til October 4, 1849, when Rev. Wilson Blain, a United Presbyterian clergyman, was made editor and George B. Goudy printer. A paper shortage caused the reduction of the paper February 7, 1850, to sixteen columns. Robert Moore, proprietor of Linn City, across the Willamette from Oregon City, became owner during Blain's editorship. Oregon's chronic failure to attract the volume of publicity accorded neighbors was noted at this early date. In the issue of April 18, 1850, Blain noted this and argued for statehood for Oregon:
We find (he wrote) the opinion that Oregon should be immediately erected into a state much more prevalent than we had anticipated. . . . We rarely see Oregon mentioned in the papers received from the States, while California, Deseret (Utah), and New Mexico engross a very considerable part of public attention.
The Spectator had outlived one competitor, George L. Curry's Free Press in 1848,[1] and in the issue of July 25, the same one in which the Spectator, which two weeks before had moved up to 20 columns, resumed its 16-column size, there appeared a prospectus for a new paper to be published in the town—the Oregon Statesman. The publishers were to be, said the prospectus, A. W. Stockwell and Henry Russell.[2]
August 28 the Spectator contained the announcement of the proposed establishment of a Whig journal in the new town of Portland, down the river. The new paper was to beat the Statesman in the race for priority of appearance.
Blain, who left the editorship September 5, 1850, was educated for the ministry. A native of Ross County, Ohio, where he was born February 28, 1813, he was graduated from Miami University, Oxford, Ohio, in 1835 and after completing the course offered in the Associate Reformed Theological Seminary at Allegheny, Pa., was licensed to preach. He had charge of a pastorate at Hebron, Indiana, until May 15, 1847, when he began preparation for the journey to Oregon as a missionary. He arrived at Oregon City November 29, 1848. He soon organized the first church of his denomination in Oregon. While at Oregon City he was elected (June 6, 1849) to the upper house of the first territorial legislature. Soon after leaving the Spectator he removed to Union Point, Linn county, where he organized a United Presbyterian church and established an academy. Man aging and teaching in this institution, in addition to his pastoral duties, broke his health. He gave up the academic work in 1856 and died February 22, 1861.[3] He was a grandfather of Willard L. Marks of Albany, member of the State Senate and, later of the State Board of Higher Education.
Blain's successor was D. J. Schnebly, who increased the Spectator's frequency to weekly and set the price at $7 a year. September
- ↑ See page 49.
- ↑ When the paper actually appeared, these men had faded from the picture, and the name of Asahel Bush, man who was to be a leader in Oregon life for many years, appeared as the editor. See page 75.
- ↑ Himes. Oregon Historical Quarterly, Vol. 3. page 354-5.
