Page:Oregon Historical Quarterly vol. 3.djvu/372

362 to lead Milwaukie in growth, the paper was moved away from the latter place between two days, during the last week of the month, whereat Whitcomb and the Milwaukie people generally were much incensed. At the time it was charged that Waterman and Carter stole the plant, but as a matter of fact, Whitcomb, owing his printers more than he could conveniently pay, had given them a bill of sale of the whole establishment, and they had a right to do as they pleased with it. They took it away at night on a flatboat to save time, avoid an open collision, and all further controversy. In this connection it may be of interest to note that with The Star, Dr. Oliver W. Nixon, for more than twenty-five years past the literary editor of the Inter-Ocean, Chicago, began his newspaper career, by assisting in the midnight adventure above described. He was an Oregon pioneer of 1850, and in 1851 taught school at Milwaukie. Afterwards he was purser on the steamer Lot Whitcomb.

The Star of March 19, 1851, states that a paper is about to be started at Salem by Joseph S. Smith, to be called the Salem Recorder. On the 27th No. 1, Vol. I, of the Oregon Statesman was received, and in commenting upon it Editor Waterman says: "We should judge from the style of the leaders that the editor had been dining on pickles and case knives since the adjournment of the legislature."

After going to Portland the name Western Star was dropped and on June 5, 1851, the paper came out under the name of Oregon Weekly Times. Waterman and Carter were the proprietors until June 13, 1853, when Carter sold to Waterman, who continued it until May 29, 1854. He then sold to Messrs. W. D. Carter and R. D. Austin, but retained editorial control until November 8, 1856. Some time after that Mr. Waterman was elected probate judge of Multnomah County, or Washington, as it was then, and later he practiced law for a time. The closing