- -i
PRI NEVILLE.
Prineville, the county seat of Crook coun
ty, is beautifully located on a level plain
at the junction of Ochoco creek with
Crooked river. It was incorporated as a
city in 1898. The city council consists of
a mayor and six councilmen, two of whom
are chosen each year. It has a bonded in
debtedness of $10,000 incurred to secure
the erection of a water and electric light
plant, which has been in operation for a
year, and is a success in all respects. The
city has an option to purchase the plant
at the end of 15 years and apply the $10,-
000 bonded debt on the purchase price. It
has telephone connection with the outside
world via The Dalles and Shaniko. It has
a commodious public school building, and
two churchesi and every line of business
is fully represented. Seven lawyers and
three physicians offer their professional
' V
j J' XiCT ... . '-v:
: . ...... . v.-... .
,., . . - .-.
A PARADISE
For Tourists, Sightseers, and Sportsmen.
The wonders of Eastern Oregon, in
the way of natural landmarks and natural
scenery are just coming into notice and
are attracting the attention of the world.
The mysterious works of nature stand out
everywhere in varieties not to be found in
any other land yet discovered. Extinct
craters, mountains of volcanic ash, plains
of lava, scalding streams of water spout
ing forth from the rocks, boiling and steam
ing like a caldron, rivers rising out of the
sands of the level plains and again disap
pearing in the same manner, ice caverns,
where inexhaustible supplies of ice are
found winter and summer just beneath the
desert sands, tall rock pillars extending
hundreds of feet into the air, spiral snow-,
capped peaks, eternally showing the tem
perature of the higher altitudes, long
ranges of mountains, covered with the fin
est forests in the world, grass-covered hills
and beautiful green-carpeted vales; crys
tal lakes of limpid water, boiling springs
and bubbling brooks of ice-cold water,
mountain streams that go dashing on, down,
down, down, toward the sea! Bear, deer,
antelope, water fowls, fish, small game
everything that goes to satisfy the heart
of the tourist, sightseer and sportsman.
Of all of these attractions, Crook county
possesses the lion's share. Within her bor
ders may be found every one, and many
that are found nowhere else in Eastern
Oregon, or in the United States, so far as
that is concerned.
An Extinct Volcanic Crater.
About 50 miles from Prineville, in a
southwestern direction, is one of the great
est wonders of the Pacific coast. On ac
count of its isolation from railroads and
other means of convenient public convey
ance, it is but little known. It is prac
tically on a mountain top and towers above
the Deschutes river, upon whose bank?, it
nestles, the raging waters rolling and surg
ing among the rocks and boulders 1400 feet
below. It is known as Lava Butte, and
is surrounded by one of the most interest
ing lava beds of this country. The main
butte is symmetrical and a hollow cylinder.
From the main level it extends 1000 feet
in the air to a sharp point, barely large
enough for the crater, which is of con
siderable depth. This cone is of pure vol
canic ashes, with a yellowish color, tinged
with red, that gives it the appearance at a
distance of still possessing internal fires.
The novice cannot resist shuddering as
he climbs this cone, and would not be sur
prised to see the flames shoot out from
above, and have the .molten lava come gush
ing down to meet him. And below, the
sight is more awe-inspiring. An area of
several square miles is covered with great
heaps of lava, piled up in irregular form.
This lava, or rock, is full of cells which
are surrounded by a reddish dross that
gives them the appearance of still being
services to a long suffering public. Its
population is about 800, against 450 in 1890.
It has never experienced a "boom," but its
growth has been constant and substantial,
keeping pace with the magnificent country
of which it now is and will remain the
commercial center. As a trading point,
it stands alone, and holds almost undisputed
control of the largest region of country
in the United States not traversed by a rail
road. In order to supply the needs of so
large a territory, far from transportation,
large stock of merchandise are necessary,
yet the necessity is always fully met and
every want supplied by our enterprising
mercantile firms, special mention of which
will be found elsewhere in this paper.
The view here presented is taken from a
point just north of Prineville and looking
to the southwest, presenting an admirable
view of the city and valley.
-tar
" - -''-iTiiiTr'-" I - n"
--r; -
t'
A
hot. To climb over them Is almost im
possible; the irregular surface, the sharp
points that cut almost like a knife, make it
hazardous for the shoe and trying on the
feet. The whole surface of the lava beds
look as if the fire was smoldering beneath
and one can scarcely content one's self to
remain alone in the solitude of this ruin.
It must have been centuries since this up
heaval took place, but the untutored in sci
ence cannot be brought to believing it after
seeing it. If told that it was an active
volcano a year or so ago, it would seem
more reasonable. The Deschutes river
was doubtless once impeded by this vol
cano, as huge pieces of the lava still par
tially fill the bed of the stream and cause
a succession of falls. On one side of the
butte the slope is gradual from the apex
of the cone to the bottom of the river.
There is no prettier view, and no grander
one than to stand at the top of the butte
and study the heaps of lava for miles in
every direction and see the serpentine
Deschutes as it has been compelled to se
lect its way through this impediment so
angrily thrown up by nature.
From this point can also be seen the
Three Sisters, three of the most beautiful
snow peaks of the Cascade range. In fact,
the extinct crater is practically at their
base. For romance, for grandeur, for ex
citement, no point in tae state offers a
greater inducement than this section of
Crook county, where "rolls" the sparkling
waters of the Deschutes. The country here
is heavily timbered, and in the forests the
bear and deer still roam as of old. It is
nothing for an experienced hunter here to
kill a half dozen bear in so many days,
and the tenderfoot may find them at any
time. The deer are also plentiful, and seem
to feel safe in these solitudes, and all that
is necessary for a successful deer hunt is
a trip to the upper Deschutes.
Ice Caverns.
In the immediate vicinity of the Des
chutes there are other attractions for the
tourist. None are more interesting than
a succession of caves which are found
here. These caves have as yet only been
partially explored, some of them as far as
a mile, but the real length and depth of the
main ones are yet unknown. They are
comparatively smooth as far as they have
been explored, and travel in them is easy,
but the attractions here are so numerous
and the people so few in number who have
visited the spot that no account has been
given of a thorough exploration of any of
these caverns. One of the most wonderful
phenomena of these caves is that some of
them are natural ice houses and have ice
stored in them the year around. The few
ranchers in the vicinity regard the caves
as commonplace, and go into them in the
summer time and supply themselves with
ice to save fresh meats and make ice
cream and think nothing of it, but inves
tigation has shown that these are the only
ice caverns reported in the United States,
and that they are among the wonders of
B