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About The Sunday Oregonian. (Portland, Ore.) 1881-current | View Entire Issue (Feb. 25, 1917)
THE SUNDAY OREGONIAN, POItTIiAXD, FEBRUARY 25, -1917. ID THRILLS ADD ZEST TO LIFE OF OREGON PIONEER FAMILY Addison Bennett Tells of Visit to Mr. and Mrs. George Millican, Who Hare Resided in Interior of State for 54 Years. l ; fed- - - rl MR. AXD MRS. CEORGU MILLICAS. BT ADDISON BENNETT. A HONG the best-known people of the interior of Eastern Oregon few have a wider acquaintance than George Millican and his wife. Mrs. Ada Coalman Millican. of Millican. iJeschutcs County. The Millican ranch and the Millican home was there when it was still a part of "Wasco County. "When that grand old pioneer. Uncle Frank Nichols, now of Tumalo. Or., was In the Legislature as a member from Wasco County, he was mainly Instrumental in having- Crook County formed from Eastern Wasco. By that change the Millican ranch was In the tiew county. So we see without a move cn the part of the Millicans or their ranch they have been in three counties. The great trouble in writing about People like Mr. and Mrs. Millican is to know where to start and what to leave out and where to end. They have had so many interesting- experi ences since their settlement in Central Oregon, their memories are so clear on the early settlement and history of their section, and they are, withal, ueh interesting and fascinating- re conteurs that one scarcely wishes to take the time to Jot down the usSal notes for fear of losing the thread of the discourse. ' Both Intensely Interesting;. Tou see I speak of both Mr. and Mrs. Tflllican in the same strain, which Is done advisedly for one is as interesting as the other, and yet Mrs. Millican is a. very feminine woman and Mr. Milli can Is a very manly man. Mrs. Millican Is given to ruling in her sphere Just as Mr. Mililcan is in his. Hence there Is no conflict, no friction between the work of the two, each capably attend ing to his or her own. Now let's go back to the early man Iiood of Mr. Millican. He was boVn near Utlca, X. Y.. on November 22, 1837, pa he will bo 80 years old the coming Kail. Tou would not guess him to be over 50 or 65 to look at him. His hair is a grizzly gray, he carries himself upright, . erect, his step is elastic, his l.andshake electrical tie is one of the lest examples of what an outdoor life leads to that I know of. I suppose Mr. Millican could today get Into the saddle on a spirited horse and run hours and hours way from any man, young or old, who has lived an indoor life in the city for 25 years. He would think no more of a 100-mile horseback jaunt looking after some stock than the auto owner would of a trip of half the dis tance. When about 15 years of age Mr. Millican came to California and soon jrot to work In the mines, but a few years later came to Oregon and in the Kail of 1S60 went with the first ex ploring party from the Willamette Valley to Idaho, and was with the rarty that discovered gold In the Clearwater. Couch Pftrty Guided to noise. Then in the Spring of 18S3 he went with Captain Couch and his party from Oakland, Or., as guide, their objective being the Boise Valley. The Indians were troublesome and were raiding the settlements, particularly along the John Day River: but the Couch party BOt through without mishap. He did not remain lonar in Idaho but returned to the Willamette Valley, stopping at Eugene, where he remained until the early Spring of 1863, when he got to gether a bunch of about 250 head of cattle and struck out over the Mc Kenzie Pass for the open range coun try in the interior. Finding a location to his liking on McKay Creek, near the junction of the Ochoco and Crooked Rivers, he settled there. (I would like to note that there are three McKay Creeks in Eastern Oregon, and they are presumably all named after Scotch settlers of that name. Hence the pronunciation Is McKye. and not McKay). The site se lected by Mr. Millican was at the time he went there, as now, one of the beauty spots of Oregon. Indeed, some of the little valleys along Crooked River, up the Ochoco, along its tribu taries. Mill Creek and McKay Creek, sre and always have been beauty spots. There are no finer spots for the ordi nary farmer or stockirrower outdoors. But Mr. Millican says we of the pres ent day know nothing, can imagine nothing, cannot even conceive of the beauties of that section when he camped there amidst the bunch grass and flowers in the Spring of 1883, when he was practically "master of all he surveyed." Nearest Neighbor 14 Miles Away. His cabin was within 2',a miles of the present site of Prinevllle; but the spot where that fine little city now stands had no inhabitants save the wild animals and the cattle of Mr. Millican. The -nearest neighbor he had landed there the year before "Billy" Smith, who died at an advanced a.