r.
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HWlWBBBBHSSSaS
.'.iiiiu'.mggfiggewji'.'iuiJiiiiiiniumMi
1ClK 5t'cnt Tinmen. Cotuilru
Covers nn nrcn of 0,428,800 nnct of
land, 4,0.11,001 ncros yet vncnnt nnblcct
to entry under tho imbllc Innd laws of
thu United Btntea.
TlioOIUclnl rnporol llnrnoy County,
linn llio Inrgctt clirtilntlnu and Is ono ot
thu lict ndvertlalng mediums In KailfMi
Orogon,
VOL. XXII
BUKNS, HARNEY COUNTY, OHEGON, FEBRUARY
NO. 13
, w-AVM
Qjkp
b 111 ilvlCF VllUJo
18, UOI)
THE HARNEY COUNTRY
"Old Man" Bennett Takes in Sights
And Tells Journal About it
SUGGESTS DRAINING THE LAKES
Simple Reclamation Project to Cut Drainage Canal Through
Bed of South Pork Thus Opening to Settlement Alany
Thousand Acres of Rich SoilMay Stacks .Thick as Plies.
The following loiter is from the
pen of Addison Bennett and was
published in last Sunday's Port
land Journal. It was accompan
ied by a view of Burns taken
from near the fair grounds that
showed up backwards ami was
altogether "bum". Had we
known the "Old Man" had such
a picture in his possession he
never would have left the Great
Harney Country alive:
I am sitting before an open
grate fire at the P ranch, which
is situated in the west center of
section G, township 20 south,
range 32 east. In other words,
I am almost exactly 1HG miles
south and 192 miles east of
Portland, and almost due south
of Pendleton.
How I came here and some of
the things I saw and the impres
sions I gathered on the way, I
will attempt to tell you.
I left Burns on the morning of
January 25. I had a good team
and a good strong buggy, suitable
for long drives, and a driver who
knows the country, and whose
conversation entertained and at
the same time enlightened me
upon the surroundings. This
young man is known as "Tex"
but his real name is William G.
Reade, aVirginian by birth, but
much of his life has been spent
in, New York city, where he was
employed by the erratic Hyde, of
the Eiuitable Insurance compa
ny. When that company went
through the throseof revolution,
prosecution and reorganization,
and Mr. Hyde was cast adrift,
"Trv" pjimn out here and is
growing up with the country.
He is everything from buckarro
to cook, from driver to manager,
from haymaker to private secre
tary. But he never finds time
to do'quite enough for his em
ployers, and of such are the com
ing successful men of the west.
If you will look on a good map
of.Oregon you 'will see sticking
out from west to east a few miles
south of Burns, a long narrow
point, extending from
10 to 12 1
miles into .the valley
This is!
called Wright's point, and it
sticks out into that portion of I
TIfirnnvlikoa soretoe. Towards'
this formation or obstruction we
headed, and while it seemed close
at hand, we were three or four I
hours reaching it. There is a
good road winding-up one side
and down tho other, the cross
ing being abjut midway of its
length.
It is a peculiar formation, sim
ply a pile of rocks and earth 10
miles long, from 100 to 300 yards
wide, with precipitous sides, but
almost level on top. It is about
200 feet from the level of the
valley to its summit.
From the top of this point a
wonderful view stretches away
before us to the south, and to thf
east the valley extended as far
as the eye could reach.
Once across the point and into
what might be called another
valley we found we were in a
different atmosphere, a different
climate. Back of us the roads
were stiflly frozen, the snow lay
to a depth of several inches, tho
grasp of winter was evident on
every hand; and as we passed
myriads of cattle, so too, we had
passed 'countless haystacks and
tho lowing herds were gathered
around upon the high places, se
curing their rations of the succu
lent hay.
