LETTER TO THE EDITOR . . .
By Frank J. Laheney
WALLY NOAKES. center, and Canadian Coast Guard demolition
men are shown with a mine discovered recently on the beach on
San Juan Island by Mr. and Mrs. Noakes and Mr. and Mrs. Morry
Barstad and son of Bonneville while they were rabbit hunting
there on their vacation. After the discovery, they notified authori
ties who had it picked up by the Coast Guard. The mine proved
to be a dud.
P a g e s F rom Our P a st
By Kenneth L. Holmes, writer historian
CHIMNEY ROCK, LANDMARK
ON THE OREGON TRAIL
In 1842 there was published in
an obscure little paper, the West
ern Literary Messenger, in Buffa
lo, New York, a series of articles
entitled, “Life in the Rocky Moun
tains,” by a trapper, Warren An
gus Ferris. Since that time the
story by Ferris of his experiences
in the fur trade has gained a repu
tation as one of the most accurate
and interesting delineations of the
trapper’s life. Among other things
Ferris described many of the scen
ic wonders of the American West.
In travelling over the Oregon Trail
in May 1830 he observed what has
been called the number one at
traction along that great road to
the Pacific Northwest: Chimney
Rock.
Here is Ferris’ description: “We
reached on the following day the
‘Nose Mountain,’ as it is more
commonly called, the ‘Chimney,’
a singular mound, which has the
form of an inverted funnel, is half
a mile in circumference at the
base, and rises to the height of
three hundred feet. It is situated
on the southern margin of the
North Fork of the Platte, in the
vicinity of several high bluffs, to
which it was evidently once at
tached; is on all sides inaccessible,
and appears at the distance of fifty
miles shooting up from the prairie
in solitary grandeur, like the limb
less trunk of a gigantic tree.”
Chimney Rock was noted and
described from then on by virtual
ly everyone who kept a chronicle
of the Oregon trail journey. The
pioneers wrote pages and pages
about the scenic wonder. Chimney
Rock is still there, near Bayard,
Nebraska, but it has deteriorated
somewhat due to the process of
erosion.
A story in the New York Times
for Sunday, July 15, from Bayard,
tells about erosion problems at
the old landmark in some detail.
Chimney Rock now has been made
a National Historic Site and has
come under the jurisdiction of the
Federal Government. When it was
set aside in 1956, according to the
Times article, a requirement was
set up to “reduce livestock graz
ing around the base,” and to help
in other ways to prevent erosion.
There were days when U. S.
cavalry used the rock for target
practice while on the way to Fort
Laramie. All kinds of natural
forces have been at work tearing
at the rocky basin. The materials
of its composition are clay, sand
stone and volcanic ash, and it is
the clay that strips away and ex
poses to disintegration the other
components. Freezing caused a
huge mass, 25 feet high, to crash
down in 1954. In 1958 further dis
integration left two spires where
there has been one before. Then,
not long afterward, lightning
knocked off part of one of these.
Merrill Mattes, regional histor
ian for the National Park Service,
has examined and tabulated 100
reports down through pioneer
times of descriptions of Chimney
Rock by travelers. He says that
it would be a mistake to expect
the rock to go to pieces with great
speed, and he suggests that we
must not “overlook the fact that
the Chimney is still quite massive
and solidly based. . . .Jt will not
last forever, but on the basis of
past performance it seems safe
to predict it will preserve its
unique contours for a good many
centuries.”
Some summer we plan to take
a leisurely and thorough tnp over
the Old Oregon trail and to see
each of the scenic wonders noted
by the pioneers. When that time
comes, we want to be sure to see
Chimney Rock, that "inverted fun
nel" described so vividly by War
ren Ferris long, long ago.
WATCH FOR THE
SPOTTED HORSE
On every side in the West of to
day we see a reminder of the days
long past when there sounded the
spine-tingling cry of the war-
whoop and when there was often
seen the brightly painted Indians
warrior and his horse. This re
minder is the spotted war mount
of the upland Indians, the Appa-
loosa. It was among the Nez Perces
of what is now northern Idaho
and eastern Washington and Ore
gon that the great spotted hores
were bred.
You will usually recognize the
Appaloose by his spots, anywhere
from tiny flecks of dark on light
to great egg-shaped black or roan
blots as big as a man’s fist. Some
times the entire animal is white
and covered with stark spots; oc
casionally he is a solid dark all
over W’ith a white “blanket” over
his hips, and in the white patch
a constellation of dark spots.
Today the Appaloosa is primar
ily a stock horse and one of the
best in the business. The foreman
of the mammoth San Simeon
ranch in California once remarked,
“You can notice the difference
when you come in at night. Here
the terrain is unusually rough and
the Appaloosa’s easy riding quali
ties and good disposition don’t tire
you out. We can compare because
we’ve tried everything.”
