Gilbert A. Perrin 602 South 2nd A P R 7 L S Corvallis , Oregon

A M E R I C A N C A

COLLECTOR'S ITEM

You will want to save your copies of "Corvallis," for in it you will find the most complete record, old and new, of this city and county. The anatomy of a home- town where you live or through which you are passing.

Read the "Corvallis" magazine and you will better appreciate this town and the republic that is America.

P. 0. Box 122 CORVALLIS, OREGON

Wilson's Pet Shop Vol. I1 Spr ing 1963 No. - 2

Corvallis Magazine is published quarterly by Thomas A. Wilson, P. 0. Box 122, Corvallis, Oregon.

MEMBER Benton County Pioneer-Historical Society

Oregon Historical Society

Classified Adverlising: 10 cents per word. Display. full page, $25; M page. $15. V4 page, $10; YE page. $5.50. SPECIAL RATE for busrness and professional cards

L .--- 4 for 4 issues. Subscriptions - $1 a year.

EVERYTHING WANTED - Short articles, old photos. FOR YOUR DUMB FRIENDS drawings and other appropriate rnater~al.

225 South Second COVER: O.A.C. football play&s of the 19th Century. Photograph by W. S. Gardner

CORVALLIS, OREGON a t his studio on Ninth street near madi- son. Do you know these atheletes' names?

S E C O N D S T R E E T . 1963. L O O K I N G S O U T H F R O M M O N R O E . T H E C E N T R A L B U S I N E S S D I S T R I C T P L A N S C A L L F O R R A Z I N G A L L O F T H E S E B U I L D I N G S

L O O K I N G F O R W A R D

Street Scene. CORVALL':p. C)~rr:r,rl.

S E C O N D S T R E E T . 1903. L O O K I N G S O U T H F R O M MONROE.

T A K E A GOOD LOOK a t this 1903 photo of Second street , southward f rom Monroe, and then observe the new one made in April, 1963.

Most of the buildings along the street in 1903 a r e still here sixty years later, although many have had their faces lifted a bit through the years. This is the most valu- abIe real estate in town, but eight of the stores in these two blocks a r e empty today.

This street is to be laid hare f rom Monroe to Jefferson, f rom the Willamette to the alley between Second and Third-the hear t of Corvallis, which was, in 1850, the north end of Marysville.

And then i t will be resurrected.

Urban Renewal they call it. Ant1 i t is none too soon.

The Corvallis architects have made a good plan. This central area will be f i r s t to feel the swing- ing ball and jackhammers of the destroyers. And then, a s the plan unfolds, a great shopping and rec- reation center will arise, extending from Harrison street to the ma- rina on Mary's river and up to Sixth street. I t will even include a s t r ip of park across the Willam- ette, where the town of Orleans stood before the great flood of 1861.

A modern, mall-type, pedestri- an-oriented, glittering city will arise here. I t will be a s large a s

the huge Lloyd Center in Port- land-newer and better, of course.

Although I have spent most of my sixty years on Second street, in business and out, in happiness and despair, I look forward eager- ly to this birth of a new city. I t is a very personal matter to me.

My great-uncle, William Hamil- ton, had the first bank in town on this street. My grand-uncle, James Yantis was owner and editor of the Gazette newspaper here. My grandfather, Bushrod Washington Wilson, county clerk from 1864 to 1894, used to play chess with old "Gun" Hodes in his shop where Jack Porter now has his insurance office. My father, Joseph Hamil- ton Wilson, had his law offices in two of those tall buildings.

I saw my first movie, "Paul Re- vere's Ride," a t the Palace, the first theater in town, on this street. I had jobs in several of these old buildings, had my own businesses in four of them, joined three lodges on this street, and I'm here now, where Walter Kline, Graham & Wortham, and others had their stores.

I have been in love here; in fact, 1 met my wife, Marie, a t a street

dance down there in the middle of the picture. And I have seen sunset and the Second street dawn come many times over.

Oh yes, the old town of Corval- lis is something for remembering. Let us tear her down kindly, with respect, and maybe a sigh. +

Corvallis Magazine is now na- tionally recognized and has been mentioned prominently in some large writers' publications, such as Writer's Yearbook. We are re- ceiving many articles and stories from all pafts of America and with this issue a re beginning a section for original creative writing. Our first selection is a slight but sen- sitive piece, "Slaves of Time," by Sgt. Joseph E. Barnett, of the U. S. Air Force, Oklahoma City.

Also in this issue is our f i rs t paid advertising. Firs t ad is from the P & L Trading Post, Albany; second ad is from Nichols Garden Nursery, Albany.

We need advertising support, as does the Saturday Evening Post, which lost $18.9 million last year.

Patronize our advertisers. They help support Corvallis.

OREGON L E G I S L A T U R E R E V I E W OF OAC C A D E T S . 1903. SCENE I S ON LOWER CAMPUS. W H I T E HOUSE AT R I G H T I S GARDNER'S S T U D I O ON N I N T H STREET. .

Corvallis was Capital of Oregond 1855

R e c a p i t o l b u i l d i n g f a c e d e a s t a t S e c o n d a n d Adams. L a t e r i t was moved wes t of t h e a 1 l e y and f a c e d toward Adams.

I n 1850 Oregon C i t y was t h e t e r - r i t o r i a l c a p i t a l . I t was moved t o Salem i n 1852. A s t h e new wave o f i m m i g r a n t s p o u r e d i n t o t h e Wi l1 ,amet te v a l l e y p r e s s u r e was brought t o move t h e c a p i t a l f a r - t h e r s o u t h , and i n 1855 t h e l e g - i s l a t u r e p a s s e d a n a c t moving t h e s e a t o f government t o Cor - v a l l i s . B o t h h o u s e s m e t on De- cember 3, 1855, a t G r v a l l i s and voted t o move t h e c a p i t a l back t o

Salem, where i t convened on De- cember 18.

