THE MOUSING OEEGONIAN, FRIDAY, JUIY 20, 1900.
NEAR THE LEADERS
Portland's Prowess s a
Wheat-Shipping Point
EXCELLED -BY BUT FOUR POKTS
Decided Gala Over tke Previous Fis
cal Year Japanese Manufac
ture Good Flour.
The regular statement of the Bureau of
Statistics showing: the exports of wheat
for the month of June, and for the cereal
year closing June 30, BOO, as usual,
places Portland well up toward the head
of the list, with a decided gain over the
corresponding periods of the previous
season. For the entire year, Portland's
shipments were excelled by those of but
four other ports, the Oregon metropolis
pulling up from sixth place in the season
of 1B3S-99 to fifth place for the season
Just closed. For the month of June a
still more favorable showing was" made,
Portland coming up from seventh place,
a year ago, to fifth place this year. Puget
Bound shows a decline for the year, and
has" remained stationary as regards po
sition during June. She was In eighth
place for the year in the 1S9S-99 season,
and has dropped back to 10th place 'for
the season Just closed. For the month
of Juno the Sound was In 11th place a
year ago, and has not gained any in po
sition tills year. The exports foreign
In detail for the years are as follows:
si 2
PORT.
: so
: &c
ir
: 2
: so-
ac
: si
:
SO
; a t
New Torkv. i
Galveston ...'
Boston andCharlestownl
San Francisco
Portland
New Orleans
Baltimore
Superior
Philadelphia
Puget Sound
DuTuth
Newport News
Mobile
Norfolk and Portsm'th.
Other districts
23.10S.101I
13.561.S39
U.34S.7CT
10.702.902
S.9S5,54!i
S,3S0 675
7.478.600,
4 016.981
3.24.203l
3.6C6.713I
2.809.3341
SS1.82SI
50.239
40.M
2.942,149
42.0al.S78
14.252.037
13.916.S23
3.7S4,fiJ
9.945.183
12 274.697
15.121,367
4.914.-J24
5,978.283
5.409.017
2.637.301
1,056,845
447,btS
578,578
4,596,954
Totals 101,715,lS3137.S5S,e77
The shipments from the same ports, for
the -month of June, 1900, were as follows
S
PORT.
: a
: s
'. o
: o
New York I
San Francisco J
Boston and Charlest'wnj
Galveston j
Portland j
2.494.928
2,119.854
766.6S1
73S.016
418.077
321.207
575,098
185,431
78,745
492.2C4
K5.6S6
104.753
39.S45
122.C68
466.398
1.357.962
1.234.349
815,626
S14.G03
630.226
312,703
23S.000
240.162
xxew uneans
Superior
Philadelphia
Baltimore
Duluth
Puget Sound
Newport News
Mobile
Other ports
237,600
Z04.0G7
7,826
149,0001
Totals '.. 8,7S6,9576,9S4623
The Government keeps no record of
coastwise shipments, and for that reason
San Francisco receives credit for consid
erable wheat which was shipped from
Portland for reshlpment from the Bay
City or to take the place of wheat that
was shipped from there. To show the ex
act movement of wheat, this coastwise
wheat should be deducted from San Fran
cisco's exports and added to those of
Portland. In this way the above posi
tions of Portland and San Francisco
would be reversed.
COLUMBIA RIVER SHIPPING.
Anneal Report of the State Board of
Pilot Commissioners.
SALEM. Or., July 19. Governor T. T.
Geer today received the annual report
of the State Board of Pilot Commission
ers for the fiscal year ending June 30,
1900.
During the year the board made the
regular semi-annual tours of Inspection,
finding the pilot service efficient and sat
isfactory. The report states that the schooner
Ban Jose, belonging to the state, and the
schooner Joseph Pulitzer, owned by the
bar pilots, have been outside the bar-pilotage
ground, constantly affording as
good service as possible to the commerce
of the Columbia River. The San Jose is
outside at present, but is not in the con
dition she ought to be for "Winter weath
er, owing to the last Legislature failing
to make an appropriation for her main
tenance. The board, in order to keep her
seaworthy, was obliged to expend a little
money on her.
The pilot charges for the fiscal year
ending June 30, 1900, in comparison with
the same report for 1829, shows as follows:
1899. 1900.
Inward bar pilotage.. ..J11.595 42 J10.883 42
Outward bar pilotage.. 13,528 17 13.793 70
Totals $25,123 59 $24,689 13
. . 1899. 1900,
Up-river pilotage I 5.466 75 3 4.21S 41
Down-river pilotage ... 6.8S4 C5 3,800 S2
Total river pilotage.. $12,351 61 $ 8.019 33
The following statement shows the ton
nage engaged in foreign and domestic
trade during the fiscal year, in compari
son with 1899:
1899.
1900.
SKIP&
Domestic ships entered
Foreign ships entered..
Domestic ships cleared
Foreign ships cleared..
4331434.4991
94'l7.693
3911430.027
202.357
202.325
170,462
1UZ33,778
22,163
Chester Palmer, aged 12 years, was to
day received at the Reform School from
Clatsop County.
Pauline Phillips, a public woman, took
carbolic acid this evening, and died an
hour later. A few weeks ago she was
committed to the Insane asylum, but was
recently discharged.
State Treasurer Moore today received
from Union County the sum of $5561 38,
being In full of the balance due on Its
1894 state tax.
MAKING CHEAP FLOUR,
i
Japanese Prodnce a Choice Article
nt n Very Low Coat.
Mr. J. C. Robinson yesterday received
a sample of flour from a mill in Yoko
hama. The flour was manufactured
from a cargo of wheat sent over on the
Japanese steamship Doyu Maru several
months ago, and to all appearances is as
fine an article as could be produced any
where In the world. The Doyu Maru
carried about 50 000 bushels of wheat and
It was a choice grade of Walla Walla,
raised In Klickitat County, Wash. Along
with the sample over which the Japan
ese are seemingly quite proud, comes
the statement that the actual cost of
the manufactured article was on the basis
of $2 30 per barrel at a Pacific Coast port.