The Indian buffalo horse needed
stamina beyond anything imag
ined today. The brave rode bare-
back close into the roaring herd,
alongside the flank of one of the
great shaggy beasts. Here he
gave over complete control to his
horse, except for knee-pressure;
for he needed both hands to shoot
his bow and arrow. When the bow
twanged and the arrow flew, often
with such force as to go right
through the buffalo, the horse had
to veer away at exactly the right
moment to avoid the wounded
animal.
The Appaloosa’s feet are un
like those of any other horse: They
are laminated up and down with
dull black and white layers of dif
ferent texture, making them the
toughest hoof on any horse. This
was of great value to the Indian
horseman, who did not use horse
shoes.
The Appaloosa is not typical of
the usual idea of an Indian pony,
small and wiry, but is a large
horse, standing fifteen hands. Evi
dently the Nez Perces got them
from tribes farther south, who
stole or traded them in turn from
the Spaniards, who had a stable of
the spotted horses in Chihuahua
in old Mexico.
Modem historians have traced
the Appaloosa as a breed back to
ancient Persia and China, where
they were called
"heavenly
horses.” So it is that the newly-re
discovered warhorse of the upland
Indians of our Northwest is real
ly one of the oldest breeds known
to man, older than the Arabian.
The Appaloosa is named after
the Palouse branch of the Nez
Perce tribe, a little group of In
dians that has lived along the Pa-
QUESTION: I am a nurse and
will be 74 years of age in a few
days. I receive a social security
check of $78.00 each month. About
two years ago, I was offered a case
and have been on it all this time.
I earn about $9,000 in a year. I
have been told that I am entitled
to more social security than I am
receiving now. If this is correct,
what procedures do I take?
ANSWER: Yes, you may be en
titled to have the amount of your
social security benefit raised. Con
tact the social security office near
est your home. All social security
benefit amounts are based on the
worker’s average monthly wage.
Whenever a beneficiary goes to
work and earns yearly amounts
that would raise this average, it is
possible to file for a recomputation
and have the benefit amount
raised. However, with the excep
tion of a few cases, it is usually
necessary for the beneficiary to
earn more than $1,200 in a year
before this recomputation appli
cation can be filed.
Thumb Injured
In Saw At Mill
BIRKENFELD — Douglas Bel
lingham had the misfortune to cut
his thumb quite badly while at
work in the mill at Warrenton. He
was running the trim saw. A stick
became lodged in the works and
when he reached to remove it,
the stick moved and threw his
hand into the saw. It is hoped that
his thumb will be saved. He is in
the St. Mary’s hospital in Astoria.
Friday, his mother, Mrs. Art Bel
lingham and Jim and Mrs. George
Richardson went to see him.
Wm. Bridgers of Vernonia cal
led on the Francis Larsons Wed
nesday evening.
Debra Larson is staying with
her grandmother, Mrs. Willard
Garlock at Warrenton, assisting
her with the household duties
while she is recuperating from an
injured knee which she received
while picking berries. She has a
broken bone and her leg is in a
cast.
Editor,
The Spotlight.
Scappoose, Oregon.
To The Editor:
By both mail ana telephone, I
have invited Republican Congress
man Walter Norblad to debate the
major issues of the campaign with
Winners Listed
For Horse Show
In the Jamboree horse show,
winners were as follows for four
places in each event: Senior Texas
barrel, Everett Fremaen, St. Hel
ens, Kathy Dudley, St. Helens,
John Siedelman and Don Matney,
Goble; junior Texas barrell, Gary
Wells, Hillsboro, Gary Nelson, Go
ble, Gary Thompson, Hillsboro,
Lee Wells, Hillsboro; junior jun
ior Texas barrell. Gale Thompson,
Hillsboro and David Siedelman.
Senior keyhole: Everett Free
man, John Siedelman, Pam Lou-
signont, Clatskanie, Eleanor Mat
ney; junior keyhole: Gary Thomp
son, Rose Marie Siedelman, San
dra Moilanen, Clatskanie, Gary
Nelson; junior junior keyhole,
David Siedelman, Gale Thompson.
Musical sacks: Bob Thompson
and Archie Dass, John Holier and
Dorothy Wells, Hillsboro, Sherrill
Tarbell and Judy Morris, St. Hel
ens, John Siedelman and Rose
Marie Siedelman.
Senior sack roping: Francis
Wright and Bill Pond, John Sie
delman and Archie Dass, Everett
Freeman and Ray Nelson.
Senior bell barrel, Archie Dass,
Gary Johnston, Mike Hobart, Er
nie Fredricks; junior Gary Thomp
son, Benny Benson, Gary Nelson,
Rose Marie Siedelman.
Buck and squaw: John and Rose
Marie Siedelman, Archie Dass and
Tootie Hays, Terry Lousignont
and Ginger Harris, Bill Pond and
Terry Owen.
Senior musical rope: John Sie
delman, Archie Dass, Richard
Thompson, Pam Lousignont.