Ten days l a t e r t h e new s t a t e - house a t Salem and t h e new s t a t e l i b r a r y burned down. I t was then d e c i d e d t o t a k e t h e mat te r ' o f a permanent l o c a t i o n o f the c a p i t a l

LO t h e v o t e r s o f t h e t e r r i t o r y I n J u n e , 1 8 5 6 , s e v e r a l c i t i e rece ived v o t e s , b u t none had th r e q u i r e d m a j o r i t y , s o a n o t h e e l e c t i o n was h e l d i n O c t o b e r Eugene C i t y won. However , t h l e g i s l a t u r e and supreme c o u r i g n o r e d t h e r e s u l t s o f t h e l e c t i o n , s o t h e c a p i t a l remaine a t Salem.

Oregon was a d m i t t e d t o t h , Union i n 1859 and t h e l a w r e q u i r e d t h a t t h e permanent l o c a t i o n of the c a p i t a l be decided a the f i r s t s e s s i o n o f t h e l e g i s . l a t u r e . They d e c i d e d t o r e f e l t h e m a t t e r t o t h e e l e c t o r a t e , and i n 1 8 6 2 a l m o s t e v e r y towr and c i t y i n Oregon rece ived some v o t e s , none h a v i n g t h e r e q u i r e d m a j o r i t y .

F i n a l l y , i n 1864, a t a n o t h e r e l e c t i o n Salem won w i t h a major- i t y o f 79 v o t e s o v e r a l l o t h e r c o n t e s t i n g c i t i e s .

From the Gilbert Beach Album THE BEACH FARM was directly north of the Van Buren street bridge on the east bank of the Wil- lamette river. Charles Beach ar- rived there in 1883 and his brother John came a year later. They en- gaged in general farming but were best known for the splendid work horses they bred, some of which are shown in these photographs, loaned to us by Mrs. Gilbert Beach. Gilbert is the son of Charles

Beach. The University took over the property in 1952.

The old ferry landing was prac- tically in their front yard and the Oregon Electric RR depot was just east of the farmhouse. I t now serves as crew house for the OSU rowing club.

The new Harrison street bridge will cross the river here, and it is proposed that the University will have a golf course nearby.

-&-*a 2-s

I N T H I S P I C T U R E O F T H E B E A C H F A R M A R E J O H N A N D C H A R L E S B E A C H . B E R T S H A R P .

ROY H A T H A W A Y . HOMER A N D G I L B E R T B E A C H T H E Y H A D P R I Z E W I N N I N G H O R S E S .

' .

O R E G O N E L E C T R I C D E P O T

J O H N B E A C H ( L ) . C H A R L E S ( R ) . P I C T U R E WAS T A K E N

A T S E C O N D AND J A C K S O N . L O O K I N G N O R T H . F A R M E R ' S

F E E D B A R N I N L E F T B A C K G R O U N D I S A T T H E P R E S E N T

L O C A T I O N C F T H E F O R D G A R A G E . T H I S S T R E E T WAS P A V E 0 I N 1 9 1 0 .

C O M P A N Y K . O R E G O N N A T I O N A L G U A R D . C H A R L E S M I I R P H Y . C A P T A I N .

H E R S H E L E L L E N B E R G . L I E U T E N A N T . P H O T O T A K E N 1 9 1 5 OR 1 9 1 6 .

P H O T O G R A P H S C O U R T E S Y O F M R S . R O B E R T T A Y L O R A N D M R S . G I L B E R T B E A C H

IOTOGRAPH T A K E N ON S T E P S O F O L D C E N T R A L S C H O O L N E A R E I G H T H A N 0 M A D I S O N .

I O U T 1 9 1 2 . F R O N T ROW. L T O R . C E C I L I R W I N . L Y N N A V R I L L . ( 1 ) . O R L O J O H N S O N

10 B A L L . E D I T H C H I P M A N . P E A R L F E G L E Y . M I L D R E D J A C K S O N . ( ? ) . . C O N 0 ROW: T U C K W H I T E H O R N . I N E Z G R A H A M , I S A B E L G E L L A T L Y . M I S S S T R A N G E . N E I R E E G I R L S N O T KNOWN.

)P ROW: F R A N K F R A N C I S C O . R U S S E L L M C H E N R Y . J O E S K E L T O N . ( ? ) . G I L B E R T B E A C H

1 ) . C H E T B R O D E R S . M I S S H A N N E L ( T E A C H E R ) . P H O T O F R O M M R S . G I L B E R T B E A C H .

MR. C . HODES O N SECONO S T R E E T . A B O U T 1 8 9 0 . MONTGOMERY WARD

S T O R E I S NOW ACROSS T H E S T R E E T B E H I N D MR. H O D E S . V A R I E T Y B A K E R Y I S I N THE B U I L D I N G A T E X T R E M E L E F T .

M O S T P O P U L A R M A N I N TOWN W I T H T H E YOUNGER S E T WAS F R A N K M . B U L L I S .

WHO H A 0 H I S P O P C O R N WAGON A T T H E CORNER O F SECONO A N 0 MONROE. T H l S P H O T O G R A P H WAS M A D E I N 1 9 1 1 . L I T T L E G I R L N E X T T O F R A N K I S A L I C E

B U L L I S . AGE 3 (NOW M R S . G L E N N C L A R K ) . I N B A C K G R O U N D A T L E F T WAS

R E I C H A R T ' S C L O T H I N G S T O R E A N 0 W I L L I A M ' S C I G A R S T O R E A N 0 F A C T O R Y .

