead corn worth 25 ctsHay worth 25 cts per pound JOURNAL OF TRAVAILS ON Aprile the 6Left camp 9 am the THE ROADE TO OREGON. g r o u n d froze hardroads hard (Probably from Vermilion Co. Md.) travailde 15 m.Aprile the 7th Left the Round Top of March the Left sedar creek at 8 Am com- 23thtray 14 milesreach camp 2 menced raining where raindtill PM M 24. Left camp & traveld 18 three roads bad Past therew Ber- milesreach camp 3 PM. March wick 11 Am. travaild 11 m Aprile the 25Left camp 7 Am. Reached the 8 Left the north fork of spoon Hr baner (Urbana) 1 Pm. reached river sedar creeke 9 Am.road camp 4 P.Travailed 18 m. beter snow sill to be seen in places M 25Left Ridge House 8 am travaild 18 m reacht camp at sone reached Middletown 10 A.M. Roads down badtravailed26miles reach Aprile the 9 camp 6 PM. miMarch 27th Left Left crooked creek 8 Am. roads camp half past 7 came threw Mount finereacht Woranton (Warren- Pleasant. reacht Alarmer (?) 1 1/, ton?) 12 AM travaild twelve miles Pm reacht camp 4 P.M. March the reacht the misspipi 3 P.m comenct 28th It camp 8.reacht plainfie 2 raining 4 Pm P.M. reacht camp 3 pm. March the April the 10. 29 Left cam 8 am travaild 17 m. Left Shotozoton(?)10 AM. reach camp 4roads bad nothing Corost the misspipiAll the wag- worthyof noate hapend corn ons the first bade except one ox worth from 25 to 30 March the 30 team which parishdSix m came Left Concord 8 A.M. reacht Kicka- to the west sidd of townreacht P00 2 P.M.Crost the bridge com- camp 3 PM enst raining rasing (?) Aprile 11th Left Burlington 81/2 sometravailed 18 mi March the AM. Travaild 8 mi reacht Middle- 31left the Hm house 8'/ Am the town 1 PM tray on the plank road roads very badreached Beacom 8 mi travailed 18 m reacht camp (Basin?)3 Pm. Could not cross 6 evning.Aprile 12thLeft camp the river corn 27 8 am travailed on the plank road Aprile the 1sthad to La by on 8 m.reacht Mount Pleasant 12 oc the account of the riverAprile 2 travaild 16 m reacht camp am-5 Crost the Illinois riverlost one Pm.Aprile the 12thLeft Elk- cowtrevaild 8 areacht camp 3 Horn town 8 am.reacht trinton P.M.April the 3rdLeft Kings- (Brighton?)9 m.Crost Skunk ton (?) half past 8 reacht Lankes- riverswam the los cattle acrost ter 11 AMcrost copperest(?) the rvier reacht camp 5 pm tray- creektravaild 20 m reacht camp aild 10 m 6 p.m.April 4th Left farmington Aprile the 15th (?) travailed 18 m reacht spoon Left camp 8 m reacht Brighton 23 10 am reacht James Wilson 3 P.m traveld 13 m reacht camp 6 eve- the roades being bad and grain be- ning ing scarce We took supper at the May the 5th fort Left place at 8 A roads good Aprile the 25th We started from rained hard in the morning traveld our quarters at abot 9 AM reached 20 m reached camp 5 PM. Richiand (?) 1 P.M.travaild 12 May the 6 mi northone of the tires off the Laid by on the account of the red wagon tireswe beld fire (?) cattle runing offraind hard in the and soon go tit on gane and went afternoon herde the cattle all night on our way reacht camp 7 PM. May the 7 Aprile the 27 left camp 7 m mor Left camp 9 a.m.road sliprey travild over some vere bad roads nothing of interrest hap we traveld the prare looked fine had no corn 17 m recht camp 5 pm. for the cattletravaild 12 m reacht May the 8 camp 4 pm Left the east fork of grand river Aprile the 28th Laid by on the 8 amroades fine reacht grand account of the horses run off found river 2 pm traveled 15 m reacht thebroken Paid 50 cts camp 5 pm Aprile the 29th Left camp 8 am May the 9 roade tolerable goodreacht free- Left Hickry Pointt 8 am roads mont 12 oclocktravailed 20 m fine reacht camp Mormons 12 o.c. reacht camp 5 pm travaild 20 m reacht camp 6 pm Aprile the 30th May 10th Left Camp 8 am. The roades fine Left camp noplace (Naples or reacht Oskelossa 12 oc. reacht camp Maples?) 8 am reacht east Pataway 5 traveled 14 m (Nodaway?) 12straveld 18 m May the 1stthis morning the catle reacht camp 31/) pm wearmostly gone (?)Left camp 11 AM reacht the river 12 oc May the 11 tride to swim the cattle but faild Left not away 8 a iduson (?) the had to fery themgot acrost the to day (?) crost the west Branch river 5 pm Left Belifountain and of not a way 3 pm traveled 20 m traveled 2 m and campt at 6 p.m. reacht camp 6 eavning. globe lanterterns 10 inch 8 for 6 May the 12th May the 2nd Left camp 7 am traveld over Left camp 8 am. Comensed rain- beautiful prarre reacht Borotomy ing early in the morning rained un- (?) 3 pm Crost over the streme til 10 am the afternoon fare and and came threw the Idian viledge warm Roades very crooked tray- all indians had left years ago and eld over some very fine country nobody therreacht camp 4 pm, reached camp 6 pm traveld 15 m travaild 18 mi May the 3 May 13 Left Spring branch 7 a.m Left camp 81/2roads very good reached mt Scott 11 AM traveld no corn for the cattle gras for the over some very fine Prare reacht plenty travald 20 m Point look out 3 P.Mcrost the May the 4 Monohalaway (?) & campttray- Left White Brush (Bush or Bresh?) aild 18 m reacht camp 4 pm 11 am one of the cattle wagons up m 14 set in coming in to the cree reacht Left Point Lookout 7 am reacht (Shaindon or Shringon?)3 pm silver creek 12 and past threw Pot- 24 ters campthis was a morman creek 4 p.m. and campttraveld camp crost over very fine stream 15 m traveld 4 m and campt treveled 18 Friday 28Laid by on the ac- miles count of Mr Shearer dieingput May the 14th him in the wago and hauld him 5 Left the campt at 8 am and miles and buried him after night reacht Hanesvlle 10 am campt one by the side of a very fine stream of mile west of town at 4 pm water but no wood grass good May 16th winds blew hard and thretend rain Lay by on the account of the get- Left the above named camping ting the wagons repaired ground at six in the eavning May the 17thLeft camp 8 am May 29 Left camp 7 in morning taravaled down to the ferry and traveled over some fine roads we crostcampt crost one of the worst mud holes May the 18th that i ever sawtraveld 18 miles Not cros the river yetthe wind and campt at 5 p.m rageth roughcomenst raring at Some of the company sick dark Poried all night Sunday the 30Left the camp 11 am. traveld one mile and