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About The Sunday Oregonian. (Portland, Ore.) 1881-current | View Entire Issue (Aug. 21, 1910)
AFGtTST 21, 1310. THE LINE OF THE THE STJJfDAY OREGOXIAN. PORTLAND, TILLMO 0I1ILMD By Rail, Stage and Foot From Hillsboro to Tillamook Bay Over the Grade of the Pacific Railway & Navigation Road KT ANNA VTNOl l POfKIWJ. .REOON robins must have heard us talking about that trip to Tfll- nook enr th trail bled br th engineer of th Pacific Railway Vavlgatioa Company. Tha Tndrfoot of our party waa somewhat excited crr ttw fact that wa wer to ba tha ffmt women folk to traveV tha wo length, of that trail. Tf I wara a rail rrsiV I would aay tha iirht-of-way. A fat responsible robin, tha father of a Isrxm family, tried to wake u up hi fpra tha stars had all put out their lights. -Without watting to amooth Aown his red vent or mllow a single bur fca flsw ten to the fir pouch that hong lowaat over tha sleeping porch, nit nsustoaj ealla seemed to have llttla Htm on closed eyelids, ao ha hailed rda mat, who waa flown In tha gardn looking for breakfast supplies. She Pew up beside him and til tin her head Brat on one aide and tlien on tha other called. "Too had bettor cat up. Ton will miaa your connections If yon don't iniiw nnnettau when apeetal an- ainaa are to meat traveler at differ ent points to tha forests of tha Coaat Ban ire ncani a great deaL Before tha neighbor were awake wa wera tart friar on a wonderful Journey Ailed with rare experience such aa tha million aire magnate who peed orer finished rallroada In hla ape-lal ear newer dreamed of. All tha frUla and flounce that aaually ocompany feminine travel to the seashore wera left behind. The few absolutely nareaeajT artlclea wera wrapped In a atrip of canvas which waa rotled gp and bound round with a leath er strap- Tha eastern terminus of the V. R. ?. la at Hlllaboro and from there a train rune regularly to Buxton, a dis tance of 17 mllee. carrying passengers and freight, as well aa supplies for the front It wa the Hlllaboro people who ftret Interested ITesldent E. E. T.ytle ta the possibilities of a road from there to Tillamook. C. K. Henry, who waa at that time a resident of the town, waa chief anions- the promoters of the great steel highway that will soon rt.nnect the Coast country covered several layer deep with marvelous products and resource with the unlimited de mand of tha world thl side of tha Oast Rang mountains. They laid this glgantlo undertaking before the rsllroad bollder. Just when he was put tins the finishing touches to the Columbia Rout horn Railroad and turn Ins; It over to Herri man. It wss an opportune moment. see Knowing tha hand the little town had Blared In this enterprise, made ua look wit mora than passing Interest on Hlllaboro aa wa boarded tha train thara. rur1nar this first stag of tha Journey tha party waa nnder th apodal car of Conductor Dan McLachJan. who waa for aome time Portland's chief of polloa. and Engineer Follette. Both toe men were Inherited by the P. B- N. from tha Columbia Southern. In deed tha same la true of most of tha workers on thla new road from tha head men down to the laboring gang. When It became known that Mr. Lytle would build this road mallsack of ap plication came in from the men who had worked for him on the other. One of tha most Interesting among them waa signed by every man In a gang of Japanese who wanted to be taken on la a body. . . . Where tha open stretch of road ended at Buxton a special engine stood wait ing for the Railroad Lady and her party, and than began a trip past all Imagination over the wonderful scenlo railway af Oregon. Buxton almost fell a victim to the forest fires that had been raging around the cluster of homes and business place, and the vil lager were still weary from the fierce fighting that had saved shelr dwelling. Tha church on tha hillside waa caught Vr the blase and lay a deaolata heap of ruins. Into tha blackened and scorched for est, where the timber waa still amok- Ing. the engine sped. It had Just come fresh from the shops and was making Its maiden trip; engineer and firemen proudly showed Its beauty and power. Multitudes know th pleasure of Bit ting In a lnxurlou car and looking out at the window on the scenery along a Bntehed road. That I commonplace compared with the pleasure of perch ing up beside the engineer and ringing the bell and blowing the whletle In the