Show PIONEER OF OREGON NINETY YEARS OLD SPOKANE E Wash Aug 20 Mrs Catharine Catharino Belknap solo olo survivor of the Watts Watts' wagon train party which crossed the plains from Iowa to Oregon In 1848 and oldest pioneer woman In the northwest northwest north north- west celebrated the ninetieth anniversary sary of her birth at tho the homo home of her hor grandson n Walter Belknap 2323 East Providence avenue Spokane a 1 few tow days ago ao She Is s In good health and expects to reach tho the century mark marlc She Sho has hIlS not experienced a days day's sickness In years Mrs B Belknap Is Ig a native of Ohio born on Au August 1 is 1820 When 19 years cars of age she Rhe married George Belknap and moy d to Van tan Buren county Iowa then thena thenn a n territory where she and her husband joined joined the Watts party arty Tho The train which was compose composed of ot forty Corty wagons started for Cor Oregon In which territory the government then offered a half section sec sec- tion of oC land to every settler The Tho Belk- Belk naps nape settled miles south of Oregon CIt City living there thore thirty years Tho The trip across the plains was fraught with Ith danger and troops of soldiers were wera assigned to guard suard the tho emigrants rants from attack by hostile Indians Mrs Belknap says scores acores of oC shots were exchanged dally but few were Injured When tho the party part reached the Oregon border tho the party divided twenty of or the wagons wagon crossing the Cascade mountains and th there re again divided ten wagons going through to a a. point miles south of or Oregon City Mr Mr- and Mrs Belknap moved mo to Washington Washington Wash Wash- In ington ton territory In 1879 1870 and settled In tho Palouse country forty Corty miles south of Spokane which then liar had a population of o and anti one general store and a crossroads crossroads crossroads cross cross- roads the thc mall being brought In by pony express In In those days none nono of oC us believed belle that Spokane would ever cr have more than thau WICO roCO population said eald Id Mrs s. Belknap and not even oven the most enthusiastic booster dreamed there would one 1 day IlY be ho a city of or 1 But it has all come about abou t In thirty one years years |