THE DALLES TIMES-MOUNTAINEER.
Born near The Dalles in 18G0, lie received his education
there. In 1881 he entered the employ of E. Wingate & Co.,
and remained with them until they were burned out. He
then went with McFarland & French, and after a short
period was sent by them to Antelope to work for Bolton &
Co. Shortly after he and E. M. Wingate started the pres
ent store, and 2y2 years ago he bought his partner out. He
has always aimed to meet prices quoted in The Dalles, and
succeeds in his endeavor. He makes a specialty of Buck
ingham & Hecht's shoes and Hoffman, Rothchild & Co.'s
clothing, and is also sole agent for the Oliver chilled plows
and ldalia sewing machines. Since the organization of the
city he has acted as city treasurer, and at present is also
school clerk. Fraternally he belongs to the Masons, Odd
Follows, Workmen and Woodmen.
In 18S2 he married Miss L. M. Walker, of The Dalles, and
has a daughter 14 years old.
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WM. ASHBY.
The genial host of the "Antelope" Hotel, Wm. Ashby,
was born in Carroll county, Illinois, July 31, 1851, and re
mained there until his fourteenth year. He then crossed
the plains, with his parents, in a wagon, reaching the Wil
lamette - Valley, September 20th, -lSGo. His parents pur
chased a farm among the famous Waldo Hills, and he as
sisted them in its cultivation until 1872. He moved then
-to Wasco county, locating at Cross Hollows, near Antelope,
and for a period of ten years was engaged in cattle rais
ing. He also a little later bought some farm lands in Wash-
ANTELOPE HOTEL.
ington and to-day has two well improved farms in the
lower end of the Klickitat valley, consisting of 320 acres,
and he gives them a portion of his attention. March 4,
1S97, he bought the "Antelope" Hotel, and by careful and
systematic business methods has soon placed it to the front
of his competitors. He also has leased the "Antelope"
feed barn, and is operating the stages running from Bake
Oven to Antelope, and from Antelope to Mitchell, a total
of seventy miles. February 14, 1871, Mr. Ashby married
Miss Nancy Downing, and has eight children," his oldest
daughter, Levina, being married to Freeman Reese, of
Antelope.
WM. ASHBY.
PETER A. KIRCHEINER.
P. A. Kircheiner furnishes a striking example of the
possibilities attainable to a man possessed of a fair share
of perseverance, energy and thrift. Born in Denmark in
1862, he secured his education there. Coming to the United
States in 1883, he went direct to California, but only re
mained there a short time, for in the fall of the same year
he came to Sherman county and took up a ranch near;Rut
ledge, on which he resided until 1894. He then came to
Antelope, and worked in his brother's blacksmith shop; and
a year later bought him out. He also buys and sells grain,
and is general agent for the Osborne farm machinery. He is
a member of the present city council, and takes a lively in
terest in anything tending to the city's welfare. About three
years ago he built his present home, which is a credit to the
community.
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RESIDENCE OF P. A. KIRCHEINER.
SHERMAN
COUNTY
For years, when the great emigrant trains came through
from the far Fast, crossing through great rocky gorges and
canyons, until there wound high upon the horizon a great
plateau. Tall bunch grass waved in undulative motion be
fore the western breeze that prevails. Cool, invigorating
winds, that kissed the hilltops, making them blossom rich
in nature's bountiful harvest bunchgrass. Vast acres
spread out before the vision, getting richer and richer as the
Empire star leads westward. Until the John Day river is
reached and crossing the mighty gorge that guides the
water-to the great water course of the Northwest.
: Here is found a body of land seemingtly set aside for
the use of a favored class. A tract almost 40 miles square,
bounded on the east, west and north by the John Day, Des
chutes and Columbia rivers, and on the south by a deep
gorge, so abrupt that with the others it makes a vast see
tion of land set apart from- all others. A typical prairie
country it supported a heavy growth of prairie grass; dif
fering only from the great plains in the fact that it is
rolling, and intersected with canyons. These canyons, how
ever are not rocky, and are easily accessible. All along the
horizon loom up majestic mountains, covered with timber,
and occasionally the towering summit of a snow peak rises
high above all else, a thing of grandeur to be admired. On
the east are the Blue mountains, and on the west the Cas
cades, and most important of all, Mt. Hood the pride of
Oregon shows itself so all may look and admire.
Here, on this rolling table land, the weary immigrant
lingered to rest his tired teams, and nature's treatment
soon rejuvenated not only the beasts of burden, but tired
man as well, that he might travel onward to his destina
tion. An occasional band of antelopes, always fat, as a re
sult of the superior quality of feed furnished by the country
of their nativity, always fleet of foot, served to relieve the
monotony, as well as furnished many a toothsome morsel
for the simple meal. And no less important is the festive
cayote, and the ungainly jack rabbit.