To the south of tho point much
was changed. Tho soil was more
sandy, the atmosphere was sev
eral degrees warmer, the snow
was but a partial covering to tho
ground, and many cattle wero
nipping tho dried grass on all
sides of us. And hero were tho
homes of many settlers. Some
of the buildings wero quite pre
tentious two in particular would
do credit to any of the second
rate cities in the state.
Soon we passed a schoolhouso.
It was tho noon hour and tho
scholars were at play. There
were 17 of them, several'of them
being young men from 18 to 21
or over. And the schoolhouso!
It was a building not over 10x12
feet in size, a little board shanty.
I did not go in to see how it was
seated, heated and ventilated.
But 1 learned that it is a good
school, and the term is eight
months.
Pretty soon we came to the
edge of Malheur lake and before
us spread a wonderful panorama
the cattle and haystacks dot
ting the "lake" over like Hies at
a summer hotel. For the lake is
only a lake during the flood sea
son in the spring. Then its 100
square miles sometimes much
more covered with water from
an inch or two to soveral feet in
depth. Along in May or June
tho waters recede, the grass
springs up apace, haymaking be
gins and hundreds of thousands
of tons of fine hay are put up to
be sold to the cattle owners in
the winter.
We passed through a narrow
neck between Lakes Malheur and
Harney, but tho latter to the
west, is a body of water rather
blackish and not fish producing,
of some GO square miles in ex
tent, and these two lakes are the
reservoir into which the drainage
of something like 15,000 square
miles of territory (lows.
By the examination of a map
you will see that the south fork
of the Malheur river reaches very
nearly to Malheur lake, and its
further ancient bed can be traced
to the borders of the lake itself,
showing conclusively that at some
remote period this vast country
was a great inland sea, its outlet
being through the south fork to
the Snake. But in some of the
convulsions or convolutions of
nature a hole was knocked in the
bottom of Harney lake, the sea
was drained, cut oil from the
Snake, and tens of thousands of
acres of fertile soil were added
to the land area of the world.
One of the simple reclamation
projects of the future will ho to
cut a drainage chancl through
the bed of the south fork, and
thus drain Malheur - lake. At
the same time a simple irrigation
scheme could ho devised and an
annual water supply could be
given to the 0 100 acres of lake
bed, and this soil is so rich that
no man would dare venture an
opinion of its worth. It is de
cayed vegetable deposit -o the
depth of eight to ten feet, and
would assuredly make as produc
tive land as can be found at the
same altitude about -1000 feet
any place- in the country.
Passing down across the bridge
between the two lakes and then
eastward about half a mile, we
came to a place called Narrows
where there was perhaps a dozen
houses, and as is generally known
a postoflico,
We met with a great surprise
here at this remote point, whore
freight has to be hauled in from
Ontario, almost 1C0 miles, for
here is the largest stock of goods
in this whole section, borne say
that it is larger than any gener
al stock in Burns, but Burns peo
ple resent this statement. So
wo will not enter that controver
sy. Anyhow, the Narrows mer
chant, Charles A. Haines, is a
pushing enterprising chap, and
lie has builtupa wonderful trado
there. His storo is of rather
good size, perhaps 125 feet in
length, and it is jammed ho full
that he has left barely room for
himself, his clerks or his custom
ers to get around through tho
gangway. Ho heads ofT most of
tho trado from tho southern por
tion of tho county. As ono fel
low remarked to mo, "tho only
dollars that get past Haines lmvo
wings.
Mr. Haines is tho postmaster
of tho place, tho counsellor, guido
and friend of the neighborhood
and tho political factotum who
never leads but whom all are
willing to follow. Thoy poll about
100 votes at the town, and Mr.
Haines could influence this vote
to a great extent if ho would, for
peoplo beliovo in him. But ho is
a business man, ono of tho best
in Orogon, has built up a hand
some fortune, is content to go in
like a business man and leave
politics alone.
It is said tlmfcMr. Haines novcr
refuses any decent man credit
and never loses a dollar. Ho
would just as soon trust you three
vcars as three days, for peoplo
would sooner cheat the under
taker than Haines.