ON CORNER A T R I G H T WAS T H E P E O P L E ' S M E A T M A R K E T .

F R A N K B U L L I S S T A R T E D T H E E A S T S I D E S A N D AND G R A V E L C O M P A N Y I N 1 9 2 3 .

T H E G L E N N C L A R K S TOOK T H l S OVER I N 1 9 3 4 . T H E I R S O N . R O B E R T F . C L A R K .

W O R K E D F O R T H E M . H E D I E 0 I N 1 9 5 4 . I N 1 9 5 9 T H E C L A R K S S O L O O U T TO

M U R R A Y M A R Q U I S . M I K E B E V A N I C H . AND O U E N T O N G R E E N O U G H . F R A N K B U L L I S

D I E 0 I N 1 9 4 3 . P H O T O C O U R T E S Y O F M R S . G L E N N C L A R K .

T H E A U G U S T HOOES G R O C E R Y S T O R E WAS ON SECONO S T R E E T I N T H E B U I L D I N G WHERE T H E M A N ' S SHOP WAS L O C A T E D U N T I L R E C E N T L Y .

S T A N D I N G I N F R O N T O F S T O R E ARE H E N R Y G E R D I N G . C A R L H O O E S . A U G U S T H O O E S . AND L I N D S A Y S H A R P . ( P H O T O osu A R C H I V E S )

EARLY MONROE (Submit ted by t h e Benton County J u n i o r H i s t o r i c a l S o c i e t y o f & s t e r n View j u n i o r high school. )

n e f i r s t man t o s i g n t h e con- s t i t u t i o n o f t h e S t a t e o f Ore- gon was Henry B r a i n a r d N i c h o l s . His granddaughter , Miss Madeline N i c h o l s , s t i l l l i v e s i n a b i g house n e a r A l p i n e on t h e dona- t i o n land claim t h a t h a s been i n t h e N i c h o l s ' f a m i l y f o r t h r e e g e n e r a t i o n s .

I n 1852 Henry Bra inard Nichols punched a b u l l t e a m o v e r l a n d from Iowa t o Oregon i n t h e n e a r - r e c o r d t ime o f f i v e months. He f i r s t s e t t l e d a l o n g t h e Umpqua r i v e r . Many men were r e t u r n i n g d i s h e a r t e n e d f r o m t h e C a l i f - o r n i a g o l d f i e l d s . Mr. N i c h o l s and h i s young w i f e s t o p p e d a t S t a r r ' s P o i n t , which was t h e o n l y pos t o f f i c e t h i s s i d e o f Marys- v i l l e , which was t o become Cor- v a l l i s t h e nex t year . A t S t a r r ' s P o i n t t h e y m e t H. B. H i n t o n . Hin ton had r e p l a c e d Samuel F. S t a r r t h e summer b e f o r e and had m v e d t h e mai l p o s t t o h i s home on t h e " b i g road." S i l a s Belknap and George S t a r r had a new gen- e r a l s t o r e next door t o H i n t o n ' s m a i l p o s t . A f t e r N i c h o l s had t a l k e d t o t h e people h e r e he de- c i d e d t o t a k e up 320 a c r e s n e a r S t a r r ' s P o i n t , which l a t e r be- came Monroe.

T h e r e were many c a t t l e and horses , some logging , and d a i r y - i n g i n t h i s a r e a . N i c h o l s a l s o

r a i s e d g r a i n , b u t s o o n r e a l i z e d he was g o i n g t o have t o g e t an- o t h e r j o b t o keep h i s f a m i l y and new farm going . He was a g r a d u - a t e o f Wesleyan U n i v e r s i t y , i n Connect icut , l a t e r going t o Iowa where he o r g a n i z e d and d i r e c t e d 1 a s e l e c t s c h o o l a t Muscat ine f o r f i v e y e a r s b e f o r e h e a d i n g f o r Oregon. He became t h e new school - mas te r a t E b e n e z e r , a l o g c a b i n

s c h o o l n e a r t h e S e w e l l Hawley p l a c e , now known a s C a m p b e l l Hil l . Many y e a r s l a t e r N i c h o l s ' s o n , R i c h a r d J . N i c h o l s t a u g h t a t Ebenezer s c h o o l b e f o r e he be- , came l i b r a r i a n a t O.A.C., now I Oregon S t a t e U n i v e r s i t y . R . J . N i c h o l s ' d a u g h t e r t a u g h t t h e school a f t e r i t was moved and r e - named Alpine.

I n 1 8 5 1 t h e f i r s t s t e a m b o a t I

had cone up t h e Wi l lamet te r i v e r , 1 and w i t h l a t e r s h i p s t h a t came 1 u p , C o r v a l l i s h a d become t h e t e r m i n a l f o r s h i p p i n g f r e i g h t between t h e w a t e r r o u t e and t h e ox teams on t h e T e r r i t o r i a l road t o M a r y s v i l l e , C a l i f o r n i a . I n 1855 C o r v a l l i s became t h e c a p i t a l

i o f t h e Oregon T e r r i t o r y . I n De- cember t h e l e g i s l a t u r e met j u s t l o n g enough t o p a s s o n e b i l l - - which moved t h e c a p i t a l back t o Salem. Nichols was e l e c t e d t o t h e '