reach the may 19th all on this side of the Loop fork of the Plat river and far- riverBroke one wagons wheel ied the wagons overswam the sent it over to at the shop.get cattle over traveld six miles campt cross the river yet May 19 not got on the river grass plenty and wood across the river yet scarce May 20Still on the east side of Monday 30Left camp 6½ am. the missouricrost over at noon traveld over some fine country the wagons crost the river in ferry timber scarcehawld some wood boat and commensd the journ and water out in the Praire and across the plainspast the big pon campt about three qurters of a (pond?) mile from the rivercamptthe 1 p.m.traveld over the fines sickness abating in the camp tray- peraire.reacht camp 8 in the av- eld 20 m and campt ning Monday May 23.Left camp Tuesday June the 1st Left camp 7 very warm roads fine grass 7 a.m. wether finepast a great plenty reacht camp 5 p.m. traveld many wagons.campt to wash & 28 m. rest this day we did not come close Monday 24Left camp 7 am to any timbertraveld 20 mi and wethor fine crUst papa creek 8 am campt at five in the eavning grass traveld 15 m reacht elk horn 12 o plenty but no wood. C C r o s t the riverthe river Wednesday the 2 drowned one cow Left camp 7 A.M. very warm Sunday 25 Left camp 8 am. corn- traveld tel 10 and campt on the ac- enst raining & rainedtil 3 very count of Mrs. Wilson being not able warm.reacht the plat river and to travel.Severl sickin camp traveld three m and campt came on at about 6 in the eavning Wednes 26Laid by this day on raind til twelve oc no wood had to the account of washing til the mid- go three mi to the ioop fork to get dle of the daysarted at 2 P.M. wood and water this day traveld 6 traveld til 5 and campt on a very miles fine grass Thursday 2Left camp Thursday 3 7 am clear and warm ernst bridge Left camp 7 A.M.traveld over 25 some sandy hillsthe wether cool E Smith he being not able to travel and clear,the sickness some still wood scare and grass not good trevailing Mrs Wilson sill growing Thursday 10 wors til 5 in the eavning when she Left the above named camping expired traveld 15 mile and campt ground at 8 A.M.weather still out in the Praire with out wood or cool and Clearcrost one or two water except some in a well small streams but they were all dry Friday 4th traveld 20 m and campt on the Flat Left cam at 8½Buried the at six in the eavning Corpse at 9 A.M.crost a muddy Friday 11 stream at 12 O.C.traveld 15 m Left camp 7 A.M. traveld ove some campt on Plat near the end of grand sandy plaines very warm no wood Island Crost Skunk creek 4 P.M.traveld Saturday 5th 3 miles of ferther and campt water we continued at camp on the ac- scarce used buffalowes chips trave count of John Smith sickness He 21 m was sick 4 day and was taken with Saturday 12 the colera and lived only 5 hours. Left camp 7 A.m racht the big We buried him on wood creek at 2 spring 10 AM traveld up plat river p.m.traveld 15 miles and campt all day no timber clear and warm wood plenty campt at 4½ P.M. threatning rain Sunday 6th Sunday 12 Lef Left camp at half past six traveld Left camp 6 morningreacht over some very fine Prarie grass some very fine springs of pure wat- plenty traveld 25 miles cmt 7 p.m tersaw some buffalo threw the no wood on this side of the island course of the four noone crost sev- here. er! small streamsreacht large Mondy 7 stream 3½ traveld over some very Left camp 61/2raind in the small sandy hills for sever! miles morning winds blew hard all day reacht camp 6 in the eavning high reacht reacht deep dry creek 10 winds all day PM. no w o o d e or water here Monday 14 the reached Elm creek 1 p reacht Buf- Left camp 7 a.m very warm and falo 2 P.m. traveld up this stream sweltrytravid over some very to the ford and campt at 4 p.m. high sandy bluffs.crossed sever! wood and water plenty and grass very fine streames of water grass traveld 18 miles very plenty in the botomes reacht Tuesday 8 camp Six eavning. Lef the above named creek at 12 Campt at three very fine springs Oclock we continued there on the of sulfer water account of washing saw some Buf- Tuesday 15 falo and Elk. no timber to be seen Left camp 7 A.M. travled over some water very bad we hawld wood very level countrycrost several from buffalowtraveld 15 m and small streams of pureterwent campt at 6 one mile north of Flat ahunting in the afternoon but killed river nothingrained in the morning Wednesday 10 clear and warmreacht camp 6 Left camp 7 AM traveld over p.m. some very fine country no timber Wednesday 6th on the road reacht willow creek Left campe 6 in the morning crosst 12 OC and campt on the account of to small streames and cameto sand 26 hills Crost them and came to small Saturday the 26 streamstook dinnerCrost some Left the above named Camping sandy hillscampt at 6 P.M ground 7 A.M.Clan and war no Thursday the 17 grass at noon.The roades very Left campat 7 A.M. reached castle stony traveld till 7 P.M. on the ac- creek 8 am very warm and dusty. count of the grass not very good Crost some very sandy roads grass Sonday the 27 good in places Crost one very fine Left camp 6 AM continued to stream traveld 17 m and campt at travel over the black hillstraveld three 5 miles and reacht the river some springs of good water grass good Friday the 18 in placesCrost small stream of Left camp 61/2 am rode bad for too water 4 pmtraveld Three miles miles some sand clear and warm. further onCampt near a large traveld 17 miles and campt at 6 spring to the Left of the roade P.M. Campt at 7 pm Saturday the 19left camp 7 Monday the 28 traveld all day over sandy plaines Left camp 7 AM.traveld con- and r i d g e scrost sevendry tined to trave on the Black hilles branchesc a m p t oppste to the no water for several milesroads court hous rocks not so rockey as they have been Sonday 20 We laid by all day to reacht the river 4 P.M.traveld rest the cattle over a range of hilles and campt at Monday the 21Left the above 7 P.M. named camp at 7 AM traveld over Tuesday the 29th some sand reacht chiminy rocks 12 Left camp 6 in the morning tray- O.C.traveld 20 m and campt at eld til noon over som very fine hilles ? in the afternoon till noonin