As $2 GO per barrels about the lowest fig
ure yet reported for flour sent to the
Orient, it would seem from this that the
little brown men were In a fair way to
become active competitors for the flour
trade of the Orient As Japan does not
produce much wheat, they -will undoubt
edly enable the Pacific Coast to find a
market for a large amount of the cereal.
LAKES STEAMER AGROUKD.
Passengers Spend a Mgrht of 'Terror
on the Water.
CHICAGO, July 19. Two hundred pas
sengers of the steamer Charles MeVea
passed a night of terror on a sand bar;
800 feet from' the Michigan shore, and,
after being 22 hours on the way, readied
Chicago last night The steamer was buf
feted about by the current of the Kala
mazoo River and a stiff northwester and
lost the channel. When, the vessel was
hard aground It was at the mercy of
the waves, and the strength of the wind
added to the anxiety of those ltnprla
oned on board. The officers and crew di
vided their rations for the benefit of their
famished passengers;
' For 14 hours and 0 minutes men and
women were tossed about as the. steamer
rolled from side to side during the ef
forts to realease her. Finally, through the
efforts of three tugs the steamer was
pulled from the bar and was able to re
sume her Journey to the city.
WHARF AT PANAMA.
Old System of Ilffhteraore to Be Bone
Amvar With.
NEW YORK, July 19. A dispatch to
the Herald from Panama says:
The Pacific Mall steamship Costa Rica
came successfullr alongside the new Pan
ama Railroad wharf at La Boca, near
the entrance to the canal Tuesday. She
came In loaded through the canal chan
nel, and drew 15 feet of water. The depth
of the water at the whrrf was 40 feet
This Is the first time that a large ves
sel has come to the wharf. Other ships
of greater tonnage will probably follow.
The new system will completely revolu
tionize the handling of freight which,
since the opening of the Panama Rail
road, has been done by means of lighters
and steam tugs down the bay.
Frank Tnrk In Honotnln.
Frank Turk, formerly in the sailor
boarding-house business in this city, is
reported to he prospering in Honolulu.
He Is In partnership with a man named
Lewis, from San Francisco and they' are
supplying crews for all of the ships In
the sugar fleet around the Horn, and
are also doing considerable busin-ss with
ships bound for this Coast Turk's in
stitution Is run under tho name "United
States Sailors Home," but other sailors
aro not barred.
Flnhinc Vessel Ice Bonnd.
ST. JOHNS. N. F July 19. The latest
reports show that the Straits of Belle
Isle are still blocked with ice floes. Al
most 1000 fishing vessels are Icebound and
unable to reach the Labrador fishing
grounds. As some 30,000 Usher folk are
Involved in this and in the failure of the
fishery, the most disastrous results are
likely to ensue.
Domestic and Foreljrn. Ports.
ASTORIA. July 19. Arrlved-At 1 P. M.
and left up at 5.30 P. M., steamer Colum
bia, from San Francisco: steamer Signal
United States cruiser Philadelphia, from
Puget Sound: condition of the bar at t
P. fM., smooth; "wind,northwest; weather
clear.
San Francisco, July 19. Sailed Bark
Gatherer, from Tacoma. Sailed July 18
Schooner Gotama, for Coos Bay. Arrived
Steamer State of California, from Port
land; barkcntlne J. M. Griffith, from
Port Hadlock.
Seattle Sailed July IS Steamer Rio
jun Maru, for Yokohama.
San piegp-Sailed July IS Bark VI
dette. for Port Townsend.
Eleele Kanal Sailed-July 4 Bark Hes
per, for Port Townsend.
Cardiff Sailed July IB Ship Thistle, for
Santa Rosalia.
Port Townsend Arrived July 18 Steam
er Sequoia, from Nome. July 19 Steam
ers Ellhu Thomson and Athenian, from
Nome.
Qneenstown Arrived July 18 German
ship Chile, from Oregon.
New York, July 19 Sailed La Bretagne,
for Havre: Koenlgen Lulz, for Bremen.
Arrived Victoria, from Marseilles, etc;
Germanic, from Liverpool.
Queenstown. July IB. Sailed Majestic,
for New York.
(London, July 19. Arrived Marquette,
from New York.
Cherbourg, July 8. Sailed Grosser
Kurfurst for New York.
Hong Kong, July 18. Sailed Empress
of Japan, for Vancouver.
Plymouth, July 19. Arrived Columbia,
from New York.
Cherbourg, July 19. Arrived Columbia,
from New York, via Plymouth, for Ham
burg. Bremen, July 19. Arrived Lahn, from
New York.
New York, July 19. Arrrlved Minne
haha, from London.
Rotterdam Sailed July 18 Maosdam,
for New York.
FIRE ON A DOCK.
"What Might Have Proved n Serious
Conflnsrrntlon.
Late last evening the fire department
was called upon to extinguish a fire that
might have been a serious conflagration
within a few moments more. A dense
smoke was discovered in the double-story
dock at Front and Couch streets, occu
pied by Allen & Lewis. The department
was summoned by telephone. When the
men arrived they found on the lower floor
of the dock a small can of kerosene in
flames. This was seized by one of the
men and thrown Into the river. On the
upper floor of the dock Chief Campbell
found three large tanks of kerosene which
were leaking so badly that the waste
oil was running down onto the lower
dock. With all this oil running on the
floor. It Is a wonder that the Are, started
in the small can on the lower floor n
some mysterious manner, did not spread
with lightning rapidity. Had the flames
extended to the three big tanks and ex
ploded them the entire dock system there
about would probably have been wiped
out in short order. Firemen say this is
one of the narrowest escapes of recent
years. How three large tanks were per
mitted to become so dilapidated as to
waste sufficient oil to run to the lower
floor of the dock, is not explained. To
the members of the Are department It
seemed that there had been great care
lessness on the part of somebody.
m
THROUGH THE ROCKIES.
