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PublishedQuarterlybythe PacificCountyHistoricalSociety StateofWashington

Published Quarterly by the State of Washingtonpacificcohistory.org/SouWester/1992 Summer.pdfmisconception of the cause, resigned as Collector . Nevertheless, he continued his travels

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Page 1: Published Quarterly by the State of Washingtonpacificcohistory.org/SouWester/1992 Summer.pdfmisconception of the cause, resigned as Collector . Nevertheless, he continued his travels

Published Quarterly by thePacific County Historical Society

State of Washington

Page 2: Published Quarterly by the State of Washingtonpacificcohistory.org/SouWester/1992 Summer.pdfmisconception of the cause, resigned as Collector . Nevertheless, he continued his travels

SINCE 1966 U NV'e eA Quarterly Publication of Pacific County Historical Society and Museum

A Non-profit Organization

Annual membership fees (includes membership and Sou'wester subscription)$15 .00 single$25.00 family

$25.00 corporate$50.00 contributing$100.00 benefactor

One-time membership fee (includes membership and Sou'wester subscription)$500.00

Address : P .O . Box P, South Bend, WA 98586

Pacific County Historical Society welcomes articles relating to Pacific County . Materials accepted forpublication may be edited . Reprinting of any material requires permission from the Society . Second classpostage paid at South Bend, Washington . All rights reserved .

PUB, NO. ISSN-0038-4984

Ruth McCausland - Joan MannCo-Editors

Printed by Midway Printery, Long Beach, Washington

Our CoverA sketch of David Douglas by Bob McCausland for Pacific County Historical

Society. David Douglas was 26 years old when he sailed across the Columbia Riverbar in 1825 . A native of Scotland, he had been chosen by the Horticultural Societyof London to gather specimens of native plants growing in the Pacific northwest .This botanical trip was inspired by the collection brought back to England 30 yearspreviously by Dr. Archibald Menzies, naturalist with the Vancouver Expedition .The first plant Douglas saw when he came ashore was salal (Gaultheria shallon)growing below the giant trees which would eventually bear his name .

Table o ContentsTITLEA Fir Named Douglas, by Ruth McCauslandThe Diary of Mark W . Bullard, Pacific County PioneerThe Story of Grace E . Hubbard Butz, by Gladys E . Butz BullardLucile Saunders McDonald, 1898-1992, by Richard K . McDonaldBoyhood in Chinook and Remembrances, by Dale L . Plumb

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The of the Douglas fir above undated photograph was typical thoseseen by David Douglas when he explored the untouched forested areas of Willapa countryfifty years previously .

P.C.H .S . #10 .12 .70.2 (7)

A Fir Named Douglasby Ruth McCausland

There are no trees in the Pacific northwest more well-known than Douglas firs .These conifers do not thrive when exposed to our open coastal weather but in themilder humid conditions a short distance inland, they grow rapidly and, when leftalone, attain great heights and girth . These untouched giants were a source ofamazement to David Douglas when he saw them for the first time in the virginforests of Willapa country early in the nineteenth century . As a result of that visit,trees grown from seeds collected by Douglas can now be found all over the world .As long as climatic conditions are similar to those of the Pacific northwest, Douglasfirs have adapted with ease to become a major source of timber in their new locales .

Douglas fir is not a fir at all . It belongs to the Pine Family but is not a pine as weknow them. Its correct botanical name is Pseudotsuga menziesii (translation : Falsehemlock named for Dr. Archibald Menzies, naturalist with the Vancouver Expedi-tion of 1792) but is not a hemlock either . If that is not confusing enough, we find itscommon name comes from a young Scottish botanist who collected plants and seedsfrom the harbor area almost two hundred years ago. Following is an account of howDavid Douglas had his name attached to a species of tree grown halfway across theworld from his homeland .

David Douglas was born in Perth, Scotland, in 1799 . His stonemason fatherenrolled David in a nearby school when he was only three years old . As any young

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boy would, David much preferred wandering through the countryside but while onthe excursions, he took time to examine plant life and to watch birds and animals,somewhat unusual for a child of his age . His interest in natural history intensified ashe grew older and his father finally turned him over to the head gardener of SconePalace near Perth . David was eleven years old when he became an apprentice toWilliam Beattie .

David completed his apprenticeship, then enrolled in a ,school where he remainedfor several years studying mathematics and subjects relating to natural science . Attwenty-one years of age he was given a position at the Botanic Gardens of Glasgowwhere his interest and enthusiasm quickly came to the attention of ProfessorWilliam Hooker . The two went on frequent field trips to study and gather localplant life . These learning experiences ended when Professor Hooker was appointedDirector of Kew Gardens and moved to London . Hooker's work at the Gardens waswell-received and he became highly respected in botanical circles, so much so that hewas asked by the Horticultural Society to recommend a botanist to collect plants forthem in China. Without hesitation Hooker's choice was his former employee, DavidDouglas . With great anticipation Douglas left Glasgow for London, but before hegot there, the expedition to China had been cancelled. Luckily new plans were beingformed by the Society to send a collector to North America for the purpose of ac-quiring specimens of plants, fruit trees in particular . Douglas was hired to make thetrip and in 1823 visited eastern United States and Canada returning to London withspecimens of many new plants .

Inspired by the collection of interesting plant life by the Vancouver Expeditionthirty years earlier, the Horticultural Society decided it was time to finance an ex-pedition of their own to the Pacific northwest . Hudson's Bay Company, which stillcontrolled a large number of fur-trading posts in that area, was to be a joint sponsorand would furnish transportation and lodging whenever possible . David Douglas,the logical choice to be collector, accepted the challenge and during the next fewweeks studied everything he could in preparation for the unknown . He sailed fromEngland aboard the Hudson's Bay ship WILLIAM AND ANN on July 24, 1824 .

The ten-month trip followed the usual route around Cape Horn, stops being madein South America and the Galapagos Islands . The ship arrived in April, 1825, atFort George (Astoria) on the Columbia River . Though Hudson's Bay Chief FactorDr. John McLoughlin was in the process of moving the outpost to Fort Vancouveron the north side of the river, Douglas was welcomed with kindness and coopera-tion . He soon became acquainted with local Indians, also with some of the French-men and Englishmen who hunted and traded for Hudson's Bay Company . In thefirst months, Douglas, accompanied by an Indian guide, traveled more than 2,000miles collecting specimens on both sides of the Columbia River and its tributaries .Douglas and his guide walked most of the time but occasionally hired canoes orhorses. When he returned late in the year, Fort Vancouver was established andbecame his headquarters .

At the Fort, Douglas began .preparations for returning to London with his collec-tion . While assembling his materials, he accidentally tripped over a packing box andlanded on a rusty nail which penetrated his left knee . Infection set in causing greatdiscomfort . Rather than returning to England with the first batch of specimens, hespent the winter at Fort Vancouver recuperating and working on the copious notesof his findings .

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The infection in his knee continued to plague Douglas but in the following year hewas able to again travel with his Indian guide . As best he could determine, theycovered about 4,000 miles visiting areas on the Pacific coast and moving inland towhat is now eastern Washington and Oregon . In 1827, after shipping thousands ofspecimens back to England, he again followed the Columbia River, but this timecrossed the Rocky Mountains and continued on to Hudson's Bay . In August, 1827,he boarded a vessel to carry him to England . Two months later he was greeted inLondon with much gratitude from the recipients of his collections .

Douglas was meticulous in keeping journals of his travels . The HorticulturalSociety was eager to publish them and agreed to turn over any of the profits toDouglas. Before publication, the material would require extensive editing and com-piling . Douglas was ill-equipped to undertake this type of project and stubbornly re-jected offers of help from his colleagues . During this period, Douglas seems to havealienated friends with his unhappy frame of mind which may, in part, have beencaused from the frustration of losing his eyesight . The compilation remained un-finished and was never published during Douglas' lifetime .

