Page:Oregon Historical Quarterly vol. 3.djvu/236

226 directors; Joseph G. Wilson, secretary, and John D. Boone, treasurer."

On Mr. Watt (who was more a carpenter than farmer) was devolved the construction of the building and the supervision of construction of the canal from the Santiam River into the channel of Mill Creek, as an abundant and constant water power, which has since been used by other and important interests in Salem. It would be amazing, were it not a serious beginning of so important an enterprise, to learn that when W. H. Rector was sent East to order the machinery and secure a competent man to set it up his first order was for $12,000 worth of machinery for which he had $2,500 and his face to pay. It was reported of him at the time that in answer to the astonished looks of the manufacturers, when he told them the amount of cash he had with him, he said: "Look in my face, gentlemen. If you can not trust me when I say you shall have your pay, my trip is a failure." "Uncle Billy" got the machinery with the aid of his chosen manager, then with him. Mr. Rector's friend and neighbor, Daniel Waldo, a stock-raising farmer, proved the chief financial support of the enterprise while starting, maintaining his trust in it till being wrecked by mismanagement he proved the chief loser.

The year of 1860 may be said to end the pioneer period of the domestic stock interests of Oregon, especially of sheep husbandry. In addition to the imported improved sheep already mentioned, A. McKinley had retired from the Hudson Bay Company and brought with him as a settler in Marion County some of the latest imported South Downs and New Leicestershires of the Puget Sound Agricultural Company.

Visiting and examining the first Merinos brought to Salem by Messrs. Jones and Rockwell, I turned away unbelieving on the latter's answer to my question of weight