After a brief rest at the Nar
rows we drove out about five
miles to the Sod House, a ranch
just on the Southern border of
Malheur lake. Sod House is one
of the old French-Glen properties
the first I had visited. But
ono traveling over this country
must depend upon tho ranches,
and the larger ones all have guest
rooms and fine accommodations.
However, they have no registers
and present no bills. At least so
1 have found it, and yet tho
"keep" and tho rooms are better
than any small hotel can give.
We remained all night at Sod
House, the guests of Mr. and
Mrs. Morrison. Mr. Morrison is
an old timer and was for years
a stage driver in tho Sumpter-Canyon-Burns
route. I found
him full of infoi million and spent
a very pleasant evening under
his hospitable roof or rather in
the neat, tidy and comfortable
guest house adjoining. I had a
fellow guest, Mr. Post, of the
geological survey, who is going
over the country making stream
measurements, putting in water
gauges, etc. Ho is a very pleas
ant gentleman and will soon be
able to give more accurate, scien
tific information about the water
supply of tho Malheur basin than
has ever before been made pub
lic. We loft the Sod House yester
day (Tuesday) morning about
8 o'clock, and nfter going west a
mile or so out of tho lane we en
tered a "little" pasture field con
taining about 14,000 acres. It is
called tho sagebrush field and ex
tends clear across tho valley.
And, by the way, just down its
eastern edge flowsi into Malheur
lake the Dunder and Blitzen riv
er, up which wo arc to travel
for many, many miles.
There is but little snow in tho
valley, the pasturage is good, the
green grass showing at the base
of each sagebrush or grease wood
nlant. Over to the southwest
lies Stein's mountains, tho sum
mit being some 11,500 feet et
ernally snow capped. All the
day before we had been driving
toward these mountains, and
still they seem as elusive, as dis
tant as the mythical pot of gold
at the base of the rainbow.
Passing on south soon we came
to the place whero 11 years ago
on the 20th of December Peter
French, the master mind of tho
French-Glen company, was kill
ed, and the spot where he fell
from his horse, his brain pierced
by a bullet, is plainly marked.
The story of this shooting as told
me by various persons is but the
repetition of like tales enacted in
all big countries.
It is no use to speculate on
what might have been, no use to
moralize on thequestionsof right
and wrong; nothing can he gain
ed by calling ita murder commit
ed in cold blpqd, or but tho over
to bo expected result of a domin
eering, masterful crusade for
wealth and power, When in af
ter years tho full history of range
wars is written tho story can bo
stripped of partisanship and tho
cold, hard facts given to tho
public.
For miles and miles, hour after
hour, wo drove through tho "lit
tlo" sagebrush field. Sometimes
we wero entirely hidden by n for
est of huge sagebrush, much of
it being bo high that a man sit
ting on a liorso might ride
through it unseen. Then came
other miles of greasewood and
farther great areas of wild rye,
much of it eight and ten feet
high.
Continued on page four.
OT ATI? TJYTTT
Must a Great Empire Wait the Whim
of Small Group of Capitalists
PUT US IN TOUCH WITH OUTSIDE
Best Business Men in State Willing to Act in Matter for the
State Without Pay Solution of Oregon's Humiliating and
Backward ConditionMost Neglected of Any Part of U. S.
There is no question half so
important to the present and fu
ture of this state as thai of rail
roads, says tho Portland Journal.
Irrigation, forests, fields, mills,
factories all wait upon trans
portation. For tho stale to say
it will construct wagon roads nnd
county roads, dredge rivers, op
en waterways and yet refuse to
construct the most important
link in this chain railroads is
neither consistent nor wise.
We see the tremendous growth
of our sister state of Washing
ton. Why? Because of its rail
roads. Back of Tacoma and
Seattlo lies eastern Washington,
with its large cities and abund
ant population rapidly growing;
while eastern Oregon, a larger
territory and fully equal to east
em Washington in natural oppor
tunities, lies today an open de
sertthe region most neglected
of railroads of any part of tho
United States.