Every European tourist who visits this
country and travels over the Rio Grande
Western Railway wonders why Ameri
cans will go to Europe for scenery, be
cause there Is nothing on the European
continent to compare with the mountain
scenery of Colorado. The Rio Grande
Western, with its direct connections, is
the only line which gives the transconti
nental passenger a trip through the heart
of the Rockies Going further East the
passenger has the choice of four roads
beyond Colorado via either Omaha or
Kansas City. Stop-overs are permitted
anywnere Between ugden ana .uenver,
affording a day in Salt Lake City, Glon
wood Springs, Colorado Springs or Den
ver. For rates and illustrative pamphlets,
address J. D Mansfield, general agent 253
Washington street Portland. Or.
General Lloyd Wheaton is the only nilnol
man in the regular Army bavin the rank of
General. He was born in Michigan, but spent
Itls boyhood In Illinois, and enlisted from that
state in the Union Army.
The Nez Perces County Sunday school
convention will be held at Lewlston Sep-
tember 23. . . , - -
E IS OVERDONE
Too Many People for Even the
Rosiest Gold Reports.
BEACH IS POOR. BUT CREEKS RICH
System -to ..Supply Town WIta Pare
Water Is Under Way The Fool
and His Money.
NOME CITY, July L The familiar max
im of two months ago, "Nome or bust"
has now been changed to "Home or bust'
More people- are leaving here for the
states now than are coming In, and a
blessed thing It le that only 2500 miles of
pleasant ocean voyage on a commodious
passenger steamer separates them from
"the happy home they left behind." All
the plck-up-nuggcts-on-lhe-beacn fellows,
the silver-spoon fellows, all the good-Job-at-home
fellows and those with delicato
health are disappearing fast and it is
to be hoped Xhey will be better and wiser
people in the future and appreciate home
comforts and good prospects moro than
they ever did before. But this is noth
ing new; it Is only a repetition of the his
tory of "every mining excitement since tho
days of '49 or long before, and this samo
thing will occur again at certain periods
long after the bones of the present gen
eration have moldered In their graves.
How many blasted hopes, shattered for
tunes, how much .suffering, disease and
death have followed in the tracks of all
these mad rushes for gold history will
never record. These features are soon
forgotten, but the bright side of the ques
tion, the big strikes made, the sudden
rise to fortune and fame by the few, the
very few, lucky ones will stand out prom
inently and tickle the ears and imagina
tion of the adventurous of all classes and
ages.
1 have no doubt that a good many of
the disappointed home comers will pub
licly declare the Nome excitement to be
a. swindle and a fake; probably they have
done so already. The trouble is. that if
there had been goid In unlimited quanti
ties in Snake and Nome Rivers, and all
their tributaries, and if the beach had
"been twice as rich as it was reputed to
be,( there "would still not have been enough
to 'satisfy all or to givr all a fair return
for their trouble and expense In coming
here. The fact Is, that everybody pinned
too much faith in the beach, expecting
to be able to take out a good day's wages
with a rocker anywhere, but the beach
so far has yielded little or nothing; It
was worked out lact Summer and FalL
And then, vo far as I can learn. It was
not nearly so rich a3 it was reputed to
be. It was only In certnln few spots, that
It yiclfled rih, in other places only fair
day's wages; but more generally It did not
pay at all. The storms of last Winter
flllcil In all the holes that were pros
pected last Summer and Fall, and now
people are going over the same ground
again, and the result Is failure for the
majority. An Immense lot of machinery
has been brought In for working the
beach, and tho result of those enterprises
will not be known for some time yet
as Very few of them are In operation yet
At least I have not heard of any favor
able results from bcach-slulces and
dredgers so far. These Implements will
be operated at numerous points along the
beach from Golofnln Bay to Cape York,
so It is fair to presume that the beach
will be given a thorough test this Sum
mer, and Its fate settled forever. As for
the tundra, nobody seems to have much
faith In it and so fnr very little pros
pecting has been done there. The tundra
Is the most miserable, God-forsaken piece
of ground on the face of the earth. It
is a desert of wet, mossy, pasty ground,
on top of a solid mass of ice, and when
you walk on it It feels as If you were
stepping" on tiff, wet sponges, and the
ground trembles under your feet
Bench. Poor, Creeks Rich.
No, to find tho real and only reliable
source of the fame -of the Nome district,
we must go out to the creeks, to Snake
and Nome Rivers. Here Is where the gold
Is. The mines on some of the tributaries
of these rivers, especially Anvil Glacier,
Dexter and Snow Gulch, will, under fav
orable conditions, astonish the world with
their enormous yield. Last year, lack of
water and lack of labor and materials
greatly retarded the development of many
of the claims. Still Anvil Creek In two
months' time yielded $750,000 last year,
and It is a fair estimate to say that this
amount will be more than doubled this
year. Anvil Creek is now the Eldorado
of Western Alaska: but experienced min
ing men claim that other creeks only
lack development to make them equally
great gold producers.
There are 17 claims on the creek, Ave
below and 12 above Discovery. No. 1, be
low, owned by J. Llnderberg. has thus far
proved to be the banner claim, yielding
last year a nugget valued at $425 (picked
up on the dump) and a total of $117,000 In
six weeks. Discovery, owned by J.
Bryn'e on, produced SjfOln trae weeks;
No. 2, above, P. H. Anderson, $30,0CO; No.
4. A. C. Carlson. $50,000; No. 5, N. O.
Hultberg. $40,000; No. 8, Price & Lane,
$192,000. These are only a few of the
large producers, many others yielding $10,
000 to $50,000. So far, only the claims on
Anvil Creek aro In operation this year,
and they are only running small crews
on account of lack of water. As soon as
the rain sets in. they all Intend to double
their crews and a good many other mines
are only waiting for water to commence
operations.
