Page:Oregon Historical Quarterly vol. 19.djvu/254

 242 REVEREND EZRA FISHER hand rich treasures of gold, and thousands of our countrymen are here employed in digging and washing it from the other- wise almost valueless earth. In this place Br. Read found a number of valuable brethren last Oct. or Nov., who solicited his sojourn with them through the winter. In May he organ- ized a church of twelve, including himself. The members of the church, without exception, are among the most influential citizens in the county and seem to understand remarkably well for a new settlement the duties and responsibilities of a church. At present there is no other minister of any order in the county. Br. Read's influence with the citizens and miners is decidedly good. The church are about building a meetinghouse in Table Rock or Jacksonville, as it is called this season. Have agreed to raise $250 for Br. Read's support and say they intend to make it $300. Br. Clinton says he will give him his board and washing and furnish him his horse to ride for the year for his part. The church evinces a true missionary spirit. Were the church supplied with a house of worship and their own houses and barns built, as is the case with churches in older countries, they say they could support their own min- ister. I think Br. Read needs $700 salary in order to sustain him in the place. Provisions and clothing are at least 50 per cent higher than at Oregon City. I cannot predict what will be the final result of the mining business but it will pay large wages to the laborer for years to come. I think it would be a judicious arrangement to appro- priate $300 or $400 to Br. Read's support for one year in Table Rock and vicinity. Our new counties are more fluctuating than older, yet there is an appearance of stability sufficient to warrant the appropriation. The principal drawbacks to the hope of usefulness will be the instability of the mining part of the population. Yet the agricultural interests, and even manu- facturing interests, will be stable, should the mines fail. Yours respectfully, EZRA FISHER. Received Sept. 12, 1853.