Boats do not reach Roseburg; but down the rocky Umpqua, at Scottsburg, was once a lively trade, and many steamers decked the river--a river rich in scenery, deep and dark from rugged cliffs in many places, and then overshadowed by the spicy myrtle. Two hours' ride from this little town, through rolling hills of oak, and we touch the advance of Holladay's railroad army. Farther on, we pass a town of tents. Thousands of men, it seems--and mostly Chinamen--are at work, like beavers, sweeping away the great fir forest that shuts out the sun the whole year through. Two hundred miles from Portland, and three hundred miles from the sea, by the line of travel, we take the cars. At present, the gap between the California and Oregon sections, that the traveler has to cross by coach, is three days' hard travel; but it is safe to say that, in another year, somewhere up about the Siskiyou Mountains, the last spike will be driven. The Oregon section has the heavier force employed, is displaying the greater energy, and will probably first reach the junction.
Joaquin Miller, "A Ride Through Oregon," Overland Monthly, April 1872, page 305


"Oregon Items," Sacramento Daily Union, May 28, 1872, page 3


    THE ROCK POINT BRIDGE.--The Sentinel, in its last issue, exposes its ignorance in reference to the law regulating the leasing of county roads, and tenders some gratuitous advice to the public, which, if followed, would prove disastrous to those who accepted it. The Sentinel man recklessly assails the legality of the lease made of this bridge. The lease was executed, and the transfer of the bridge to the agent of Ella Niday was in exact conformity with the provisions of Title 111 [sic--III?], Chap. 47, General Laws of Oregon, page 873 of the Code. If the asinine editor of the Sentinel had ever read the law of which he prates, and had the honesty to tell the truth about it, he would warn the public against the litigation which would be sure to follow a violation of the lease, instead of counseling them to rush headlong into the expensive trouble and annoyance of a lawsuit.
    The Sentinel man asserts that the county court had no right to protect the bridge after it had entered into a solemn lease of it. For the information of the exceedingly ignorant editor of the Sentinel, we copy the section of the Code under which the right is given, and recommend him to study it attentively, as it may save him the mortification of making a fool of himself, and of misleading the public in the future:
    SEC. 61. The rates of toll that the lessee may collect and receive shall be the above in the lease, and none other can be charged; and any person who shall pass through a gate upon such road, without paying the toll legally charged thereat, or when traveling on such road shall go round such gate, with intent to avoid the payment of such toll, shall be liable to the lessee of such road for three times the amount of such toll. (Code, 874.)
Democratic Times, Jacksonville, June 1, 1872, page 2


    Captain Lawrence, of the schooner Vanderbilt, from Rogue River, Oregon, reports that a party by the name of Alexander Goodenough left Rogue River on the 20th inst., in a boat the shape of a cigar, for San Francisco. She was twenty feet in length, and rigged with a three-cornered sail and jib, and had also a square sail for use in case of necessity. The boat is entirely covered, with the exception of a small hole in the center for the adventurer to sit in and steer, also to keep his provisions, etc. Goodenough is a Western man, and has never followed the sea, and consequently knows but very little about boating, especially in such a one as he started in. It is the impression of those who know this party that he is slightly out of his mind, or he never would have attempted to brave the open sea in such a boat. His idea, he said on leaving, was to show what he could do with his novel boat, and that he would surprise the people of San Francisco on his arrival there. Captain Lawrence is under the impression that he has taken his last sail, as nothing has been heard of boat or master since their departure.
Daily Alta California, San Francisco, June 24, 1872, page 1