& only a short time ago. He lived on Mill Creek, three miles or so from the Ochoco and nearly 14 miles from the Millican ranch. The nearest trading point was The Dalles. 120 miles away; but Mr. Milli can did his trading and got his mail at Eugene. 185 miles away, the road leading acrose the Deschutes River and over McKenzie Pass and you ought to hear Mr. Millican give an account of one of these trips made by him with a couple of saddle horses, a half-dozen or more pack mules a trip taking nearly two weeks, and the return with less than 1000 pounds of merchandise. I wonder what the people of that sec tion would think today of going 135 miles for their mail? To get the story of the start, the rise and the prosperity of Prinevllle. r-an tm tA n better source than to Mr. Millican. He will tell you of the riv.in the Fall of 1868 when Barney Trine came into the country and took nn the claim at the confluence of the rihncA. and Crooked River. only" a nAi.nl. of miles or so from the Milli can ranch. He remembers Barney Trine' first "store." consisting of wet Kooda exclusively. Then in 1870 came a Mr. Heisler. from Lane County, and built a little store adjacent to Prine's. Then Arthur Breyman and John Sum merville bought the Heisler stock and started a real store. This was in 1880. Or thereabouts, and from that time Prineville took on a wonderful growth, soon becoming the real metropolis of Interior Oregon. One can understand that this bring ing of a city, or anyhow a populous town, right within earshot of a cattle ranch gave the cattle owner reasons to worry. Anyhow, it caused Mr. Mil lican a good deal of uneasiness, but he stood the strain until 1886, when he selected another beauty spot over on what is known as the "High Desert, a location about 25 miles south of Prine ville and 15 miles or so eaat of Bend. There he found plenty of good water, which is not found on every claim in Central Oregon, and all other condi tions to his liking, and there he erect ed good buildings, fenced many acres (he has about 2000 acres in the home ranch), and for more than 30 years he and Mrs. Millican have made that their h&me and watched their herds of cattle and horses thrive. Town Residence Maintained. However, at an early day in the his tory of Prineville Mr. Millican ac quired some property in that town and erected a dwelling there, and that is their town home a portion of each year, but when mention is made of that abode, then one has to forget Mr. Milli can for the moment and take up "Squire"' Millican. who Is none other than Mrs. Ada Coalman Millican. At the last election there was a bill on the ballots in Crook County for the division of that county; the ballots also carried some of the names of the can didates for the new offices. Anyhow, there was a vacancy as to names for Justices of the Peace, so a few of Mrs. Millican's friends took the matter up ad she .had a large majority over any other candidate. Indeed she will grace the office. She is highly educated, of a Judicial turn of .mind and any litigant going into Mrs. Millican's court will get even handed justice. She is offering quite an. Inducement to any couple wishing to get married heroffer is to tie the first nuptial knot free of charge! There Is a chance for any enterprising couple having an eye on matrimony. She and her husband are stopping at the Im perial; call Mrs. Millican up, make ar rangements for the ceremony and I'll bet in addition to a free service the hotel will add a free wedding supper. I am not authorized to make that state ment, but knowing the Metschans as well as I do, I think there is no doubt they will make good the offer. Indian Relics Collected. But let me get back to the Millican dwelling in Prinevllle. It contains al most a priceless collection of Indian relics which have been gathered by Mrs. Millican. Mrs. Millican's parent resided in Coles Valley, a part of the Umpqua Valley, not far from Rose burg-. iney were old settlers there, but at one time went on a visit down to Cali fornia and Mrs. Millican was born on that trip; so she Is essentially a native Oregonfan, as her parent returned when she was but a few weeks old. At an early age Mrs. Millican rot In terested in Indian history and learned some of the dialects. Then. "Just to be doing her part," she applied to the Gov ernment for a teachershlp in an Indian school. The result was that she taught for elx years In schools at Uin tah, Utah; Yuma. Ariz.; Sacoton. Ariz., 1 If Ifoua Csuri ' Get a. Modern. 