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The Klickitat County News, Goldendale, WA., May 31, 1934, page 4

INTERESTING PIONEER INTERVIEWS

George M. Eddie, one of Klickitat county's pioneers of 1883, is marked for his keen intellect and sense of humor, even though he carries the burden of 71 years on his shoulders.
Some time back, Mr. Eddie happened to pass the remark that he had arrived in Goldendale in 1883 and that he remembered a great many interesting experiences. His interview was obtained at once and in the course of the hour's talk with the pioneer, the following was related:
"I was born in Albert Lee, Minnesota on October 30, 1863. At the age of six years, I can remember making the trip from Minnesota to Denver over the newly blazed road. At that time, I recall the business of the railroad company in the construction of the first trans continental line. Denver was, indeed, a very busy place at that time.
"When we arrived in the Colorado city, we were informed that before many weeks had passed, the line from San Francisco would be completed and that we should be able to make the balance of the trip by rail.
"My step-father and my mother sold all of our stock and wagons for a tidy sum as soon as it appeared that the road was to be finished.
"During the time that we were in Denver there was considerable Indian trouble. I can remember to this day of watching cars, wooden in those days, coming in from branch lines and then later over the main line before we finally went to San Francisco, with the arrows and signs of gun shots in the sides. Many times cars would bristle with brightly tipped arrows aimed at the cars by the wary of red skins which infested the country west of Denver.
"While we were waiting to go to the western terminus of our trip, Red Cloud, a famous Indian chieftan was running amuck among of the frontier settlements west of Denver and many white persons had been massacred at his and his warriors' hands.
"Grant, who was president at that time, had been informed of the outrages and had instructed national militiamen to make a special effort to eliminate further killings. These soldiers were dispatched to the scenes of the murders and soon a line on the warrior chief was obtained.
"Within a short time, we of us in Denver were informed one evening that Red Cloud had been captured and his warriors had been disbanded and that the chief would come through Denver on a train.
"That evening, shortly before we started for San Francisco, a large group of men gathered at the small station with the avowed purpose of taking the chief from his guards and killing him for his depradations.
"The train did come through. It hesitated but a little at the station. Several passengers got on some of the cars and went with the train east. There was one car, I remember, that had all of the blinds pulled down and in which, we were told, officials were riding. After the car was pulled out of the station by the engine and several miles of track had been covered between Denver and the eastern goal of the militiamen, we were told by the station agent that Red Cloud had come through in the car with the blinds pulled.
"Much disappointment was evidenced but there was little to be done about it then. I do not know, now, where Red Cloud was to be taken. I suppose that he was lodged in a place for safe keeping. I do not know if he was killed or not by the government for his massacres.
"Soon we went to San Francisco. I do not remember any particular incident of interest on the later part of the journey westward. Shortly after we reached California, I know that we were decided, or rather my mother and step father decided to come north into Washington.
"Passage was booked on this schooner Ajax. The Ajax was a as seaworthy as ships of that day were supposed to be and we felt fairly safe until after we had been to sea for a few hours. A terrific storm blew up from the west and the small schooner, large for those days, was buffeted around on the swell like a cork.
"There were few, I remember none, on board who were not terrifically sick during the journey. As I recall now, the whole journey was stormy. It took nine days to come from San Francisco to a Monticello, Wash.
"We did not expect to ever see land again but when the harbor in Washington showed up, you can bet that we were certainly jubilant.
"I went from Monticello with my parents to Lincoln Creek near Centralia. We got a team and a wagon at Monticello and made the trip to the nearby city.
"I stayed near Lincoln Creek until I was 19. Then I migrated to Klickitat County. I worked here for a time. I was interested in carpentering and painting. At that time there was plenty of work and I was kept extremely busy despite my youth. In those days, a painter had to mix all his product and know colors. Nowadays, this work is all done for him by experts at the factories and little bother is necessary for the modern painter.
"I still paint around here in Goldendale and lately I have been kept pretty busy. While I am not able to get around as fast as I used to when younger, I believe that I can do just a little better job than a young men. This may appear to you to be a bit egotistical, but I actually learned the paint business from head to foot.
"Miss May B. Goss was the lady of my heart. I met her when I was 19 at a camp meeting being conducted at Maryhill. I knew then that I had to have her for my wife. But, as a young people sometimes do, a little rift came between us, and I left the country for a time.
"It was in the 1906 that we finally were married. It was 19 years between our meetings. In the meantime, Miss Goss had gone to Hood River. We were married there. I was 42 when we were married.
We then moved to Goldendale. I have been here since 1883. We have three daughters, Mrs. Esther Geer of Tacoma, Mrs. Ruth Turner of Maryhill and Myran Eddie of this city.
"I have been disgusted with myself several times since for disposing of a certain parcel of land near the Lincoln Creek country. Since disposing of the acreage, coal was discovered on the land and that particular piece has proved valuable. But, then it, we all make mistakes and I believe that I have probably been better off.
"When I first came to Goldendale, I stayed with Dr. Chapman, Merle Chapman's grandfather. I believe that Dr. Chapman was about the first physician to locate in this section. Later a Dr. Stoll located here and I remember when Dr. Bonebrake came.
"Dr. Chapman had many friends and I recall many pleasant evenings spent at his home discussing the topics of the day. He was a great man to talk to his friends and he had lots of them. He worked up a very nice practice here.
"I want you to know that even though all I am getting along in years, that I still do a great deal of painting and decorating in this town and while I haven't made a fortune in later years, the depression didn't entirely let me down. I was always able to do a bit of work.
"I am now going to do a bit of photography at my home studio and I want you to run a little ad for me. Incidentally, I'll subscribe for your paper while I am here. And if you intend to put any of this story in the paper, be sure and don't tell any lies about me for I believe that I have a pretty good reputation around here and I shouldn't appreciate having it ruined after such a happy period in this district.
George, as Mr. Eddie is referred to by most every one in the county, is especially interested in seeing Goldendale grow and has very definite ideas on topics of the day. He is an interesting personality.
As a final statement in the recent conversation, Mr. Eddie said: "There are two things that we cannot avoid and those are death and taxes. I've paid my share of taxes but I do not regret it."