.THE OKEGON, SUNDAY JOURNAL PORTLAND. SUNDAY MORNING. DECEMBER 2J. 1009.
PASSING OF' PICTURESQUEOREGON ; STAGE. DRIV3..
Railroad Invasion of Great Central Area of the State Will in ,Part End. Career of the Stage Dnverr-That HarJy! Pioneer Who Has Been Such a Factor in Early Develop:.
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1 1
Ithat la fast approaching' central w.wa.rjw- uin, mwrair, .mo BB.im.ay gengors, too. xnere was room ior.iwo ' " yl- yy
Oreon'-I:to:tbft"oll Ume.talw-wnt,;n''w,M,Tb''I)a' ,An4.-.4B:th'boot,,''Wlth'.:tli .drtTf-tb. - ""ffTgnrr ' ' i
Orlver as a- funeral dIree.,Hd ln hat 'day., a at present, the ,metrop-'mdst fa vorUeeatMn the rwhftla, coach.' 1" v 5!,,riTnTTaiiii "-" I mmJi'J "
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Stagecoach .-In 'central Oregon.
may be pointed out on nearly all of tri
irradea where stasis, and wagons hav
irone over the banks. There are spots
on the Shearer's grade, up from thn
- JMschut flveC, and on the' Cow Creurk
. Canyon grade, and In other places wher
tragedy Is' written, where lives haw
been rbst. horses killed, stages smashed.
It ' Is Just at these exceptional tlmps
that the value of the seat In the "boot"
with the driver becomes apparent.
Driver's Troubles.
. One of the most frequent delays of
central ' Oregon mails at' ; the . present
'. time la due to high water, even- the
: cloudburst Jn the summer being- capable
. of doing great damage and destroying
roads and making the creeks unfordubl.
. It is ip)t uncommon either, for the stage
" driver to have a. "colt" that chooses to
tear up the harness at times, for the
stage driver must at times turn "broncho-buster"
1 since the average life of
.1 the stage horse is very short.. , -
Incidents of the Road.
The old time central Oregon stage
' driver can4 unusually ., tell something
about.' the "hold-up" days. . Stage rob
" bery ( has not ' been- very common, pre
sumably for the reason' that there are
few developed gold mines in this part
of the state, hence , little on the road
that a robber-brigand would care to
seise. . ' I i i
In addition to hold ups, however, the
. uaj. . n.tcv lias wnii iimj iuu
other and different reasons, r One of the
latest and most interesting of thesV
incidents ' bad its setting about throe
-mfles north-of -Irinev4H- soma- yea rsgov
On this particular morning the stage
was out on time: on Its usual daily run
toward The Dalles., and was just climb
ing a short grade up from a little val
ley.. Suddenly front, the side of the road
there came the command: "Halt!" Armed
men at the same timo rising from their
hiding place behind a pile of sage brush
that, had been gathered. ; They seized a,
- wealhy' "Frlneville ;i Chines" merchant f
who was aboard but they didn't take i
his cash 'either, though he off ered it to ;
them, nor the valuables proffered by
other - frightened passengers. ; They ;
merely did this: : They, cut Ais . queue i
off Bhort, and told the driver to go on.
- Nothing was known of the incident at
the Prineville end of the stage line until
during the middle of the day. a Prine
ville bound horseman bearing of the af- ,
fair further along the road, and riding
past the , scene found 1 the long ' black;
Chinaman queue and hat on the ground.
The horseman put the hat over his own
no
Prineville.
can-
been
very
ven
ilrd
the freighter were to ,the.iast. of, cen,Afrelt-wagons ttag.,- of Jca,er- J- -Inal toeWent. Oceaaloatjlm ne waa
tral Oregon what Uhe mail car,., ana ."' "''u."w'' me wmpcmcuw. who cumu wBuvt .u,.u.w. ,u r ' ; r:?"ZZl muddy or extremely dusty, according to If this eXDlanatlon of the act is the.trua
fl- . -- Ih. uauin ..Th. mi.D.1. .u.lnn l,o fcl.h Ma IIIMIU arnnft 1
Packing rnaiL through tbe roountalns
- -. Traveling by stage. , y
'By llandall R. Howard. i ' days, before the building 'of the Colum , One of .the , oldtime stage coaches
HB whistle of the railroad engine bla Sdu'thern south from Biggs, 0 miles would hold a surprising number, of pas-.
that is fast approaching central ""srC iu, mwnw, .mo lengors, too. xnera waa room ior.iwo
Oregon is to the old time stage ,. central,, uragon waa -x no -jLfaiiea. auu up in tne --Doot" witn tnt anver tna.