the afternoon very Tuesday the 22nd Left camp 6 am high hillreacht the river 2 P.M. traveld over some beautifull bottom rained litle in the aftercampt at land. Cool and cloudy,grass good 7 P.M no Chips.traveld some 20 m Wednesday the 30 reacht camp. Left camp 6 in mon traveld over som very bad hills farther on an Wednesday 23th then struck the river and traveld Left camp 6½ am rained a little up river all day Lee lost two of his in the morning roads fine still con- hands while swimming his cattle tinued cool.reached some scater- over the river for gras. gras scarce ing bushes in the eavning Campt on this side of the riverreacht on the plat twenty miles below ft camp 7 P.M. Larame Campt at 61/2 P.M. June th Thursday the 24 Thursday June the 1st Left camp 6 A.M.traveld over Left camp 7 AM. some sandy roades some sandy roddesthe weather tuched the river in severl places being cool and comenest raining warm wether grass scarsecampt about one oclockrained heard til at 7 P.M. tou in the eying camp three miles Friday the 2 below ft Larime grass scarce. Left camp at 7 am traveld up Plat Friday the 25th all day the roads bad grass scarce remained campt all day one mile & reacht the lore fary 5 P.M. and below fort Larime campt 27 Saturday the 3 Friday the 7th remained in camp all day on the Left camp 7 A.M.traveld over account of the washing some very ruff roadecrost two Mondy the 4 small streames past a great num- Left camp at half past seventol- ber of ded cattlecrost sweete wate erable cool wind very high reacht three times in two m reacht camp the middle fary traveld over some 7 pm. grass good but dangerous on very hilly roadesgrass scarce. the account of a alkali campt at 6 P.M. Saturday the 10th Monday the 5 Left camp 7 OC.traveld six Left camp 6 am past some very miles to the the 5th crossing of bad s p r i n g of poines (poison?) sweete watertraveld over some water reacht willow springs 5 p.m. very level country some sand no traveld three miles f a r t h e r to waterfor camping grass scarce stream of pure water grass poore reacht camp 7 P.M. no wood the road very ruff reacht Sonday the 11th camp 7 P.M. Left camp 10 C.traveld 5 miles Tuesday the 6th came to sweete water traveld up Left camp 6½ crost fish run and the river sever! miles and crost it some more spring branches in the three timesLeft the river and fore noonthe roade hear sanday traveld over some of stonyest hil!es turened off to left of the roade arid that we have hat since we left the went a bout three more and found statesreached a good spring and good grass on sweet water reacht tolerable good grass. snow coverd camp 7 P.M. mountaines has bin in sight for the Wednesday the 7th last two daysreacht camp 7½ in Left camp at 12 Oclockpast the the eveng Sairattus Lake at 2 P.M. past the Mon the 12th Independence Rock at 3 P.M.this Left camp 7 in the morning tray- is large rock as heard as flintcrost eld till 12reacht one branch of sweet water 42 mile above the rock sweete water grass good by driv- the Roade the roade was good but ing three miles of to the left of the closed in on each side by high hilles roade a very good smith shope here the grass is not very goodwe had a fine snow (traveling?) campt one mile below devels gate Tuesday the 13th this is a strange gape between to Left camp 7 A.Mtraveld over bluffsthe gap has the appearance some very heard roades crost sev- of having bin arched over once but en small streames reacht the last by some eruption has ben throwen crossing of sweete water 12 Oclock asunderthe river forces its way went threu the pas in the eavning threw the rocks the rocks ar two campt at the Pacific springs, drove hundred feete high the catele three miles to the right Thursday the 8 of the road grass good campt at 7 Left camp 7 A.M past the devels in the evaning gat e8 AM. the roade has kept up Wednesday the 14th the river all day found some very Left camp 7 in the morning traveld fi negras at noon past a very fine over some very level country trveld salatras spring saw a greate num- very late in the eavningreacht ber ded cattlereacht camp at 7 little sandy had no grass for the P.M cattletraveld 20 miles 28 Friday the 15th springthere is some very fine Left camp 6 in the morning tray- treese growing there 1 and 2 miles eld 6 milesreacht big sandy 11 farther to the mountains spring A.M. campt drove the cattle three we there on yoked the ox and let miles to the side of the mountain them drink we traveld 6 miles far- a greate many campt thire on the ther to a beautifull streem and account of resting their teams be- campt fore crossing the desert 2 men sick Thursday the 23 in camp music plenty (?). Left camp 7 in we roade past this Friday the 16th day over some very rugged hills Left camp 2 P.M.traveld till 2 in found some very fine s p r 1 n g s the morning then laid down till four reacht Harris (?) fork of green in the morning the night very dark river 12 OC. where we took dinner at four all got up and started we we then traveld over one of the then traveld till day light we then highest peakes of the green river gathered some sage and boiled the mountains we crost this mountain camp kettle made tea campt near the sumat at a very Satureday the 17th fine spring grass we then traveld over some very bad Friday the 24th Left camp 7 in hillesno grass nothing to be sen the morning we traveld over some but sage breshtraveld over hill very ruff rodesthe worst roade and dale to green river which we that that we have had since we reacht at 4 P.M.after an absence reacht the mountainsour cattle from water or grass for the space getting very lame we reache bare of 42 milescattle very tired and river valley creek at 6 in the eav- some of them lamethecattle fling swam the river to an aisland for Saturday the 25Left camp 7 grasscampt on the bluffs near A.M.traveld over some very fine where We reacht the river country up the bottomdrove off Sonday the 18th the rode one mile and campt for the w leeft camp at 8 AM drove down dry grassfine wood plenty to the river and fared the wagons Sonday the 26thLeft camp 7 over swam the cattle and horses AM drove over some very level we all got over safe without