I T e r r i t o r i a l l e g i s l a t u r e . L a t e r he was a menber o f t h e f i r s t l eg- I

i s l a t u r e under t h e S t a t e o f Ore- 1 gon. A. G. Hovey, C l e r k o f t h e D i s t r i c t C o u r t a n d M a s t e r and C o m m i s s i o n e r i n C h a n c e r y f o r

Ben t o n c o u n t y , w r o t e t o h i s two. Her u n c l e , Leander Loomis, f r i e n d N i c h o l s , t h e n a t t h e con- of Monroe, had conver ted a l l h i s v e n t i o n i n Sa lem, r e g a r d i n g t h e money i n t o go ld and l e f t i t with t e n s i o n o v e r s l a v e r y . Wells Fargo i n P o r t l a n d . He went

A s l a v e named Reuben S h i p l e y t o San Franc isco and a p p l i e d f o r h a d t a k e n u p a d o n a t i o n l a n d c r e d i t and was r e f u s e d . I t de-

c l a i m n e a r P h i l o m a t h a f t e r he ve loped t h a t t h e P o r t l a n d Wel l s had been f r e e d by hiw o w n e r on Fargo o f f i c e had f a i l e d , and an h i s a r r i v a l from Missour i . Sh ip- order to close i t s doors was on le!' married Mary Jane the a s teamer outbound for P o r t l a n d . . . s l a v e o f a man who l i v e d n e a r Loomis g o t a horse and rode n i g h t D a l l a s . Then he had t o buy h e r

and d a y , g e t t i n g f r e s h h o r s e s b e f o r e he c o u l d t a k e h e r home. 'Ihat was a very s h o r t t ime before w h e r e he c o u l d . He g a l l o p e d

through P o r t l a n d ' s muddy s t r e e t s C o r v a l l i s became i n c o r p o r a t e d a s a c i t y , and O r e g o n a p p l i e d f o r t o t h e Wells Fargo o f f i c e and g o t

h i s s e v e r a l thousand d o l l a r s i n admiss ion i n t o the Union.

raw gold before a messenger from Miss M a d e l i n e N i c h o l s t e l l s

t h e s teamer walked i n and c l o s e d t h e s t o r y o f a v e r y f a s t t r i p be- t h e Wel l s Fargo P o r t l a n d o f f i c e tween San Franc isco and Por t land . - - - A

L u r ~ o u u . before even a r a i l r o a d jo ined t h e

s*:-y< . g,; 8." ::

THE STORY

MUNICIPAL EXPANSION

By John E. Smith.

OF CORVALLIS

MOST of the earliest settlers in Benton county came to Oregon in 1843-44 and camped among their friends or others on the Tualatin plain or in the vicinity of Oregon City. Some of the men among the new arrivals went southward on horseback along the Hudson's Bay company's packtrail, which fol- lowed the foothills, in search of promising unoccupied land for homesteads, some of which they found here.

Later, coming on the widened trail road, then (1845) the only

avenue of access for wagons to this part of the country, they chose locations about springs or near stream crossings along this road. Thomas Reeves, Dan McKissick, Adam Wimple, Johnson Mulkey with wagon drawn by a cow and a mare, James L. Mulkey and others, each of whom built a small temporary shack or hovel, spent the winter here or left someone on his claim. J. L. Mulkey, having lost his wife, left his nine children a t the previous camp, hurried his permanent cabin to completion

E A R L Y PHOTOGRAPH OF J E F F E R S O N S T R E E T . L O O K I N G E A S T . P R E S B Y T E R I A N C H U R C H

( S P I R E SHOWING) W A S ON F O U R T H S T R E E T . ( O S U

12

C O R V A L L I S . A B O U T 1905. S E E N F R O M C O L L E G E H I L L . ( O S U A R C H ' V E S )

about two miles northwest of the H~~~~ C. ~~~i~ took another Postoffice location of today, and claim over on the trail road, oc- with the family occupied it, April cupying his permanent cabin at 16, 1846. that place, April 10, 1846. The

Late in the fall of 1845, men Lewisburg community carries his began to select claims along the name. Willamette river and near i t a- The marvelous growth of Car- mong them was J. C. Avery~ Wm- vallis in the last few decades has F. Dixon, H. C. Lewis, J. S. Ken- extended the city limits in all di- dall and others. Mr Avery staked rections except eastward across out his claim by N~vember 309 the beautiful Willamette to include 1845. He returned to Oregon City all or part of 10 donation land but came back in January and claims. Northwestward it has en- lived in a small shack until his per- compassed all or portions of sev- manent cabin was completed and eral of the early ones along the occupied, June 20, 1846. H. C. original trail. Such a location is Lewis sold his claim to John Stew- that of the former home of James a r t (E. A. Blake, authority) who L. Mulkey, who thus becomes came with his family in May, 1846. known as the earliest resident The claim of Arch Stewart joined within the present city limits. Mr. that of his father on the east, and Avery was the founder of the city northward most of Mr. Kendall's and for a century or more the land was on the upland a t and near first to live within its present where Fairplay school is now. boundaries. $v

GHOST COLLEGE Philomath, Oregon, a town of 1,400 population, lies five miles v

west of CorvaHis on highway U. S. lRabfkal Ikollea. LD' - 20. Philomath Collene was chart- - ered in 1865 by the United Breth- P ~ l , l ~ * l ~ e ~ l I I I Scpter~~hcr. D c c r ~ ~ ~ l , c r . Marc11

ren Church as a coeducational col- and June

Rev. W. H. DAVIS, Edltor lege for liberal ar ts and training . - - I'

for the ministry. Inadequate fi- ,,,,, ,,,,, ,,,, . ,,,,, ; nancial support forced its aboli- H

-. - - - - -. - --

tion in 1929. ADDRESS. RADIKAL KoLLEa. e C

Radikal Kolleg was the result of P ~ I I O ~ O ~ ~ . Oregon. t

a church argument in the 1890's. : I

I t I5 better to leave your child all

professor for many years gradu- ated here.

