Show ROADS 11 rf t t A 7 e r r w 14 L- L ac Gov mss I fr J Fe Oregon e and Mormon Trails Again in Public Eye 1 By JOHN DICKINSON SHERMAN pcs HB fIu Sixty eighth congress by nt- nt attempting at attempting tempting to enact legIslation designating the Oregon Trail has ho 4 n L stirred up the liveliest sort of ot his v his his- I controversy ersy in the North North- North Northwest q ft 0 Q west from west from St Louis west to toc c San Francisco an and 1 north to the thet t Canadian line This designation 3 1 tI would would In effect be a declaration mI by the United States government go J It I that the Oregon Trail has hns a n national na- na na r 1 Importance beyond 1 that of ot the Santa Fe Fo Trail the Mormon Trail rall the Overland Trail or any other hIstoric trail to say cay nothing of ot modern roads like the Lincoln Highway And the controversy has developed all sorts Bort ot of complications States want to know what authority ty ty congress has lias to change the designation of ot roads already named by them City Is fighting city for place on the Oregon Trail both from sentiment and from desire for financial advantage antage There lire are many disputes as to historical facts the source books of ot western history seem to COntra contra- dict diet one another in many cases and the oldest ot of the timers old-timers are by the ears And An of ot course Trail Is fighting Trail Troll with nil all the others more or less combined against the Oregon Trail Congress seems to have been a bit Indifferent as to historical accuracy 10 so long as a a aid federal aid highway was selected Naturally tits this does not give universal satisfaction Utah for or example does not want to have Its Mormon Trail wiped out The Overland Trail has lini its cham cham- champions among descendants descendant's of ot the Forty Forty nines And the contributors of ot many millions to the building nn and maintenance of ot the Lincoln highway at as a memorial to Abraham Lincoln strenuously object to the loss of hundreds of ot miles mlle of ot improved and marked roadway The Santa Fe Trail oldest of ot them all nil has a place In tho the controversy because it is 13 the Parent Trail from Kansas City to Gardner Kan Inci Incidentally dentally It comes to public attention on Its own account through the fact that Council Grove Gro Kan Is to celebrate Its centennial August 10 A hun hun- hundred hundred dred tired annual rings have swelled the girth of ot the sturdy Council Oak patriarch of ot Council Grove since the council uner under Its shade secured peaceful passa passage e from the Pawnees and the but not the for tor for tho the pale face eager to trade with Hh the Spaniards at Santa Fe The senate passed a bill S 2053 designating the Oregon Trail Trull after several citIes In Idaho Oregon and Washington had been added by amend amend- amendments amend ments In committee It was Introduced by Senator McNary has no preamble and must have been curelessly carelessly drawn since Laramie Is designated Instead of ot Fort Laramie evidently with the Idea that they are lire the fhe same place In the house Representative Addison T Smith of ot Idaho Idalio Idaho Introduced a bill IL II II n I 6 1 I l Later he Introduced joint resolution 3 2 and nd still later joint resolution which contains additional cities The full tull text of joint resolution follows tollos Whereas the th Old Oregon Trail which originated at Missouri River points point and traversed halt half a con con- continent continent con continent and was wa the route roulo rout over which the th great migration of covered d wagons and ox teams went In 1848 and saved the th Oregon country to tho th United States and over which for many years year tho th horns home- seekers ker and empire builders builder went wont In Ia great treat numbers and made mad a great Kr at producing terrItory out of what was formerly a wilderness and Wh Whereas rea the thi Oregon country at nt that tim time con- con conel el elated ted of all that territory between the summit of the Rocky Mountains and the th shores shor of the tho th Ocean and between the th California and Canadian borders bordon and was held hold under a Joint sovereignty of England and the United States and whose who o fate for tor all time tim was wa settled by the tho th mIgration of 1843 when whon approximately one on thou thousand and American men and nd women woman faced the th perils peril of the tho th desert and the wilderness to carve out new homes In the tho Oregon country and make mak It American territory i and Whereas thousands perished by the tho th way and wore were wr burled In shallow hallow graves by the tho old trail and Whereas the th United States State has set et t aside n arid UI as u na- na national national na national monuments monument many battlefields battlefield and other othu his hlo- historic his spots spot In this country and Whereas the th old Oregon Or eon Trail was more mor than II a battlefield ld and offered a greater challenge to cour- cour courage courage ace cour-ace age for along alon Its tt dusty course courso of two thousand miles American citizens dally faced death without the panoply of war th tho boating beating of drum drums or the flying of gf f nags flags lac and saved avd a va vat vast t empire to lo the United 1 States tates