The Society, in appreciation for the splendid work he had achieved on hisprevious trips, solved his immediate personal problems by sending him on anotherexpedition, this time to cover areas between Fort Vancouver and California . Douglashoped to fulfill a dream of going to Alaska, sailing to Siberia, then walking acrossthat vast country to Europe, returning to England by this circuitous route .

Douglas left England in 1829 and in the next two years collected specimens fromthe Columbia River south to San Francisco . Unable to find ship's passage back toFort Vancouver, he sailed instead to the Sandwich Islands (Hawaii) . From here heshipped his latest collection to London . Not until 1833 was he able to return to FortVancouver, a greatly changed area due to the arrival of settlers and the decimationof Indians from alcohol and communicable diseases . He learned that his friend,the Secretary of the Horticultural Society, had resigned and Douglas, through somemisconception of the cause, resigned as Collector . Nevertheless, he continued histravels and collecting, still dreaming of walking across Siberia .

From Fort Vancouver he left for Canada and was able to reach Stuart Lake innorthern British Columbia before being forced to turn back . As he was comingdown the Fraser River, his boat overturned in the rapids . Douglas barely escapedwith his life, but all his carefully-gathered specimens and his equipment weredestroyed or severely damaged . The journal of this trip was irretrievably lost. A sadDavid Douglas returned to Fort Vancouver . As soon as possible, he boarded a Hud-son's Bay vessel again bound for the Sandwich Islands .

Douglas arrived in Hawaii in January, 1834, and continued his explorations . Notlong after he landed in the Islands, he climbed to the summit of Mauna Loa on theIsland of Hawaii. Six months later, while walking across the foothills of MaunaKea, also on the Island of Hawaii, his poor eyesight may have caused his death .Though he had been warned of the danger, he fell into a pit dug to trap wild cattle .He was later found trampled and gored by an enraged bull . Douglas had not yetreached his 35th birthday .

The journals, letters and other papers including the original manuscript begun byDouglas had been stored away and forgotten by the Horticultural Society . Eightyyears later they were discovered and their value reassessed. Too important to ignore,the Society appointed its Secretary and Librarian to review the papers with publica-

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tion in mind . This proved to be a monumental task for the two busy men as thehandwriting was poor, sometimes illegible, and the ink used by Douglas was badlyfaded in places . The journals were finally published in 1914 and all pertinent paperswere put on file for reference in the Society offices .

Another fifty years were to pass before a Scottish Conservator of Forests cameacross the journals and papers of David Douglas . John Davies was so impressedwith the remarkable achievements of David Douglas, he got permission to use anymaterials held by the Horticultural Society, then wrote his own version of the life ofthis botanist . Douglas of the Forests was printed in 1980 by the University ofWashington Press, copies of which are available in the Timberland Regional LibrarySystem through any of its branches .Though Dr. Menzies discovered the fir which is not a fir but its own unique

species, David Douglas was the one who sent its cones from the northwest to Lon-don . From these, botanists took the seeds, planted them, and raised what they called"Douglas firs ."

Addendum :The photo of Naselle printed in our Spring, 1992, issue has been identified by

Mrs. Peggy Busse of Naselle. It is of Naselle Landing, about 1910 . Mrs. Bussewrites: "On the extreme left is the old bridge over the south fork of the Naselle River(with O'Connor's store just beyond it), large house in the center is the Harry Wilsonhome (no longer standing), and on the right is the Nasel Hotel and the old bridge(landing) over the Naselle River . Picture was probably taken from the spot known asChapman's Hill." This photograph also appeared in the Naselle Centennial Book,published in 1978 .

Erratum :Two readers have pointed out that our photo of the Langenbach house (The

Sou'wester, Winter, 1991) is actually a picture of the home of Dr . O .R . Nevitt,pioneer Raymond physician, which is located on Ballentine Street . The house ofJudge Langenbach, on Fowler Street, is pictured here .

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The Diary of Mark W. Bullard,Pacific County Pioneer

October 14, 1862 - February 5, 1863

Editor's note: Laroyd V . Bullard of Port Orchard, Washington, gave to the Museum thefollowing record his great-great uncle, Mark W . Bullard, kept on his journey fromMassachusetts on the East Coast, across the Isthmus of Panama and up the Pacific coast toShoalwater Bay. The original diary "of about 6" by 7i" in size (was) found in a trunk in thebarn at Menlo on Grandpa Bullard's (V .M . Bullard's) place ." It is now in the museum collec-tion . The excerpts included here are unchanged as to style and spelling ; the text has beenbroken up into paragraphs . (For further Bullard family history, see The Sou'Wester,Autumn, 1974)

Diry commensing Oct 14 '62 . Left Bar-tonsville for Boston, arrived at Parks Hotel3 oclock in the evening, ingaged a room,went to 173 . Found A .W. (probablyArabella Weston -ed .) as I expected, had awalk with her that evening . Returned to thehotel . The next evening, I called on A .W .went to Duxbury to see her mother. I wasvery much Pleased with her ; think her to be agood woman. The morning of the 16 wecame back to Boston . Called on A .W . in theevening; had an interduxion to Mrs Spolden& Mrs Bigalow, found them to be nice folks .Arabella gave me a package to carry to herbrother . Had a fine visit, left them all ingood spirits . Went back to my hotel and tomy room. Felt lonsom, went got pen, ink &paper, wrote a not to A.W., sent it to her inthe morning .

17 She wrote an answer, wished me to callat her bording place in the evening . Thinkingperhaps I should not get the note, She caledat the Hotel, said she would like to have mecall, which I did . Had a long talk as regards MENLO P/o.IEEQ 18 53 - 1902

to the note which I wrote and sent to her in

Drawing by Bob McClausland

the morning. I was very much pleased with the position she toulk, think it for thebest and satisfactory on both sides, alowing me to be judge . Came to this arangmentto corispendt . She thought she should come out within one year, said I mite tell herBrother so . After wishing one other a happy good by, I left for my Hotel feelingmuch more happy than the evening before . Caled on her the morning 18, saw herbut for a moment .

Left for New York in the evening, arrived in the City in the morning 19 . Put up tothe Lovejoy Hotel, staid there til the next day 20. Found Mr. Gilman in the morn-ing, went to make arrangements to go to San Francisco . Concluded to go on the new

7

MARX W 8l1LLARR OoRN /82Z D/EO 790Z

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line . Stayed with Mr . Gilman until the 25 . Bought some few things in New Yorkwhile there . Mr . Gilman went on bord with me, when I started (to) think much ofhim and Mrs. Gilman. I injoyed myself very much while with him. He lives inBrockline, keps store in N . York . I would (say) he was doing well . I stoped at hisstore most of the time through the day, went to the central Park, found it be be abutiful place and keep in fine order . Also I went to the musium, injoyed it much .Went aboard the steamer, started at noon, the wether fine . Felt well .

26: Some sick, nothing of interest . 27: Hevy wether, quite sick . Laid in bead allday. The stemar a good deal broaken, not serious . 28: Laid a bead most of the time .29: Rainy, felt better, read some . 30: Very pleasant, spent most of my time inreading. In the evening they had some trouble with the engine, caused some delay .31 : Very pleasant, running about 6 nots . Took the engine to peaces, run by sail . Gotit fixed about 10 oclock in the evening . It now works well .