Taking this in consideration, it is not
to be wondered at that at present there
is not employment for one-tenth of the
people here or, I should say, for one-tenth
of all the people who want to work, for
there are a good many who don't want
to work. After this place has been drained
of all its superfluous labor and all the
mines start up full blast, I expect' to see
some lively times here. Wages In the
mines are only half of what they were
last year, the mines on Anvil Creek only
paying $5 and board, and it is very doubt
ful if there will be any Increase during
the Summer. Considering the expense
and the shortness of the season, this Is
hardly enough to Justify a man In com
ing up here to work for wages. A man
having steady work in the States at $2
per day is better off where ho Is.
Opportunities for Energy and "Money
There are, however, great possibilities
in these Northern mining camps for men
of energy and enterprise and money to
back It Golden opportunities will present
themselves which, if grasped in time, will
earn" a man on to fortune. But you have
to act quickly, and with Judgmont for
what Is good today Is a losing proposition
tomorrow. These mining camps are like
a turbulent ocean one day you may be
on the crest of a big wave and the next
in the trough of the sea. Thus If a man
had shipped In a few hundred knock-down
boats and scows of the right kind and
got them up here early, "he could havo
made an enormous profit on them. Lum
ber, coal, coal-oil. potatoes, flour and
onions have proved a source of great
profit this Summer, Lumber of the best
kind, suitable for boats. Is still selling for
20 to 22 cents per foot; coal, $50 to $75
per ton; eoal-oll, $1 per gallon; new po
tatoes, 10 cents per pound.
To give an Idea of the amount of sup
plies shipped in here, I will only mention
the fact that I Just now counted over
50 steamers and sailing vessels anchored
in front of the city. The general belief
among experienced men of business is
that if this camp comes up to promises,
there will be a port of entry established at
Port Clarence or Golofnln Bay, either
of which places possesses a good, safe
harbor. A railroad will then be built In
to Nome" from whichever of these places
proves to be the coming seaport Gol
ofnln Bay. possesses the .advantage of,, an
easy grade and also of being on the route
of the ships going north. This place Is
also well timbered and abounds in gocd,
pure water, besides having" all the other
advantages desirable for a seaport I ex
pect to be down thero in a few days and
can then tell more about the place, which,
next to Nome, attracts the most attention
of any place in Northwestern Alaska.
The great city of Nome is, building up
rapidly. New buildings aro springing up
everywhere, and new stores fitted up ev
ery day. One hardly knows the town
from one day to the other. Saws aro
rasping away, and hammers pounding
night and day. There is a lot to be done
and a short time to do it In.
A Pare Wnter Supply.
The new Nome City water-works are
now under construction and will be com
pleted in about a month. This will supply
the town with pure water from Moon
light Creek, a little tributary to Anvil
Creek, about six miles out from town.
The promoters of the scheme are Dr.
Lane and the Pioneer Mining Company.
The pipe- is made of redwood ataves, heav
ily banded and laid on top of the ground
uncovered, At present the water system
of Nome" City consists of a number of
pumps stationed at certam points in the
city, where water is sold at 5" cents per
bucket
Dr. C D. Lane will shortly commence
the construction of a narrow-gauge rail
road to run over the tundra out to his
clajms on. Anvil Creek. The distance la
six or seven miles, over an easy grade.
Great complaint Is heard every day
about the postofnee facilities at Nome.
They are entirely Inadequate for a town
GALLERY OP NEW MEMBERS OF
DR. ARTHUR W. VIXCENT, A REPRESENTATIVE FROM WASHINGTON
COLNTY.
Dr. Arthur TV. Vincent one of the Representatives from "Washington County, of Tuala
tlnt was born on a farm near Lexington, Samllac County. Mich., In 1SC5. He obtained a
good common school education and at the age of IS becan taachlns In the schools of his
native county. Three years Inter he came to Oregon, and continued teaching In the schools
of Multnomah County. He was married In 1SS3, and settled at Troutdale, but returned to
Chicago two years later, ard -ntered a medical college. He was gradut-d In 1803. and en
tered upon the practice of medlcln at Gresham. Or , where ho remained about three years,
after which he spent one ytar in the Portland Fopltal. at Sunnyrtd. as resident physician.
Io then located at Tualatin, where he ha since followed his profession. He Joined tho Ho
moeopathic Mtdlcal Society of the State of Oregon In 1803. and has since been a contributor
to the transactions of that body. He Is mors- or less prominent In Grange Circles, being an
active mombcr of Waahlnrton , County Pomona Grange, and for two years Master of tho
subordinate Grange at his home place. Though deeply lnteretrd In social and political ques
tions, he has taken no actle part In politick. His nomination and election to the Legisla
ture came without his having made any effort to secure the honor.
of this size. .If you want to get your
mall you have to take a day off from
your work (If you have any) bring lunch
along with you and place yourself In the
rear end of a line half a mile long. Then
If your patience don't give out you vJl.
get thore sometime In the afternoon. No
blame, however, Is attached to the post
master, as he Is doing everything in hii
power to facilitate the service with the
means at hand. A night shift of clerks
Is omploycd and the ofllce Is kept open
till 12 o'clock at night Afrce delivery Is
established for the business part of town.
I heard yesterday that a large new post
office Is to be constructed nt once.
It Is feared that Nome City will be an
exceedingly unhealthy place this Sum
mer, no sanitation or drainage whatever
being provided for. Several cases of
smallpox and typhoid fever are already
on record. If no proper sanitary pro
visions are made for tho town the situa
tion is likely to become very serious later
on when the rain sets In.
Unsatisfactory laws, or lack of laws,
regarding property rights for" this dis
trict have led to much litigation before
the United States District Court Some,
however, take a shorter and more effect
ive way of settling the dispute, and that
Is at the point of the pistol.