RADICAL COLLEGE O F PHILOMATH, Philoma*$, Oregon.

A aood School for Both Sexes.

A Thorough Three Year's Normal Course.

CLASSICAL COURSE o f s i x Years with Preparatory of one year p r d i n g . Scientific Course same l e n ~ t h a s Classical. -

EXPENSES most reasonable. An Entire Year's Schooling, including Tuition, Board, Fuel, Light, Rents, Etc., $b. to $75.

A systen~ of club or self-boarding is in vogue which reduces exlwnses to a mi~limum.

We have Three Terms of .School, one of 14 weeks, and two of 12 weeks each.

Tuition. per Term. $5.00 to $8.00. ( O S U A R C H I V E S )

THE CORVALLIS & FRUSTRATIOA' RAILROAD

PART V - LIFE I N OREGON

By Wallis Nash (deceased)

EDITOR'S NOTE: When Colonel T. Egenton Hogg organized the Oregon Pacific to take over the WV&CRR, he wanted more money than the few thousands of dollars put up by the small Oregon in- vestors. He raised this in the east and in England, to the extent of some $15 million.

Wallis Nash was one of these English financiers. This and the next two parts of our railroad story are excerpts from his book, A LAWYER'S LIFE ON TWO CONTINENTS, published in 1918. Mr. Nash was a friend of Charles Darwin and Gladstone. Nashville, Oregon, was named for him.

ON MAY 17th, 1879, we arrived in Corvallis a t the end of our month's journey from England. We travelled up the Willamette river from Portland on a stern

wheel river boat, which carried a motely collection of passengers, some horses, a cow or two, more than one hack or buggy, some wagons and plows, and filled up with groceries and foodstuffs.

The season was unusually late, and the streets of the little town were ankle deep in mud, crossed by planks a foot wide. From the boat landing we crossed to the board hotel on the f a r side-the mud- -

filled gutter being cluttered up with the just cut off heads of a dozen hogs from the butcher's shop adjoining the hotel, thrown in there to get them out of the way. No one took account of the hogs' heads in those days, nor of calves' heads, nor of sweet-breads, o r other internal organs of slaugh- tered animals. They were just thrown away regardless of where they might fall.

A house was being built for us on the slope above the town, but i t was not quite ready. Meanwhile we stayed a t the Vincent Hotel, except our two selves who were taken to a friend's house who had been advised of our coming. And in the face of all this my wife lost neither her poise nor her courage, and actually prospered on hard- ships and discomforts.

Mrs. Vincent proved to be a very friendly soul, and soon made the whole crowd welcome. They all ate heartily and there were no com- plaints of the food.

In those days Corvallis consisted of a wide street built up with one o r two story stores, four saloons, and half a dozen churches ; a court house, surrounded by oak and f i r trees, and a two story school house fo r the public schools, and another school house and a church owned by the South Methodist church, the school being called the Oregon Ag- ricultural College, and receiving

the emoluments provided by the United States. The majority of the store keepers were of Jewish nationality, a s was commonly the case in Oregon of those days. Ore- gon was a young state indeed, 1859 being the year of her state- nativity; her population was very small, and largely of recent im- migration from the Southern States following the Civil War. To this day the people are wonderful- ly, and reasonably, proud of their pioneers, a group of whom still survive.

In the community were several lawyers and physicians, a couple of dentists. some school teachers. many store keepers, four or five saloon keepers, two flour millers, barbers, whose shops were in win- ter and summer the clubs of the community. There was a minister and his family for nearly every church, who eked out a living on the contributions of their church members. The Firemen's Club was

TOWN & GOWN an active organization and a Cof- fee c lub auxiliary supplied coffee to the men \vhen there was a not infrequent fire. Saturday was the busy day of the week, when the neighboring farmers came into town and tied long rows of wagons to the hitching posts near the Court House.

The most prosperous were the saloon keepers, for they took in the larger part of the farmer 's earn- ings-and there were card games in nearly all the saloons. There were two newspapers, and how they survived and managed to pay for paper, ink, and compositors' wages was a standing mystery t o me.

Most of the early settlers had taken out "donation land claims." Under those laws a man could set- tle on and claim 320 acres. Sur- veys of the lands were in progress but by no means complete, and the earlier maps showed the oddest jumble of lines and crosslines. Conflicts of claims were not r a r e ; but the settlers were not, as a rule, contentious and disputes were gen- erally peaceably settled. The 12- mile belt between Corvallis and Yaquina Bay had all been survey- ed, the mile sections marked, and the alternate sections set apa r t for the Land Company. So my earliest duty was to examine these alter- nate sections and determine which should be prepared for immediate salt: and settlement. Roads and by- roads and wagon and horse trails must be opened up.

Of course each of the boys must have a horse, and then the work- ing party must be fitted out. This being done we all started fo r the section of land, some twelve miles \vest of Corvallis where the work would probably be begun. There were seven in the party besides myself, eight horses-one a pack animal- and a tent. An axe fo r everybody, a "grub hoe" or two and a few shovels were the tools, and food fo r a week a t least. Every boy had his rifle, except the known workers-for the English se t be- lieved, I think, t h a t Indians o r a t least bears and cougers, were lurking in every foothill wood.

