Page:Oregon, her history, her great men, her literature.djvu/81



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brouiJit overland to Oregon witb a lots of one-fowrtb of tbe mimber piurduMecL It is eatuaated therefore diat a cow coit the Mttlers about $3.75» and a home $15.00. Within a lew years c€»ws were regularly told in the WtHamette Valley for $50 each and oxen at $100 to $150 per yoke, such the demand for them after settlers increased in number.

SlacuTT! Creates Further Interest in Oregon. In 1837, Mr. Siacum, who had returned to the United States, made a report to the government in which he insisted that the Oregon Country should extend to the 49 th parallel. In re^ citinx the story of the Willamette Valley settlement, he impreised Congress with the gravity of the Oregon houndaiy questi«m which had occupied the attention of that body at different times since 1820 and ¥rhich was yet to be the subject of much contention between the United States and Gr^t Britain.

Lrnot Lee, and Famliani. By this time Oregon had many influential friends throughout the Nation to espouse her causes Pkominent among those who championed Oregon in Congreis was Senator Lewis F. Linn, of Missouri, who, in die year 1636 proposed to recognize Oregon as a territory. Although Scaoator Linn*s bill faOed to become a law, the information it contained was distributed fay various means throughout the United States, and in that way developed renewed interest in the West. In that same year Jason Lee canvassed Missouri and Illinois asking aid for the Willamette mission; and he carried with him a petition to Congress^ which Senator Linn presented the following year. Mr. Thomas J. Famham carried to Congress a petiticm asking protection for the Oregon settlers. The substance of his argument for this petition was that * 'Oregon is ' the geim of a great state."

Jason Lee Returns to OrcEjon. Jason I .ee impressed the people of Missouri and liliiioia wilii his devout canie