Page:Oregon, her history, her great men, her literature.djvu/212

Rh entrance to the Caves, where may be found during the tourist season a competent guide who daily conducts parties gratis over a route covering three and one-half miles "among the wondrous marble halls of Oregon."

First Oregon-built Revenue Cutler. The year 1875 marks an era in Oregon naval construction, as it was at this time that the revenue steam cutter "Corvin" was built and engined by Mr. Edwin Russell, at Albina. John Steffin was the master mechanic for construction of hull, and Smith Brothers & Watson installed the machinery. After twenty years of service in northern waters, the hull of the "Corvin" was found to be in perfect condition, which was additional proof that Douglas fir of which it was constructed, is first class material for ship building. The advent of the "Corvin" determined Lloyd's Register of British and Foreign Shipping—one of the great classification societies—to establish a branch office at Portland, Oregon; and in 1884 Capt. George Pope was elected by Lloyd's Committee to act for them as Ship and Engineer Surveyor with jurisdiction from the southern border of Oregon to and including Alaska.

Blue Mountain University. Blue Mountain University was the only university ever established in Eastern Oregon. La Grande was chosen for the location of the institution because of the central location of the town with reference to Eastern Oregon and Washington. An endowment was soon subscribed by leading citizens, and in the fall of 1875 Blue Mountain University was opened under the auspices of the Methodist Episcopal Church, with Rev. H. K. Hines as financial ardent, and J. L. Carter as acting president, i he classes were accommodated in the public school building, while the town hall was reserved for the larger gatherings that attended the institution. In 1876, the University was moved into a new two-story brick edifice erected by the