loss or roades reacht the north fork of injury we then drove up the river bear river 12 OC we here campt one mile and a half and campt on for the rest of the daywe here good grass reacht camp at 2 PM. took the wagons covers and tied Monday the 19th them together to hold (?) about remained in camp all day for the 200 lbs. of fish lette the cattle rest and recruite (?) Monday the 26thLeft camp 7 Tuesday the 20thLeft camp at in the morning we traveld down 8 in the morning traveld over some the riversevrl m then took the very high bluffsreacht a fery- hilles came to one very fine spring fine stream of clear water we tray- 8 A two miles farthe crost a small eld up this stream sevenmiles streamthence over worst hilles reacht a very good camp no wood that we ever saw reacht the river except willowgrass goodreacht 1 P.M.traveld up over level bot- camp 5 P.M. tom drove off to the river about 3 Wednesday the 22 milesreacht camp 71/2 Left camp 7 in the morning tray- Tuesday the 27thleft camp 7 eld till three and reached the fir AM traveld 3 milesreacht the 29 road the roads good but very dusty hard in the after part of the day crost seven small streams and past reacht Ft Hall 3 PM.this fort is sevenfine springsdrove off the not occupied by any soldier and roade three miles and campt off never wasit was but by the hud- the roade at Foxes springgrass son bay company traveld 2 miles and water plenty farther and campt on a branch of Wednesday the 28th the Snake river Left camp 7 am traveid three miles Monday the 2 over very dry roades to the roade Left camp 12 OC traveid 2 miles the mountains high on our rite crost one small stream one mile c o v e r d with ever lasting snow farther branch of the snake river reacht the sody mountains 1 PM there is a fary here but we forded this is one of the wonderfule struc- by raising the wagons bed 6 inches tures of nature the water boiles up turned over one wagon on on the just like a reale boiler then rained river camp about one mile there this day we campt here for Tuesday the 3Left camp 8 in the day grass bad drove the cat- the morning very warm and dusty tie up Shugar (?) river 1½ m. one ox missing of the Wilsons teams Thursday 29th one cow belonging to (?) Left camp 7 amcrost shugar traveld till thre in the afternoon river and reached a very singular campt on the bluff of the Snake spring called the steam boate spring river the water spouts up just like the Cross the river again puffing of a steam boatesix miles Do they miss me at home from this place to the junksing of Wednesday the 4thLeft camp 8 the roadethe left hand to Calia- in the morning dust very bad one fornea the wright hand to oragon calf diedtraveld along the river reached a very fine spring 12 OC all day past the fishers (?) falls drove ten miles further and campt reacht camp 7 p.m.rained in the for the night on a very fine stream afternoon and some in the night Friday the 30th Thursday the 5th Left camp 7drove over some Left camp 7 in the morningthe very fine roads in the fore part of wether cear and warm crost two the day crost some small streams small streames of water the roades past a trading postrained very good came to raft river 3 pm hard in the valley but little on the grass scarce bottomtraveled over the bear Friday the 6 Left camp at 8 a.m. river mountainsreacht a very traveld over very stoney roads all large spring 6 in the eavning campt day no water on this days travel for the night we travled 16 miles and camp on Satureday the 31 flag creek grass not very good Left camp 6 in the morningpast Saturday the 7thLeft camp 7 a very fine s p r i n gcrost one AN.traveld over good roades all branches the road very ruff in the day the weather warm crost one fore part of the day and very small stream and past one spring smooth in the afternoonreache t u c h e d the river in one place camp 5 P.M. reached a very good cam on a small August the 1st stream Left camp 6 in the morningtray- Sonday the 8th eld over some very h e a v y sand Left camp 7 A.M.traveld over crost seven small streamsrained good roadsreached the river 10 30 AM campt for the balance of the gear of one terning the boats over. day grass scarse traveld 10 miles Sonday the 16 Monday the 9th Continued to crossall got over by left camp 5 in the morning traveld 12 O.C.safe without damage ex- over the rufist rodes that we have cept the wagon. grass fine on this had any place travel till 9 OC and side reacht some very good grass turned out here for to let the cattle grase Monday the 17th traveld 10 miles farther and reache Left camp 4 a.m. and traveld 7 dry branchdust very bad one of miles over bad roadesrocky & the horses ran offI come on and sandy reached a very fine spring found her water scarce good grass creek grass and water plenty Tuesday the 10th Tuesday the 18th Left camp 7travel over level Left camp 7 in the morning had prairewether very warmdust a very bad hill to risethe wagon very deepedrove off the road came on cupeldthis caused some three miles and campt for the day trouble but soone got donedrove grass and water plentyreacht 5 miles to a very fine stream ow camp 1 pm water where we took in some water Wednesday the 11th drove on 13 miles and came to a Left camp 8 in the morning tray- creekthe water not very good eld 15 miles with out water came grass plentyreacht camp at sun to the river but heard that there set was grass and water in three miles Wednesday the 18 we neglected to water and was Left camp 7 A.M. drove 3 miles forsed to drive 12 miles farther crost two small streames of water without water some of the cattle drove 12 miles without water and came near giving outreached very bad roades reacht camp 6 pm camp 10 Oclock in the night drove Thursday l9st the cattle down one of the worst Left camp at 7 OC crost 2 Small hilles we here remained all the branches and found a spring of rest to let the cattle rest. good waterpast Seven graves 13 very warm reacht a fine Spring and good grass Friday the 14th and campt at 7 OC PM Left camp 8 in the morning tray- Fridan the 20th eld 3 miles came to the river agane Left camp 7 OCtravel 4 miles then traveld on till we came to sam- crost a dry