Nov 1 : A fine pleasant morning, going faster than she has ran . In site of Cuba .Making along pashage but contenting myself the best I can & mite as well say that Iwrote while in Boston to John, Josie & Parker, while in N York to Father . Nowwriting to Damon; going to send it back on the vesal stemar . Nov 2 : Sleap on deckfor the first time ; had a nice time, got up 11 oclock in the morning, the wether fine .Think we shall get to Gray Town Tuesday . Nov 3: some dissatisfaction, wont blamethem, long passage .Nov 4: Nothing new expect some excitement as regards geting to Greytown. Ex-

pect to get there in the morning . Nov 5 : Got into Greytown about 9 oclock in themorning. No boats here; gone up the river ; expect her down . Nov 6 : now boat as yet .Getting unesy . Went ashore, bought a few things to cary up the River . Some talk ofgoing to the isthmus, nothing certain . A good deal of excitement as regards to it .Nov 7: River Steamer came down last night, landed their passengers on shore . Somecame ashore during the day ; they had a very hard time geting a croast, left some bag-gage. Nov 8 : Go a board the River Sterner, get started about 9 oclock . Fine morning,and the sereney butiful, except a hard trip, but am bound to take it easy . Wood 2 or3 times during the day .Nov 9: Stoped to wood and fix the boat . Had a good time on boat last night, laid

spoon fashion. It took some time to fix the boat. Went ashore, some got corn . Nowgeting under way. A big bataux just passed, the first we have seen . A fine scenry, thesoils rich, the land roling about 3 miles below the rapeds . Expect to get to the lakethis after noon . As we was runing up the first falls we heard the growl of a tiger . Weare now some distance, say 6-8 miles, to Fort Old Castle at the big falls . The boat isnow trying to get up the falls . Has a good deal of trouble, but suxceded at last . Theyhiched a rope to heve. It was 'h past 4 when we got under way . Run up 3 miles, runinto an edy, had some trouble in getting her under way . Run a short distance up theRiver, came to an anchor. Stoped all night .Nov. 10 : Got under way at day light . Saw a native ; he Plaid us a fine tune on a

bugel . 5 miles up the river from where we started this morning we came to the lake .Boat got under way 9 oclock in the morning . The name of the River San Wan . Thelake boat was anchord 30 miles from the lake . . . Next we came to Fort St Carlos . Thelake is a fine Place, butiful scenry . As we came in sight of the bay, we past a moun-tain by the name of Mertepe, another by the name of Bombark . Then came up asquall. We left our cards, run under the lea of these mountains, came to an anchor .Remained here till morning . Nov 11 : Got under way early in the morning, run down

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to Vergin Bay . Came to an anchor . Now carying the pashengers ashore in smallboats . It is very rough, very unpleasant for the laidys . At least I got ashore . 2 oclockwent and got some dinner wich I paid a doller . Three of us hired a mule and tookturns riding . Had a very Pleasant trip . Walked 12 miles, got over to San Juan DelSur . Just the age of the evening, went aboard of the Sterner . The pashengaers werevery much greaved at the reception which they received . On coming a board, the Se-cond Cabin pashengers were put into the Stirege with so little venterlation it was im-posible for them to stay there without endengering there health . For that reasonsome thought they would not go down there to sleep, but thought they would ocupythe seattees in the eating saloon . Some few went down for that purpose and ocupyedthe seats . Soon the Capt . Robison & other officers of the vessel came down . ThePasengers tried to reason with them, but they would not but pitched in for a fight .Mr Clark & Woodruf got a good deal hurt . Think this only a foretaste of what iscoming when they get to San Francisco, that is, if they are all of my mind . It wouldnot be the last . At first, the Capt would not alow us to sleep on deck, but finley con-decended to let them occupy the deck for sleeping for the night .

Nov 12: Pleasent morning . Washing in salt water . Had a good breakfast . Bagagehas not all come yet, it is expected soon . Capt alows no one to go ashore excepting afew favored ones . Fortunately I am not one of them . I have got my trunk, took itdown into the Cabin . The bagage has not all got along. Nov 13 : the Ships men andSterage Pasengers very disagreeable ; can not leave eny think loose . If so, it is stolen .The report is this morning that the baggage is all aboard . It is now 12 oclock . Thelast boat is hauled up along side and they are getting up steam ready to start leavingthis Port 4 oclock . It rained quite hard . Think it won't last long . Pleasent night sleepon deck . Nov 14: Get up 'h past 4 in the morning, went down into the cabin towarm . Could not sleep, got up again, washed . Now headed towards land, a butifulisland. We are now pasing the entrance of the harbor, one of the best on the Pacific .We are now ling at anchor at Realjo, going to take in some coal while ling here in theBay . You can see a burning mountain by the name of Momatombo . A very few arealoud to go ashore . Dont no how long we shall remane here ; perhaps we shall starttomorrow .

Nov 15 : Pleasent morning . Still ling in the Bay. Start at 2 oclock . I sent a letter toJosie Durken by Mr . Dickason to New York . Dont no whether it will go or not .Nothing in particular new today as yet . We are now out to sea and am inhops weshall not stop again until we arrive at San Francisco Sunday morning . Nov 16 : Stillin sight of land, pleasant wether . Have to sleep on deck on acount of it being sowarm below . It is imposible to stay in my birth . There is a burning mountain in sightby the name of Ixalco . Everything goes as well as can be expected . Nothing new .About 4 oclock a boy fell overboard; the boat was cast adrift and the boy saved .There was quite a number of things thrown over board, but the boy got hold ofnone, but staid abouve water until the boat got to him . He was brought aboard allright . Most likely he wont be likely to want to take another swim out to sea, but hismother is having histerics fits . As fast as she comes out of one she goes in to another .She is better this morning .

Nov 17 : Miss Carpenter is worse . She is crazy, talking, singing and laughing mostof the time. It is quite rough in the Gulf . I stayed on deck till 12 oclock, went below .Nov 18 : Pleasent morning, the sea smooth . I have caught a very bad cold. We arenow on the Mexican cost . 2 oclock in sight of land . Things goes well . Today we are

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running in sight of land . Today fine prospect . Nov 19 : Fine morning . Nothing new .Sleep on deck as usual . The Stearage Pasengers came on the after deck to sleep lastnight . We past Acapulco 9 oclock this morning, also past a sail at noon today .Geting tired of this, long to get through . Nov 20 : Wether fine this morning, growingcold. We pased today at noon where the Golden Gate (ship) was burnt . She was runashore . Think they will get the treasure before meny months. Geting very tired of thesea. Am inhops to get through before meny days . We are having a long pashage . Weare now entering the Gulf of California, getting somewhat rough . Some excitementin the stearage about this .Nov 21 : Still in the Gulf, rough wether, quite warm . I formed an equaintence with

Mr. Foular of Gaysville . Nov 22 : Good morning Cape San Lucus. We are now onthe cost of California . To get in sight of the place makes me feel quite refreshed .Talk Politics a good deal . Some of the Stearage Pashengers talk of going to SholeWater Bay . They are from 111 . 4 oclock came in sight of some isle lands. Nov 23 :Fine morning . No land in sight, the water very smooth . Saw a schoole of Porpus .Some talk of having Preaching . 12 oclock came in sight of land . We had preaching .The wether fine . My head does not ake so bad as it did this forenoon . Nov 24 : Sleepdown below last night . The wether seames cold to what it was this morning . Lookssome like a storm, but am in hops . Not put on a clean shirt today . We had a mockcort today . Parties were Blakeley & Stuhler ; had a great time, lots of sport . Runningslow, think we shall get in to port Wednesday or Thursday morning .Nov 25 : Cloudy. Looks like rain . Get along . Cort was ajourned till this morning 9

oclock . A good deal of excitement . The coart is now ajourned since the wether fine,the Ocean smooth . Think we shall be in Wednesday night or Thursday morning .Nov 26: Pleasant. No land in sight . Saw one sail off the Port Bow . The sea is smoothand in fact we have had good wether the most of the pashage . Nov 27 : Ling off theentrance of the (San Francisco) Bay until it is light enough to go in . Start in fog sothick, can't run . Come to anchor. Get breakfast . Wait for the fog to clear away . Gotunder way again, run up in 1 1/2 miles of the wharf. Came to another stop for the fog .Arrived at the wharf 10 oclock, went ashore, stoped at the Oreginal . The first personI saw was Mr . Weston . Had a fine time the rest of the day . In the evening called onMiss Frasier from Oregon. Nov 28 : Went over to the Fremont to see Mr . Strickler toget him to go with me to see an Engine, but he could not go . I look around some .Moved my trunk down to Westons . Stayed with him all night and shall until I leavetown .Nov 29 : Spent the day in looking over machinery . Nov 30: Spent the day in

writing. I wrote to Miss Weston, Mr . Gilman and to Father . Dec 1 : Went over onHarason St ., caled on Mark Winnat . Heard from home for the first time . Madesome inquires about engines found a second handed engine, fixtires for sawmill . Dec2: Went and saw the oweners of said saw mill . Made no traid with him for cirtain .Think I shall try to get it, cant tell (for) cirtain . Dec 3 : Went and saw the Engine andirons for saw mill . Found them better than I expected . I shall try to get them . Canttell . Bought a dress for Martha, some cloth for Branch, a sute of close & a cap, 2pair of Boots for Self & 2 shirts and hankerchifs . Went and got my washing .