Like all wild, woolly mining towns,
Nome abounds In places where the fool
and his money part company. You will
find all the modern devices for fleecing
the prodigal miner, from the tinhorn
games and two-blts-ln-the-slot mnchlnes
to the sirens who will work you for drinks
at $1 apiece. And the miner, rough,
ready and generous, as ho always Is, Is
easy game every time It Is surprising
to see how anxious some people are to get
rid of their money, apparently Just as
much so as others are to make it The
other night when I took a trip around to
some of the principal saloons, I found
In one of them six drunks stowed away
In the corners and on the music stand,
reminding one of a miniature battle-field.
They were surely having a rattling good
time and they were entitled to It, for they
had paid dearly for It If you walk
through the streets of Nome of an early
morning you may see dozens of these hu
man beasts scattered around on the side
walks, leaning up against beer-barrels,
grocery boxes or anything. Nobody pays
any attention to them. Everybody 13 busy
attending to his own affairs. Who are
going to help such people? Nobody, for
they don't want to be helped.
A dirty, half finished, gold-lntoxlcated,
"get up and grab," harum-scarum town
this is Nome City at the present time.
Some day a fire will come along and wipe
this -whole Babel off the earth and then
a better, healthier, neater and more sub
stantial town will be built Jn Its place,
which will be fitter for man and beat to
live In. ' ED. LUND.
Hardships In Cassiar District.
VICTORIA, B. O. July 19. A letter re
ceived from Casslar tells of the death
of starvation at Francis Lake of a pros
pector named Wyuck, of Los Angeles, Cat
His partner. A. L. Dominck, lived on the
flesh of martens until ho reached Fort
Francis.
A. Engel. a storekeeper at Fort Fran
cis, was accidentally shot'by his 14-year-old
son. Engel Is the man who saved tho
lives of so many men who were stranded
on the Edmonton trail during the Klon
dike rush.
News Is also received that Indians are
still pursuing theJ McTavlsh family, a
ntfmber of whom were killed last Wln-ter-'for,
alleged witchcraft
MINING IN THE JOHN DAY
RICH GROUND THAT HAS BEEN
BARELY SCRATCHED.
2?eed of Hydraulic Machinery and
Systematic "Work Good Open
ing for Capital.
TJKIAH. Camas Valley, Or.. July 12.
(To the Editor.) When I passed through
this country some 14 years ago, there
were scarcely a dozen permanent set
tlers In It, where now I find quite an
extensive population. This country Is
reached by dally stage from Pendleton,
up McKay Creek and over the divide to
Pilot Knob, on Birch Creek; thence on a
few miles to Mrs. Wilson's for dinner.
We then crossed the summit to Camas
Valley, a most beautiful place, hidden
away In the Blue Mountains This val
ley 13 about 15 mlle3 long, by 10 wide,
with two nlco little towns, Alba and
Ukiah, situated some six miles apart
supplied with churches, schools, and the
usual requisites in the way of hotels and
shops, and with only one saloon in tho
valley. Ukiah supports ono weekly pa
per, the Ukiah Sentinel, owned and man
aged by Fred Hewitt, who is also the
Nasby of the town. He informed me
that the Valley was strongly Republl-
THE OREGON LEGISLATURE.
can, and would give an increased ma
jority of McKinley.
This valley Is all settled up with ranch
men, having from 10 to 1C0 head of stock,
and the dairy business is something won
derful. They now have seven creamer
ies and are building the eighth. Every
day tho stage goes to Pendleton loaded
with butter, and it Is claimed that this
valley has furnished more butter for Cape
Nome than all the rest of Oregon. It
would make a Portland butcher smile
to see tho fat cattle, and the choicest
stoaks, tender as chicken, sold for 6 cents
per pound. The whortle berries are now
ripe, and wagon loads arc brought and
dried In the sun for Winter use
The stagedrlvcr s life Is made a burden
to him; he Is supposed to attend to all
small matters In detail, gratis, for every
body along the road, whethor It be a
horse-collar, repairing a watch, bicycle
pump or a love-lotter. and If not at
tended to up to date they are all mad
at him. The post boxrs along the road
are unique. Some In size are SxlO Inches
and ornamented with doors, windows and
chimneys. One side of the roof acts as a
lid, large enough to receive The Orego
nlan, and other mail matter. Some are
nailed to a tree or fastened to a staka
by the roadside, and marked "P. O."
Another wonderful feature of this coun
try Is the numberless hot sulphur springs.
Twelve miles ea3t of Ukiah are two no
table places pf resort with gocd accom
modations. The one south of Ukiah, at
Dale, on the John Day River, is said to
have tho greatest curative properties. To
lie In one of these baths for an hour Is
said to purify both body and soul.
But my object Is mostly to tell of the
mining Interest of the north fork of the
John Day River. This is one of tho
oldest mining camps in Oregon. Some
claims wero located 30 years ago. But
little mining has been done, for the lack
of water. Two gravel banks, or old river
channols, lie high up on tho side of the
mountain, and out of reach of water.
The lower ones are the river bars or
back channels, along the present river.
Where the old river channel lies In the
mountain side, 500 or GOO feet from the
river, most of the mining has been done.
It la but mero prospecting by running
unnels In to theso old river channels
and running the dirt out In cars and
working it In sluices you may say all
hand work.
It Is said that these old channels near
bedrock have paid 12 for every carload of
1000 pounds of gravel. While there la
abundance of water In the John
Day River. the difficulty has
been to get the water Into a
ditch high enough -so it could be used for
hydraulic washing. One company, own
ing a group of claims, started a ditch to
take the water out of the river sevoral
miles abovo their claims, and after ex
hausting all their means found that
through faulty engineering they had dug
their ditch several miles up hill, and the
company collapsed. Afterwards, our pres
ent United States Marshal, Zoe Housert
attempted to bring In a new ditch on a
new survey, but for some reason tho
ditch was not large enough, or not high
enough, and it is said he dropped a few
thousand and abandoned it
Mr. Clark, of Alba, located a bar on the
John Day 31 years ago and worked it
by tunnel with good success., but getting
out of provisions left his claim and did
not return for six years. When he did
return he found his tunnel had caved in,
and but little work has been done on it
since. Although there Ms abundance of
ground there to.be washed, there Is no
water of sufficient height for hydraullck
ing. It has since been known, as Clark's
Bar. Above this a short distance is
Texas Bar. owned by a corporate com
pany, which has been worked for the
past 25 years, and I have had much of
that gold brought to me In years past.