branch and reached a mon fall creeke reached this place very dificult hill to ascendit being 1 P.M. eat dinner here drove down about 2½ miles highthe roade to the mouth and campt grass not from the hill to the old roade is very good very stoney and ruff we crost one Saturday the 15 very fine ravine with a little water Left 8 in the morningtraveld 6 in itreacht the old roade 5 in the miles over ruff roades to salmon eavning grass good water scaress falles creek, we here campt and and very filthy made preperationstocross the Saturday the 21 river,swam the catte over,the Left camp 7traveld 4 miles and river here is about 6 hundred feet came to a very fine Spring of good wide steched a roape across and water we here took in some wat- faried in wagon bedsgot over 4 ter and drove 8 miles to another wagons this day.lost the running stream water scarsegrass good 31 drove 8 miles to another good camp river till 9 when we reached the grass water plenty. fordit being very shallowwe Sonday the 22rd wear not delayed in crosingdust remained on barell creek all day. very on this side of the river sage Monday the 23th in abundence Saw a great many Left the above nam camping 7 saulmon in the water am past the hot springs 8 am this campt on byon of the river grass is one of the many wonders of na- very fine turethe water is so hot that you Monday the 30th can not bear your hand in it6 Left camp 7 A.M. traveld 8 miles miles from this place is a stream of reacht ft Boisedust very deepe fine water good camp here. the fary kept by emigrantssaw 12 miles farther we reacht a fine seven ded Indians here and one stream of water we here campt burying (?)drove the cattle on for the night good camp the river ½ mile and good grass Tuesday the 24th Tuesday the 31 Crost over river Left camp 6 OC the rodde ran fanied in wagons bedes charge 3$ over very beatufulllost one ox per w a g o n sall got over safe todaydust very badtraveld 18 forded the cattle over below the miles and campt on a very fine by fort drove out 10 miles and campt the name of White horse creek at good grass but no water 7 PM Wednesday the 1st Left camp 6 Wednesday 25th AM and drove 5 miles to a small Left camp at 6 OC drove 5 miles rivergrass not very good there came to a good spring 11 miles to drove 5 miles good grass no water the Willow springsthe water is 10 miles farther we came to a small not very good here ong to the scar- spring to the lefte of the roade seatyreachd camp 4 P.M. water scarse grass not very good Thursday the 26th Thursday the 2nd Left camp 8 Left camp 7 A.M.fine roades am traveld 10 m over hill and dale wether warmdust not so deepe to water in but small stream tray- as it has been we came in sight of eld down a short distance drove 6 Boisee river 9 oclockthis river is miles farther to snake river reacht lined with beautiful balm treese camp 4 pm we reacht th river 1 P.M.grass Friday the 3rd finewater very clear Left camp & roades very ruff Friday the 27th reacht the burnt river 9 am we Left camp 9 oclocksome of the have to travel up this river 50 miles horses & mule gon and some of the road is very crooked we crost the cattle. gon we found all and once to daygrass not very good sarteddust very bad wind high campt and drove the cattle across traveld till 2 Oclock and campt for the river the rest of the day on the river Saturday the 4thLeft camp 8 grass good am left the river for 7 miles roades Saturday the 28thLeft camp 7 wound over very ruffr o a d e s A.M.traveled down the river all reached the river 10 oclocktray- day. very pleasant wetherdrove eld up the 1 mile and campt for the off the roade 1 milegrass good balance of the day reacht camp 11 reached camp 4 pm. AM Dr McCurdy Left the train Sonday the 29th Left camp 6½ from the fact that we did not travel CO continued to travel down the fast enough for him 32 Monday the 5th Friday the 10thLeft camp 7 Left camp 8our cattle last night am traveld 5 miles over very ruff look a stampee and went offwe roadesreacht roung (ronde?) 10 followed them 7 miles and come up am this is a beautifull bottom be- with themfound them about 12 teen the bleu mountains and Pow- OC at night we collected and then der riverdrove to the foot of the laid down till morninggot them mountain and campt for the rest back to camp about 6 am the grass of the day nearly all burnt off Crost the river the indians here have large herds of 8 times in 3 mileswe here left cattle and horses they allraise the river and took up the creek had some vegetablespotatoes sell at to drive over some very good roades 20 cts per lb we hre fund beefe at reached the river agane grass good 20 cts per - wate traveld 2 miles Satureday the 12 Monday the 6th this day we traveld 12 miles leav- Left camp 7 AM followed up burnt ing the round we had to ascend one river to the headCrost it sevel very high mountain we then tray- times drove over the ridge 4 miles eld over some tolerable roades for to dry branchfollowed up this 12 miles we here came to the river branch 1 mile to water campt here we had a descend a vry difficult hill for the nightdrove the cattle up the river is very shallow we wat- the side of the mountain grass not ered our teames and drove up the very good cattle very tired and hill 2 miles to a spring off to the weeke right of the roadegrass good on Tuesday the 7ththis day we the left of the roadereacht this traveld 15 miles to powder slough place a 5 oc water plenty for the cattle and grass but not very good this day Sonday the 12th we came in sight of some very good this day we traveld 20 miles over timbervery cold this e a v n i n g some very ruff roades and no water wing blowing from the west our cattle came very near giving Wednesday the 8th outwe was forest to leave one This day we traveld 12 milescrost yoke of oxenwoods very thick one small slough in 10 miles we roade very difficult to get along came to Powder River this is about with teames ther is some water 10 30 foot wide and 1 foot deepe we miles from the river on the left of drove down this stream 2 miles and the roade down very steep hill camptsome of the cattle very we campt at Loese encampment weakthe grass good and willow (Louis?) plenty