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 canal-like where it passes over sandy wind-swept stretches, and scarcely traceable where harder rocks come to the sur face — has its significance from the purposes and resolution of the men and women who in moving to their destination made it. These men and women were instruments in effecting the greatest single expansion ever achieved by any people. The early pioneers in undauntingly carrying out their resolution, and moving across this continental wilderness, were in an important way affecting the destinies of the world. . ..

. . . to succeeding generations of Oregonians. . . . The sur est way of toning their minds to high resolve is for them to cherish the significance of the old Oregon trail. It should be preserved as an honored symbol of what was probably the most representative American achievement. 9 JOSEPH GASTON

Joseph Gaston, a pioneer railroad builder of Oregon, was by turns a lawyer, editor, promoter, farmer and historian, with an urge towards big management and big enterprise so much in his blood that, when he finally came to turn out history in his old age, he gave the public seven large volumes in two years.

Born in Ohio in 1833, he came to Oregon in 1862, practicing law in Jacksonville and taking part in the journalism of that lively town. He preceded Orange Jacobs as editor of the Jacksonville Sentinel and preceded Samuel A. Clarke, who was to be his railroad rival, as editor of the Oregon Statesman at Salem. He later edited the Oregon Agriculturist at Salem and, in 1872, the Willamette Farmer. He was also connected with the Portland Daily Bulletin, a competitor of the Oregonian, during its last year, in 1874-75, and edited the Pacific Farmer in 1888.

He was president of the Oregon Central Railroad Company, with a project to build the West-Side line, in strong rivalry with the other Oregon Central Railroad Company, with another historian, Samuel A. Clarke, as secretary, which wanted an East-Side line. "He followed the business of promoting and building railroads in the state from 1866 until 1880." In 1877-78 he built the narrow gauge railroad between Dayton and Sheridan. After retiring from his railroad activities, he settled on his farm at the town of Gaston,