driver as a funeral dirge. He ln tnat day, as at present, the metrop-" mdst favorite ',seat In the "whole, coach.'
will riouhtleRH reioica". with the olta i and the : central distributing, point by the way. and which, 'was reserved for
rest Of the atate, wtfen central' Oregon Central Oregomwas, Prihevllle. CroPlc)thos who, gets in an advance good word
can no longer be called tha largest area : ''.county ;AlVo'itha central Oregonv. with the driver Thei"boof; aeat with
In the .United States, without ( a rail-,; lrejnl ana man was put- ot me train ,tn driver waa tin most exROsea seat
. . . . - . v.. 1 1 A i in. .. mi pi .i ahjht or . rorr ih 11 ( l hi i nm ir .vd.nl ihamva. .no i n.. rtn
roau out ho . uiuiv evaat .iiia iixv .w - - , r ' v.v.w.....v. ...v.. v..
Narrow pass on stage road.
meet tne cnangea conaitions, inaus-, ""-r ,V , ,,r v.'- . 7.. "" "l":"" rrr - Thsn : there was the panoramic view Jolting and one- waa largely out aers to. mane inemsetvs as comiorraoie an(j using the queue for a whip lost
trial changes and readjustments ,,are . we xor an, ot .in.. aweitenng ; that was ever unfolding ' on either side reach of the dust.' . ' ' as. .they - could- under the circumstances tlm, Jn ,etting the news' to
pushing themselves over each other , W 'n"Mn'la: na" P ..,-th. Zi.' 'w- th --T,rt.r Vha tima' In which the iouUlde -sniped limbs. , elbowed sides, and , Tne. naJr -hlnglers were never
central Oregon Just new. and the old taKere on - i hi;,ijuui .tu tu, mat mignt oe encountereo. -xnis posi- -- -. .-r - - : .- . - - - .,,.. kinked backs being secondary consider- t,.n n. im-ti mi it mav have-
The central Oregon stage driver haa i" """ V"T liTZ. 11 -TTT ;l i ZZ VI wm' The trouHi of the Inside passengers thorough. The usual explanation gl
IkAM ana W tha eitalwart man - fif TPtaa V LUO iaiBTiiClsi vuuuhj. ouu muiu ajsaa x. iti ificj . cuwciLlCIier 'JH - Lilts L 1 H.1I1. ' X" ruin . Hill milU Vila eMiu Jl iu . ktl - Avva JK "-- r- .1 L V, I 1v .i. t a tv. 4
passenger car and 'the; freight car ,wl out , from the Interior .and taking pro- es. the " marvelous 5 mastery -iefthe.. cldents of tha road. Not the lea.Trea- "three -and Xlm l- - The only one-thTt "wUh hU queue gone
bi to ihe, future or this vast expanse. -Visions, clothing.- drugs, and. hardwaraflne8 that was tha very first; quallflca- son -tw ..:.i.J.bqr driver, tbww It wltob durlnr-the eold aAap-ot tbV winter -'Cbtaeao merchant could not return
They were in fact th chlef .connectlons back. -'. v S V ' ' tlon" ru,red the' staga. -driver, seat was the fact thatytheiy Was less crat. j It was merely left for the passen- or ,a general shewer In th his native land: hence could not s
with the outer world if we 'except -the " But to the stage driver. were let all ex-
telephony wUlch Is a late ; addition to the press packages, mail, and passengers,
comforts of that great' area, -and the- And when the etage .driver drove .his
recent intrusion of the passenger car- cch and four or ;a x horses from the
rylng automobile, wbloh'ie another epo- ftable at 5:30 or 8 o'clock In the morn
radio comfort- ln' he touad a. motley-array f-persons
radio comfort. . , . . awaiting- to be stowed away
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: SAYINGS OF SANTA CLAUS-Part 4
Passing' of , Quaint Character. ,
'in tha sreat rockinir coach, j First -of
1 ) -all. hA'hail to' RArvn TTncle Ram tn find
When the history of therdeye!opment a piBce . f or all of, tha sacks' of ;ietters
of central Oregon is - written the .stago and (papers and packages, destined for
driver will be .called one' of the great- the t great - section , that he waa serving,
est factor ? for d'evelorabeBt ) ot. the Express , packages . paid . the mail -con.
. jt . . i fc..: '..iii.i; : tractors well, so the .stage: driver -al-.