Monday the 13th Thursday the 9th this day we drove too miles to a Left camp 6 in the morning spring on the left of the roade crost powder riverhalf past6 grass good and water plenty. drove one mile farther crost one Tuesday the 14remained in other small streamroddes fine camp all day to Lette our cattle came to a fine spring 10 miles from rest. the creeke drove over the dividing Wednesday the 15th this day we ridge between the too rivers pow- crost the mountains and came to der and grand round riversreacht the Umatillathere is vast heards camp at very fine spring fir and of Indian ponysthe Indians here pine plenty grass good Johns sick are very intelligent and talk very 33 Good English, grass very scarce than ear he sang before ouing to the numbers of horses and the hours have lost their that are on this river sunnye hues they once so swetely Thursday the 16th This day we wore traveld down the river for seven So through the chambers of my miles then left the river for 4 miles heart, the grass very scarcereacht the echoes a moarnful tone while every river and crostitvery shallow pts (pulsed)? campt on the left bank afection beat re echoes Ime alone Friday the 17th Do they miss me at home this day we traveld 12 miles for the Do they miss me at home do they most part of the day we traveld up miss me hillthe cattle very weak re Twould be an assurance most dear Do they miss me at home to knew that m o m e n t someone It would be an assurance most dear loved To know that they miss me at home Were thinking of me as I roam though art gon Oh yes twould be Joy beyond com- and oh how shal I bear pare thy long protracted stay to know that they miss me at home for sad and lonely is my heart do they since thou has gon a way Do they miss miss me the bird sings now a sader song Do they miss me at home

.5io 'UJajflcwi TJhen Times are lively here (Florence). Three salting works are in full blast salting salmon. The steamer Arcata is expected in with supplies for Mr. Thompson's salting works at Florence and will take out 200 barrels of fish for Woodmansee & Co. (Oregonian, Oct. 17, 1882) Schooner Danielson brought in rail iron for the Siuslaw & Eastern. (The West, May 5, 1893) Scowboats of rock are being towed down the river. (The West, June 16, 1893) The Robarts goes to Astoria for supplies for Kyle's store. (The West, July 14, 1893)

34 ear4 Port 2'euetopmentontIie cLower .Sju Jaw River Alfred L. Lomox While the Willamette Valley was a connection with the southern por- undergoing relatively rapid settle- tion of the Willamette V a 11 e y, ment during the 1840s and 1850s, thereby connecting this valley with Oregon's coastal margin, isolated the mouth of the Umpqua for pur- by the Coast Mountains, lay insen- poses of trade and commerce." He sitive to this pressure. The Umpqua also advocated the construction of watershed was much better known a road from the interior to tide- than the Siuslaw. Even the Hud- water down the Siuslaw, and a sys- son's Bay Company's exploring par- tem of dams and locks on the river. ties, which ranged widely, bypassed As Scholfield was recording the the area in favor of the Umpqua. physical f e a t u r e s and potential Except for Dr. Elijah White's ex- wealth of the little-known valley, pedition to the Siuslaw mouth in Eugene Skinner was plotting the 1840, no overland contacts were namesake townsite of the county made during this period. seat of Lane County. Western portions of Lane and While the Siuslaw languished in Douglas counties, respectively, be- isolation, the Umpqua was engaged came better known after Lieuten- in lively trade between Scottsburg, ant William P. McArthur's survey Gardiner near the mouth, and San of the Oregon coast in 1850, and Francisco. Gardiner had a collec- Nathan Scholfield's explorations of tor of customs in 1851. both the Umpqua and Siuslaw val- Florence, the future port and leys. Strangely enough, McArthur's principal commercial center of the map showed no river between the Siuslaw valley was not yet in exist- Umpqua and the Alsea. ence; the exact date of its founding Scholfield was a Connecticut en- is not known. David Morse (Uncle gineer who had been hired by an Davy), an old Hudson's Bay Com- eastern corporation to explore the pany trapper who had come to the mineral potentialities of southwest- Siuslaw in 1876 from California, ern Oregon. In 1850 he established was said to be the first settler in headquarters at Umpqua City at the area. He filed the first home- the mouth of the river.In June stead claim and platted two addi- 1853 the party made a reconnais- tions to the town. After the Siletz sance of the Siuslaw Valley to head and Siuslaw Indian Reservations of tidewater, or about to the pres- were thrown open to public settle- ent site of Mapleton. ment, a township plat was recorded The engineer was interested in in the General Land Office, July 12, "whether the course of the Siuslaw 1879. was such as to admit of a practical The origin of the town's name is communication between that and historically obscure. One s t o r y Smith's River, a tributary of the which is credible relates to a ship's Umpqua, by a short passage, or by nameboard found on the beach the interlocking of the tributaries either by members of the Duncan of each of these streams; and also family who were collecting scrap testing the practicality of forming wood to augment their meager lum-

