"Oregon and Montana Transportation Company." This company built two other steamboats, constructed portage roads, established Cabinet Landing and projected other enterprises with the object of securing the trade of the Kootenai mines, and diverting, if possible, the trade of Montana towards Portland, just as is now being done by the committee of merchants operating under the auspices of the Portland Board of Trade. The route selected by Mr. Moody in 1866 is the same as that over which the line of the N. P. R. R. Company now runs. This venture, however, was in advance of the times and resulted in heavy financial loss. In the fall of 1867 he engaged in the mercantile business in Boise city, where he remained for two years. In 1869 he disposed of his business interests there and returned to The Dalles, where he took charge of the extensive business of Wells, Fargo & Co. In the fail of 1873 he resigned this position, and in March, 1874, he was awarded the contract for carrying the United States Mail between Portlaud and The Dalles, and, in connection with this contract, established a line of steamers to operate between the points named. In 1875 he withdrew from the management and control of the transportation line, and in the following year resumed business at The Dalles, where he resided until called to the executive chair. Since his accession to the Governorship, his extensive business interests at The Dalles have been under the control and general management of his sous. Prior to the late civil war. Gov. Moody was a Whig. Since that time he has been an active and pronounced Republican, his first Presidential vote having been cast for Abraham Lincoln in 1860. While always active in the Republican ranks, he has not sought office, though he has for many years been prominent in the Republican councils, and has been frequently urged for high stations to be filled by the State Conventions of that party. In 1872 he was nominated by the Republicans in the Democratic county of Wasco for State Senator, and after an active canvass was elected by an undoubted majority. His election, however, was contested by his Democratic competitor, whose party friends, having a majority in the State Senate, awarded him the seat. In 1880 he was nominated by the Republicans of Wasco for Representative, and although this county is Democratic by an average majority of nearly 200, Mr. Moody was elected by a majority of 150. At the session of the Legislature immediately following this election he was chosen Speaker of the House of Representatives. So satisfactory was his discharge of the duties of this position that his name was from that time forth prominently mentioned in connection with the nomination for the Governorship. The next Republican State Convention was held in Portland in April, 1882, and on the 21st day of that month, just thirty-one years from the day upon which he first landed in Oregon City, he was nominated as Governor of tbe State. On the 5th day of June following he was elected Governor over his Democratic competitor, Hon. Joseph S. Smith, by a majority of 1,452 votes, although his opponent was one of the strongest and most popular Democrats in the State. On the 13th day of September, 1882, just thirty-one and one-half years from the day upon which he sailed from New York for Oregon, he delivered his inaugural message as Governor of the State. Governor Moody is a man of business capacity, whose executive ability has been tested for many years in
