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Newspaper Archive of
Shelton Mason County Journal
Shelton, Washington
February 12, 2015     Shelton Mason County Journal
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February 12, 2015
 
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÷ Page A-4 - Mason County Journal- Thursday, Feb. 12, 2015 KOMEN COMMENT Recent epidemics pale in comparison to Great Pestilence There has never been any- thing comparable in the United States to the dead- ly plague that swept the banks of the lower Columbia River. It was late in the summer of 1830. "A violent epidemic of fever and ague broke out ... and dealt a fearful blow to the native population," wrote archeologist Emory Strong. "By 1835 the Indians wereBy JOHN practically extinct." It became known as KOMEN The Great Pestilence. A missionary reported 90 percent of the native population had been swept away. "So many and so sudden were the deaths which occurred that the shores were strewed with the unburied dead," wrote Rev. Samuel Parker. "Whole and large villages were depopulated, and some entire tribes have dis- appeared." We were reminded of this historic tragedy by reports of the Ebola ravages in West Af- rica and the sudden outbreak of measles in widespread parts of the United States. There have been nearly 9,000 deaths in Guinea, Liberia and Sierra Le- one, the worst Ebola plague in history. Measles deaths in the U.S. have been few, but enough to concentrate the country's con- cerned attention. But the Ebola and measles outbreaks pale in comparison to The Great Pestilence on the banks of the Columbia River. References are many to the number of Indian villages in the journals of the Lewis and Clark expedition. Many of them were destined for destruction. The explorers prominently mention meeting Wahkiacum Indians, members of one of prob- ably nine Upper Chinook tribes. There were perhaps a dozen Chinook tribes with villages from the mouth of the Columbia River to the Dalles. By 1850, the Wahkiacum tribe had all but disappeared. The Salishan tribe was another once-powerful and populous na- tion with villages on the Cowlitz River, a Columbia tributary. It withered until what remained of its members were moved to the Puyallup Reservation. Lewis and Clark told of the Skilloot nation, another Chi- nookan tribe that lived on the Willamette River in a village of 25 houses. One building was 50 feet long. Two-hundred men, presumably warriors, were among its population. Killimucks and Clat- sops were other tribes the explorers encoun- tered in 1805. The entire Colum- bia River teemed with Indians. An English trader reported in 1824 that "the native popu- lation on the banks of the Columbia River is much greater than in any other part of North America that I have visited." During the salmon runs, he wrote, "the shores are actually lined with Indian lodges." The cause of The Great Pesti- lence on the lower Columbia was never scientifically determined. It was "a dreadful fatal intermit- tent fever" that evidence indi- cates was malaria. "There are many references to the sickness in old journals and the symp- toms described fit malaria closer than any other disease," writes Strong in his book "Stone Age on the Columbia River." The ravages visited on Indian nations in the Pacific Northwest are many and painful to remem- ber. The poignant speech attrib- uted to Chief Seattle in 1854 is often recalled. "There was a time," he said, "when our people covered the whole land, as the waves of a wind-ruffled sea cover its shell- paved floor. "But that time has long since passed away with the greatness of tribes now almost forgotten." His closing words are a classic in American Indian literature. "At night, when the streets of your cities and villages shall be silent, and you think them de- serted, they will throng with the returning hosts that once filled and still love this beautiful land. "The white man will never be alone." • John Komen, who lives on Mason Lake, was for 40 years a reporter and editor, television news anchorman, national TV network correspondent, produc- er, columnist, editorial writer, and commentator. His column, Komen Comment, appears each week in the Mason County Jour- nal. COUNTY JOURNAL EDITORIAL Trustworthiness and helicopters that came under did. If viewers can't trust credibility are two te- fire, according to Stars and the lead anchor on NBC's nets by which society Stripes newspaper, which Nightly News, whom can judges all journalists, first reported on Williams' they trust? Can they trust NBC Nightly News an- conflicting story after veter- their local TV news station? chor Brian Williams shook ans on Facebook called Wil- Can they trust their home- those fundamental prin- liams' story into question on town newspaper? ciples to their very core last social media. Here at the Mason County week when he apologized Williams said on air Journal, we take our role as for and recanted telling a after making an apology your community newspaper false war story, on Facebook that he didn't seriously. We have a quote Whether he made up or "know what screwed up in written on a marker board misremembered being in a my mind that caused me toin our newsroom that reads, helicopter crash -- a story conflate one aircraft with "Information that can't be he has told with varying another." trusted is not less valuable, details multiple times dur- In the wake of Williams' it is worthless." That quote ing the past 12 years -- his apology, media critics, so- comes from Manning Ryan, apology on the air Feb. 4 cial media users and others retired public editor of the was a blow to all journalists, have called for the long-Orlando Sentinel. Williams said that he time anchor's resignation. Today's 24-hour news cy- was in a military helicopter Williams was suspended cle is a dangerous weapon if that was hit by RPG fire in for six months without pay not placed in the hands of a Iraq in 2003. He has said last week. properly trained journalist. that Army infantry rescued While we believe in giv- News that's not correct is his crew and him. ing everybody a second not worth wasting time on. It made for an interesting chance so long as they are That's why we always war tale. But it wasn't true. up front and honest aboutstrive to get to the truth. Williams and his crew their mistake, we're ulti- Without the truth, journal- were in another helicopter mately the ones having toists have no credibility. that came upon the first answer for what Williams A.R. Ag, o0TA 1 i(49 "I IP 3b AP-ABiA OI GHiNA i N'ST AP .;'" LETTERS TO THE EDITOFI Cheaters shouldn't prosper in Super Bowl Editor, the Journal When the Patriots got to go to the Super Bowl after deflating the footballs, it tells everybody it is OK to cheat. What a sad les- son to teach all of the youth in this county. To me, the Patriots should have been automatically disqualified, what a horrible precedent this has established for all future games. I want to give a big thank you to the Seahawks; you got to the Super Bowl honestly. In my book that makes you the winners. Beverly Godwin Shelton see LETTERS, page A-5 USPS 492-800 POSTMASTER: Send address changes to Mason County Journal, RO. Box 430, Shelton, WA 98584. Published weekly by the Mason County Journal at 227 W. Cota St., Shelton, Washington. Mailing address: RO. Box 430, Shelton, WA 98584 Telephone: (360) 426-4412 Website: www.masoncounty.com Periodicals postage paid in Shelton, Washington. The Mason County Jouma/ is a member of the Washington Newspaper Publishers Associa- tion. SUBSCRIPTION RATES: $37 per year for Mason County addresses, $51 per year in the state of Wash- ington but outside Mason County and $61 per year out of state. Owned and published by Shelton-Mason County Journal, Inc. Tom Hyde, publisher Newsroom: Adam Rudnick, editor Natalie Johnson, reporter Gordon Weeks, reporter Emily Hanson, sports reporter Dawn Geluso, proofreader Advertising: Dave Pierik, st. acct. executive Kathy Brooks, ad representative Lloyd Mullen, ad representative Front office: Donna Kinnaird, bookkeeper Amanda Strand, circulation Composing room: William Adams, graphics Linda Frizzell, graphics All editorial, advertising and legal deadlines are 5 p.m. the Monday prior to publication. To submit a letter to the editor, email letters@masoncounty.com.