A document of some interest in this centennial year of the establishment of the Whitman-Spalding missions is the report to the Prudential Committee of the American Board of Commissioners for Foreign Missions of the expenses of the journey of Whitman, Spalding and Gray to Oregon.
The Whitmans left from Rushville, the Spaldings from Prattsburg, and W. H. Gray from Utica, all in New York state. They traveled by land to Pittsburg; from there they went by steamer to Cincinnati, and then again by steamer to Liberty, Missouri. As shown in the report, the board supplied Whitman and Gray with money "from home," but Spalding's account did not begin until he reached Pittsburg. Mr. and Mrs. Spalding left Pittsburg February 29, 1836, and reached Cincinnati March 4; there they were joined by Dr. Whitman and his bride on March 18, and the two missionaries received a joint fund of $2000.
Gray's appointment was made after the other missionaries had started, and he was to overtake them at Liberty, Missouri. At Saint Louis he was given an additional $25. At Lexington, Missouri, $800 was added to their joint account. April 19, they were altogether at Liberty, ready to begin their long overland journey. The total sum they had received from the board now amounted to $3273.96. Of this amount, according to the report, all but $210 was expended for traveling and supplies.
After arrival in Oregon Spalding drew £371 and Whitman £102,[1] which, translated into dollars at the prevailing rate of exchange, amounted to about $2500.
That the cost of establishing the missions was a matter of concern to the board is shown by a postscript to a circular sent in July, 1837, regarding its financial condition. It was written by David Greene and contained the following paragraph:
You must permit me here to say that the expenses of your mission hitherto have much exceeded our anticipations and we cannot but fear that you have not in all cases remembered with what difficulty money is obtained by the Board ...
I write also a remark of Mr. Parker, which he made on being
informed of the expenses of your outfit and journey, without
- ↑ See Letter from Whitman, May 5, 1837, in this issue of the Quarterly, p. 125.
