The Oregonian, Portland, OR., July 19, 1926, section 1, page 19?
Includes photograph

WEALTH OF HISTORY HOVERS OVER VILLAGE OF WISHRAM
Celebration Will Be Held Tuesday At Indian Stronghold On Columbia Which Played Important Part In Settling Of Oregon.
By Ruth Elizabeth Sheldon

     THE DALLES, Or., July 17 - (Special) At the narrowest point of the Columbia, where one that may toss a stone across the grand dalles of the river, there stands an ancient Indian village. Dark are its houses, and weather beaten, couched in half-fallen form against blackly frowning cliffs. Dark, too, are the inhabitants - old, wrinkled and bent with years. Beating mercilessly down upon unpainted shacks, the sun cleanses but does not make fertile the ground with flowering shrubs, nor growing plant. This is the village of Wish-kam, of "stationary people who never move."
     Eight miles to the eastward in a tiny cove on the same side of the glistening stream, an oasis formed of velvet lawn and poplar trees nestles within an encircling desert of sand and barren crag. Bright-hued houses shelter the town's 400 citizens, and on the light brown station a newly-painted sign has been placed bearing the name "Wishram."
     Although the same warm sun sheds its ray of golden light upon both localities, and although those who go about their daily tasks are of an identical race - American - yet one speaks a tongue foreign to the other. Their mode of living is as widely at variance as the color of their skin.

Two Races Meet There

     About these settlements a romance of races is woven - the one of wise men coming from the east on steeds of "caparisoned in steel" to rejoice in the birth of the spirit of progress, the other, the sorrowful story of "The Vanishing American."
     On Tuesday, July 20, between 8 and 10 o'clock, a celebration will take place at Wishram, amply represented as "a city of stationary people" by quaint pictographs of mountain goats and sheep engraved forever in the rock cliffs which form a background to the modern settlement. A basalt column will be dedicated in memory of the dauntless pathfinders and early settlers, virtually all of whom touched the Columbia river at this point in their toilsome trek westward, and portaged their canoes around the nine miles of falls and rapids between Wishram and The Dalles.
     Notables for miles around, as well as the distinguished members of the Columbia river historical expedition will be present at the dedication, and among these will be a modest delegation from the Dalles, the town in which the president of the Great Northern Railway lived when he conceived the idea of constructing the Oregon Trunk Line through the canyon walls of the swiftly-flowing Des Chutes river.

Proper Name Called "Wish-Kam"

     Perhaps none are better qualified to speak of this region than those who have passed their lives here. Of these Mrs. Lulu D. Crandall, 72, is a member of the national committee on the preservation of historic spots and state chairman for Oregon of a similar committee for the Daughters of the American Revolution, as well as chairman of the department of Indian welfare for the Oregon State Federation of Women's clubs.
     Mrs. Crandall says:
     "For years there has been a mis-apprehension concerning the location and name of the Indian village of Wish-kam -- not 'Wish-ram" as it is mistakenly called. No member of the dark races was ever known to pronounce the letter 'r.' The Indians are no exception to this rule.
     "I feel sure the use of the letter 'r' in Wish-ram was a typographical error in Washington Irving's 'Astoria.' I cite as my authority for the spelling 'Wish-kam' no less a person then Dr. William McKay, grandson of Dr. John McLoughlin, whose mother was a full blood Indian.

Indians Were Traders

     "The inhabitants of Wish-kam, which by the way is pronounced by the Indians in a guttural resembling 'Wiz-cum,' lived on both sides of the river, where they bartered or traded with migratory tribes, voyagers, explorers and emigrants. They were the Klickitat tribe, 'Klickitat' meaning 'robber.'
     "At this point," continued Mrs. Crandall, "Freemont, the pathfinder and surveyor declared the river was at its narrowest, being but 150 feet across. Through this deep shoot the entire volume of the great river pours and for one and one-half miles the stream has never been satisfactory leaded. All about are huge flag stones of a dark and awe-inspiring nature. The French voyagers called this 'les grande dalles de la Columbia' and in French the word 'dalles' has three meanings, all of which are most appropriate to the region. They are 'the narrows,' 'flagstones,' and 'slices of fish.' Here may be found the finest salmon fishing in all the world, the legend having it that the waters were often so full of struggling fish, one of my walk across the turbulent stream on their backs.

Names Said To Be Wrong

     "I wish particularly to call attention to the misnomer of places," Mrs. Crandall remarked. "Below the narrows, opposite The Dalles is the settlement of 'Granddalles.' This should have been called 'North Dalles' while in my opinion what is now 'Big Eddy' should have been received the name 'Granddalles.'
     "Wish-kam, in modern times became became the town of 'Speedis,' the name of the leading Indian family of that district.
     "Conforming with the desire of Great Northern officials to change the names of their stations, Wish-kam and Speedis have now given way to 'Spearfish.'
     "To me the name 'Fallbridge' is very significant. Here are the foaming cataracts of Celilo, spanned by a beautiful bridge resting on 20 piers of solid rock. The scenery is stupendous. Indian huts on both sides of the river proclaim it still a favorite fishing ground. Salmon are speared or seined from perilous heights, and tourists never tire of watching the skillful native fishermen."

Reason Why Water is Bright

     An Indian legend briefly told, relates that in earlier day wars, which now have developed into smaller feuds, were constantly being fought by the tribes living opposite one another on the river. The Wasco Indians possessing a spring of pure water in a basin, which they called the "Wascopam," while the Klickitats at Wish-kam held dear to their hearts a shining stone which sparkled in the light. In a fit of fury the invading tribe smashed the treasured Wascopam, or basin of the Wascos and in revenge the Wascos descended upon the Klickitats and, stealing their sparkling stone, threw it far into the middle of the river.
     And from that day to this, they declare, the great river has never been dull, but the lights of the stone, glancing to the surface, may be seen and enjoyed by all who look upon its emerald waters.

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©  Jeffrey L. Elmer