    "Arrived, June 28th, nondescript Carrie, Captain Goodenough, twenty-two days from Seattle, Washington Territory, passenger and merchandise to Woodward's Gardens or the Lunatic Asylum."
    The above would be the entry that might have been made yesterday at the Merchant's Exchange. The announcement, made a few days ago, that Alexander Goodenough, a practical mechanic, but a "landsman too," had started from Rogue River in a nondescript craft for San Francisco, created considerable merriment even at the expense of a man who was thought to be a doomed adventurer. Yesterday afternoon, however, he sailed into port, passed along the waterfront and moored his naval curiosity at Long Bridge. The report of his arrival was at first not credited. It was considered a sell until late in the day, when parties came in circulating corroborative testimony.
    On the authority of C. H. A. Brickwedel, corner of First and Brannan streets, we have to base our account of his adventures.
    Mr. Goodenough is a practical machinist, who has on some occasions exhibited inventive genius. He was engaged to serve as engineer in a saw-mill on Puget Sound some time ago. Subsequently he was out of employment, and desirous of coming to San Francisco. His friends, however, were insufficient to provide him with the necessary menus, so he looked about for some means whereby he might economize and still accomplish his object.
    While cogitating on the subject, he discovered an old useless hull of a cigar-shaped boat, which was given to him by the owner. This hull is twenty feet long by three and one-half feet wide in the center. In lateral form it is round, tapering to points at either end. It is so ballasted that it retains a certain position in the water, and keeps up the open hatchway in the center, which is arranged with a sliding cover. A mast was rigged in this peculiar craft, and bed ticking was made use of for sails. A mainsail, topsail and jib were provided, the gear all being so arranged that it could be worked by a person in the hatchway. Thus equipped, with twenty-one gallons of water, ship bread, canned fruit and blankets, the intrepid landsman embarked on his voyage twenty-two days ago. He was considered insane by many. He had no knowledge whatever of navigation, and was wholly dependent on his inventive mind, assisted by a small compass.
    When out upon the ocean, he sat erect in the hatchway, with the sliding hatch drawn close to bis body. In this way he prevented water from being shipped. When the sea was smooth and the wind light, he would crawl into his shell like a floating snail, and take a nap with perfect composure and comfort.
    His shell was called Carrie, and she was well named. On the 20th instant he left Rogue River, having put in there for a short time for rest and provisions. Sometimes he experienced rough weather, but never shipped a sea. He was only frightened once, and that was when he saw himself, a pygmy of the deep, surrounded by a school of whales. He passed several ships and created no little wonderment by his singular appearance. Once he was hailed as a strayed fisherman, but he only made the wonder greater when he explained his crack-brained purpose. It was a daredevil adventure, to say the very least, and success adds only interest to crown curiosity.
    Having arrived here, and during the evening after the story of his successful voyage had been well circulated and believed, there was a general demand that the craft that had made 800 miles at sea should be placed on exhibition. At ten o'clock at night, Harry Andrews was on the scent and soon obtained the desired privilege of exhibiting the boat at Woodard's Gardens, where the public will find an opportunity for gratifying their curiosity. The daring navigator is staying at the Constitution Hotel, corner of Brannan and First streets, where, no doubt, he will be extensively interviewed.
Daily Alta California, San Francisco, June 29, 1872, page 1


