Page:Oregon Historical Quarterly vol. 3.djvu/353

Rh and held a number of places of trust in the city of his adoption. As early as October, 1849, in company with Benjamin Stark, he did a banking business in Portland, in addition to general merchandising. He died in January, 1870.

John Fleming, the first printer of the Spectator, came to Oregon from Ohio. He was appointed postmaster in 1856, and held that office until 1869. He died at that place December 2, 1872, aged seventy-eight years.

In glancing through the pages of the Spectator numerous references are made to the primitive conditions then existing, some of which are here given.

As postmaster general Colonel T'Vault was compelled to conduct affairs on an economical basis. Fifty dollars was appropriated by the legislature of 1845 to establish a post office department. Accordingly, in February, 1846, post offices and postmasters were appointed in the several counties south of the Columbia River, and full instructions published concerning their respective duties. The rates between any Oregon post office and Weston, Missouri, were fifty cents for a single sheet. Nine months later the postmaster general declined further responsibility in the matter of mail service, stating that the mail had been carried for three quarters, but the receipts had been insufficient to pay for the transportation of the mail for one quarter.

In the Spectator of April 16, 1846, the name of Henry A. G. Lee appears as editor. He was the choice of the Printing Association at the beginning, but he wanted a salary of $600, and that was considered too high. At this date there were one hundred and fifty-five subscribers, but an editorial item says there ought to be five hundred in the existing population. Lee's connection with the paper ceased with the issue of August 6, 1846.

Mr. Lee deserves more than a passing mention. He