No place on earth is blessed with better climatic condi
tions. The prevailing winds are from the west, and carry
a moisture that in later years has proven to be fully equal
to the dews of low valley lands, invigorating in its effects
it becomes one of the necessary features of the country.
Not only are these winds needful to growing vegetation,
but health is borne on every breeze. Naturally healthy,
these, western winds purify the atmosphere, making it all
man could as. The average rainfall is light, the soil
being perfectly; adapted. ; A. light sandy loam does not re
quire much water; yet there is plenty and to spare. ! Most
of , it. falling? during the-winter months. -And no country
ever had more delightful winters. Not too cold. The mer
cury rarely ever goes below the zero mark; stock seldom
ever needs to be fed more than sixty days, and often much
less. - In fact range stock most generally subsist without
being cared for in the least snowfall generally coming
light enough to allow them to break through to the nutri
tious bunchgrass that -is being sheltered beneath.
What is now. known as Sherman county was first devel
oped -as, a stock country. Stockmen discovered that the
bunchgrass peculiar to Eastern Oregon and Washington,
yields the finest range feed for stock of all kinds, that after
the. first stock farm was established, great herds of horses
and catties flocked in to take advantage of pastures in
countless numbers. Then everybody was prosperous. And
so j they have always been.
In early days Sherman county as well as almost the
whole of Eastern Oregon, was a part of Wasco county; and
it has, like others, left the mother branch and set up in
business for itself, retaining the kindliest feeling for the
maternal government that gave it sustenance. The Dalles,
being the head of navigation on the Columbia, was natur
allythe supply point for all this vast country, and the usual
transportation was by freight wagons until the O. R. & N.
Co.'s lines were built across the northern end of the county.
The road was built early in the 80's; and it was then that
Sherman county began to develop as a wheat raising coun
ty. Probably the first men to come to Sherman county in
search of wheat land, were Messrs. O. M. and Hugh Scott.
These men came from a splendid wheat belt, not dissimilar
to the one they hoped to develop, and the output of the
year last past tells better than words how well they suc
ceeded. It; was not a slow steady growth, but seemed al
most spontaneous. It seemed as though Sherman county
had been transformed in one night It was a paradise for
a poor man. Hundreds came and found homes. The car
penter plied his vocation building new houses, the black
smith .came .with his tools, and the merchant saw the op
portunity, to do business. In a short time the golden cereal
was being transported from what was to be Sherman coun
ty; by the trainload. It was the largest wheat belt in the
world not intersected by a railroad. Year after year,
wagon load after wagon load was hauled to the O. R. & n!
stations at Rufus and Biggs. Wood, coal and lumber, or
such supplies,. were hauled backhand the farmer prospered,
.at seems almost strange even now, to look out over these
hills, once green, and covered with fat, sleek horses, cattle
and sheep, with never an obstruction to hinder one's path,
and see them all sectioned into fields, either brown with
summer fallow, or. golden grain. Yet in the county there
is land, the very best oi wheat land, not cultivated because
it has hitherto been too far away from transportation to
make wheat raising a paying investment. But the advent
of the Columbia Southern Hailway has obviated all this.
There is now not a foot of land that- cannot be farmed
without profit.
In the year just ended the output of wheat alone was
2,742,876 bushels by- far the largest crop yet raised, and
about one-fourth of the entire crop of Oregon. Yet this
amount seems small when we figure on the amount that
can and will be put on the market, now that the C. S. Ry.
has made it possible for the markets to be easily reached.
It is safe to ay that Sherman county will very soon be
exporting 4,000,000 bushels of wheat, and tnat in the com
ing year she will easily double her population.
Not only is this immense business constantly going out,
but no section consumes more; for wood, lumber, every
thing the farmer needs must be shipped in. And he uses
great quantities of supplies. He is of no small consequence;
he does not farm on a small scale; a walking plow and a
single team would insult a Sherman county farmer. : He
drives from four to ten horses and uses several plows; at
one time that is unless he's on the road, then its two
wagons. One man thinks nothing of farming less than a
half section, and the majority of them have more. Then,
when he harvests he turns out with a header or two,i or
mayhap a combined harvester, works several weeks, and if
he has a small crop he markets a thousand sacks, or, .if a
larger, he sells from three to four thousand. These are the
average; yet several go considerably higher. j
No person has an easier time raising wheat than ' -the
Sherman County farmer. Through being able to do; so
much work in such , limited time, he can' farm cheaper
than in any country in the world except those who deal In
slavery. .-. ,
And, perhaps, there is no better evidence of the prosper
ity of these same farmers than their home surroundings. ,
Not one man in the county except the indolent, a class
that afflicts every county . more or less but that has;; an
elegant home and comfortable appointments. . A splendid
buggy, a pair oi roadsters, a piano in the house, are all
evidences that Sherman county is kind to those who delve
into her bosom or sustenance.
Sherman county, lohgbefore it" was capable of doing
business for itself, was settled by the. best class of people
that ever existed, and they are with us still. Perhaps the