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Invite your friends o hear It; then, if you are not satis led with it in every way, send it tack at our expense. Any money deposited meanwhile will be cheer fully refunded by return mail. If you wish to keep it. then pay as best suits your convenience, even If only 5 a month. COUPON Eilers Music House, Portland, Oresron. Please send the stiecial Dhonocranh offer for $82.15 as advertised in Sunday's Oreeo- nian, r eo. zt. it is understood that the instru ments, records and accessories will be sent me prepaid and if it is not entirely satisfactory after not more tnan live days' trial, I am to ship it back to you without cost to me and deposit to be refunded im mediately. (Sign here) Name Address P. S. If you do not send 3eposit please name two references. and Puyallup. Wash. She was success ful In her work and was looked upon by the Commissioner of Indian Affairs aa a model teacher. Even before that, and ever since, Mrs. Millican has been fratherinpr Indian relics and curios, until she has one of the fineet and most valuable collec tions in Oregon. Oregon Held Fairest ok Earth. Her work, however, which Is the best known is In connection with women's clubs. She has been for a long time a member of the State Federation of Women's Clubs. For several years she has been a member of the legislative committee. Last year she waa the Oreron delegate to the National Fed eration, which met In New York City. WEDDING CEREMONY FOR FALLS CITY COUPLE PERFORMED AGAIN 50 YEARS AFTER ORIGINAL. " t r V r While she had traveled all over the Western country, that was her first trip across the continent and she had a wonderful time. fhe visited the daughter of Henry VUlard, who has a splendid home up the Hudson. &he knew, as all Oregronlans oujht to know, that Mr. Villsrd in the heyday , of his prosperity saved the University from failure and built VUlard Hall. Bo. Mrs. Millican went to see his daughter, whose mother, by the way. was a daughter of William Lloyd Gar rison. Mrs. Millican found she had no picture of the University worthy the name and had a fine print sent to her. Of the trip Mrs. Millican talks enter tainingly, but to her "fhe heart of Ore gon," where she resides, im the f.irest land on earth! There Is life, there Is freedom, there Is content. There one has room enough to turn around with out crowding, plenty of fresh air It is "Ood's own outdoors, really the only place worth while." Yes, and It Is the home of manly men and lovely women, as exemplified by Mr. -and Mrs. Millican. BIRD CASE "FIZZLES" THIRTY SAVED ON WRECK Sea So -Rough Seamen Have Jump, but Are Picked TTp. to NEW YORK. Feb. 17. Thirty sea men from the wrecked Spanish steam ship Josepha Raich were brought here on the Spanish liner Antonio Lopes, which arrived from Cadiz. The Josefa Raich left Norfolk, February 6 and sprang a leak after a succession of gales. Her cargo of sugar filled the pumps. A wave carried the bridge away and Captain Juan Abrlel and Sec ond Officer Alberto Prado were lost. Then a bulkhead gave way and the engine-room was flooded. When the Antonio Lopes came along It was so rough a lifeboat could not reach the wreck and the SO men on it, weak from cold and hunger, had to throw themselves Into the sea to be picked up by the small boat. The first man to be fished out had both legs broken. He was Alfonso fipio. On the Antonio Lopes was the fam ily of Josef Castellanos, of No. 1 West Eighty-eighth street, who had the lost vessel under charter. At the pier he told his 7ife that his brother. Lieutenant Ramon Castellanos, had been sentenced to be shot as a result of the uprising In Cuba. MR- AXD MRS. J. IU MOVER. FALLS CITY, Or.. Feb. 24. (Special.) Mr. and Mrs. J. R. Moyer, of Falls City, Or., celebrated their golden wedding anniversary at the Methodist Episcopal Church Saturday, February 17, 1917. Two hundred guests were present to ejijoy an excellent 'programme, after which the wedding ceremony was performed and refreshments served. Mr. and Mrs. Moyer have seven children living. The following were present: Mrs. E. E. Oilliam, of Salem: John Moyer and Charles Moyer, of Falls City. The following- grandchildren attended: Mrs. Velna Hunt, of Salem, and Clarence Moyer, of Falls City. MARRIAGE TRIED FOR "FUN" Wife Then Left With HU Clothes ana Diamonds, Charges J.. Tobin. -She told him that she married him "Just for the fun of It,'" that she thought he was a wealthy man at the time, charges Joseph TOBln in his di vorce suit filed in Circuit Court yes terday, and he was greatly shocked, he rays, to find her smoking clgsrettes one time when he came home. But It was not these things alone that dimmed his lov for Mrs. Ray Tobin. The last straw was In October last, when, he asserts, she packed tip her be longings and a trunkful of her hus band's clothing and two of his diamond rings and left for Chicago, with the avowed Intention of remaining away. The Tobin Were married July 9. 