Dec 4: Nothing new today . Very lonsom, would like to be at home . Went down tothe office. The boat leaves the 6th . It seams a long time . Dec 5 : Nothing new . Wentand saw a mill right, saw a plan of a saw mill. Think it very good . Wrote a letter toStrickle . Dec 6: Went got an estimate from Mr . Hinkly . Got a plan of a saw mill .

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Went to the Box factory . Saw N . Weston. Went a board of the Sterner . 4 oclock leftfor Oregon .

Dec 7 : A fine morning. Think it may continue til we get to Astoria . Saw a largewhale along side 12 oclock. The wether continues to be fine . Dec 8 : The wether fine .Met with Hix . Heard from the folks in Oregon . All well . Dec 9 : Quite rough. Somesea sick . Crosed the bar about 4 oclock . Landed at Astoria about 7 in the evening .Stayed with Lamley . Dec 10 : Feeling Lonsom. Anxious to get home . Went and sawWoodruf. Start home Thursday . Dec 11 : Quite cold, nothing new . Start hometomorrow morning . Quite rainy this afternoon . It seames like the rainey season hadcommensed for certain .

Dec 12 : This morning quite rainey, some better . Start home today. Arived at Mr .Edmunds (on the North Beach peninsula -ed .) 7 oclock in the evening, had a dinner .Dec 13 : Left Mr . Ed's in the morning . Rained all day . Stayed at Mr . Briscos allnight. Dec 14 : Came down the wether beach to Oysterville . Dec 15 : A hard storm .Quite lonsom . Want to get home . Dec 16 : No' way of getting down the Bay tilltomorrow, think I shall go . Then heard from home, all well . Dec 17 : No chance forgoing home, feeling very lonsom .

Dec 1-8 : Henry came up to Oysterville . I cam down to Bruseport with him, staid allnight. Dec 19: Quite rainey . Am in hops that I shall get home today . Staid inBruseport all day, had a fine time eating Oysters with Samule Woodard . Dec 20 :Left Bruseport for home and made the riffle . Found the folks all well . Dec 21 : Wentdown to Henry, got my trunk . Dec 22 : George came up here last night . I went downto the landing today with a load . Dec 23 : Helped Job (his brother -ed .) fix bridge, 24the same .

Dec 25: Went up to my place (land claim in the Willapa Valley -ed .) for the firsttime . Dec 26 : Went down to Mr. Souls in the morning with pertition and up to thesaw mill . Dec 27 : Staid in the house all day at Jobs . Dec 28 : Went up to my place tosee about the hogs . Dec 29 : Staid in the house most of the day . Dec 30 : Quite unwell,not able to be out doors much . Dec 31 : The same .

Jan 1 : still in the house . Jan 2: Getting better helped Job rope some steers . Stillhave a bad cold . Jan 3 : Stade in the house all day . Very rainy . Some snow last night .Jan 4: Still stormey . Helped Job lasso another steer . Expected a letter but nonecame. Jan 5 : Helped Job haul lumber. Jan 6: Rained all day, wrote a letter to Mr .Hinckley. Jan 7 : Helped Job haul lumber to landing . Jan 8 : Helped clean up somepeas & draw some wood . Jan 9 : Rainey . Yoked up the steers. Jan 10 : Got up at 5oclock, haled rails with steers . Jan 11 : Job & self went down to Wilsons . Jan 12 :Helped Job kill hogs . Jan 13 : Went down to the Bay . Stayed at George Wilson's allnight .

(The diary continues with daily chores on the Willapa homestead throughoutJanuary and early February, 1863 . It ends with the following notation :)Feb 6: The ground is covered with snow, looks like winter in good urnest . Helped

Job draw up some wood . Brogan went a hunting killed some venison .

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Pacific County Pioneer Mark W . Bullard,an Early Settler and Indian War Veteran dies at MenloMenlo, July 22,(1902) (Special) -Mark W . Bullard, an early pioneer of Pacific county, died

at his home here July 18, at the age of eighty .He was born at Stockbridge, Vt ., in September, -1822, and in 1849, in company with his

brother, Job Bullard, who survives him here, started for the Pacific coast . They took passageat New York on the steamer Restless, and coming around Cape Horn, arrived at San Fran-cisco May 1, 1850. From there Mr . Bullard went to Milwaukie, Or ., and after a year there tothe Rogue River mines. Early in 1853 he came to Pacific County and settled on a donationclaim in the Willapa valley .

Two years later, at the time of the Indian outbreak, he shouldered a musket and for sixmonths served with the Washington volunteers in the war that followed . His company was incommand of Capt. B .F. Hennes and Col . Shaw was in command of the regiment . He par-ticipated in several engagements, the most important being that at Walla Walla . At the closeof the Indian war he returned to Pacific county and with the exception of a short interval hasremained here ever since .Mr. Bullard leaves two brothers, Job and John Bullard, both of this place, and a sister,

Mrs. Elizabeth Gilman, of Randolph, Vt .P.C . H .S . (newspaper not identified) #5-31-90-1

The Story of Grace E . Hubbard Butz-by Gladys E . Butz Bullard

(as told to me by my mother Grace Hubbard Butz)

Editor's note : Gladys E. Butz Bullard was the mother of Laroyd Bullard of Port Orchard . In1990, Mrs. Bullard gave to the Historical Society this account of the westward migration ofher mother's family

Journey from Wisconsin in 1872, ending in Pacific Co ., Washington . Washingtonwas only a Territory at that time, not a State .

In 1872 my mother's parents decided to sell their home in Montello, Wisconsin,and go west to Oregon . My mother was nine years old at that time .

This was my Grandfather's third trip from Wisconsin to the Far West . Some timein the early 1850s, he crossed the plains leading an Ox Team, to the Gold Rush inCalifornia .

The next time when my mother was three years old, they went to New York City,then by boat down the east coast, portaged across the Isthmus of Panama, on byboat to California . . . They were there about a year, most of the time at SacramentoCity in California, and then returned to Wisconsin, journeying partly by train .

This third trip in 1872 was with a team and covered wagon . The morning that theystarted out on this trip to a new land, all the Aunts, Uncles and Cousins of threefamilies that were starting out together, and also a number of the town people, wentwith them as far as their first camp . They had their noon meal in a beautiful grove,but there was not much eaten, as in all probability they might not see each otheragain. There was Mama's Quaker Uncle Gus Varney with his fine horse and buggy .The only way they could remember he was a Quaker was that he wore his hat at the

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dinner table . And also here was Uncle Jesse Dart, with his big . black mare, that mygrandparents were to take to his son in Nebraska, which incidentally caused con-siderable trouble, and fun, too . She wouldn't lead tied to the wagon, so my grand-father had to either lead or ride her . As he didn't like to ride, he walked almost allthe way to Nebraska . That left all the responsibility of driving the team to my grand-mother .