dense wood through which a railroad Is being made that cannot for aome month be opened to the public. Watch ing the man who with skilled . hand command the throbbing engine and with keen ey earches the track ahead for boulders or trees that may have fallen, given a glimpse of transporta tion activity that touches one with ad miration for the bravery of the men on the front of train. A 10-mlle run brought the town of Timber into view. Although but a llt tla bunch of shanties beside th track In tha mountains. It la yet known to fame on account of a decoy duck fac tory located there. Borne IS year ago a Harvard professor turned hi face Northwestward In search of health, and set up the few household gods ha waa able to transport Into tha mountains st Timber. After a few year when not a few sportsmen wera penetrating these mllils he began to carve wooden decoy ducks for them. By and by tha llttla shop where he whittled out these wares became a factory to meet the demand or city firms that carry hunting equip ment. This place was sold out about a year ago by ita founder for a goodly turn. Just beyond Timber the engine car ried the visitors down a sidetrack to a lumber mill where they were Invtted to take the midday meal. Great wera tha preparations that had been made at tha cook tent for their coming. The rallroada timber cruiser and rlght-of-wav man had angled In a clear moun tain stream for trout and pulled out a basketful of shirr beauties. Lee. the Chinese cook, bad In days gone by been cook for the Railroad Lady, and later had presided for eight honorable years aver th culinary affair In th hem of th president of the P. R. A X. Company. Thl catering In tha for est for old frinds waa one of the great cessions of hia life and the dinner he terved waa a masterpiece. It had been year since he had seen the Railroad Lady and hla welcoming smile was so broad and deep that It made hla face patch of beaming, vibrating wrinkles. Il-r hendahake and hearty greeting put the crowning touch on one of the proudeat moments of his career. There was po tarrying about the long table In th cook tnt for after-dinner sneet-,.... for waiting on me trues i stood a second engine one belonging to the p.-ln Engineering Company malting, with. team up. to take tha visitors another seven miles Into tha mountains. But before the party was aboard Lee came running with a string of nh he had held In reserve to be taken to tha supperfng place to tempt the by no meana frail appetite of hla friends. As long aa the engine was In sight the Chinaman's beaming smile wss focuseed on it. Every curve of tha way on Into tha mountains brought Into view new beauty and Interest of scene. Here and there. In valleys and on elopea beside tha track, ware Isolated farms rich In crops and cattle. No one who aav these places in their wonderful aettlnga oould fail to understand in aoma de gree what the coming of tha railroad means to dweller In these out-of-the- way spots. Thla atretch of the road Includes th blgheat bridge with one piece supports to be found anywhere in the world. The track la laid over a framework of splendid firs, each over loo feat long For more than a cen tury they bad been growing In the sol itude, and when th railroad builder came these kingly trees yielded up their clean, beautiful Uvea without murmur to aid In connecting this lone ly region vlu tha outside world, know ing that they were fulfilling a grand destiny. If. when they fell, their com rades sighed out their sorrow to the winds, tha bridge builder neara not. Kvery forest monarch In the trail biased for the railroad waa doomed. and alao those along the way whose olid timbers wera needed. There wer few among the Inhabit ants of that quiet land who did not hall tha coming of the railroad wltn delight. When, a year ago last Fourth of July, there was an excursion over a 10-mlle stretch that was finished, there were people In their prima who traveled bv rail for tha first time In their Uvea. At the thirty-four mile post are tha headquarters and big camp of tha Sweeney Construction Company, which la building tha middle aectton of the road a stretch of it miles through tha most difficult part of the country. That camp, with Its great company of men and horses and mules going out In gangs to different points along the grade, seemed to be a little world that had settled in the great woods. The engine slopped near a shack that was