Out of the whole group of claims not
over two acres have been worked and
have produced a large amount of gold.
All the estimates I was able to get from
the miners were that these claims along
the river paid $14 to $18 per day to the
men employed. Along the river In the
low, flat places all agree that they can
make from ?1 50 to J2 per day with a
rocker, but noNextenslve mining has been
done on the basis of a permanent char
acter. It has all been done by men with
limited means, who must have immediate
returns for an existence, and is nothing
more than, I may say, prospecting. On
the whole, I know of no place offering
greater inducements for capital and surer
returns for their investment than these
claims, -when water is put on to this
ground.
There is a large number of quartz veins
on this river and some very fine looking
rock, but they are merely located and
held, with no work done on them. This
part of the north fork of the John Day
Is only about 30 miles north of Granite
and about 40 miles from Sumpter, and 13
on the edge of the basalt seams, which
merely cap the porphyry rock of the
country, which Is truly the gold-bearjng
rock of the country. But the great
gravel banks and beds of the river con
tain much bedrock ground together with
slate, serpentine and Quarts gravel.
The roads Into this camp aro good
and well graded, and are now being ex
tended on to Granite. The country Is
open, and a team can be driven most
anywhere In the mountains, and a rail
road Into this country is greatly needed,
either from Pendleton or Heppner, con
necting with Sumpter. Certainly, It would
open up a wonderful country for thous
ands upon thousands of people.
The character of mining In this part of
the state today Is entirely different from
that done by the miners 20 years ago.
when, very simple appliances were all
that they required to obtain the gold
which the concentrating forces of Nature
had gathered in the gulches, ravines, can
yons, creeks, river bars and river beds.
In those days labor, not capital, was the
prime requisite for successful mining.
At that time all the mining done was
placer or surface work, and only the
richer diggings were touched. Very lit
tle skill or experience wa3 necessary,
and the early-day miner collected tho
gold In quantities which now seem won
derful. Gradually the area for surface
mining began to be narrowed down, and
attention had to be turned to other
sources of gold, for which all were In
search. Later It has been discovered that
the great red hills In the foothills and
mountains contain plenty of gold, though
the material is much poorer than the
concentrated shallow placer3 of early
times, necessitating the handling of more
dirt, and hydraulic -mining has met this
demand. The method is practically the
same as that pursued by Nature concen
trating the heavier valuable material and
washing away the lighter, but It takes
time and money to handle tho material.
With the necessary change In the char
acter and system of mining came an en
tire change in the social conditions and
methods of miners themselves. Around
all this section of the John Day country
today are permanent settlements. The
people have settled down to mining as
a permanent business, nnd conduct It
like any other Industry. The mining coun
try has been more densely settled, meuns
of transportation have vastly improved,
machinery has been perfected and cheap
ened, and all supplies have become
cheaper. High-priced officials and super
numeraries have been done nway with,
and there is a closer system In conduct
ing operations. As a result of these fac
tors, mining can be conducted at much
less cost than formerly, and a mine of
this kind that 20 years ago would run a
company In debt can now be made to
pav a handsome profit.
There are so many conditions to be
taken Into consideration in every mining
enterprise that It is always best to have
a very careful examination and report,
which I have endeavored to make, but
my report in detail Is the property of
my emnloyers and not for the benefit of
the public. J. H. FISK.
ENEMIES OF THE FOREST.
Insects That Destroy More Timber
Than Mills Use.
WASHINGTON. July 1L After years
of effort nnd constant vigilance the
General Land Office, through Its field of
ficers, has taken up and successfully
stamped out to a great degree,, tho forest
depredators which worked such devas
tation in the great forest areas of the
West By strict regulations the human
depredator was suppressed, if not ex
terminated, and by an adequate force of
forest officials the flro depredator has
been held In check, and the damagu
wrought by this element has been re
duced to the minimum.
But now comes a new depredator, which
has Just been called to the attention of
the Land Ofllce. It Is the Insect or worm
depredator that Is making great Inroads
Into the forests of South Dakota, and
laying waste great areas of valuable
timber. This warm Is a new arrival,
and little Is known of him. The first
time the officials in Washington were In
formed of his presence and his deadly op
erations was but a few weeks ago, and
since then they have been studying his
anatomy and his ways in the hopes of
at least giving him a namo and a class
ification. At the present time there are at least
two townships in the Spearflsh River
district of the Black Hills Forest Re
serve which have been visited by this
pest and fully 50 per cent of the trees
over that area have been killed, and a
half of those remaining have been In
fected, and will die. Foresters In that
region havo become greatly alarmed at
the deadly work of the unknown depre
dator. They say he began his opera
tions west and southwest of Deadwood.
and is now moving In a southeaster'y di
rection, with no signs of stopping, and It
Is feared that if the advance cannot be
checked in some way a great part of
one of the finest pine forests in the coun
try will be destroyed.
From what little Information Is ob
tainable, it Is supposed that this worm
grows from an egg deposited by some
species of bark beetle. The eggs are de
posited under the baric, and there It
hatches. The resulting worm Is a com
mon, long, white worm, sometimes an
Inch or an Inch and a quarter in, length,
white throughout, except Its head, a
bright, shiny brown. He seems to pos
sess marvelous vitality, as shown by a
sample which was sent to Washington.
