Group Traveled from Eugene City Eastward Looking for Best Wagon Route
By Steve Lent, Crook County Historian
The Meek Wagon Train in 1845 had passed through Central Oregon seeking a quicker route to the Willamette Valley. That group experienced numerous hardships and deaths before heading back north to the main Oregon Trail at The Dalles Mission. A group of men in Eugene City in the upper Willamette Valley dreamed of a route that would bring wagon travelers to their region over the Cascade Mountains. This hoped for route would leave the main Oregon Trail and come to the Deschutes River and thence over the Cascades to Eugene City. It was anticipated the road would bring immigrants for population, wealth and business to the region.
It was planned that a survey party would head east from Eugene City seeking a reliable route. A survey party was formed and became known as the Road Viewers. Men who took part in the survey included William Macy, John Diamond, William Tandy, Joseph Meador, Alexander King, Robert Walker, and a J. Clark. It was determined that Macy and Tandy would lead the survey party.
The party left from Tandy’s home on August 20, 1852. They followed the Middle Fork of the Willamette Valley for 80 miles east and determined it was a feasible route to the crest of the Cascades. Continuing east they came to what was then known as “South Fork of Deschoots”. They then traveled north to Spring River and then directly east to Bear Creek.
They continued northeast until they located the ruts of Meek's wagons and followed them not far from the Crooked River until they came to Steen's Ridge. A marker was found carved on a rock that was left in a small cairn on top of Steen's Ridge. The inscription read: "T – 1852." It is believed the rock was carved by William Tandy, one of the Viewers. Although there was never any official statement, it is apparent the Viewers were also looking for the Lost Blue Bucket Mine, a place where some of Meek's emigrants had stumbled onto gold nuggets.
From Steen's Ridge, the Viewers followed Meek's wagon ruts south into the Harney Basin. The ruts led past the northern shores of Harney and Malheur Lakes. It was here the Viewers were attacked by a band they believed were Shoshoni Indians, although this was the territory of the Northern Paiute. The aboriginal attack force included 14 horsemen using guns and 40–50 foot soldiers using bows and arrows. Macy, Clark, and Diamond were wounded by musket balls and four horses were killed by arrows. The Viewers lost their notes, provisions and their geological specimens.
The Viewers fled to the north and eventually came to the Oregon Trail along the Burnt River. A couple of doctors were coming through at that time and were able to assist the wounded men. From here they traveled back to the Willamette Valley via the Oregon Trail and returned home. With their adventure completed they filed a report on the practicality of the route, which was favorable.