They soon fell in with other families in covered wagons, headed west, but theirteam could out-walk all the other teams, so they would then pitch camp about themiddle of the afternoon so the other teams could catch up, and they would all camptogether for the night . This gave my grandmother time to bake the bread . They hada large Dutch oven to bake in . She brought the starter of yeast with her when she leftWisconsin, and at night she set the sponge, and next morning mixed it down stiff, sothe bread was raising while traveling . Then at night it would be ready to bake, whenthey made camp . The Dutch oven was a very large iron kettle on three legs; and(had) a heavy iron cover, with grooves around the top, to hold the hot coals . Thecoals in the groove on top baked the bread evenly all over . This way they always hadtheir fresh bread. Pies and cakes were also baked this way .

One day they had a frightful experience, before they reached Nebraska . Early oneafternoon, they were ahead of the rest of their party, and in traveling along, theycame to where a road branched off the main road . A man happened along im-mediately, or purposely . Afterwards, they certainly thought he had a purpose in be-ing there, because they had such a fine team, the black mare was a beautiful animal,too . The man told them that the road that turned off wasa good road, (with) a goodplace to camp further on, with water and grass, which would shorten the distance .They were sure that the other movers would see that they had turned into this road .

The road led into the woods and was very pleasant, until they kept going and go-ing, and could find no place where they could camp . When it was nearly dusk, theycame to a small clearing where there was water . They hurried to make a fire, and getsomething to eat, and make their beds in the wagon; got the horses hobbled, andwere almost settled for the night, when they heard a frightful sound . A wild howl-ing, and then another and another, until they were surrounded by that frightful din .My grandfather built up a big bonfire, but the horses got so frightened, and therewas nothing to do, so they decided to hitch up the team and try to get out of there, asit was easier to control the horses if they were being driven . My grandfather armedhimself with torches of fire to lead the way, and try to get out as fast as they could .The black mare was tied to one of the horses' bridles, and they got started up a steepgrade. Then more trouble began .

The children's shoes and stockings had been put under the wagon . My grand-father went back to look for them, and a basket of clean clothes on the sewingmachine in the back of the wagon tipped over . Clothes were strewn all along theroad . My grandfather picked up all he could, and all the time that frightful din . Thehorses were so afraid, but my grandmother kept talking to them and kept them go-ing .

As they got farther up the grade and out of the woods, it began to get light . Thewolves did not follow them, and it was long after daylight before they came to themain road .

After many days of Iowa mud and rain, and beautiful days too, they arrived inNebraska, near Seward, a small town near where Uncle Jesse Dart's son lived . The

I

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beautiful black mare arrived at her destination and was given to him .They lived in Nebraska one summer and there they . . . saw a field of corn devoured

by a cloud of grasshoppers, literally in about half an hour . From there, they startedfor Oregon. This time there was one other family with them .

They drove through Lincoln, Nebraska, and camped a few miles from there . Thatevening two men visited them . Their manner, and seeing one slip a gun to the otherone while occupying (the) wagon seat that was on the ground, caused my grand-father to ask them to let him have the wagon seat, as he wished to get things in shapefor the night . After (the men) had sized things (up) to their satisfaction, theysauntered off, probably not dreaming that they had aroused any suspicion . Insteadof leaving the horses hobbled for the night, as usual, my grandfather brought themup and tied them to the wagon . They also kept watch . It was not so dark but thatthey could see that some time in the night, these two men (were) lurking around a lit-tle way off . They did not dare to come up to the wagons, (but) . . . they had their eyeson this fine walking team .

From here (my grandparents) drove for days and finally came to Fort Saunders,about three miles from Fort Laramie (Wyoming) . Here they had a very interestingtime. The soldiers enjoyed sitting around their campfires evenings and talking . Theystayed there several days and were entertained at dinner in their mess hall, and had agood time generally .

The morning that they were about to resume their travels, a young soldier by thename of William Somers came to my grandmother and asked her if she would per-mit him to give (her) a beautiful gold locket that he had made himself from the BlackHills gold . He had made this (for) his last living relative, a niece, and before he couldsend it to her, he received word of her death .My mother kept this locket all the years until 1907, (when) Dorothy Butz, my

youngest sister, was four years old . (The child) took it from her jewel casket and lostit in South Bend, Washington .

Now the family that was traveling with (my grandparents) concluded to stay inLaramie, so they started out feeling very lonely .Excitement was always surely to come in those days . They were traveling along,

and very thirsty . Finally (they) came to a little stream, and my grandfather wentdown a little hill for water. In coming back up the hill, he met a deer face to face inthe path. I wonder which was the (more) surprised . But grandfather grabbed thedeer by the horns and called grandmother to come quick with a rope and the butcherknife . They succeeded in getting the rope around the deer's neck and killing it . Theycut up all the choice meat in steaks, and salted it all lightly . . . They enjoyed deer meatfor some time .

The next day on their travels, they came to a ranch house, about ten miles fromCheyenne . There they found a hungry, lonesome bunch of cowboys . Just the daybefore, the cook and his wife had decamped with all their worldly goods and most ofthe grub, piled on a push cart . The boys (were) not there when they left .

Grandma got busy and cooked them a square meal with real coffee, and deersteak and hot biscuits, etc . That afternoon, Mr . Terry, a wealthy stockman andowner of the ranch and a large livery stable in Cheyenne, straightway made mygrandparents a very good offer if they would stay and run the place, so they decidedto stay for a while .

It was a glorious happy time for my mother as a little girl, for she and her sister

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Lizzy Hubbard each had a horse to ride .Mr. Terry used to bring company out from Cheyenne quite often . Wild Bill

Hickok and his wife were at the ranch real often, and my mother and GrandmaHubbard also visited with them in Cheyenne . Mrs. Hickok always wore a black silkdress with kerchief, and a white lace cap, and Lizzie as a little girl said she was goingto dress just like that when she grew up .

Cheyenne was a great frontier town at that time . There were miners, hunters andIndian fighters, outfitted for the Black Hills . It was while they were there that theCuster Massacre occurred .

During the roundup at times, their house was overflowing .Their nearest neighbors lived five miles away, and they also drove ten miles to visit

one neighbor. Mrs. Maynard at the Maynard ranch was a very lonely woman, astheir only son had died at the age of sixteen . He was always so happy there, that hewas buried not far from the ranch house. This was really a beautiful home, but lone-ly for a woman, so they spent their winters in Denver .

The Hubbard family started their travels again, still on the way toward Oregon .They visited Uncles and Cousins in Denver, and spent nearly a year in Boulder, Col-orado . Their route led them up into Wyoming, through the northern part of Utahand into Idaho . It was while traveling through Idaho that they had a most nerve-trying experience .

A few days before, the families they were traveling with now had the misfortuneto have a sick horse . They waited over for a while, but the man would not leave hishorse until it was able to travel . There were three families of them together now, sothe family with the remaining horse and wagon was helped on by the other familiesto where it was safe for them to wait until the man could catch up and join them .

They were in the Indian Country now, so kept moving as fast as they could . Theyhad traveled for several days, and knew that Fort Hall could not be far away . Thismorning they started early to try and reach Fort Hall before night . About teno'clock they saw a cloud of dust in the distance . When they got closer, they could seethat (there) were Indians .

A few days before they had picked up a black snake whip, and tied it to the top ofthe wagon. Grandma told my mother to get the whip for her, and told the childrento keep out of sight in the wagon . My mother said she saw it all through a flap in thewagon .

The horses were all terribly afraid of Indians ; they could almost smell them a mileaway . Grandfather had to hold their heads, and Grandma was ready with the whip,to make a run for it as long as the horses could go, if they were attacked .

Well, the body of horsemen got closer, and they were Indians, all painted up, theirfaces streaked with red and yellow, and hideous looking . They were riding Indianponies, flourishing their quirts, laughing and jabbering . They really rode up the hillsa ways to pass (the wagons) . But even after they had passed on, the families did notknow but what they would close in on them from behind .Then my grandparents thought they might be government scouts, and that they

might be near Fort Hall . Their guesses were correct ; they were government scouts .They arrived at Fort Hall that afternoon . They stayed (there) several days, and whenthey again started, it was with a large company of movers .

