Pioneer Character Orboon Progress 255
read Horace and Homer, and supporting myself by chopping cordwood.^^ The act that made Oregon a state had been passed by Congress in the month of February in that year. But it was more than a month before we could know of it, and, when known, it excited little interest or attention. The news came to this coast by way of the overland stage from Saint Louis, and by steamer from San Francisco to Portland. That steamer arrived at Portland one afternoon late in the month of March.** At Oregon City the news that OregcMi was a state did not arrive until nearly noon the next day. A few persons talked about it with a languid interest, and wondered when the government of the state would be set in operation. Perhaps it would be another week before it would be known at the capital (Salem) that Oregon was now a sovereign state, and the pioneer Governor-elect, John Whiteaker, might not hear of it at his farm in Lane County for a month to come. An announcement, that now would be instantly made at every telegraph station and would call forth the boom of guns and the peal of bells, paired almost unnoticed. But it occurred to a young man at Oregon City, named Stephen Senter, that there were persons at Salem who might wish to have the news, so he mounted a horse and started as messenger. At that time of the year it was not easy to ride. Molalla and Pudding rivers were to be crossed, both were out over the banks, and, needless to say, the mud was at its worst. But this courier and herald of the state persevered, and^ after an effcMt of thirty hours, reached Salem with the news. Naturally, the announcement was re- ceived with more interest at the capital than elsewhere, for it meant that the state government would supersede the terri- torial ; but the people at large evinced littie or no interest in it, and a letter from Salem, printed in The Oregonian, then a weekly paper, some ten days later, said the state arrived there on horseback last Wednesday afternoon, and that was all. But it should not be inferred, from the simplicity of our
.14 Mr Scott borrowed an ax for this work from Tom Charman* whom he repaid by choppmg cordwood.
IS The steamer Brother. Jonathan arrived at Portland Mareb ij, 1850. The orerland suge left Saint Louia February 14 and arrived at San Frane&eo March xo.