This brings us with all the
force of the instinct of self-preservation
to the questien: Most
a great empire wait tho pleasure
the whim, if you please of a
single individual, a small group
of non-resident capitalists? There
is no plan, none in the world,
which is not of better economic
and commercial logic than to (viz, the people and
continue to occupy this helpless1 the state of Oregon
and humiliating position.
There is still another sugges-
tinn. Mr. Hm-rimmi bus mil-
lions of Oreiron-made money to
fiirht. his rivals and to develop
still further the state of Wash-
inglon. Can there be any plan
which oennnmiwillv and commor-
ciallv is worse than for this state
to sit helpless as a wooden idol
while from its toil and soil and
products 'tribute money is paid to
prevent oth.-r roads from coining
into the state for its relief ? Sudi
an antagonism of interest be-
tweeu this stale and the private
corporations controlled by Mr.
Hnmmn.tiRii.slfl n rndienl ono-
nomic conflict.
A word as to tho merits of tho
plan are now before the legisla
ture: The prejudice against
state-aided or municipal-aided
railroads was a proper one upon
old-time facts. Grafters and
manipulators procured from state
legislatures or city councils large
bonuses or bond guarantees as
pure gift. Nothing was ever re
ceived by state or city in return.
The proposed amendment con
templates state construction for
the suite's own benefit, leasing,
if wise, to private corporations
for n rental never to ho less than
interest nnd ail uxed
charges,
and a sinking fund to retire any
indebtedness, and the state to
control tho reasonable rates and
service. If aid is granted to a
private corporation, tho state is
to bo in full control until that
aid is repaid, principal and inter
est, and if the slate itself takes
over tno road, which a may no
at its option, tho aid granted
shall bo deducted from tho pur
chase price. No stnto construct
ed road shall over bo sold.
Under these guarantees and
in our riper experience, it is dif
ficult to seo how tho private
grafting railroad can gel a foot
hold; and il must bo remembered
that tl" alato always has the
power to condemn nnd take over
any railroad. It in folly for us,
confronted with a feudal tyranny
which holds this great sovereign
stalo aB vassal, waiting the good
pleasuro of a few men, to bo
frightened at that ovil which
caused tho restrictive clauses of
our state constitution, but which
ovil, being now Been and under
stood, is perfectly in our own
control.
Tho Oregoninn in an editorial
suggests that Mr. Hnrriman will
welcome this proposed plan, be
Tk T ATT T?f A Tk
t I r
cause after the road is built ho
will take it over at less than cost
and meanwhile ho will freeze it
out. Tho answer to tho first of
these objections is Hint the state
cannot sell. Mr. Hnrriman can
not take the road over at any
price, save as a leased property
under Btrict conditions of lease,
ono of which conditions is a ren
tal sufficient to pay all interest
and to create a sinking fund to
liquidate all debt.
The answer to the other objec
tion is that tho interstate com
merce net regulates all inter
change of traffic and if the state
of Oregon cannot in its own in
terest regulate the traffic within
its own borders it ought to suffer.
There is not a road proposed but
will abundantly pay from local
traffic. Look at the Columbia
Southern. Think of the timber
alone Oregon has to haul. Look
at tho profits Oregon pays every
year to Mr. Ilarriman from roads
wholly within its territory. If
Mr, Ilarriman should attempt to
squeeze the state of Oregon, we
are afraid he would occupy the
position oi tho bull which con
tested right of way with the
locomotive. Oregon has the same
credit to build on that Mr. Har
riman's bonds ultimately rest on,
resources of
If Mr. Hnrriman does truly
look with favor on this plan, The
Journal is glad, for then there
will not only be no opposition
open or secret from railroad in
fluence, but that powerful in
fluence, will for the first time be
working hand in hand with the
long neglected Oregon people,
The Journal is reliably informed
'that the best business men of the
I state are willing if wanted, to
act in tho matter for tho state
without pay. All the state is
back of this movement, both tho
I business men and the farmers,
,mid it behooves every man nnd
levorv newspaper in the state to
think long before he opposes this
solution of Oregon's humiliating
and backward condition.