My father, Frank Butz, and another young man were (on) horseback from Iowa,and joined the group. He was twenty-one years old at this time .

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They camped at night in a circle . The horses were tied to the wagons before dark .My mother said she had gone to sleep many times with the horses munching theiroats. They had two cows with them now . My grandma could milk and the childrenfrom all the families would come with their tin cups to get the warm milk . This wasall very interesting to the children, and scary enough to be thrilling to them .

Soon the other movers dropped off one by one, and by the time they got to Boise,Idaho, they were alone, and (it) was not very long until they came into EasternOregon, and in the John Day Valley, where they made their home for some years . Ittook five years making the trip from Wisconsin to Oregon . By this time my motherwas fourteen years old .

Then in Eastern Oregon, my mother became acquainted and fell in love withFrank Butz, my father, and she was married at the age of sixteen .

My father had learned the Carpenter trade as an apprentaice when a boy, and hebuilt the Court House in Canyon City, Oregon, in 1885 . This Court House was stillstanding until 1950, sixty-five years, (when) it caught fire and burned .

My father Frank Butz decided to come to Washington for work, and left mymother in Prairie City, Oregon with the two children Annie and Lynn, until he couldget located, which took him first to Hoquiam, Washington . He built a number ofhouses in Hoquiam, which at that time . . . was only mud flats . My mother came toHoquiam with the two little children, Annie age 3, and Lynn 6 . (She) made the tripalone by buckboard, stagecoach, train and boat, which was a very hard trip . Aaron,my brother, was born in Hoquiam .

Franklin J . Butz family,Christmas 1900

Left to right - standing : AnnieEleanor, b . 1886 ; RobertFranklyn (Lynn), b . 1883 ;Grace Hubbard Butz, b . 1865 ;seated : Aaron Guy, b . 1889 ;Frank Butz, b . 1854; GladysElizabeth, b . 1893 .

CourtesyDoris Bullard Hendrickson

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They decided to take up a homestead here in Pacific County, Washington, threemiles out from Old Willapa on Ward Creek, (on land) which was nothing but a

forest. There my father had to clear enough space for a tent until he could get a logcabin built . My father hewed all the logs out by himself, and built their home . (He)

made all the furniture, cupboards and beds from the cedar in the woods .Those were hard pioneer days, (and) depression hit . You couldn't get anything

unless you had cash . My mother told of needing a sack of flour, and the storekeeperat Willapa, John Drissler, wouldn't let them have it until my father got some workto pay for it . A neighbor a mile away loaned her a sack, but it had weevils in it, soMama said she baked the bread and toasted every slice afterwards .

Cougars howled in the woods, which worried my mother with the children outplaying . Finally, they cleared quite a lot of land and had berries, a garden, and fruittrees .

It was here that I was born February 12, 1893, my mother not having the care of adoctor . . . Papa had to walk to Old Willapa, got a boat at Woodards Landing, androwed the boat all the way to South Bend for the Doctor . When he got the Doctorback home, he (the Doctor) was veryserious as things weren't as they shouldbe. The way the Doctor sterilized thecloths (was) by scorching them on thestove .

This was a very hard life out there inthe wilderness for my mother, who hadnot been out (of) there once in eightyears . One little brother by the name ofGrant John, eleven months old, diedthere, which caused a change to bemade .

When I was four years old, the fami-ly moved into Old Willapa for a while,and then to South Bend, Washington .My father worked in a mill in SouthBend as a millwright for a number ofyears, then he built a sash and doorfactory of his own, and Lynn andAaron helped run it .There in South Bend, Max and

Dorothy were born, and in 1914, thefamily moved to Mill Creek, on theFirdale Road, where. . .Helen Butz,wife of Aaron (later lived) . There myfather, Frank Butz, passed away in1927, and in 1929, Mama and Dorothymoved to Menlo, and Mama passedaway at the age of 81 years in 1946 .

Grace Eliza Hubbard Butz pictured herewith her daughter, Gladys Elizabeth Butz .

Courtesy of Doris Bullard Hendrickson

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Lucile Saunders McDonald, 1898-1992By Richard K. McDonald

Editor's note : Richard K. McDonald, Lucile's son, is a researcher, historian and writer .Recently retired from the Boeing Company, he lives with his wife in Bellevue, Washington .

Lucile McDonald passed away on June 23, 1992 . She was a pioneering journalistand a prolific author, who always had a special interest in preserving the history ofPacific County. In 1950 she published a history of the Long Beach peninsula calledCoast Country, which is still in print . Altogether she wrote, or co-authored, 31books .

Her acquaintance with the peninsula started in 1899 with the first of many sum-mer vacations spent at the beach . Her recollections of those early days, the journeyfrom Portland, and the family cabin at Seaview have been described in TheSou'wester (Summer, 1986 and Spring, 1991 issues) . Amongst her grammar schoolpapers that have been preserved are descriptions of the beach in 1911 and a mysterystory based on a pottery Chinese jug picked up on the sand . In those times, thebeach was covered with giant weathered logs and much drift .

Shortly after she joined the Portland Oregonian staff in 1919, Lucile gatheredmaterial on the Seaview cranberry industry while on another vacation trip . This full-page article, which has been reprinted in The Sou'wester (Autumn, 1990), launchedher career as a feature writer .

Starting in 1942 she wrote about 1200 feature articles for the Seattle Times . Theseries is a unique historical resource because of the many interviews with pioneersand the descriptions of early Washington communities . For example, an interviewwith August Petit of Chinook, descendant of the first white families in the county,produced details no one else ever recorded . Lucile also wrote about the early in-dustries such as McGowan's salmon cannery, and settlers like Captain Scarborough .

Another area of research covered the first explorers of the Washington coast . Nottrusting other historians' interpretations, Lucile searched original archives of theSpanish sailors, Hudson'sBay trappers, and Catholicmissionaries to find the eye-witness accounts .

Her long life and remark-able journalism career inSouth America, the NearEast, Alaska and the Paci-fic Northwest has too many"firsts" and accomplish-ments to be reported here .Her autobiography is ex-pected to be published nextyear .

W, I ft-pt, TMTuKkE

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Cartoon by Frank Shiers which appeared inthe Bellevue Journal American on Friday,June 26, 1992 .

Used with permission .

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Boyhood in Chinook and RemembrancesBy Dale L . Plumb

Editor's note : Dale L . Plumb, who spent his early years in Chinook, later became a journalistand spent 40 years in editorial work for daily newspapers, primarily in California, before retir-ing to Reno, Nevada. He may be reached at 2530 Eastshore Drive, Reno, Nevada 89509 or bycalling (702) 826-7974 .

It was 1930 and so far as youngsters growing upin Chinook we had no idea there was a nationalcrisis - a depression of such magnitude that itnow seems incongruous we never heard a wordabout it from the grown-ups .According to the 1930 census, Chinook was

then the "richest city per capita" in the UnitedStates . The commercial fishing industry atChinook was at the height of its economic growth .Canned salmon was moving out of the ChinookPacking Company cannery at a rapid rate . Thedays when only the Blueback was deemed worthyof being canned were gone . Now it was anysalmon that hit the nets . And the fish trapsflourished . These were veritable goldmines . Theywere spaced out either way from the cannerydock . They ran all the way to past HenryMcGowan's little town and covered the immediatearea of the bay at Chinook .

The Plumb family lived in what was called "thecannery house ." It was located on the canneryroad leading to the dock . Just to the bay side wasthe two-story barracks-type building which hous-ed the Chinese crews that butchered the salmon .In small fields along the bay were the stands wherethe fish trap nets were tarred and others where gillnets were hung .