1316. Sale of Pheasant, 20 Years Dead, No Crime, Judge Says. M. L. H0LZMAN DISMISSED Game Law of 1907 Can Hardly lie Stretched Back to Make It Ap ply In This Prosecution, Is Court's Decision. Prosecution for the. sale of the plumage, of a stuffed game bird 20 years dead Is stretching the game laws a little too far, believed District Judge Jones yesterday when he dis missed a case against . M. L Holzman, proprietor of a sporting goods shop at Third and Ash streets, who has sold a stuffed , pheasant which had been taken from a rubbish heap In the basement of his home and kept In his store window Fine October. The bird was given Mr. Holzman be fore his marriage, 19 years ago, he testified. Some years ago hla wife threw the pheasant in the basement because Us feathers were beginning to fall out. Mr. Holzman discovered It laet Fall, during the hunting season, and believed it would be of some at traction with the gun display In bis store window. Deputy Game Wardens Brown, Clark and Meade made a crafty en trance to his store a short while ago. one under pretext of Miylng fishhook another pretending to deslro the ex change of a heavy silver watch for One of a ' new model, testified Mr. Holzman. In an offhand manner, one said to a clerk: "What will you take for the bird?" pointing to the stuffed and moulting pheasant. "A dollar," replied the clerk, hazard ing, so he said, a price. The arrest of the proprietor followed. That it was a purely arbitrary price, set to get rid of the bird, and that the bird had never been offered for sale or tagged with a price mark, was tes tified to by witnesses for the defense. . Mrs. Holzman substantiated the length of time the bird had been around the merchant's home. Miss Florence Rybka testified to the enjoyment of a young friend who would visit the Holzman home and amuse herself bv pulling out the tail feather of the aging bird. The technical defense, which was sus tained by Judge- Jonex. was that the game laws provided that it was Il legal to sell plumage only of game birds shot out of season. There waa no way of telling when the bird In question had been shot, but It was certain that it was some 14 years be fore the passage of the game law of 1907 under which the arrest waa made. FORESTRY CLUBS TO MEET Delegates From All Parts of Coun try to Gather at Seattle. Delegates from Forestry clubs from all over the United States will gather In the third annual convention of the Intercollegiate Association of Forestry Clubs at Seattle, Wash.. March 1 to 3 inclusive. The business sessions will be In terspersed with entertainment, pleas ure Jaunts and a study of the conditions that exist In logging and milling opera tions in the Puget Hound country. Reports on the activities of the asso ciation will be read. One of the promi nent features of the programme will be the consideration of a Junior member ship tn the association. Officers will be elected and a banquet will complete the session. STUDENT BODY OFFICERS OF OREGON NORMAL SCHOOL. AT MONMOUTH, WHO ARE ACTIVE IN THE EVENTS OF THE SEMESTER. I I I ill nil I mi - , ..... . ,fcr iiniiinnninriii j Heading From Left to Ht;rht Staadma. U. II. l.und, Helen bJtcvme, Martha Allen. Alice Wllwon, Margaret NlelsoD. Flora Allen. Paul B. Strnchan. Florence Hill, Paul Brown; Seated, Lola Cowaill, Gertrude Nlekelson. Alfred C. Ingram, Bmle Uavldnon. OREGON NORMAL SCHOOL. Monmouth. Feb. 24. (Special.) Prominent in many of the activities of Ore gon Normal School are a corps of ambitious young officers of the student body, who have been directing social, athletic and dramatic events during the pat and present semester. Alfred C. Ingram, of Cove, Or., has the distinguished office of president, while Miss Lois Cowglll. a Portland girl, is winning marked success aa editor of the "Norm," the school paper. Paul Brown, of Amity, is manager of athletics. Other officers are: G. H. Lund, Cove, sergesnt-at-arms; Helen Whltcombe, Portland, member of the special committee: Bessie Davidson. Portland, secretary; Gertrude Niekelson, Hood River, treasurer; Florence Wood. Sherwood, lyceum committee: Martha Allen. Forest Grove social committee; Alice Wilson. Astoria, social committee: Margaret Nielson, Dallas, mem ber lyceum committee, and Flora Allen, Wallowa, member of the executive committee. t