Along the road was a sign nailed to a tree, "Blacksmith Shop." A t a settler's house of grey old boards and mossy shingles I found the blacksmith, old Mark Savage, a n ancient settler. He was not a t all glad to see the men. I wondered why. He made i t plain when he said, "You fellers goin' t o settle this place up?" I told him, "May- be, but i t won't be now." H e an- swered in soliloquy, "Well i t don't matter much. I can move on in fur- ther, I guess-the da rn place is getting too thick fo r me anyhow- there's folks within a half a mile of me whichever way I turn." I comforted him and he stayed on till the gangs of the railroad con- struction came, and his old shop was much used, for he was a good workman.

T o be continued.

F I R S T F I V E P R E S I D E N T S O F O R E G O N S T A T E U N I V E R S I T Y

8. I. ARNOLD, 1871-1892 A. M.. Ph. D.

HON. H . 8. MILLER 1896-1897

REV. W. A. FINLEY. A. M. Prcs. 1865-1871

JOHN M. BLOSS. A. M.. M. D . 1892-1896

THOMAS M. CATCH. A. M. , Ph. D. 1897-1907

FORMER PRESIDENTS OF 0 . A. C.

George W. Bethers

By Ray Bethers

MY GRANDFATHER, G. W. Bethers, was born August 12, 1821, in Pickaway county, Ohio. The Oregon Historical Society tells this about him:

"George Washington Bethers came to Oregon, crossing the plains by wagon train from Iowa, in 1848. He first took up land claim near Bellfountain, in Benton county, but not liking the location he took another claim of 640 acres two miles southwest of Corvallis.

"He married Keziah Newton, who had come to Oregon in the same wagon train."

He was the father of ten chil- dren, of whom my father, Elmer Bethers, was one.

In October 1849 my grandfather was clerk of election for Benton county. In politics he was a Re- publican. In June, 1852, he was elected coroner, his opponent being his father-in-law, Abiathar New- ton. The next year, 1853, he again ran for the same office, but was defeated. He was a member of the United Brethern church and one of its trustees. He died on his claim on June 10, 1878, a t the age of 57.

His wife Keziah, my grand- mother, was born in Kentucky on January 22, 1828. After my grand- father's death, she married a Mr. Rayburn, of Philomath. I knew her as "Grandma Rayburn." E. L. Sharpe, writing in the

20

A R E C E N T SNAPSHOT OF

R A Y B E T H E R S . T A K E N I N

L O N D O N . E N G L A N D .

Gazette-Times, had this to say a- bout her :

"In the month of May, 1847, she, with her husband, George W. Bethers and a company composed of her father, Abiather Newton, his family, the Belknaps, the Hsw- leys, and many others, started for Oregon from Iowa.

"The Corvallis of that day was one log cabin, the home of Mr. Avery. Oregon City was the near- est source for provisions, a six- day journey with old Buck and Bright, their team of oxen."

I t is odd, considering how little I have been able to find out about my grandfather, that I know the names of his two oxen.

J. B. Horner, also writing in the same newspaper, had this to say:

"Probably as early as 1849, Mr. George W. Bethers, occupying the land near the present golf links near Corvallis, made it known in The Religious Telescope, published in Dayton, Ohio, that there were several United Brethern families in this vicinity who desired re- ligious services of their particular faith.

"The Ohio church conference contributed $500, and the Rev. T. J. Connor, of Hartsville, Indiana, volunteered as missionary.

"Arriving a t Council Bluffs, Iowa, the Reverend Connor found 16 families, 98 persons in all, ready to go to Oregon.

"These United Brethern colon- ists arrived a t The Dalles on Sept. 19, where they were met by the hospitable G. W. Bethers, who had brought a fa t ox for beef for the party, and a yoke of fresh work cattle.

"The party arrived in the Wil- lamette valley on September 26."

After another search, I found the following account in the hand- written records of the first court

in Benton county, Territory of Oregon, April 5, 1852:

On that day, "Twenty good and lawful men of the county were called as grand jurors by 0. C. Pratt , District Judge.

"G. W. Bethards (Note the dif- fient spelling here of my grand- father's name), Wm. Dixon, J . W. Starr, Jesse Belknap, Orin Bel- knap, Nathan King, James Wat- son, and others."

The court was held a t Avery's, the founder of Corvallis, who lived near Mary's river a t about the end of Fourth street.

R. T. Boise, Pioneer attorney in the county and representing the Territory in criminal cases, was appointed to represent the United States, as there "appeared to be no other District Attorney a t hand."

The court sessions lasted over a week, with the cases involving property ownership.

The jury returned indictmenb in eight cases-six against men selling liquor without a license!

To be continued

THE S T E R N W H E L L E R . GRAHAMONA. ON AN E X C U R S I O N T R I P ON THE W I L L A M E T T E . ABOUT 1918. C A P T A I N WAS ANDREW JACKSON SPONG. RUN WAS FROM PORTLAND

TO E U G E N E WHEN THE W A T E R W A S H I G H ENOUGH. ( O . S . U . A R C H I V E S P H O T O )

SLAVES OF TIME

By S g t . Joseph E . B a r n e t t , USAF

Some y e a r s ago on a gray Novem- ber morning I found myself walk- ing along a w h i t e sandy beach . 7he t i d e was e x t r e m e l y h i g h and t h e r e was o n l y a v e r y n a r r o w s t r i p of sand on which t o walk.