It was a great event at the cannery house when indoor plumbing was added . Hav-ing two sisters, Forna and Arla Belle, it was not for a little boy to reason why theywere always in that bathroom, but little boys do not question "grown" sisters . As amatter of fact, little boys and little girls did not question anything in those days, butthere was a natural curiosity about a number of issues .

For instance, cousin Francelle Plumb, who was about the same age, reported thatAunt Gaither had a wig . While this was not an everyday sort of event, she told mewe would sneak into Aunt Gaither's bedroom and I could see - first hand - thiswig on the huge round bedpost "ball" when she went to the grocery store wearing akerchief on her head .

The day arrived and we did this dire deed . There it was, bigger than life itself,perched on the bedpost. Having accomplished this mission and being sworn tosecrecy we departed, with some giggles and a vow never to sneak in ever again . Butwhen we did see Aunt Gaither wearing a kerchief after that we would exchangeknowing glances and the giggles would again erupt .

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Roscoe C. Plumb withDale L . Plumb, about 1929 .Taken at Chinook Canneryhouse .

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Mr. Gaither owned and operated the saloon, which was across the street from thegrocery store. Ladies never used the plank sidewalk in front of the saloon, preferringto go past the grocery store and then cross over to the post office .

The saloon was a gathering place for many fishermen . Sometimes, when there wasa great catch, Gaither would put out a keg of beer where all comers could quenchtheir thirst . But one night the saloon caught fire and I watched from the second-floor bedroom of the cannery house . The stories about the saloon fire made therounds for many weeks after the conflagration . The one best remembered was aboutGaither entering the burning building, bodily picking up the huge brass cash registerfrom the backbar and running out to a shed with the massive machine . He placed itin a shed some distance from the saloon . The story goes it took two big men to carryit back when the saloon was rebuilt .

Of the Plumb family members I was the only one born in Chinook . The sistersand brother, Harland Luther Plumb, were born in South Dakota before Roscoe andFestus Plumb came west to settle their brother's estate . Roy Plumb, a World War Iveteran along with his brothers, died from complications of chest congestion, pro-bably related to his service in France .

Since being the baby of the family, born when my parents were in their forties, Ibecame a rather spoiled brat . The birthday parties were the greatest event because ofthe big cake and the penny, nickel and dime hidden someplace within the cake . Oh,those lucky birthday goers who got that money . It was my cake, but I never did getone of the coins . . . and still resent that fact to some extent .

However, there were lots of birthday gifts and one year, to show my appreciation,I gave some of the party goers a chiclet of gum . I found the gum on the mantel of thefireplace. However, mother had a number of other mothers who wondered whytheir youngsters suddenly had diarrhea . Seems like the gum turned out to be Ex-Lax,left on the mantel by one of the sisters, no doubt . There was also the year in which Iwent about town making sure everyone knew I wanted marbles for my birthday . Fora brief time on that birthday I was the happiest kid in town . I had more marbles thanthe entire population of Ilwaco . But the triumph was short-lived . Mother took mostof the marbles back to the little store and traded them back for school clothes orsomething .

Life in Chinook then was such a happy time the memories still linger . There wereour rather "unauthorized" walks up to Fort Columbia . We would sneak throughwhat we called the dungeons, climb atop the cannon on top and--just a little scared--sneak around the emplacements. On one occasion, walking back to Chinook, theroad grader operator stopped and gave us all a lift back to town, or at least for a lit-tle ride toward town .

Concrete sidewalks were not common, but some Chinook homes boasted of themand we learned to roller skate on these brief stretches . When the tunnel under FortColumbia was about complete and the concrete road had been laid we were able oneday to skate on the surface . We never told anyone of such escapades which madethem all the more fun .

Chinook grade school was just great . My collie, "Bum", took me to school eachday and somehow knew what time school let out since he was always there to takeme home . Bum lived to a ripe-old age and died in my arms when I was a sophomorein high school .

The churches in Chinook and at McGowan were always a mystery to me . We at-

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V

tended the Lutheran Church, Francelle attended the Baptist (Methodist -ed .)Church. Some kids attended Mass at the McGowan Catholic Church . The Baptistchurch is a place I avoid . After my father had been appointed superintendent of astate fish hatchery on the Lewis River I recall coming back to Chinook for thefuneral of Uncle Festus. As my dad, Roscoe Conklin Plumb, parked across from theBaptist Church when we first arrived in Chinook, he left my mother in the car buttold me to come along with him . We walked into the church where my Uncle Festuswas lying in his casket at the altar . Dad spend a few minutes there with his brotherand I peeked in to see Uncle Festus, but that church or the somber moment made mewant to never go back in there again, ever .

Later, when the church became a restaurant, my sisters said it was a great place toeat . They often urged me to go there for dinner, but I never have entered that churchsince Uncle Festus was lying there and I don't think I could ever eat in a place likethat .

When my dad died on April 19, 1935, just one week after my . 12th birthday, Iremember the funeral scene at the Chinook Lutheran Church . R .C ., as some calledhim, was a well-liked man and it seemed the entire population turned out for thefuneral . I don't remember much about that day, but I do remember that Julia Pescotold my sister, Arla Belle, to touch my dad's face and then she would know he wasreally dead . Arla Belle was mad at Julia for telling her to do that after she did, butthen they were best friends and personally, as a suddenly very mature 12-year-oldwhose world had just been turned topsy-turvy, I thought they were both a little offtheir rockers. You know, sort of like they only had one oar in the water .

In the ensuing years helping my mother make ends meet on a little chicken farmnear La Center, Washington I would make the pilgrimage to the Ilwaco cemeterywith her a week before Memorial Day . We would clean up Dad's grave, put downsome new flowers or shrubs she had brought from home and then leave . She neverwanted to be there when all the people gathered for the Memorial Day service . Tothis day I don't know why because she would have surely seen . . . and been comfortedby . . . many of their old friends .

Yes, Chinook was a great place to get started in life . I just wish I could have con-tinued to live there and attend Ilwaco High School, just as my sisters and brother . Itwas "home" to me and nothing in this lifetime has ever been able to replace itbecause the first ten years of life were a very happy and growing time in myChinook .

Now, in knowing the outcome of many issues of that day, I cannot but rememberthe strength and character of men like my father, Stuart Davis, Gus Bergstein, JohnDurkee, Henry McGowan, Al Giles, Bill Donaldson and so many others . And ofcourse there were the women, such as my own mother, Sadie Bergstein, MabelMcGowan and all the ladies of Chinook, mothers of my friends, such as Dow Han-son's mother, Donnie Mechals mother, so many such as Francelle's mother,Florence and the many others who were friends of my parents .

Stuart Davis led the battle to save the fish traps when' the state decided toeliminate them . He spent a fortune in trying to save this livelihood for all ofChinook . And Gus, who was our neighbor at the cannery house and was the masterof the Man Of War, the cannery tender for the Chinook Packing Company . He laterwas captain of the big ferry wending its way between the Washington shore andAstoria .

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John Durkee was the son of the people who operated the Chinook Observer . I wasone of the privileged few to be upstairs in the old Observer building in Chinook . Ialso watched the press run and watched Mr . Durkee setting type, but of course myUncle Bill Donaldson was my favorite . After all, he had a parrot, a hunting dog andbinocular. He was the greatest in telling us sea stories . And some were whoppers ofthe first order. Cecelia Gardlin, Francelle and many other members of our littlegroup had a chance to hear those stories . And cousin William Krager, who was theenvy of all, I believed . He had a banjo and an Indian motorcycle . What more coulda person ever want? The parrot could mimic Aunt Clara Donaldson. It could alsowhistle and call "Here, Sport, Here, Sport," to the pointer who would comedashing for the kitchen where Polly held forth . But it wouldn't talk in front of me .Apparently he didn't like kids .

The Town of Chinook, at that time, had one main road through town . Tourists,heading for Long Beach, would sometimes stop when they saw this little boy watch-ing the cars. They would ask if I knew how far it was to Long Beach . I had no idea,but I did have a reply .