V .h' r.tiMu.rf ways tried to find a place for them each
Tll 'trtirtnhifo!2- tey-"' Especially. rwas be Instructed to
iKxSfitttJl-'''- a ' of- the , perishable -fruita-aa
.the Indian fighter had left the land, " n,.
and ha will be needed until-. the, y-I'ni'.
day that the new railroads ' establish J'JiJ
regular service.' Indeed he will be need-- rSSlrt--' ? Jlll!I t Li hE
. , ,,iv .strawberries, regardless of the hara-
.n- ?1$J "hips of a 120 mile suge.ride.and the
central Oregon Is intertwined with the r.. ,rt ,h.
network; of - railroads -that It deserves
'and wiH some day have;-. feut after -the
first roar of an engine up 'the: Des
chutes canyon, and the extension of an
east and west' branch across the state.
stage driving will no longer be a pro- , " '
fessioti In central Oregon: It will then ;nr?;,,.,l
necessarily great retail expense of. these
fruits. , -, ,
' Lastly came .the passengers, which
"were gathered up at' the various hptels.
the accommodating stage driver even at
times going around to the residences for
was always the safer plan for
ha aa old man , and an office boy Job,
with ail the anap and heroic qualities
taken from it. and with only a short
dwindling life before It ' ,
- The old time stage driver In central
Oregon was a picked' man Jost as was
the Indian .fighter, and the sheriff who
cleaned out the Stock . rustlers and
1iu",-"v'' ' T''""," r .A eral extra, coaches
Ul J, luuiwiiic b iai . r i u i ti
ber of first .class qualities, lie had
to be a man of great vigor, a depend
able horseman, a fighting general who
could protect uim mall schedule, and
lastly a diplomat who could keep his
ma! I -passenger-car in order and the pa-
a would be passenger to see that he .was
,way 'billed"' at least by the night be
fore, for the stage coaches Into oentml
Oregon have bee a surprisingly crowded
daring long years past. In fact, during
the days of the timber claim taking and
other boom and rush seasons, it has
nearly- "always been - necessary, for the
owners of the stage route, to have sev
or.hHeks for-pas
senger accommodation; all, of this be-
ing In addition to tha'tioDOfflclal and
private sources of travel. . ,
Custom of the Craft
i-
-Home again' in toyland, as '-merry as'can'.be.',',;'''"'V ,
JTo think.of all the, happyi tots dancing now with glee. ;.
Twas . 3,-when I ' arrived within my palace gate, J v . -.There';
were so many children ,1 knew I would be late..
'Tired,' a' little, Yes, a. wee; bit sleepy, too;
But now: I'll takemy needed rest, since all my.work is through,:
Tpyland :will bVquiet forwo monthsr'maybe thr
"And all'my little workers vill enjoy (he time they're free.
You know whatT discovered on my journey: all about?: "
.That' many children this year were helping.Santa out f ,
ii know that they were happier this merry Christmas day
Than' if they'd forgotten others in'a blind and selfish way.. ,
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And now to ;tell "an 'experience T , : ; ; , , . . u t ,
: i .'..that-last nieht I had ; - - ?: '''''. : :-
Which, made one boy, unhappy
'. , 1 and tne, verj', very sad. -In
one house that I visited, a trap
I found laid there;
A boy,' lay feigning sleep, cuddled
in a. chair. -- "
In his hand was - a rope that
. . reached to thegate,
.With a slip loop at the end; he
'"- planned to'scal mv fate.
enters feeOnj ramrgwrtiatureit lir JswStjs US was to Ty ttp.p- Thi wuid
The first thingthst the passes fer q,- he planned to capture both inf and mv pack.
fact the saccetmful et drive had to be
a general mixture of the train flagman,
who knows no weather; the hrakeman.
who roust do the risky, rough work of
t be train; the engineer, vha im account
able fnr the safety- ef the tliondering
lororaotlve: the mail clerk, who drop
the parkages asd the e k at the rlg,.t
plare, n't. lb rtjailu'-tor, h roliert
fares sml Is repciMe for paewrger
eBdict.
On a Stre Trip.
not be one of the bat of the troubles
cf the average towards central Oregon
passenger, either. Considering ererj--thing.
however, the passetiger fara has
sot beea excesirlve. rven thocrh trie rrg.
uUlloti If rents pr rnlie and th ocra
stotial It cents tny have ihuH a hit
"steep" to ths maa who bad slwr he
fore traveled hy train for femg t to t
But Santa is careful m here he lavs down his sack-
So back tip the chimney. I went, and away without leaving hif;i any-
- thing for his Christmas day. '.
