saving of the odds and ends after the domestic wants had been supplied. The
shipment of treasure was about the only thing that constituted a great industry.
To accommodate this commerce, and to meet the wants of travelers, the steam-
ships, Oregon, Sierra Nevada, Brother Jonathan, Pacific, George S. Wright,
and Moses Taylor were kept in operation. These were old fashioned side-wheel-
ers, high and wide, and also slow. They are well known among the old Oregon-
ians, and the fate of the Brother Jonathan, which was wrecked on the reef near
Crescent City, in California, is still remembered with something of the horror
that fell upon the isolated communities in Oregon when the news of the great
disaster was first received. The George S. Wright also suffered shipwreck,
being many years later lost in the northern waters. Of sailing vessels, the barks,
Industry, Jennie Jones, Cambridge, Jane A. Falkenberg, Almatia, Samuel Mer-
ritt, Helen W. Almy and Panama are named.
In 1865 the value of exports is given as seven million, six hundred and six thousand, five hundred and twenty-four dollars, the greater portion of which •was gold dust.
Holladay's California, Oregon and Victoria steamship line was running in that year, the Sierra Nevada, (1,395 tons) and the Oregon (1,035 tons). The California Steam Navigation Company's line — Hensley — was now operating the Pacific (1,100 tons), and here appears also the new name Orizaba (1,400 tons). These plied to San Francisco. Their rates for transporting horses were twenty- five dollars a head; cattle, twelve dollars; sheep, two dollars and fifty cents; and hogs, four dollars. The slaughtered animals were reduced somewhat ; rates for hogs, one dollar and fifty cents ; while cattle were still twelve dollars. General merchandise paid ten dollars; wheat, eight dollars, and flour six dollars per ton. To Victoria the steamer Active was run by Captain Thorn.
Sailing vessels to San Francisco were the Jane A. Falkenberg, 600 tons, Captain A. D. Wass ; the H. W. Almy, 600 tons, Captain E. Freeman ; the bark Almatia, 700 tons, Captain Stannard ; bark W. B. Scranton, 700 tons, Captain W. Cathcart; bark Samuel Merritt, 550 tons, Captain Joseph Williams, and bark Live Yankee, Captain Wiggins.
The Hawaiian packet line comprised the bark A. A. Eldridge, of 400 tons under Captain M. Abbott, and the bark Comet, of 700 tons. Of this line Mc- Craken, Merrill & Co., were agents.
In 1866 the total export amounted to $8,726,017. The details are given as follows: Pork, 72 barrels at $20; apples, 68,860 boxes at $1 ; eggs, 1,763 pack- ages at $10; bacon, 4,376 gimnies at $16; hides, 4,674 at $1.50; onions, 1,325 sacks at $4; syrup, 185 barrels at $8; wool, 1,671 bales at $40; pitch 292 barrels at $6; varnish, 124 cases at $10; dried apples, 2,602 packages at $10; flour, 29,815 barrels at $5; salmon, 2,564 packages at $8.50; staves and headings 59,203; shooks 14,972, at 40 cents.
To San Francisco the new steamer Montana first appeared ; and the schooner Alfred Crosby to Victoria; the schooner Champion and the bark Ethan Allen were found in our trade. The steamship Fideliter, a small, low screw pro- peller which always went with a buzz, and at least preserved the appearance of activity, took up the route to Victoria. This same year also the dashing and swift steamer Oriflamme, began to ply on the route to San Francisco.
For 1867 the total export is given as $6,463,793.75. This appears to be more than $2,000,000.00 less than the preceeding year, but this diminution is due to a great decrease in the export of treasure which fell from more than $8,000,000 to about $4,000,000.
THE FIGHT FOR COMMERCIAL INDEPENDENCE.
From 1845 down to 1870 the trade of Portland had been controlled substan- tially, by San Francisco interests. Portland merchants were practically under the thumb of San Francisco houses, and some of them were simply branches