I.IVn STOCK ON HARMS.
It should bo the aim of every
farmer to convert his product, so
far as possible, into live stock.
Every farmer, no matter where
he is located nor what may bo
tho condition of his farm, should
givo some attention to live stock
raising.
Tho proper finished product of
tho farm is livestock. Tho origi
nal raw materials are the land.
j tho grain tho muscle and brain
nnd industry of the farmer. If
tho operation is hnlted half way
then tho farmer is able to sell oft
his grain, hay, roots, fruit 'or
vegetables.
But tho real finished product is
I cattle, hogs, sheep, chickens,
I wool, etc.
lt has been assumed by far too
many that tho semi-arid region
is not at all adapted to caltlo and
hogs. In tho first place it is as
sumed that whero tho soil is very
dry tho easiest crops are thoso
of small grain and fodder. But
in fact tho fodder and forago of
tho dry country is so far super
ior in qunlity to that of tho more
humid sections that there is no
comparison. Every ono knows
that tho quality of grain in a dry
year is tho best possible. Some
times an npparcntly scant crop
of hay in tho dry country is real
ly very vnluablo for feeding pur
poses. But however that may
bo it is certain that in tho dry
country ns olsowhoro tho farmer
should look forwnrd to markot
ing "on tho hoof" so far ns pos
sible all his farm produce
It is also truo that practically
in all parts of tho dry country,
corn enn bo grown to advantage,
"' y of the fodder crops do
exceedingly well. There are root
crops, also, that are of value in
dairy farming. Tho dry country
is not strictly and solely a wheat
country.
But this must bo borne in mind
by the farmer in tho dry coun
try, that the nil-important thing
is to so cultivate tho ground that
good crops are grown every year J
Farming in the dry country is
intensive farming. It means
thorough work. It means that
tho ground must be well tilled.
It means scientific soil culture
whether under thnt or Borne oth
er name.
Farming in the dry country
means increased yields on every
acre and the most out of the
farms.
Tho farmer Bets out to do thor
ough work on his farm and he
gets largo yields of grain and
fodder and roots. It is an easy
matter, perhaps, to market them
and turn the crop into cash; but
tho wise farmer will begin add
ing cattle and hogs and perhaps
sheep, chickens, goats or horses.
The gain in the long run will be
immense.
Then there is the added advan
tage that the farm is being con
stantly enriched. The soil of
the live stock farm is the soil
that will last longest and gain all
the time. There is not now and
never has been any doubt what
ever of the value of retaining all
fertilizing material on the farms.
This is just as true of the dry
country ns of any other country.
Look ahead, then, to a time
when you can have live slock on
your farm. It will pay. Camp
bell's Scientific Farmer.
Blue prints of any township in
Burns Land District, showing
name of entryman, date and kind
of entry, topography, etc., $1.00
each. Piatt T. Randall, Burns,
Ore.
Edison Phonographs and re
cords for sale at Lunaburg &
Dalton's.
Walt G. Clevenger is in the
city from Burns. He reports
Harney county prospering, and
everything bright for a prosper
ous year. Ontario Argus.
A Common Cold.
We claim that if catching cold
could be avoided some of the
most dangerous and fatal dis
eases would never be heard of.
A cold often forms a culture bed
for germs of infectious diseases.