and Whereas thIs service has ha long lon been neglected and the th youth of our land have havo hav not learned of r the heroic self sacrifice of those Intrepid pioneers who did so 10 much for America and Whereas In order that thIs th the th worlds world most historic highway may bo b perpetuated In history und and It If Its traditions be b kept alive for tor all time arid and andIn In order to show how to the tho th world that th the tho American people are ar not unmindful of the l of Or our citizens and do recognize r co valorous deeds There Thoro- lore rore for be It T Tt t r s 7 b ty 4 s saaLy YZ r n S ay fay c Resolved by the tho th Senate and House of Representatives Representative of the th United States of America In Con Con- Con gross gron assembled That t the highway extending from independence Mo and from Council Bluffs Iowa to Seaside Ore Or and to Olympia Wash through the Stat States os of Missouri Kansas Nebraska Wyo- Wyo Wyoming Wyoming Wyo ming Idaho Oregon and Washington and varl- varl variously varl known as the tho th Overland Trail tho th Mormon Road the th Emigrant Road noad and tho th Oregon TraIl and coinciding as near as an may mar be b with the th sy system hm of ot fe federal aid nal-ald nal highways through said ald states shall hereafter be b known as the th old Oregon TraiL TralL Section 2 That the th road rond herein designated a as the Old Oregon Trail shall hall follow as a closely u as and topographic conditions will permit the rout traveled b by the th pioneers pioneer In their Journe journeys westward to th the tho Oregon country over said ald trail trail and shall hall extend through Kansas Kana City In the tb State of Missouri Kansas Kama City Gardner Lawrence Topeka To- To Topeka To-peka To peka Louisville and aDd Frankfort In the State of Kansas Kama thence through h Hebron Grand Orand Island connecting with the tho th road from Coun Coun- Council Council cil Bluffs through Omaha Fromont Fremont and Columbus and thence through Kearney North Platte Lewel- Lewel Lewellen Lewellen Lewel-In Lewel len Bayard and Scott Scottsbluff blurt In iii the th State of Ns- Ns Nebra Ne Nebraska bra braska ka thence through Torrington Fort Laramie Douglas Casper Alcova Muddy Gap len E r llen Oran Oran- Granger Ker Gran-Ker Oraner ger er Kemmerer and Cokeville in the tho th State of Wyo- Wyo Wyoming mine Wyo-mine ming theno thena through Montpelier Soda Springs Pocatello American Falls Burley Durley Twin Falls Duhl Glenns Glenna Ferry Mountain Home Dolse Dol e Nampa Caldwell thence as a divided trail hall via Payette Idaho and via Parma Idaho ald Ontario Ore to Or-to to Welser Weiser Wel r In the th State of Idaho through Huntington Baker Daker La L a Orange Grant Pendleton Per Umatilla and along the th Columbia River through ugh The Th Dallas Dalles Hood River Portland Astoria and SeasIde In the State of Oregon thence through Vancouver and andon andon andon on to Olympia In the th State Stat of Washington The hearings by the house committee on roads on these senate and house bouse documents were lively ely affairs No less than fourteen representatives made arguments pro and con and con and the end Is not yet The mandatory language of ot the act and the joint resolution raised the question Is la con con- congress congress congress gress trying to remake history 7 The attitude ot of the pros was shown to be substantially this They do not to belittle the historical importance ot of any other Trail but they claim an on ImperIshable name for the Oregon Trail because It and Its pioneers gave cave the nation Oregon Washington Idaho and parts of Wyoming and Montana There There- Therefore fore tore they think that th the Oregon Trail TroU In relation to our national growth stands stans separate and apart apart- from all other Trails and that It has bas peculiar sentimental and historical significance entitling It to special recognition by congress Suppose the Oregon Trail Trall as na designated Is his his- historically historically historically Incorrect ct In places as ns was shown by bythe bythe bythe the cons What of ot It ask nak the tho pros proa Representative Representative tive Elmer Imer 0 O Leatherwood 1 of Utah showed ved that the tho Mormon Trail In Nebraska was on the north northside northside side of the North Platte and the Oregon Trail on the south side aide of ot that river Yet Tet the designation designation designation tion proposed would put the Oregon Trail on the north side and wipe out a long stretch of ot the Mormon Trail Mr Leatherwood Is not a Mor Mon Mormon mon mon his his great grent grandfather Leatherwood traveled the Wilderness Road hard on Daniel Boones Boone's foot toot footsteps footsteps steps he himself was born In Ohio and was edu edu- educated educated Gated nt at tho the University of ot Wisconsin and went to Salt Lake City In 1001 to practice law All Utah you seo has a sentimental Interest In the Mormon Morman Trail and Its pioneers who made a state stat out of ot a desert Incidentally Mr Ir Leatherwood In- In Introduced Introduced In Introduced a map prepared by the tho historians historian's of the Mormon Church and und In connection with It n a portion of ot tho the Historical Record Vol 01 LX a 1600 a document not readily accessible to his historians This contained among other