'IHE WIND g e n e r a l l y blows i n from t h e ocean r a t h e r hard d u r i n g t h e f a l l months. It is d i f f i c u l t t o s e e beyond t h e b r e a k e r s t o d a y , f o r t h e a i r is s a t u r a t e d w i t h m i s t . The s e a g u l l s a n d b e a c h - b i r d s a r e n o t f l y i n g today. I am walking and I am alone. The jack- e t I am wearing is blowing i n the s t i f f wind. Sand is beginning t o be blown a c r o s s t h e narrow s t r i p o f b e a c h . A s t o r m i s i n t h e making. Thunder c l a p s high above my head. I look up and t h e sand burns my eyes . I look a b o u t f o r c o v e r , b u t f i n d none. T h e r e i s o n l y t h e rough s e a , t h e s t i f f wind, t h e blowing s a n d , and t h e thunder c l a p p i n g above my head.

A wave tumbles - - t h e sound is l i k e a moose f i g h t i n Alaska. I am w a l k i n g w i t h my h e a d down while a l l around me t h e s torm is brewing. Soon I f i n d a s o l d i e r ' s helmet t h r e e - q u a r t e r s b u r i e d i n t h e wet , s a l t y s a n d . How many

years has t h i s helmet heen bur ied h e r e , r u s t i n g away u n d e r t h e t i d e s o f t h e s e a ? Where i s t h e man who wore t h i s h e l m e t ? He i s dead; he is o f t h e p a s t . I c a r r y t h e o l d r u s t y h e l m e t w i t h me a s I walk. The p o o r o l d s o l d i e r ; he is dead.

I w a l k o u t a r o u n d a b e d o f s h e l l s . My b a r e f e e t w e r e n o t made t o e n d u r e t h e s h a r p n e s s . The r a i n is s t a r t i n g t o f a l l now. B i g d r o p s . The b i g d r o p s s t i n g my f a c e a s d o e s t h e s a n d . T h e r a i n f e e l s v e r y , v e r y c o l d .

I n my p a t h I s e e a t u r t l e s h e l l . I t i s w h i t e . I k i c k i t over w i t h my f o o t and t h e r a i n - w a t e r s p i l l s f r o m i t . O n l y a bleached w h i t e s k e l e t o n on a wet stormy shore. Where is t h e t u r t l e t h a t wore t h i s s h e l l ? He is dead. He i s o f a n o t h e r t i m e , a n o t h e r age. I p i c k up t h e t u r t l e s h e l l and c a r r y i t w i t h m e . The p o o r o l d t u r t l e - - d e a d .

I walk. My face is s t i n g i n g i n t h e b l o w i n g s a n d a n d t h e c o l d r a i n . I walk f a s t e r , a s i f I had a d e s t i n a t i o n i n mind. I am walk- i n g i n a b i g c i r c l e , a r o u n d a n i s l a n d . I have no d e s t i n a t i o n t o r e a c h - - I am j u s t w a l k i n g . The

thunder is l o u d e r now and l i g h t - en ing s t r i k e s o u t over the ocean. T h e w a v e s a r e b e c o m i n g m o r e f u r i o u s and t h e r a i n f a l l s hard- e r . I walk. I f i g h t t h e b lowing s a n d , t h e s t i n g i n g r a i n .

To my l e f t , n e a r a sand dune, I f i n d the bow o f a n o l d f i s h i n g b o a t . I t i s a l m o s t c o m p l e t e l y b u r i e d i n t h e s a n d and s h e l l s . It i s covered w i t h b a r n a c l e s and r o t t e n s e a growth . I k i c k i t . I t r y t o p u l l it from t h e sand, b u t t h e sand h a s t o o t i g h t a g r i p on

i t . I can n o t l i f t i t . Where a r e men who f i s h e d from t h i s b o a t ? They a r e d e a d . They a r e home-- t h e i r bones-- in the sea . They a re o f t h e p a s t - - n o l o n g e r e x i s t . 'Ihe poor dead men who f i s h e d from t h i s b o a t .

T h e s t o r m i s f u r i o u s . The s o l d i e r , t u r t l e , and t h e men-- t h e y a r e o f t h e p a s t . The s e a does no t w a i t . We a r e t h e s l a v e s o f t i m e . And t h e o c e a n b e a t s a g a i n s t t h e r o c k s y e a r a f t e r y e a r , c e n t u r y a f t e r c e n t u r y . . .

B O O K S

By Laurence P r a t t

I opened a b o o k - - - a man walked f o r t h .

I l i f t e d a p a g e - - - o u t f l e w a b i r d .

Each was a l i v e .

Each was a word.

P a r a g r a p h s a r e p l a c e s

L i v e d i n by l o v e r s .

C h a p t e r s a r e c i t i e s

Between book c o v e r s .

From t h e A l b u m o f E v a Merryrnan P o n d

A class a t South School (Rocsevelt) 1919

TOP Row: Margaret L e s h , Louise Horning, Margare t Brown, Gladys J u n k i n , Agnes Vale , Hazel G e n t r y , C a t h e r i n e P u l l e y , Frances McCarthy, Irma Alcorn .

Middle: ( ? I , George B a i l e y , Henry D a v i s , ( ? ) , Frank Germany, Len t Bryan t , L e s t e r H u n t s b u r g e r , C l i f f o r d C h r i s t i a n s o n , Miss H i r s c h ( T e a c h e r ) .

Front: A l i c e Brown, Eva Merryman, Dorothy Marr , V i t a S t o v e r , Ruth Markham.

LETTERS From Our Readers

Dear Editor Wilson : I have lived in Corvallis for 72

years, and I know a lot about it. Your little "Corvallis Magazine" brings back a lot of memories be- cause I was there..

