Page:Oregon Historical Quarterly vol. 4.djvu/416

406 "When I first came here, 19 months ago, there were but 4 or 5 houses, now there is upwards of 80 good buildings, nearly all of two stories, and 4 or 5 of three stories high. If there had been plenty of nails we should have had a number more up. If a supply of nails reaches us this spring, we shall have 200 houses before this reaches you, and some of these of brick, for a company from Baltimore are now building a brickyard. A tanyard is also being established. The fact is, we have mechanics of all kinds here, though not a tenth of the number of each kind required. The winter is past, but it was no winter. It was rather a blooming spring, for we had but little rain and no snow, and grass green all the time. We have had but two days' rain in the last 45. I saw cattle yesterday which had run all winter, in finer condition than I ever saw any in your state. Uncle Sam had better be doing something for this country, for if not, within three years it will be too late. You laugh, but if you live you will see it. Therefore stir them up, Mac, for we do not want trouble here, and would all rejoice if the star-spangled banner embraced us within its ample folds. Our flag flying by authority would make a vast difference here.

An Indian committed some outrages lately, and our sheriff endeavored in vain to arrest him; then offered $100 reward for the Indian, and went to his own house, 30 miles from this place. On Monday the Indian came into Oregon City, close to Dr. McLoughlin's mill, where some 25 or 30 men were at work. Winslow and some white men went to take him, and got close to him. He saw Winslow, fired his gun, which missed its mark, the ball lodging in a tree on this side of the river within 2 feet of me, for I was at work at my garden at the time. The Indian then fired his pistol, 2 balls from which lodged in the shoulder of G. W. LeBreton, clerk of the court, tearing his arm dreadfully. Mr. LeB. seized the Indian with the other hand, and then threw him down. Winslow then ran up and knocked out his brains. In the meantime, 5 other Indians fired their guns, and then their arrows, and wounded two men."

The Western Expositor of Saturday last announces the arrival of Mr. Wm. Gilpin, formerly of this place, from Oregon. Mr. Gilpin passed the winter among the American settlements of the Willamette and the adjacent sea coast, and he describes them as enjoying prosperity when he left them in April last. The emigrant party of '43, which he accompanied, arrived at their destination in November last, "after having braved and overcome unparalleled dangers and difficulties from savages, from hunger, from thirst, crossing parched treeless