"Do you know this road is one mile long? Do you know this road goes clearthrough Chinook, one mile long?" They sometimes acted really surprised andsolicited more information such as, "There are real Gypsies parked up there, " point-ing to the south end of town where the Gypsies indeed did have a camp in thesummer . The warnings not to go near the camp or they would carry me away stillseem valid. There were stories emanating from the grocery store that they had towatch them or they would take items without paying .

The grocery store was a favorite place, along with Mr . Knudsen's post office andcandy counter. There was the time when my mother told me she "felt like a 100years old today ." I took that to mean it was her birthday and went to the grocerystore, buying her candy and telling one and all that she was 100 years old .

If .1 just happened to be hanging around Mr . Knudsen's candy counter whenMable McGowan came to town she would ask me if I would "care for an ice creamcone?" I would die for an ice cream cone . She was a grand lady and a friend of mymother. That brings to mind the trips when mother would drive the big Buick up forafternoon tea at the McGowan home and, of course, she would take me . I didn'ttrust my mother's driving, figuring that was a man's job . So I held onto the doorhandle, ready to jump at any moment .

My fears proved to be correct . One day, as mother drove through the gate to thegarage at Chinook, she hit the ditch and banged the front fender into the fence post .She seemed calm enough as she checked it out, but when Dad came down the can-nery dock and could see his car she broke into tears . Of course then Dad wasspeechless and had to comfort her instead of giving her holy whatever as I hadhoped . I didn't understand this hold women had on men, whatsoever then and tothis day, cannot fathom such mysteries .

The favorite time for all of us youngsters seemed to center on Halloween when theyoung men had a grand time . Of course my Dad waited on the back porch in thedark, with a clothes line stretching to near the outhouse to his hand . When the boyscame to tip over the outhouse he would shout in a gruff voice and when they beganrunning, he would pull the line tight and trip them up and then laugh in such a waythat I was rather sorry he couldn't do that more often . There was a water towernearby that provided fresh water to the cannery . The big boys in town would put a

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rowboat in it at Halloween, which was no little task with block and tackle . They alsoput an old buggy on the porch roof of the grocery store . What wonderful tricks, wethought .

Of course, my Dad had to try his hand at making blackberry wine during thedepression years . He made it upstairs_ in, the shed and then, one year, fearing some-one would find it, he bottled it and then, in the dark of night, buried the bottles inmy mother's backyard gardening : plot . Somehow, before it was time for the garden-ing; there came a:Father warm day, the ground heated and the bottles exploded in thegarden plot where they were buried. A great aroma filled the air and my mother wasso mad at hint that I didn't think she would ever' speak to him again. That aromacarried to neighbors on the soft wind and somehow Mother thought we were the on-ly ones in the world that had violated the law . Or, at least, had violated her garden-ing plot.

-'I a were many Scandinavians in Chinook and that's probably an understate-

ment My mother was pure Norwegian and one of the first phrases I learned 'inNorge was "mange tak for maten. That's probably a poor spelling, but it means,in English, many thanks for dinner. Then, of course, little Dale had to say thatbefore we left a home where we had dinner .

But my mother wasn't alone in teaching foreign languages . The Chinese crew atthe cannery were all my "buddies and I was the only non-Chinese to enter thebunkhouse while they lived there each summer. There are some advantages to beinga little kid--allowed in the Chink House--with a brother who is not allowed in thedoor when said brother is chasing little brother for some little thing or other .

She Sing was foreman of the Chinese crew . I had the run of the place and they hada glass spoon and bowl for me if I wanted to eat dinner with them . The "dinner'was hung over the big table in a brass bowl. They would each stand, lean over to thebowl and with chopsticks get another helping from the bowl . Of course all theirdishes had a rice base, but don't ask what else was in it . One time, when my Dad wasfishing, he netted an octopus and after it was brought up on the cannery dock hecame down to the house to get my mother and myself and show us this strangecreature. When we got to the dock the octopus was gone . She Sing explained theydidn't know he was coming back and the octopus was already in the cook's pot .

The Chinese cook taught me a phrase in Cantonese so I could announce the after-noontea was ready when the cook and I marched out to the cannery to give the crewits ",tea" break . The Chinese, of course, really like little boys and when Fred Leo'ssons same from Portland and the three of us were playing in front of the ChinkHouse thee crew would even provide rice, straw bags full of it, for our "mountains"when we were playing with our trucks. I was jealous of the Leo boys, who later had aChinese restaurant in Portland and operated a taxi service there, because they wouldtell me how many Curs their dad passed on the trip from Portland to Chinook . Andthey would tell what the makes and models of the cars passed, which also made mejealous .

My dad- caught many sturgeon in the process of trolling and my mother wouldtake the eggs, prepare them somehow and, serve them on toast . Little did I knowthose sturgeon eggs were a delicacy world wide . Another trick with salmon dinnersshe learned from the Chinese cook . He showed her how to take the cheeks out of thesalmon heads and get the little tender bits by the fins . Salmon cheeks and tipsbecame another favorite dish for this Chinook kid .

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On April 12, 1993, when I celebrate Birthday Number 70, I will pause toremember those early birthdays in Chinook . . . .and suddenly remember "William,who later became the "walker" around Long Beach . William Anderson and hisbrother, Gus, were mysteries to us . I showed William a handful of marbles and heput his hand under_ my outstretched hand and slapped it, sending the marbles allover the ground. I took a page out of mother's philosophy . . . I never spoke to himagain. And there was -a big house at the south end and children inside that we neverdid see except when they peered out from an upstairs window and we would wave .To this day I don't know just what the problem was, but they never Came out toplay .

And at the other end of town were some boys I liked, but they didn't seem to evercome up to our end . I walked down to see them sometimes and I can't remember ifthey came to the birthday parties .

In 1935 my birthday took on a new meaning . For that year, just one week after my12th birthday . . . on a Good Friday, April 19 . . .my dad was murdered. The inquestleft it at "death by person or persons unknown ." My mother pointed a finger ofguilt at a man that worked for Dad, but nothing was ever proven and to this day cir-cumstances of that April 19 remain a mystery . Many times my mother would re-count to me that tragic day and how she walked to the spawning ponds, some half-

mile over the hill from the house. She walked on the wooden "dam" that allowedwater from the creek to flow into the ponds .. She looked down and saw Dad's bodyin the water . She jumped in to try and lift: him out and then some hatchery workerscame to her aid . She said his hands and legs were tied behind him, bowing his bodybackward. She couldn't stand that and had the men help her cut the ropes so hisbody could be laid out straight .

Luke May, the criminologist hired by the state to investigate, said if the ropes hadnot been cut he could have reached a more definite conclusion. So during the ensu-ing years, from age 12' to 18, when I enlisted in the service, I heard this story of myfather's death countless times . She never remarried or so much as had another ac-quaintanceship of import with a man .

They now are buried side by side in the Ilwaco cemetery . . . not far from Harland,not far from Festus, not far from Roy or Uncle Bill and Aunt Clara . Not far from somany friends of that era .

And a sort of melancholia settles in remembering how Forna and Arla Belle werecoming down the cannery dock after working all day and Arla Belle still had herfish-canning gloves on and came up behind Forna and placed that old fish-coveredglove across Forna's face . Arla Belle had a mean streak .

And I. now recalled - some years past - when Forna told me how mad she was atour mother at the time girls are making a-change in their life cycle . She said her first"period came as the school bus was returning her home from school at IlwacoHigh School . It frightened her and she came home to mother who simply solved theimmediate problem and didn't say another word . Mothers, apparently, didn't passon the facts of life to either girls or anyone else in those days . I don't know if my dadever told Harland the facts of life, but from what I understand, Harland Luther wasa fast learner . And then comes this thought enveloping this person looking at April12 and another birthday . There will be no cake and ice cream, no games and nochildren's laughter, but only memories of this childhood in Chinook, the best yearsof my entire life .