Mrs. Carl Hodes Corvallis, Oregon

Dear Editor Wilson: Evelyn and I have decided the

kid on the motorcycle in the Fire Department picture was not I.

It must have been Bob Howard. I would have had on turnout pants and boots like others who slept in the F i re Hall. Bob did not.

Joe Wilson Newport, Oregon

Dear Editor Wilson : Your fine little magazine was

f i rs t brought to my attention by Lee "Freddie" Fisher. Then yes- terday Floyd Githens brought me a copy he had picked up someplace.

George A. Spence Tidewater, Oregon

Dear Editor Wilson: I thought your last issue was so

good tha t I read i t from cover to cover before I a te dinner. My room mate complained that dinner was getting cold, but I told the lovely gal tha t food of the kind she spoke of was only good fo r the belly, while this in your magazine was good for the soul.

"Hi" Howe Chicago, Illinois

Dear Editor Wilson: I was working for Mrs. Tarpley

a t the Peacock the night when Mar Wong did the dirt. I still think he was short, pot tall.

Bus Harlan got me my first job in Los Angeles, a t the Western Electric. As for Cecil Fruitt , I saw him last in the 20's giving the stop and go a t Ninth and Grand in L.A. Barcus Law was here a t that time too. I once made a t r ip back to Oregon with Willis Law. He was a good friend.

Oh yes, on my rounds today (a spare time job) picking up over- due books for the library, I hauled in another one of Ray Bethers'! The dame who had it told me that it was a big help to her in her a r t work.

Wayne Harralson Compton, California

Editor's Note: One of Ray Beth- ers' books has just been translated into Arabic and printed in Cairo.

Dear Editor Wilson: You weren't quite right about

Mar Wong's death. His wife was stabbed full of holes but still alive when George Spence and I got her to the hospital. We called Henry Robinson and Sheriff Newton.

Mar Wong was near the front window waving this big butcher knife around. He had a roaring fire in the stove and threw the knife into it. He died underneath a table and some stools. He had taken poison, but the doctors did- n't find out what kind.

Laurence Howard Corvallis, Oregon

ABOUT OUR ADVERTISERS

Dear Editor Wilson: Your winter issue is the best

editorially, typographically and in every other way (if there is any other) I have seen yet. I've read nearly everything there is in this issue, and i t arrived only a few hours ago, and everything I've read is interesting-though, being no Corvallisite, I know none of the people mentioned except you.

Thanks for demoralizing me by getting me away from i t all for an hour or more.

Courtland Matthews Portland, Oregon

Dear Editor Wilson : I'm not a denizen of Corvallis.

Its people and history mean no- thing to me. But the magazine as i t now appears is probably just right for your subscribers.

Sail on, Captain Wilson! Laurence Pra t t Portland, Oregon

Editor's hlote: Ex-Prof. Pratt is one the Northwest's best liked poets and critics. W e have printed a poem b y him i n nearly every issue of our magazines for the past five years. It is w i th such good friends in mind that we are start- ing our "creative section."

Our policy is for the present as well as for the past. Nobody has ever expressed this feeling better than Friedrich Nietzsche when he wrote:

"Companions, the creator seek- eth, not corpses-and not herds or believers either. Fellow-creators the creator seeketh-those who grave new values on new tables."

26 -

Pearlie and Mrs. Strait, owners of the P & L Trading Post, Albany, shown with a few of their thousands of antiques.

They have one of the best collections of Bohemian glassware to be found any - where. They also have all kinds of used appliances, building materials, such a s windows, old pictures, and furniture of all kinds.

They a r e located on the Old Pacific Highway a t the north edge of Albany.

N. P. Nichols, owner of Nichols Garden Nursery, Albany, dictates a letter to pretty Darlene Simmons, his secretary. He imports seeds from Europe and Africa and sells them by mail all over America.

"Nick" also writes articles for the leading horticultural and gardening mag- azines, such as. Horticulture. The Flower Grower. Organic Gardening, American Nurseryman, and others.

Mrs. Nichols (Edith) and their daugh- ters, Rose Marie and Gloria, also help with the mail order work. At present, Rose Marie is studying journalism a t the University of Oregon. Nick, by the way, attended the Birmingham Agricultural College, in Birmingham, England.

10 cents per word. minimum order $2.00. Payment in advance.

REAL ESTATE FOR SALE

CORNER LOT, 130 feet on ocean a t Ya- chats. In new restricted district. Power and phone lines next door. City water. Good streets. $2,500, terms. Write Tom Wilson, Box 122, Corvallis, Oregon.

MISCELLANEOUS

EARN U P TO $1000 sparetime income raising Italian improved Swiss Giant Pansies. No special equipment needed using m y method. Grow thousands of plants in your backyard. Booklet "Show- ing How" plus 500 seeds $1.; 2000 seeds $3. Nichols Garden Nursery, 1190 N. Pa- cific Hwy., Albany, Oregon.

FOUL ANCHOR ARCHIVES

Books & Maps "for t reasure or pleasure!"

BURIED TREASURE

LOST MINES

SUNKEN TREASURE

PIRATE TREASURE

TREASURE TROVE LAW

For Big Ghost Town Map with 86 sites in Arizona, California and Nevada send $1.00. Catalogue of 100 t reasure books and maps included. Treasure exclusively. D E ~ T , L-3s

FOUL ANCHOR, R Y E 0, H. Y. (R. I. Nesrnith, Curator)

P G L TRADING POST

A N T I Q U E S

G L A S S W A R E

USED FURNITURE

C A B I N E T S

T O O L S

A P P L I A N C E S

1305 Old Pacific Highway Albany, Oregon