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About The west shore. (Portland, Or.) 1875-1891 | View Entire Issue (Aug. 1, 1882)
August, 1882. THE WEST SHORE. 55 gender, and in obtaining the county seat exhibited a robustness that makes the gentle gender rather inappropriate. The depot at Cheney is a very fine building. In it is located the local Land office of the Northern Pacific, where are displayed a variety of fine products of the country. Cheney has a $10,000 academy donated by, and dedicated to the Hon. Benj. P. Cheney of Boston. It is a fine structure and will control and direct the educational interest of this fine country. Almost all the different religions sects are rep resented, excepting mormons of course. It has good hotels and fine stores. The citizens are . decidedly enterprising. The Sentinel published by F. C. Mont gomery and the Northwest Tribune, published by' E. L. ; Kellogg, have offices here. Both are well conducted and contain some really good writing. Fine roads lead east and west of Cheney, the latter entering the Crab Creek country, and the country near the big bend of the Columbia. ' This country contains some of the most productive lands now open to settle ment. It is amply watered by clear flowing streams, and covered with bunch grass and sparse timber, ad equate for building purposes for some years to come. Through this country, in a few years, a branch railroad will undoubtedly be built which will open up a region unequaled in natural and agricultural requirements. On the south of Cheney, after passing over a thin streak of rock bottom land, the settler will again find rich, deep soil, extend ing beyond Spangle, and on the head waters of Hangman creek. Aside from the fine residences and large stores at Cheney, and the general evidence of thrift, one, looking from a car-window, will be disappointed; but by following our example taking a conveyance and going off from the line of railroadall we have said as to the quality of land will be verified, and the settler will take us by the hand and say : " Send me the West Shore here's five years' subscription."; Clear Lake, six miles west of Cheney, is a beautiful sheet of water, clear and cold. It is quite a resort for geese and ducks. We suggested to an old goose on the train that it would be a real nice place for him to go to. He believed us and went. A few days after we met the old, fellow at Spokane Falls, and, although the lake contains nothing in the way of fish larger than a minnow, he told us a string of lies about three and four-pound trout he had hauled out. i o gee even we introduced a man to him who had caught trout in that lake weighing fourteen notinds. and hi - - A I " chirrupped up that he caught one weighing fourteen pounds and eighteen ounces, and had presented it to a friend; we don t believe- that man has a friend in the world. About eight miles from Cheney. northwest, lies Medical Lake, a resort for people of damaged propelling pow ers and crushed constitutions. The cur ative properties of the water are said to be marvelous. It will cure almost any disease, except lying and poverty. It will sugar-cure a ham in six minutes, ii the directions on the label are properly observed. A very bad Indian, fuller than the Esmond house, fell into the lake on Sunday morning, and when taken out on Tuesday he was a good Indian, and very quiet, too. The water is verv buoyant. In order to take n bath, vou have to be driven in with a pile-driver that is, some people have to. No one has yet sunk any money in the lake. Nevertheless, it is a pleas ant place to visit. There are about 100 people there, and really first-class hotel be had. The country around is excellent. The lake has an elevation of 2,400 feet above the sea. It is one and a quarter miles long, : of a mile wide, and 45 llaT The shores have an even, gradual slope. It never gets ruffled, no matter how ruthlessly its bosom may become torn. Fish found it so difficult to navigate that they have all gone and left nothing but turtles, which have to sink out of sight edgewise. The wonderful medi cal properties of Medicnl Lake are not the results of scientific labors; they are not the result of inventive geuius. They are a French discovery. Yean KO Andre LeFcvre, then habitating this region, was a confirmed rhtumahqut. He was all snarled up, as cooked a. a New Jersey bank cashier. He . a sheep herder and tended his flocks on a thousand hills. They had the "scab and he the "rhtumatiquei? On a hot and sultry day he might have been seen, looking more like a French brandy d.. il t worm than anything else, on lie IbklofMeJicalLake.!-- following him. In a few days his rheumatiques had vanished and the sheep were also cured. Numerous other cures of rheumatism and paralysis are said to have been effected by bathing in these waters. When the wind blow strongly the sin face of the hike becomes foamy and the suds sigh and sough sadly. Bathing in free to all who would wash and be clean. Convenient bath-houses have been erected by Messrs. Nichols k Goodwin, where bathing can he in dulged in without molestation or soap, for a small charge. By condensation, powder arc manufactured from the water, and they have been introduced to the public by The Medical Lake Powder Manufacturing Co., mcorpor ated with a capital of $.10,000. W. II. Bishop, one of the principal stock holders, is manager. They have built up a large and lucrative business. Tho little town of Medical Lake contain some of the most enterprising men in the upper country, and boasts ! its own . weekly newspaper, recently established there by Mr. Matticc, formerly of New Tacoma. Granite Lake, four miles northwest of Cheney, and about two miles from Medical Luke, is very similar to the latter In respect to its peculiar properties. This lake 1 owned by the Northern Pacific, and will be sold to some man n :. prise who will contract to erect a suit- hIiIc hotel on its banks. Orunite 01 me linest, quality and having great rci in" power, is found in abundance here. Some day it will be extensively quar ried. . The land in this vicinity is remark ably productive, forty bushels of wheat is not an unusual yield, sevent-five bush. . el of oats arc frequently "ised, to the crc, tomatoes, melon and 8et,;bl" of every variety arc successfully raised. Land is being taken up very rapidly. Plover, curlews, prairie-chicken duck and geese are abundant. Near the south rml ..f the lake a polishing powder l found.it ii superior to Tripoli and in due lime will bo a largely utilized. The weed Killekenick, used in connection with a certain well know brand of tobacco, grow extensively on the bank of the lake. Years, ago a firm of post trader or army suttler numcd Green, Heath and Allen, from Richmond, Vir. Ui,,ia, controlled the army trade vi the whole northwest. They began the roanu facture of, and were the first to Intro duce the brand known n ki kkenitk tohicco, which has had .ch large .ale throughout ihe United State. Kille kenick grow like a runnmg vine, and tho-e who have drank the tea made of it assert that it i wholesome and inng orating, Thiinotan advertisement. -