And I wonder if next year hell any wier be, T
Remembering that fair dealing is rcqnircd by me.
children, my viit nilh vou new i parsed.
oenta rr tr.u-. But Pith the r-- ,f;ut j that t!ie Kv of thi trntma vnll lat.
er It -a iier a rm ft "d g op t-r , . T-n . . .t r t .i
r,t- iirr. .i ret e.--n a r'.V My new N.-k I II tart vnh the firt cf th? year
t! e s?rt sts'ion. fer t1-. ut And rn it the rirr r-i each h'.)-i i! ar-par.
" '' 1 " ! 1 "f !,v -'-it u;f ! s! ?
a
"'m :
i
be
to
hip
summer. ' . - r in the foreign workmen. At any rate
No matter what the weather or ' the the forelgo workingmen never came to
passenger company, everybody was as work on the Prineville Irrigation project,
they still are, glad to see the "dinner nd the stage hold up incident has
station," where- they tried to sea who Pssed into history.
could eat most of, tha substantial - food " . , t- ' '
V .served : on the table, all together. Tou ' : The Driver iue.
' began to feel guilty because . of . the The old' time stage driver has per
enormous amount that you bad con- formed and ; is performing a notabla
sumedV'but ; this- feeling was expelled mission for the development of central
when the landlady at the door proceeded Oregon.. He Is the connecting link with
to extract "four-bits" or. "six-bits" from the outside world and the vital person
1 each of the persons aa be passed from age In-carrying on the.biwhoea8 of th
the dining-room. During 'the SO min- vast section. He has done his work s
utes that had been, consumed in wash- well In helping to develop the country
Ing a little of the dust off and' eating . that he is no longer needed. lie has
the "six-bits" worth, the horses had been eliminated himself in preparing the way
hitched up and the driver waa rounding' for the railroad. He must go, but his
up - his . charges. Another 10 minutes work will live on. - His has been
found you oh the way again. - v life of bardahlp. a life demanding th
It .waa during the last lap of the vigor of youth and middle age, a Ufa
stage Journey, that the driver ahowed that almost eliminates the home iu
hls true steel and bis passenger-manag. atlnct. a life. with few promised re-Ing-dlplomacy.
Everjbody had reached warda ahead. He has done the worn
. the glum stage by early evening-, and that will require a doseo men under t-'
even a great Jolt failed to bring an ex- new order in the, day of the railroad,
change of amiles. All Of the passengers He is a man that the district he bus
had asked, at least half a dosen times: rred la anxious to eliminate, yet a man
"Say. th-Iver. Just how much further la; without whom central Oregon cou!4 n .t
It to our station T" " All were wishing have gotten along. ,
that the 'Journey' was over,, and that '-. ' 111 . " , " '
they; were telling tnelr grandchildren ; " "Johll D. . ' . t
about It rather than trying to live It They fint him millions twent y-t.lr;e,
thrnnrh . . -i-wii -haM went id from every l;n;
Tn tha earlier dava of tha Prinatllk.' Thev tuought ttjer bad him b"ii--1
l)alle stage history.
taken for the 129-
nlght being spent
of Bakeoven. which, t rue to ii m' nm mA
was a little eanyea hole sunken la the They tell him that mut dissolve,
middle of -the bleak plains of southern Into thia air himaelf wr
Sherman county. . Then CentraJ Oregon N re a w, '"Vf V'fi'
got more ambitious and. more populoos Thia is l' w! ;1.
anu ibiiucihiu i-w wrniit of un- jj nierelr smiles a p ll.ni miia
mail semra. in irneiiu oetwat-n
The Dalle and PrtDerillewas then cut
down to 21 boars.
r - ,
two day, were there . no
mile drive, the fliat , Ti Ji bo word h froka.
at the halfway point " i.T., ., en a-fc.g-af-
Aad goes on j.U)ing goif.
Staf Comradeship. .
Oftentlnea the incidents cf ie-m!l
sta ride were s-h as te cement a
feeiing of romradeehip betveea the (.
sengers and the driver. Of course, ti e
driver was ovually -rmrnlnr.afcl. arl
ther was no on't-talk-rtth-the-niotfr-man"
siga te stp aueatlona hows sad
then.
Thr fr-r- 'tr .n tv . e ef
te T'-'.r-- -re e- - t
What Is tV. itrrnsih by hl. h i s
Aa!nt Strh tb'indera n4 turn
V nl ts e lUM irt'ini t-f
ll l the ilon t-t li n.
He kiioia. hii'" ' '
lmmm tr.mr l ive -o . ' a '
M. I.aixJfcurg'j .t '
f a.
Tie Ji--.iiu
T-" s j t i
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f In