"Oregon Items," Sacramento Daily Union, July 2, 1872, page 3


    The readers of the Call may remember that a few days ago we mentioned that a man named Goodenough had started alone from Rogue River, in a curious cigar-shaped boat, with the intention of sailing to San Francisco. The chances of his ever making this port seemed very slight; but yesterday afternoon he moored his craft at Long Bridge, and last night a Call reporter went to his residence and had a talk with him. Before going into Mr. Goodenough's adventures, it may, perhap, be as well to describe the boat in which he made the voyage. In general contour it resembles a colossal cigar or an elongated cask, brought to a point at each end. It is strongly built of wood resembling white cedar; the planking averaging one inch and a half in thickness. The material seems to have been slit and worked up with an ax; there are no indications of the use of a saw. The timbers are held together by twenty-one stout iron hoops, which encircle the hull of the craft at regular intervals in barrel fashion. The ends of the boat taper, as we have said, to a point, and these ends are each closed with a plug extending, perhaps, two feet into the hull. But, the strangest thing about it is the origin, or rather the advent, of this cigar-boat upon the Pacific Coast. About eighteen months ago it was discovered upon the shore of Cape Flattery, Washington Territory, where it had been washed ashore by the ice. Nothing was found in or about it to give a clue to its maker, its starting place, or the purpose for which it had been constructed. The opinion of the people who viewed it, on its arrival, was that it drifted down from Alaska, or from some other northern coast. The boat, as it lies at Long Bridge, is in the same condition as it was when it drifted upon the coast of Washington Territory, except that a new mast has been set up, and sails, oars and necessary rigging furnished. It measures 22 feet in length, 3½ feet beam, and with a crew of one man--all it will hold--it draws 20 inches of water. The hull is entirely closed, except at one place, amidships, where is an oblong hole, about five feet in length. In this the navigator can sit and work the craft, and, if he feels inclined, sleep. A small store of provisions can also be stowed away in this place. If he choose, the navigator can, by closing a hatch, shut himself completely in, proof against winds and waves, and steer by tiller ropes. The rig consists of a leg-of-mutton sail, and an extra square sail, for use in light winds. The navigator, Alexander Goodenough, is a machinist by trade, and belongs to this city, where he has a family residing at No. 3 Thompson Avenue. He is a native of Buffalo, New York, and came to California about eighteen years ago. He went to Washington Territory in the employ of the Seattle Coal Company last August. While making arrangements to pay a visit to his family, it occurred to him that he might fit up the cigar-boat and come, and he acted on the idea. Having tested her in Puget Sound, and found her staunch and seaworthy, a good sailer, and stiff under canvas, he set sail from Seattle on the 6th inst., with twenty-one gallons of water and a sufficient store of provisions. He took with him a boat-compass, a pair of oars lashed on the top of his boat, a lamp, an army overcoat, a blanket, a musket and a few other articles of less importance. The weather was light until he reached Rogue River, where he replenished his stock of provisions. The first day out he had his first experience of rough weather, a stiff breeze and heavy sea testing the capabilities of his craft and increasing his confidence in it, though he was obliged to be careful in running before the wind, in order to avoid being laid in the trough of the sea. He slept whenever he felt tired on the voyage, without reference to night or day. When he felt like taking a snooze, he would heave to by taking in all sail but a small piece of mainsail, lash the hatch over, leaving a small aperture for air. After leaving Rogue River, he had a struggle with the breezes fifty miles south of the harbor, and then bearing out to sea had no trouble, and experienced no danger until last Thursday, when he met a stiff breeze and had to use all his skill. He was for four days out of sight of land, between Rogue River and this port. He passed many vessels, but spoke only one schooner. The "talk" as they passed one another was as follows: "Fisherman, ahoy; have you any fish?" "No; ain't after any fish." "What are you doing out here, then?" "Sailing for pleasure." "What kind of--box do you call that you are in?" By this time the two crafts had widened the distance so much that an answer would have been wasted, so Goodenough spared his breath. The cigar boat kept company with a schooner from early yesterday morning till the harbor was reached, and came in triumphantly under full sail. Goodenough estimates his voyage at 1,500 miles, and is enthusiastic in his praise of the seaworthiness and speed of his boat.
Chicago Tribune, July 14, 1872, page 6


    James Barkley was arrested at Jacksonville last week for selling liquor to soldiers.
    Jackson County has an empty jail. Our country exchanges often publish the fact that there are no criminals in their county jails.
    William Krischner, a Jacksonville saloon keeper, fell dead with apoplexy on Saturday, the 7th instant, while conversing with a friend.
    John Blattner's house on Rich Gulch, Jackson County, was burned to the ground Saturday, July 6th, and everything therein consumed, while he was at work in his claim. The origin of the fire is unknown.
"Oregon Items," Sacramento Daily Union, July 19, 1872, page 2


    A number of immigrants, direct from Germany, have lately arrived in Jackson County, and will settle there.
    Hale of Jackson County had a fight with a bear last week, in which the bear was killed and Hale seriously wounded.
    The Jacksonville Times intimates that most of the rogues in Jackson County hail from Portland, though we didn't know that the editor of the Times had ever lived here.
"Oregon Items," Sacramento Daily Union, August 2, 1872, page 1


"Oregon Items," Sacramento Daily Union, August 23, 1872, page 1


    The house of W. W. Hale of Antelope, Jackson County, was burned to the ground last Thursday, 29th ult., and everything therein consumed. Loss, $2,000.
    The artesian well which was begun in Jacksonville some time ago has reached the depth of 170 feet, but the water won't come to the surface. Some fine specimens of copper, however, have been taken from the hole.
"Oregon Items," Sacramento Daily Record-Union, September 6, 1872, page 1


"Oregon Items," Sacramento Daily Union, September 7, 1872, page 4


"The Territories," Sacramento Daily Union, September 17, 1872, page 6


    The dwelling house of A. H. Boothby, on Rogue River, caught fire last week, and burned to the ground, consuming its contents.
"Pacific Coast News," Albany Register, Albany, Oregon, September 27, 1872, page 3


"The Territories," Sacramento Daily Union, September 28, 1872, page 5


"Oregon Items," Pacific Rural Press, San Francisco, November 16, 1872, page 316


    The grand jury of Jackson County recommend the people to build a new jail, courthouse and sheriff and clerk's office.
    The line of hacks heretofore running between Jacksonville and Linkville has been discontinued, owing to bad roads.
"Home News," The New Northwest, Portland, November 22, 1872, page 2


"Oregon Items," Sacramento Daily Union, November 25, 1872, page 2




Last revised September 30, 2024