labeled "Pay Station.' and that wa the end of travel by rail on the east side of the Coast Rarge. But waiting with a splendid team of horses that were so intelligent that they seemed almost to bs human, waa John AlcNamar. tha oldest stag driver In Oregon, and one of tha .most Inter esting men to be found even In thla land where Individuality of character and experience) la not at all rare, lie 1 a product of Forest Grove, but a long time ago ha spent soma year staring In California In the Shasta country. There he did not hold the reins over the horses, but was em ployed by Wells Fargo to sit beside th driver with a rifle in hla hands and pistol tucked aU around him ready fur Instant action. Hidden In hla vest pocket la a handsome gold watch that has been seen only by thoee who by ration of friendship hold tha sacred right to know tha honors that fail to a brave Ufa It bears the Inscription. "Presented to John McNamer by tha Wall Fargo Company for bravery in defending Its treasure.' Seeing the genial man with hla Se rena face and kindly eyes, one can hardly realise that he was a fierce, powerful fighter, of whom the most desperate highwaymen were exceeding wary. Staging now In Oregon la a tame thing to this man of adventure, but a Journey through the great for ests that "cover the mountains Uka the shadow of God" can never lose Its charm for ona who la so truly at home in the heart of tha wooda and hills. Travelers who hare McXamer for a guardian know that they can leave all fears behind. That stage ride was un alloyed pleasure. Before long the road trailed along that merry, rollicking stream, tha falmonberry. Here and there war gangs, large and small, working on tha grade, and with them there waa almost always one of those faithful railroad aids, a mule, to pull the dump car. Hundreds of chipmunks scampered up and down the trees, peep ing at the travelers, or fearlessly played in the road almost under the feet of tha horses. see Tha lengthening shadow were her alding tha end of day when Engi neers' Camp No. 2 came Into view. Xt was ths headquarters of Walter Inch and his UtUe band of young engineers who axe preparing that part of tha right of way for th construction worker, and on whom fall th double duty of satisfying both tha supreme powers and tha contractors. On one side of the camp la the stream, and on the other" steep covered with great tress rls far as the ay can reach. The tents were staked down wherever there was a spaoa wide enough between th hug fallen logs. It 1 a rarely beautiful apot. Tha head engineer gave cordial wel come to tha stage driver and his charge, also to tha books and maga zines w had brought to the camp. These last had Journeyed thither In re sponse to a pathetle note from toe Irishman who la serving time aa camp cook. The said effectlva missive eent to headquarters read: Ton t forget the books. We are reading the old Testament again." The stage driver had hardly fed and watered hi horse before the young engineer began to come in from work. While the cer mony of washing up waa going on back of ths cook tent, a fin stretch of grade on the slope Just across th stream waa discovered and admired br th visitors. see Ths call to supper was rung on th Iron triangle that hung beside th door and soon engineer and their guests wera gathered about tha long table. It m-as a wonderful place, that coo a tent, for interior decoration. Everyone In camp had lent a hand In fixing up the waUs and th collection of picture and other ornaments was unique. Beau'les of the stage, prise fighters. baseball celebrities and copies of masterpiece hung In on grand, medley with the cooking utensils. But tha apirit of hospitaUty waa Just as charming and the supper Just as good aa If the walla had been hung with Persian rayer rugs and the dishes had been of Id and silver lnstesd of Iron and tin. The rook hovered about guests and family urging them to "Try a bit of this." or "Hav a 1UU of that." with, the un. essaaseee.asaaaeaMeseasae - iy ' , ? ,K! j w tmsm- ?r... w-tsfarvn-v disss.5- ,&mmz.n 'mm r. &2d3r'yjjr -v: 1 1 11 jt2wtp'i iff I ft w VTW its-, .res yrV ' , -"ls,r " 'tV.;. ... . I I IL r-KVJjrH,;iR?J fiSIJlll.T'VI v I B v-Xax- - ...i.sij.iii ilM . " . 1 faV'EI - i'4 FrYlfffi ;: WiSl 1 v I lWhWlit2i - - fKf ! Ai " cr- a-BrMF- 5r'T X.&yZT' jk W&X&'&Qkfi- rhvl - CREEK BRZDGS . . dQf ? T v .'V 1 1 f i I- vN,ew?iaa U rLtr f-l l I Z- I il ?Jl, l "f eUsi.t-ii.nsit.