TOLD by the PIONEERS - Washington Secretary of State
TOLD by the PIONEERS - Washington Secretary of State
TOLD by the PIONEERS - Washington Secretary of State
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Told<br />
<strong>by</strong> <strong>the</strong> Pioneers<br />
couldn't stick it out. They sold for whatever <strong>the</strong>y could get and moved<br />
on. I was one <strong>of</strong> those who stuck.<br />
I had been a cattleman all my life. I drove cattle to Ellensburg and<br />
sold <strong>the</strong>m on <strong>the</strong> ho<strong>of</strong> for $16.00 a steer, $15.00 a cow. I was later to<br />
get $140 for <strong>the</strong> same class <strong>of</strong> animals.<br />
We put two fir logs across Benson Creek and rolled <strong>the</strong> wagon over<br />
on its hubs. The pioneers must be resourceful people in order to survive.<br />
I would like to live my pioneer days over again.<br />
The house I bought was made out <strong>of</strong> drift logs and had a dirt floor<br />
and ro<strong>of</strong>. I built a second one, a two room log house. This was plastered<br />
lime and sand plaster I made myself. I slacked it, and put it<br />
in a hole for six months, <strong>the</strong>n mixed it with good old cow hair, and<br />
<strong>the</strong>re was my plaster.<br />
MARY JANE FRASER<br />
San Juan Island<br />
We bought <strong>the</strong> Cutler farm and now own that particular piece <strong>of</strong><br />
ground which grew <strong>the</strong> fine potatoes whose destruction almost caused<br />
a war. Of course, <strong>the</strong>re had been more or less dissention <strong>the</strong>re since<br />
<strong>the</strong> United <strong>State</strong>s-Canadian boundary had been determined. How<br />
•<br />
long this condition would have continued is uncertain, but for <strong>the</strong> pig<br />
that belonged to one <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> employees. <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> Hudson's Bay Company.<br />
Cutler had a splendid patch <strong>of</strong> potatoes, it is related, and <strong>the</strong> pig<br />
entered and rooted <strong>the</strong>m all out and left"nary•<br />
a tater to tell <strong>the</strong> tale."<br />
'When Cutler discovered <strong>the</strong> marauder he was angry, and hastened to<br />
get his gun and shot <strong>the</strong> pig. This occurred on .Tune 15, 1859.<br />
After calming down, Cutler <strong>of</strong>fered to pay for <strong>the</strong> pig, but <strong>the</strong> Hud<br />
SOll~S Bay employee, Dallas, refused payment. Dallas declared that<br />
he had a warrant for Cutler's arrest and that he would have to go to<br />
Victoria to stand trial. Whe<strong>the</strong>r he did have a warrant or not was<br />
never settled. Anyway <strong>the</strong> warrant was never served.<br />
The first minister to come to <strong>the</strong> island was a negro who had come<br />
over from Victoria. Returning to Victoria, this negro reported to Mr.<br />
SummerYille, a Pres<strong>by</strong>terian, and told him <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> need for ministerial<br />
service. A young student, not yet ordained, was sent to <strong>the</strong> island.<br />
He was T. J. Weeks.<br />
Mrs. Lacinda Boyce was a doctor and nurse through <strong>the</strong> early pioneer<br />
days. Whenever called, she always responded. She never both-<br />
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