Page:The History of Oregon Bancroft 1888.djvu/504

486 of the immigration of 1843 had desired to settle here, but was prevented by its distance from base of supplies. Every subsequent immigration had looked upon it with envying eyes, but had been deterred by various circumstances from settling in it. It was the discovery of gold, after all, which made it practicable to inhabit it. In the winter of 1861–2 a mill site had been selected, and there were five log houses erected all at one point for greater security from the incursions of the Snake Indians, and the embryo city was called La Grande. It had at this date twenty inhabitants, ten of whom were men. It grew rapidly for three or four years, being incorportedincorporated [sic] in 1864, and after the first flush of the mining fever, settled down to steady if slow advancement.

The pioneers of Grand Rond suffered none of those hardships from severe weather experienced in the John Day region or at Walla Walla. Only eighteen inches of snow fell in January, which disappeared in a few days, leaving the meadows green for their cattle to graze on. La Grande had another advantage: it was on the immigrant road, which gave it communication with the Columbia. Another road was being opened eastward fifty miles to the Snake River, on a direct course to the Salmon River mines; and a road was also opened in the previous November from the western foot of the Blue Mountains to the Grande Ronde Valley, which was to be extended to the Powder River Valley.