Junior boot race: Lee Wells,
Gary Wells, Gary Thompson; jun
ior junior boot race, Gale Thomp
son, David Siedelman.
High point trophy winners in
each division were: Senior, John
Siedelman; junior, Gary Thomp
son and junior junior, Gail Thomp
son.
Oernonia Ea-jle
me in the 10 counties of the first
district.
The epublican Congressman has
refused to publicly discuss any is
sues with me. I feel this is an un
fortunate decision on his part. Ap
parently the Republican National
Committee also feels it an unfor
tunate decision. In their June
meeting in Seattle, the National
Republican leadership passed a
resolution encouraging political
debates in the forthcoming cam
paign.
If the Republican Congressman
is proud of his Congressional re
cord and proud of the Party’s
stand on major issues, he should
welcome an opportunity to fully
explain them before the voters of
the district.
In the interest of a more enlight
ened electorate, I hope my Repub
lican friend changes his mind and
accepts my challenge to debate. If
your readers agree that debating
issues is a proper and desireable
campaign technique, I hope they
will take it upon themselves to
write Congressman Norblad in
Washington, D.C. urging him to
do so.
Sincerely,
/ s / Blaine Whipple
Democratic Candi
date for Congress
First District
THURSDAY, AUG. 16, 1962
Fourth Granddaughter
Visited by Falconers .
TIMBER ROUTE — Mr. and
Mrs. Wm. Falconer and Mrs. Nell
Thacker motored to Hillsboro Sun
day to pay a visit to Mr. and Mrs.
Falconer's new granddaughter,
daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Marlyn
Eide. The baby was born at the
Tuality hospital Saturday after
noon and weighed in at 8 pounds
and 9 ounces. She joins three sis
ters who are at present being cared
for by Mrs. Claude Gibson Jr. on
Timber Rt.
Visiting Mr. and Mrs. Gilbert
Beal over the week end were their
son and family, Mr. and Mrs. Dave
Ridderbush and children from Se
attle, Wash, and friends Mr. and
Mrs. Reed from Central, Calif.
Mrs. Vera Miller was hostess for
a Stanley party last Thursday af
ternoon. Among those attending
were Mrs. Mae Wienecke, Mrs.
Buddy Jones and two sons and
Mrs. Billy Jenkins and daughter.
The demonstrator was Laverne
Mastel from Beaverton.
Calling on Mrs. Linwood Reyn
olds last week were: Mrs. Los
Horsley and her sister, Mrs. Wood-
row Stanley, Mrs. Lester Shafer,
Mrs. Wayne Akers and daughter,
Mrs. Lyle Wilkins, Mrs. Keith
Lady: “Our dog is just like one Harris, Mr. and Mrs. Mark J. Mil
ler and Rev. Wm. Amstong.
of the family.”
Mr. and Mrs. Carl Snyder mo
Visitor: “Which one?”
tored to Portland Monday to visit
U. S. Savings BondS help to her sister’s family, the Bert Wards,
guard our legacy of Freedom. Buy and other relatives from Iowa
who were visiting the Wards.
THAT EXTRA BOND TODAY!
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5 KING’S Grocery-Market Ï
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X "Wh*r* Your Monty Buy»
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Riverview
Mor*"
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ALWAYS — Top Quality
ALWAYS — Best Prices
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ALWAYS — Phone
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and Delivery
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independent grocer firX
H —From your home-owned
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FOR
THE
------------ 1
OF
COLUMBIA
COUNTY
louse river, which flows from the
Idaho panhandle into eastern
Washington. Sam Fisher, the last
of the great Indian horse breeders,
died a few years ago at the age
of 97. When asked just before his
death how the Indians valued
their spotted horses, he replied,
“One Appaloosa; truck-load other
horses.”
Necessity is not only mother of
invention—it is also the reason
a great many people have to do
their own odd jobs.
THREE BIG DAYS
ROUGH - - - TOUGH - - -
Thai's what summer driving is on your car
. . . and we suggest regular service to avoid
breakdowns . . .
UNION MINUTE MAN SERVICE
BO B'S
U N IO N S E R V IC E
AUGUST 23-24-25
Free Circus
Horse Shows
4-H Demonstrations and Judging
H
Deer Island Fairgrounds
W :
x
At the Mil* Bridge | |
State Auxiliary
President Busy
Mrs. T. M. H obart'state presi
dent for the auxiliary of the Os
teopathic Society has been assist
ing with arrangements for the
meeting in Portland of the auxil
iary to the American Academy of
Osteopathic Surgeons whose na
tional convention extended from
Monday through Thursday of this
week.
Recently, Dr. and Mrs. Hobart
and Dr. and Mrs. J. W. Buell en
tertained about 30 doctors, their
wives and families, for a total of
about 70, here for a day of golf,
swimming and picnicking. Wea
ther failed to interrupt golf, but
rain sprinkles just as the picnic
lunch at the golf club was about
ready forced them to move it
quickly to the Hobart home.
5