Original journal of Nathan Scholfield in the Oregon State Library, Salem, Oregon 35 ber supply, or by beachcombing In- steamer to enter the Siuslaw River dians. The 8-10-foot board with the on July 6, 1877. The little steamer name "Florence" on it stood by the called at all the coast ports between A. J. Moody store for several years, the Columbia River and the Rogue then when the Safley Hotel was River, Washington small ports, and built, the board was nailed over the Victoria and Nanaimo, British Co- entrance and remained there until lumbia. She was wrecked on a Cal- the old building burned on Novem- ifornia promontory September 9, ber 19, 1934.2 1885. Several vessels which operated Other contemporary vessels were along the Pacific Coast during the the Cussie Teif air, Whitelaw, Cor- 1870s bore the name "Florence," delia, Mischief, Favorite, Arcata, one, an American bark owned by Mary D. Hume, Robarts, Mary Halt. Isadore Burns & Company of San The Gussie Telfair steamer of 100 Francisco, foundered November 18, tons burden was built on the River 1875, in a gale off the mouth of the Clyde, Scotland, 1863 as a blockade Umpqua River. The crew and 300,- runner for the southern Confed- 000 feet of lumber loaded at Port eracy. After her capture she was Discovery, Washington Territory, sold and sent to the Pacific Coast were lost; one survivor came ashore for the Puget Sound, Columbia near Cape Perpetua. Others say River and British Columbia trade. the nameboard came from a French In 1874 she was operated by the vessel the Florence, wrecked off the Oregon Steamship Company in the Oregon coast in 1873. Another ver- coast trade until 1878 when she was sion gives the credit to A. B. Flor- refitted presumably for the Coos ence, state s e n a t o r from Lane Bay coal business. Two years later County in 1858-60. she was wrecked near the entrance In 1876, A. J. Moody and Dun- to Coos Bay.Dimensions were can & Company had stores, but to length 160 feet, beam 22 feet, depth whom they sold their merchandise of hold 10 feet. is not revealed. Duncan operated a The Mary D. Hume, the second c a n n e r y and sawmill near the vessel to enter the Siuslaw, was a mouth of the river, but by the time 98-foot steam-powered craft built the first settlers arrived they had at Ellensburg (Gold Beach), Ore- closed downsand from the huge gon, and was on the regular coast dunes to the west blew into the ma- run to San Francisco. chinery. Duncan bought fish from The Mischief was a steam the Indians and sold the canned schooner built at One atta, Oregon, product to San Francisco mer- in 1886, a small craft of 65 tons chants.The abundance of wild gross, 80 feet long, 18 feet beam, huckleberries and the native salal and 7 feet depth. J. J. Winant of provided a temporary fruit-canning Newport, Oregon, was her owner. operation. The Robarts was a tug whose Shipping began when the 300-ton principal business was to tow the twin-screw s t e a m e r Alexander lumber schooners in and out of the Duncan owned by R. D. Hume of river. San Francisco came to load a cargo Several of the latter were two- of salmon and became the first masted and called regularly for 2 Acknowledgment is made to the "Sinslaw Pioneer" for portions of the early history; Alfred L. Lomax, Commerce and Transportation in the Siuslaw and Willamette Val- leys, 1850-91, "Oregon Historical Quarterly," XXXVI, 3 (September 1935), 217-46. 36 their 80,000-200,000 feet of lumber. accessibilityof the Siuslaw en- When the weather was bad these trance, conditions were not stable vessels became bar-bound waiting enough for the development of per- to cross. manent shipping for large vessels. Shipbuilding was sporadic. The The first thorough survey of the first attempt resulted in launching Siuslaw River was by the War De- the two-masted schooner Acme on partment under the Rivers and September 15, 1887, at Acme to Harbors Act of June 14, 1880. In carry lumber for the Saubert mill. November of that year James S. On November 14, 1898, the steamer Polhemus, an engineer in the dis- Luella was launched at Florence, trict engineer's office, reported the and finished outfitting at San Fran- Siuslaw was navigable from the en- cisco. She carried 52,000 cases of trance to head of tidewater about salmon, 70 barrels of salt salmon, 20 miles, or approximately to Ma- 1,350 boxes of apples, several bales pletori, and included a map to sub- of rawhides and general cargo. In stantiate his findings. Shipmasters 1897 a large schooner, the Bella, reported a bar depth of 9 feet and was built to carry 300,000 feet of 20 feet inside. lumber, the fifth craft to be built P o I h e m u s recommended the on the river. placement of buoys and that a thor- The cannery business was a nat- ough survey of both bar and har- ural one for the coast communities. bor be made. With channel im- As the anadromous salmonre- provements insurance rates would turned to their home streams to be reduced which would help in at- spawn, old-timers of the Siuslaw tracting shipping. Imperative also Valley relate without the flash of was the need for better communi- an eyelid that one could literally cation with the Willamette Valley. walk across the river on the backs Survey work on the bar was sus- of the swarming fish. 0. W. Hurd pended December 1883. built a salmon cannery at Acme Isolation continued. F 1 o r e n c e (Cushman), and William Kyle, in was a name only until the middle addition to his store at Florence 1880s when several families moved had a cannery which turned out into the lower Siuslaw to settle at 350 cases a day, all of which was S e a t o n(Mapleton) and Acme shipped to San Francisco. (Cushman). As late as 1884 there With population and industry ex- were no houses built by white men panding in the lower river, relief at Florence, only Indian shacks. was demanded by bar-bound ves- The most direct route for trav- sels for control of a shifting river elers was indirect. One could take c h a n n e 1.Peculiarly, the river the Oregon & California Railroad m o u t h was not stationary but to Drain (the southern terminus drifted north and south in a regu- was Roseburg in 1881), walk or lar cycle about every seven years, drive to Scottsburg, then board a a condition which caused consider- steamboat for Gardiner 9 miles able annoyance to both mariners from the mouth of the Umpqua. and engineers. The river mouth, From there an open, horsedrawn flanked by low, sandy beaches nev- stage exposed the passengers to the ertheless entered the ocean at right too-frequent rain squalls as it fol- angles. lowed the sandy beach to the mouth Although some captains reported of the Siuslaw; or one could walk 18 feet of bar depth and praised the the 20 miles. Here, on the south 37 shore of the river, the weary trav- Only when there was fair weather eler boarded a skiff and, rowed could the larger vessels cross the either by a friend or an Indian, ar- bar. rived