Commissioner Hermann, of the Gener
al Land Office, now has on his desk a
phial tightly corked, containing one of the
larger worms. This worm was placed
In the bottle and corked up nearly two
months ago, and since then has had
neither air nor nourishment, except pos
sibly such air as would leak through on
ordinary cork, and today the worm Is
alive and more active than when he
first reached Washington.
Samples of pine from tho Spearflsh dis
trict wero submitted with the worm, to
show the effect of his bite. It seems
that when he attain the requisite
strength, he set out to bore around the
tree, under the bark, apparently living
on the sap. It is his bite that is fatal
for wherever he eats his way he leaves
a trail behind, which soon discolors the
wood, discoloration working clear to
the heart of the tree. Wood which is
normally white, turns a steel gray and
loses all Its sap and strength. It Is at
once rendered unmerchantable by dis
coloration and loss of strength. One
worm In time will kill a tree, but It la
generally found that each dead tree has
Its army of little white pests.
Another remarkable feature connected
with this depredator is that he may In
fest a tree and poison It completely, and
yet his presence will not be known for
months. He Is only detected by bor
ings through the bark, which occur at
frequent intervals, and these aro seen
only on close Inspection. Outwardly, tho
tree remains unchanged for a long time,
the first sign of destruction being the
discoloration of the foliage, which grad
ually assumes a faded brown appear
ance, not easily detected at first, but yet
peculiarly distinctive. Inasmuch as it is
not the same fading that accompanies tho
natural death of the tree. After tho
foliage has deadened, the tree stands,
weak and tottering, until a wind strikes
It and then from sheer lack of strength
it topples over. The poisoned pine cannot
withstand even a light wind, so much has
Its strength been Impaired
Commissioner Hermann in speaking of
this terrible depredator, said:
"This worm, whatever It may be. Is ono
of the most dangerous destroyers of
forests that has ever come to tho at
tention of this office. Our knowledge
of him is decidedly meager, but every ef
fort Is. being mado to learn more. Sam
ples of the bug and his workings have
been sent to the experts at the Agricul
tural Department in hopes that they
may be able to define the insect -md
give us some remedy for Mb poisonous
bite. Until we havo that information wo
scarcely know how to act. At this time
this pest has gained such a foothold in
the South Dakota forests that it will
be a difficult matter to head him off. It
looks as if the infected sections of -the
forest "would have to he burned in order
to exterminate, not only the worms, but
the beetles as well," but that Is an enor
mous undertaking, and could not be ac
complished In toto before the close oi
the next Summer season. However, tho
damage wrought is so great that herolo
measures will have to be adopted to save
the forests. At the present rate at which
this worm Is working. It will be only a
matter of from Ave to seven years before "
the entire forests will be gone, and tboso
Black Hills forests are too valuable to be
lost under any clrcumstnces.
"We havo Just been informed that
trees In the Spearflsh district began to
die from unexplalnablo causes back in
1S97. The first steps towards exterminat
ing the pest will of course, be taken on
the southeastern extreme of his path of
destruction, in order to head off any
further advance. Inasmuch a3 he seems
to bo moving in that direction. Wo havo
had no reports of similar destruction in
other sections of the country, and in
this section it seems to be only the pines
that are affected, to any appreciable de
gree. The other trees seem to escape al
most entirely. We are anxious to learn
more of this newly discovered tree de
stroyer, and have asked our special
agents in South Dakota to give
us all possible Information as to
his operations and the effects of his de
structive bite, and hope to soon be able
to take some steps which will tend t
completely and hastily put an end for
ever to the ravages that are now beinsf
worked among the valuable pines of
South Dakota."
AT THE HOTELS.
THE PERKTNS.
S J Kaflmar, city IF W Rose, Klam Flls
H J Glover, city C Smith. Sallna, Cal
W R Ellis. Heppner O A Johnson, San Fr
Mrs W R Ellis, do Judge Elliott. Astoria
Master Ellis. Heppnerl John Chetwood, do
C F Hmtands. Salt Lk Mrs T F Larson, do
E Huetands. Salt Lk X Shaw, S P Co
C "W Moore, Grass Vy D B Jarmar, Athena
W Bolton. Antelope Mr D B Jarmar, do
C W Root Astoria F Mapes. Minneapolis
U R Lathrop. Tacoma Miss Lizzie Brogan,
j A MeCall, MalheurR Antelope
A Christiansen. SpoKn Margaret Brogan. do
Mr L S Hampaon, St Annie Brogan, do
John. Wash John A Egbert Utah
Mrs J Moser, Dubuque Mrs J A Egbert Utah
Mrs Paul Jenkel. do B "W Mcintosh. San FT
Mrs N Riley, WW S P Garrlgus. Forest
Miss E C Force. Seattl Grove
C F Peterson, Tacoma W P Button. Heppner
Arthur Remington, Mm W P Dutton, do
Tacoma P L Kennedy, Spokane
J C Granam. San Fr Effle A Baker, Forest
II H Farrlsh, Austin. Grove
Wash N E Harmar. Chehalls
John Wallace, Seattle A Andrews, Heppner
Geo R Wallace, Weav- Mrs E H Andrews, do
ervllle. Cal C W Root Astoria
W B Kurtz. Welser Mrs H P Belknap,
H C Grady. La Grand Prine Me. Or
H C Relunart. Sum- Mm Ella Davis Craig,
mcrvllle Klamath Falls
W W Reed. Ashland Edith E Huse. do
W C Grubb, do Mrs Brlggs, Salem
W A Farrah. Seattle Mrs M M Bridges.
C W Houseman. Chgo Hlllsboro, Or
W C Boyd. Bakr City B Darrow, Oakland
Mrs O J Riley, Newbg C F Sutt & fy. Omaha
John D Olwell. Central C H Lelnenweber & w.
Point I Astoria
THE IMPERIAL.
C W. Knowles, Manager.