-. sssss--ssMIIMIMg if ' i4K j f I y - uw" " ' LiztzasA frzj: sjstjzs; moans. Xk 2!-Vp V'j""' t w. . -t - v- . 1 . s v'H I . -iH.iv. II I -s.fl - - irvCTv.i I "At 5 1 , ' W "X ' - All : -S!rs ! ? ss a V .v...- , -T w u tfr ZMTyjOS STU-JVZJ conscious wit and warmth that boiong I m hia race. As ths Railroad LAily re marked. "It wasn't what he said, but the Inimitable Irish way In which ha aald it." In the doorway etood "Rags" asking with eloquent eyes for his supper. The little black curly-haired dog had de serted his rightful owner somewhere on the roast and Joined the railroad ramna. He goo from one to anotnor. as the spirit moves him. But when lie happened on Camp a he instantly fell In love with the cook and seems to have no thought of moving on. fM day long he tag the tep of the engi neers, critically Inspecting their work. eat or nap In the sunshine. chAsea chipmunks or tries to catch the Utile fishes In the stream. The one thing thut mar his paradise Is the presence of three other pets a pair of chip munks and a mouse, all at home In one box back of the cook tent. Supper done, a big bonfire was made and all gathered within range of It pleasant warmth. Th Salmonberry. as It flowed over stones and log In Its bed. was singing a low lullaby to the ferns and flowers that were going to deep on Its mossy banks. The danc ing blase of the wood fire touched with It glow th densely timbered hills, and here and there a star peeped Jown through the treetops. In honor of the women folk the boy had added a touch of domesticity to the scene by spreading a Ladles' Home Journal on the chopping block for a table cover, and soon the . stage driver and three others wer sitting on the woodpil playing whist. . The rest watched the game or sat about the fire exchanging chat and stories. Sometimes the play ers paused until more sticks were thrown on the fire for better light. The "Kid" was telling the trouble of Skeeters and Red In fixing up the last touches had Just been given when a dead tree fell on the corner of the tent and broke th only mirror In camp. Tha boy regarded It as a dis aster, for whoever heard of ladle get ting along without a mirrorr But Irish, who Is ever Inclined- to look on the bright side of things, exclaimed.. "Now Brass Collar Tent" for the ladles. The Isn't that luck? There are enough piece to go round and now everybody in camp can have a looking glass." SUm spent a busy evening pouring tale of bears and cougars Into the ears of one of the visitors who was fresh from the East. When the fire burned low and yawn got mixed up with the Joke and stor ies there waa a ' scattering for the sleeping tents. Skeeters and . Red had indeed don SKtJ-. I i SI Nle at li- tfi-t -iO their work welL The most particular , curiosity overcamereUcence, and the housewife could hardly have made tent more comfortable. The fresh bed ding had a woodsy smell about It that was far more attractive than sacheted perfume, there was a green cover on the table and not a speck of dust was to be found anywhere. The Tenderfoot looked around for something that would suggest a brui collar. Finally auestlon came: "Why do they call -it the brass collar tent?" A laugh, rang out that surprised the quiet trees and sleeping logs that formed the tent's setting. When it subsided the Rail road Lady, who is well up on the tech nical expressions of the road, ex plained that they meant that tent' was sacred to JJUa service of tia official who cam that way.'. One after anoth er the lights were put out and dark ness and stillness settled - down on the camp..--- - '' . But a. little distance away from, the brass -collar, quarters - the off lee , teut was. aglow, with light until after mid-night-had. passed, for Mr. . Inch, .was busy with some.of-nls-asslstants getT ting, the worJc ln-sliapa so that he could accompany the Visiters over the .sum mit1 of "the mountains " next , day and point out what .was bain:, done .on -tha road. . In;' waking .moment when not even a star could be-seen through the open flans of the tent, ther came a hesitating question from the Tender foot: '"Are cougars dangerous". Th low cheering laugh that greeted it cut1 a way. through: the thick darkness scd was heard by the stage horses in the stable, tent near by and by the. trees that were- talking together In hushed voices, but the rest of tbe camp slept soundly, on. . - . i . ; .(Concluded Next Sunday..).