to enjoy the warmth of the Morris (later the Florence Hotel) When a r e p o r t recommended or the Safley boardinghouse. Such that the bar channel be perma- vicissitudes served to urge the con- nently deepened, residents of the struction of a road over the moun- area proposed jetty construction tains and improvement of the river. and inside channel improvement to During the summer of 1883, the accommodate 12-foot draft vessels. United States Coast and Geodetic These would carry lumber cargoes Survey made a study of the Siuslaw cut from the vast forests of fir, River under a $10,000 congres- hemlock and spruce which blan- sional authorization. A beacon was keted the westward-facing Siuslaw erected at the mouth, but the con- watershed. A railroad over the stant shifting of the channel re- mountains and downgrade to Flor- duced its reliability as a bar guide. ence might help. Perhaps the nar- Work was suspended until May row-gauge, whose terminus was at 1887. Coburg, could be induced to extend its rails westward. Tonnage from While the government surveys forest and farms along the right- were being made, Eugene had be- of-way would provide revenue; and come a thriving commercial center didn't railroads hanker after a salt- for the upper Willamette Valley. water terminus? Not until 1915 Ben Holladay's railroad had en- did the Siuslaw Valley hear the tered the town with much fanfare rattle of freight cars when the in October 1871, and there was a Southern Pacific bridged the river growing awareness for contact with at Cushman on the way to Coos salt water.During 1885 Eugene Bay. But Florence was cold-shoul- Hovey and other citizens were in deredties and rails were never persistent correspondence with the laid in the intervening three miles Oregon congressional representa- to the town's sawmills. tives, namely, Binger Hermann and M. C. George, urging them to pro- An $80,000 congressional appro- mote the improvement of the state's priation was obtained by Senator coast streams. The need for light- John H. Mitchell and Congressman houses and lifesaving stations was Binger Hermann in February 1889 self-evident. Their promotional per- for the construction of Heceta Head severance brought approval under lighthouse. They also promised to the Rivers and Harbors Act of 1886 work for a lifesaving station and of a survey of the Siuslaw River. the more regular movement of mail Whereas Coos Bay, the Yaquina, between Eugene and Florence. and the Umpqua were recipients of On May 31, 1890 Hermann an- harbor improvements and could ac- nounced that an appropriation of commodate coasting vessels, the $50,000 was available for jetty con- Siuslaw was shut off from all ship- struction, but almost a year elapsed ping except the smaller craft. Fur- before the project was activated. thermore, marine underwriters re- Then came a negative report in fused to cover risks where the Sius- July, 1891, from the project engi- law was concerned on account of neer, Captain Thomas W. Symonds, deficient navigation aids and the stating that theriver was not unimproved condition of the river. worthy of improvement, which so 38 incensed the people of Eugene and port. These carried 280,000 feet of Florence that they hanged the cap- lumber, 15,000 cases of canned sal- tain in effigy. mon, 175 barrels of salt salmon, The distasteful report had also 30,775 pounds of butter. A ship- revised the cost of starting the ment of apples to San Francisco work from $50,000 to $51,850 and spoiled when the ship became bar from $300,000 to $700,000 to com- bound, which indicates that while plete the jetty. The Eugene Board there was some improvement, much of Trade held protest meetings and remained to be done to make the sent their resolutions to Senator port more attractive. Mitchell. Personnel of this commit- At the turn of the century Flor- tee was E. C. Smith, chairman; ence had a population of approxi- P Ii n y Snodgrass, secretary; and mately 300. Its commercial district Messrs. Sam Friendly, Yoran and comprised 3 general stores, 2 Holf. butcher shops, 2 saloons, 2 saw- In August of the above year, mills, 2 hotels, 1 newspaper. Two Congressman Hermann inspected churches provided proper spiritual both bar and channel, and appar- needs. ently discussed the situation with Three miles up the river was Captain Symonds, who revised his Acme (Cushman) which supported cost figures for quarrying the stone 2 general stores, a butcher shop, when Mr. Kyle, o w n e r of the hotel, salmon cannery, 2 creamer- quarry, offered to furnish right-of- ies, but the creamery business lan- way for hauling the gigantic stones (presumably to the river). From guished for want of transportation here, barges were used for trans- and a market. Considerable criti- porting them to the jetty site. cism was directed toward Portland Good faith was restored when by the valley communities for not work was ordered recommenced, cultivating Siuslaw business. which so thrilled George Melvin Mapleton, at the head of tide- Miller, a lifelong S i u s 1 a w area water, had three or four houses, a booster, that he mounted his horse store, hotel, feed stable, and a gov- and rode post-haste ahead of the ernment fish hatchery. A small mail to announce the good news. steamboat made the daily round Miller's arrival turned resentment trip to Acme and Florence. into joyful celebration, while the After the mail route to Eugene stuffed image swung limply in the was opened in 1885, a daily stage brisk breeze which blew across the made the arduous trip over the sand dunes on the west. mountains with stops at Meadows, Preliminary surveys consumed Walton, Hale, Elmira, Deadwood, several months, but actual work on Greenleaf, and Blachly. the north jetty was begun in 1893. Later history of the S i u s 1 a w That year Florence was incorpo- country revolves around its contin- rated. In 1909 formation of the uous attempts to break its isolation. Port of Siuslaw was authorized by By 1918 both jetties were com- the state legislature. pleted w h i c h gave a controlled During 1902, 85 sailing vessels depth of 13 feet at mean lower low and 23 steamers departed from the water.