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Rh — everything he had was either hiinied or promotiuii of iiu-u»urf. In tin- Ix-urKt ol llw torn down to clieek the lire. "Well!" he city uiid stati- li.- I. •%.-.! ... «.;i said, as he surveyed the smoking niins. His laith u 'the ground is left. I'll try again." Mr. a great run, ,t Strowbridge was one of the first members he lived to i... of Willamette Company, Xo. 1, Portland ment of hi.t (in. volunteer fire department, orgaiiizeil in ISjl! ail ' by the citizens of the little lianilet for their a. mutual protection. lie who tirst saw the m..-i .1 red glare upon the midnight sky rang the his fell .( bell. The service in the two little churches every ;:, in the woods was often <listurbed by un and want. "alarm." L'pon one occasion an itinerant upon l)oth preacher at the close of his long prayer! burned in hi" »i opened his eyes to find that every soul had light. Mr. Stro gone to the fire. Wilhinwtic l.<"li:t, In 18.5") when the Indian war cloud dark- Portland < liaptir, N. ened across the western sky ami hostile Ciminmndcry, .o. 1, i, l)aiicls of painted Indians in ugly mooil sistory No. I, Snitti- roved about the country. Mr. Strowbridge .lecond decree, realizing that the isolated farms would !)«.• The ileath of at the mercy of the treacherous fw. rode out eurred .luiie .'.0, through the valley warning the people of unexpected. K<'t the danger and advising them to bring their Portland. In- ri" families into Portland. They eamo from spoct of tin- every direction, driving their stock, «nd brought to ' camped in the streets of the little town initil iil. they could return in safety to their homes. ti. > These people never forgot this kind service erring' and deeply appreciated the thought fidness and v which saved them from the horrors of In- effort i . dian massacre. sucivss. II' Nearly fiftj- years ago, Mr. L. II. Wake- everyone, k field and Mr. Strowbridge took the initial nently big 1 step which led to the organization of the grnt<-fiillv Portland Library Association by collecting Ir- twenty-live hundred dollars for this pur- |.i pose. " This money was subscribed in one ohi. -i ■•: i afternoon; it did not take long to .see every- over fifty one and the young pioneers wen- both gen- .1. ■ ' » erous and enterprising. Mr. W. S. I.aild headed the list with one hundri'd ilollars, upon condition that "It should always tv l> kept out of politics." Jlr. Henry Failing sent wi the monev to his agent in N'ew York, who Tlic!.c .iiil.li.i. had the books carefully selecte.l nnil for- .., ,Ir.. .Mary II warded to Portland by the Isthmus of Pan- arc all mitie!i .•! r .' . ■ ■ .- ania. Mr. Wakefield was elected president and continued in olfiee several years. ;""'• Forty years ago Mr. .Strowbridge organ ized the first companv to bnild a bridge acro»- the Willamette at Portland but this enter- ,1 prise was too far in advance of the lime« i. and the project fell through. One friend t- told him "If there were a dozen bridges" ... he "would always use the ferr>-." that, "hi- .lahu.ii; horse might rest while he »n« crnsMJin;." Ilak.r. Seventeen years afterward 1 1' man was the president of tl: built the first bri«lge and at lli" '■ ing .-Vpril 12. IH'^T, drove in triii cession over the new structure w:: - fiags and a brass band— the protidost ■nil I happiest man in the state. Mr. Strowbridge was an publican and in 1SS3 was ■ sent Multnomah county in the .-: ture. It was from his high cli ■ varied abilities, his unshaU Oregon and his devotion to h he was enabled to assist nn.'-.. Vol. n— 8 1.- ^ 1 1 1 I • V 1 1