A COMPARISON WITH THE PRESENT
Captain Johnson compared the advanced conditions of the present civilization, with the start of the country newspaper and the paper of today. "The news item at the early stage was the local news, births, marriages, deaths and the few other happenings; the editorials were devoted to national and territorial affairs and to my contemporary, the Statesman, across the street. I am out of the business, but I believe that the little four-page paper of those days had more influence than the large papers of today. My happiest days were when I was running a little country newspaper."
PIONEERS IN BUSINESS
"The Pioneer Business Man," was responded to by Benjamin Burgunder, a retired merchant of Colfax. "The work of the pioneer merchant was not all glory. Our patrons all claimed that we sold our goods too high. In the early days we had to go to San Francisco to buy our goods, then they came by water to Portland, by steamer from Portland to the lower Cascades, thence to the upper Cascades by rail, then again by steamer to The Dalles, from The Dalles to Celilo by rail and again by steamer to Wallula. From there they were brought by ox teams and pack horses to the interior. In some instances in the mines goods were carried on the backs of men. In one case it cost me just 60 cents per pound to deliver my goods at their destination. But those were times when we got dollar prices. I lost $25,000 once in developing the interests of the Northwest by trusting mining men."
Mr. Burgunder paid a high tribute to Rev. H. H. Spalding, pioneer missionary, as one who had done more than any other for the development of the Northwest.
PIONEER FARMING
J. F. Brewer responded to "Pioneer Farming." "Farming in the Willamette Valley was first done by the crudest methods. I remember raking the grain that my father cradled. Later the mowers and reapers came and the header evolved from these. I came to Walla Walla in 1862. All south of the place was a barren sagebrush plain, and only one house, a stage station, in this region as far as I knew. In other parts of the valley there were a few farmers, all on the creeks. I remember the remark of Mr. Swezea, a prominent pioneer farmer, 'Your sons and mine may see railroads here but we never shall.'"
Miss Nettie Galbreath recited "The Pioneers," a poem, which was received with hearty applause.
PIONEER RELIGION
Rev. Henry Brown responded to the "Pioneer Minister." "I came to Walla Walla in 1886, by way of Pasco. There had been a fire and about all there was left was safe which I was told belonged to the county, Pasco being a county seat. Several men with loaded guns were guarding the safe. At night I rented a wood shed, put my family in it and loaded two guns that I had and prepared to guard my family, thinking I had reached a land of ruffians and toughs. Father Wilbur, the pioneer missionary of the Methodist Episcopal Church, happened to be there; he asked what I was doing with my guns."