John Dillon, Astoria
Peter St Marry, do
G G Chaplin-. Tacoma
Mrs Addfe Lee. San J
H H Arklns, Seattle
E W Parks. Seattle
Arthur Dubue, San Fr,
A D Sloan. Pendleton
Mrs Sloan. Pendleton
J A Little. Antelope
Geo- H Baker, Goldend
Geo W Hume. Oakland
J Farwer. Los Gatos
M J Hidden. Lcs Gatos
Luke BUger, Pendleton
W B Stevens, Albany
E L Smith, Hood Rlrr
Mrs Smith. Hood River
H M Horton. Burns,Or
Mrs Horton, Burns, Or
Mrs Fred Ernst. 'Bak O
James Hughes, San Fa
J Sylvester. Omaha
G F Plunkett. St Paul
J L Warner, city
R P Walnwrlght. USA
F R Miller, Bauer Cy
w J Patterson, do
E F Dirking. San Fr
Allle Northam. SlouxC
Wm DaJIman, St Heln
MIs C Dollman, Oak
land. Cal
E H Strelmejer. The
Dalles
Mrs Strdmeyer, do
L C Darland, Golaen
dale Bessie Darland. do
THE ST.
Thos W Potter. Chem-
awa. Or
Chas Nebel, Gladstone
Mrs Freduta, Victoria
CHARLES.
Geo Chambers. Stella
P K Murphy, Aberdeen-
L W Robbing. Molalla
Wm Miles. Molalla
Miss Starr, So Bend
Miss Trcggle, So Bend
R Brotath Rainier
E Anderson, do
C E McFarland, Wsp
terrora. wash
Ida B Walnut city
Edna Wallace, do
Olof Bj strom. Kalama
W W Wright Fort
Stevens
N N Bennington, do
A R Foote. jjewport
Thos Whalen. Newport
O E Wonderly, R&lniey
Jos Finley, Astoria.
W BIckncll. Astoria
A Yureti, Chinook
Chas Powell, Moro
P Wlldy. Astoria
H II Hunt, Aurora
R C Pentland. Sumpter
H Scoflcld. Olympla
Albert Fuller. Stella
Wm Larsen, Stella
E M Fonday, Stella
H A Craft, Stella
H'M Koek. Stella
F D Rowland. Stella
H H Clark. Warren
H E Perrln. Sunnyslda
W A Strlngland. Hood
Oliver. Or
B F Shoemaker, do
R. L Miller. do
0car Sundqulst Ka
lama Chas E Myers. Salem
J W Day, Salem
P Wlld, Astoria
T M Hoard, city
T G Hayden Dalles
Jas Morlty. S P
J P Swerensen. S P
Will Haneon. Astoria
Mrs Wochaty. Seattle
J E Hanna. Hood Rlv
Elton Lentx, do
Geo Kersley, do
J E Kalilelst do
F W Parker. Vancvr
I Stuart Hall. San Fr
Mrs Perkins, do
B F Davis. Milton
Mrs Dai Is. Milton
C L Daggett. Houltont
B E Townsend. Dundee
H G Fisher. Dundee j
R 3 Robinson, Newbrg
F S Scotsmen Boom
er. Wto
John Snodgrass, New
berg J P Banzer. Rainier
J B Mullln. Rainier
C Ackman. Dallas
G W Weks, Salem
Porter Smith, Salem
L H Wlllctt. Welder
A B Searcy, Mayvllle
N Schafer. Iowa
Mrs Schafer. Iowa
Mrs A H Hanis.Marsh-
land
Marguerite Morrison,
Marshland
A Weliler. Baker City
L Trout. Baker City
H W Closure. Baker C
O E Elliot. Baker City
MIis Cora Beatty, h F
Mrs Emma Sampson.
San Francisco
Ben Beatty, San Fran
C B Peterson.Aberdeea
J B Teon. Cathlamet
J A Danforth, do
J L Brown. Corvallls
Mrs Brown. Corvaiils
T W Murphy, Aberdeen
J C Talbott Dallas
L Fagg, SUverton
A M Tlllsam, Grass'Vy
Mrs Tlllsam, do
Jessie Peterson, do
John T Nutcher, For
est Groo
L D Kelly, Gant Pass
P Smith. Grant's Pass
Alex Rons, do
J W Wright LaCamas
J M Eddy. Eugene
O M Moore, Sumpter
J Steelman, Baker City
H Sahlstrom. Astoria
J L Zelgler. St Paul
F A Morris, St Paul
R L Ramsey. Walvllle
Mrs A B Searcy, do
Mrs M Dukek. do
J R Johnson. do
R H Raberge, Vancvr
Mrs Rabergo, ao
J B Bnsh. Sara
C B Mays, city
J E Eldrldge. Cham-
poeg
Mrs Eldrldge, do
M J Day, do
M Yates. Ballston
H M Taylor. Clatsop
J H Smith. Woodburn
Wm Smith, woodburn
H E Perrln. Sunnyslde
C A van Duyer,
Sumpter
Matt Flsk, Sumpter
Columbia River Scenery.
Hesmlator Line steamers, from Oak
street dock, dally, except Sundays. Tho
Dalles, Hood Iltver, Cascade Locks,
and return. Call on. or 'fone Agent fox
further Information.
Hotel BrnnsTrlclr, Seattle.
European; first class. Rates. TSc and up. One
block tram depot. Restaurant next door.
,
Tacoma Hotel, Tacoma.
American plan Rates, $3 and up.
Donnelly Hotel. Tacoma.
European plan. Rates. 60c and up.
Death of Mrs. E. H. Dnrgln.
Mrs. E. H. Durgin, residing at 214 Thir
teenth street, died early this morning,
after an Illness of several years' dura
tion. She was 67 .years of age, and cama
to the Pacific Northwest in early days.
Ten years ago she removed from Van
couver to Portland, where she lived since,
with the exception of brief perioda spent
In travel for her health. Mrs. Durgin
leaves only one child, a daughter. Miss
E. Fannie Durgin, who has been with
her mother during her last sickness.
.:Mk
Prm r jt -r