Page:Oregon Historical Quarterly volume 18.djvu/62



40 Fred Wilbur Powell, A. M.

Kelley looked to congress to pay a part or the whole of the expenses of the expedition in view of the national benefits to accrue from the settlement ; but he declared ''it will not concern the settlers, whence comes protection, or the means of accom- plishing the objects of the enterprise, whether from omgress or private munificence." As to the detailed preparations for the expedition, he said:

"Emigrants are required to defray their own expenses to St. Louis; and after that, to provide with all necessary arms, knapsacks, blankets, and private carriages. Females and chil- dren must be provided, at the time of starting, with covered horse wagons, containing each a bed and two or more blankets. From St. Louis they will be subject to no other expense than the above named, and in Oregon will receive gratuitously, a landed estate of great value.

"Orders will be given in due time for assembling in Port- land, Me. ; Portsmouth, and Concord, N. H. ; Boston, Worces- ter, and Springfield, Mass. ; Bennington, Vt. ; Albany, Buffalo, Detroit [I] and New York, N. Y.; Philadelphia, Pa.; Balti- more, Md. ; Washington City, &c. . . . At these, and other places, companies will be formed; Captains being appointed to the command of every fifty male adult persons, the emigfra- tion will then commence, by the most practicable route to the aforesaid place of general rendezvous. . . . The cost, from Boston . . . will, probably, not exceed fifteen dollars."

Captains and other officers were to be chosen by elections to be held after general orders had been given for assembling. Shareholders of merit and of good education only were to be el^ble to offices of rank. At St. Louis a drove of cattle was to be purchased, and fly tents each large enough to cover six wagons were to be provided. No private property other than wearing apparel, military equipment, and provisions was to be taken in the public baggage wagons. All merchandise, machinery, and other property was to go by sea. From St Louis the expedition was to be under a military form of gov- ernment*'

23 pp. t2-4. The sea expedition was alto "for persons who might be unwilliac or unable to sustain the fatigue of the land."— Co/onitaffon of Oregon, so.