things a diary setting forth In detail the movements day by day of ot the Mormon I Expedition of 1847 under Brigham Young which founded Salt Suit Lake City Moro More power to the controversy Long may It rage to the Increase of Interest among the people In the tn fascinating history of ot the West Vest and the tho establishment of ot Its history on Incontrovertible fact For It opens up the whole history of the tho trans irons trans MIssissippi territory which Is closely linked by chain of ot cause and effect Here Is a n helpful chronology Coronado 1841 Coronado begIns exploration of American for Spanish Onate Fe F 1782 1702 secret ecret crt cession b by France to Spain pain of 01 trans tran territory 1769 dl discovery covery of San Francl Francisco co Bay Day and settlement of California cot coast by Spanish at San Diego o Drake 1679 1679 Drake claim claims coast for England 1778 1771 Cook claim 1670 1070 England charters Hudson Hudsons Bay Day company 1788 17 North West VOIt company organized by Scotch traders fur of Montreal Montrel 1831 1821 merger of H B D C and Northwesters LaSalle LaBalle l 2 LaSall claims claim Mississippi Valley ValleT for France 1780 1700 Canada passes pass to English 1708 French found f nd at It St Louis 1800 Spain cedes Louis Loul- LoulIan Louisiana Louisiana iana Ian Territory to France Franc 1728 Russians Russians dl discover cover Behring Strait 1810 Russian operations extend south to San Francisco Bay American 1776 1771 American Revolution begins 1771 1778 Clark captures Northwest Territory 1788 1781 peace axes Mississippi as western boundary of American Colonies Capt 1792 1712 Capt Robert nobort Gray Cray of Do Boston ton discovers discover and names Columbia River 1808 1103 Louisiana Purchase from France Ot 1104 Lewis and Clark dark expedition and beginning of American fur trade 1808 1800 ISO Pike explores Texas region Astor 1808 Astor forms American Fur company compan 1811 founds found A Astoria torla by sea oa and expedition under Hunt goes overland War Var War with England 1112 1818 Astoria treacherously sold to North Wt Wot company 1111 1816 Battle of New Orleans balks attempt of British to capture Mississippi Valley 1818 1111 America and Great agree to Joint occupancy of Oregon Territory 1823 Monroe promulgates Monroe Doctrine dealing dealing- with I relations In Oregon Territory of Americans British and Russians I 1821 Santa 1121 Santa Fe Trail opens trade with Mexico which has won Its Independence First 1829 1123 First agricultural settlement at Astoria 21 1134 Methodist Presbyterian and Roman noman Cath Cath- Catholic olic ollo missions founded In Oregon Orron Territory by Lee Whitman and Do De Smet midwinter ride rid of Whitman to Washington I b U C Co 1848 migration sets t In over Oregon Trail Fort er Bridger established as first hotel Oregon Americans outvote Brit and adopt provisional government 1844 four forty four forty or Fight victorious slogan loran In Presidential election of Polk over Clay 1848 1141 Ore Ore- Oregon ron Ore eon gon treaty axes north line at parallel Oregon made territory In 1848 and state In 1859 53 1852 great at migration to Ores Oregon Texas 1846 Texas admitted to Union 1848 1840 war with Mexico and occupation of New Mexico and Call Call- California Cali California fornia 1849 discovery of gold cold In California state tate admitted starline to Union In 1860 1850 1859 overland stage tage line IIno 1880 1800 pony express ISO 1889 transcontinental railroad completed Mormons 1848 1 4 Mormons leave Illinois for Nebraska 1847 Young founds Salt Lake Lak City Ctr 1898 1890 Utah admitted to Union The beginning of or tho winning winning- of ot the West is 18 Clarks Clark's conquest of ot tho the Northwest Territory In Inthe inthe Inthe the Revolution For that gave aTe the Colonies the MississippI as their western boundary That In turn brought about tho the Louisiana Purchase In Inthe Inthe Inthe the spring of ot 1804 1504 from the American side sido of ot the MIssissIppi Lewis an and Clark dark watched the red and yellow of Spain come down In St Louis the tri tri- tricolor tricolor tri tricolor color of ot France go up and come down and the red white and blue of ot America go up to stay Instantly they were off ofT for tor the Pacific c to see what we had hud bought Two years later they returned as asIt asif asIt It if from the dead Thereupon began the forty yearn year ot of the American Fur Trade which explored the West and made Inevitable the march of or the American Amer Amer- AmerIcan American ican people across the continent And from where Old Glory went went up to stay atay the AmerIcan pioneers went forth by various Trails for tor various purposes purpose Tho The Santa Fe Trail was for tOI trade with the Spaniard The Oregon Troll Trail was worn by a ml migration of ot The Mormon Trail ended In an asylum from persecution tion because tion of religion from one viewpoint from another because of ot alien and antI Inimical sOlidarity Consider the consequences of ot the Santa Fe Trail It led to the acquisition of ot Texas luos the Mex Mex- Mexican Mexican ican lean War Wor and the occupation of ot California Ct The Tho discovery ery of ot gold started the rush of ot the Forty Forty- Forty over oyer the Overland O Troll with Snit Salt Luke Lake City as the wIlY way place It made |