Consumption, pneumonia, diph
theria and scarlet fever, four of
the most dangerous and fatal
diseases, are of this class. The
culture bed formed by the cold
favors the development of the
germs of these diseases, that
would not otherwise find lodge
ment There is little danger,
however, of any of these diseas
es being contracted when a good
expectorant cough medicine like
Chamberlain's Cough Remedy is
used. It cleans out these cul
ture beds that favor the devel
opment of tho germs of these
disenses. That is why this rem
edy has proved so universally
successful in preventing pneu
monia. It not only cures your
cold quickly, but minimizes tho
risk of contracting these danger
ous diseases. for saie uy an
good Dealers.
1809
February 12
1909
-
v
:
Died April IS, 1865.
Adnm George
Ki'ttfftAti MIL' "
List your property with the Inland j
Empire Realty Co. if you desire a quick sale or trade
Employment Agency
8
Brown's Satisfactory Store.
You certainly are interested
in the largest and most com
plete Stock of New Fall and
Winter Goods carried in the
Interior.
We are showing everything
new, no exceptions and to buy
early at our place means a
better selection. Ladies cloaks
and waists Direct Importation
N. BROWN &' SONS,
Burns, Oregon.
!:'::js:ius.:::::m::j:::a::tym:::::::::t::tmt::::tJiM'-:tnnmmttt it
The Harney Valley Brewing Co.
ManufticturiTH of
3F-o.:r- Soda "HffiTsirtej?
Pnmlly Trade Solicited Free Delivery
T. E. JENKINSRAanager
THE CAPITAL SALOON,
TKIHGII & DONEQAN, Proprietors.
Bums, - - Oregon.
Wines. Liquors and Cigars.
Billiard and Peel Tables.
Club Rooms in Connection.-
& i
.3
BETTER Alii)
... "u'llnaAS
CHEAPER THAU
1.,'ACHCALLY
Inlestrncllble
AHI
STOKE
Soncl for
Prlco List &
Circulars.
MANUI'ACTV.I'n v
MONUMENTAL bhONZE COMPANY,
jmiDa ui-oux. cor) i. .
8
S&hlS&x
Mm-
Ovor OOO mUltfH
Doautlful JKtiiiisi
DoalgriB. Aht.Nhi
tim:::mt tm:::m::::mH:t:;::::m::w::j.m:::nm:n:!::mn:r.:::m:::tmmjmmt
The OVERLAND HOTEL
Burns, Oregon
Afford the Best Accommodations
to be had in Harney County
Gl.EHN ROOMS, CLEN lilNNEN, PALATABLE VICTUALS
The patronage of nil guests under the old management
especially sylicited.
lESates per d.a,3r, 1.25
Henderson
!i!!i:n:::j:!!::.;:::i:::!:::m:!!:j:::::::njt:::et:t::t:m:t::mnm:mmtu:::tmm:tmi
Tor I hut Terrible Itchinir.
Eczema, titter and salt rheum
keep their victims in perpetual
torment. Tho application of
Chamberlain's Salvo will instant
ly allay this itching, and many
eases lmvo been cured by its use.
For sale by all good dealers.
Tho Inland Empire Realty Co.
lmvo cash buyers for 10,000 grain
and Imv lands. Prices must bo
right SEE US.
V. T. Lester
1
:;
M. i. LEWIS
Will be glad to furnish
PARTICULARS
and PRICES
To anyone desiring
INFORMATION.
See his Handsome
DESIGNS.
binott, B-'ropt. H
mm
ARMS
' s:'; I v nil progressive
lmiJwcro nnJ Sporting
Gsotls It"crc!iants
n.'u!
7M..V JWAllfl'S t, ntiiil ejlorl
--"CUr-a AND CUNNING"
wll lio innlUil ati'tii.l t nn
ailleiiutliy J.brUkM Ai "J'
. Tioi, CoMr-A.w, CM.o;ho
1 alls, Ala.- , u(in
r."ctl.tii Um
IV i , irimcriiH
t nf"t .r 'Occuts,
i .iUWu
Llt. '0 tc Is,
'o
p
J. Si ) .2
ARMS ft TOOL CO.
P.O.Di J
Okc iU!l...
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