, 1864-02-13
THE WASHINGTON STATESMAN
MORNING, FEB. IS, 1864.
From the Bitter Root countrv.

Mr.. W. W. johnson, who has just returned
from the Bitter Root country, gives US the
following items of interest:
The winter there has been more severe
than with us, there being eighteen inches of
snow on the 8th of an. in He'll Gate Ronde,
and the thermometer stood at AGO below ze-
ro on the 4th of Jan. On the 11th it had
moderated, and, judging from the effects of
two weeks rain on the mountains, the snow
at He'll Gate must have disappeared The
streams along the Mullan road were up to
even banks and the sides ofthe mountain
spurs were nearly bare. From ten miles
west of the Occur d'Alene Mission to the
Spokane Prairie there was not over six in
ches of snow, and for the remainder of the
distance to Snake River the ground was
bare.
At He'll Gate, on the evening before Christ
mas, man named Charles Baker, alias G.
Young, shot three Indians. Baker had
married squaw belonging to party ofSpo-
kane Indians some three weeks previous,
and on the evening in question undertook
to chastise her for meddling with cat be-
longing him. Her brother interfered and
struck Baker over the eye with pick han
die, whereupon Baker went after his shot
gun and the Indian " changed his base" and
retreated to his lodge. Baker fired into the
Lodge, wouuding the Indian, squaw and a
papoose some FIVE years ofage. The Indian
retaliated by firing his rife into Bakers
house, whereupon Baker introduced load
of buck-shot into the Indians body, materi-
ally affecting his digestion. The white set
tiers then arrested Baker and kept him un-
til the Indian showed some signs Of recov-
cry when he was released to wait for some
thing to turn up. Baker then sold out his
property, invested it in Cayuses and started
for the Blackfoot Nation.
At Fort Owen the snow was about foot
deep, while at Willow creek, Is miles fur
ther up the St. Mary's valley, its depth was
only three or four inches-not enough to
cover up the grass.
At Willow creek a party had just been
brought in from the Bitter Root Mountains,
on the Southern Nez Perce's trail, who were
caughtin the snow and nearly starved to
death. The circumstances are as follows -
On the 9th of Oct. the party, consisting Of
Messrs. Daniel Mckinney, P. K Young,
NJ. Adams John Murphy and NJ. Sol. Keys
left Elk City for the Sinking Water mines,
with a small train of pack animals. They
travelled slowly and met with snow storm
on the Clearwater mountain sixty miles from
Elk City. Here they lightened up their an
imals by cacheing part of their load. They
lost the trail and Adams, Murphy and Keys
left on the 23d to come through to the Bitter
Root valley to get fresh animals and grain
and return to help Mckinney and Young
out with the pack animals. As they were in
a sort of opening where the animals could
get some little feed, Messrs. Mckinney and
Young stayed there ten days awaiting the
return of Mr. Adams and his party At the
end of that time, Mr. Adams not appearing
and provisions being nearly exhausted they
took three animals and started on, having
only eight pounds Of -four, three quarters of
a pound of beans, quater Of pound Of ba-
con and as much dried apples as to last un.
til they got out. Losing the trail, they had
to abandon the three horses on the 9Th Of
November.
Wandering on they found the trail on the
14th and heard the noise of chopping in the
ravine below, but could not tell the direction
whence it came They fred off their gun
but Adams could not hear it. The next
morning they struck the fresh trail Of Ad-
ans and Murphy, who had passed the day
before, off the regular trail Weak and
starved as they were it was impossible for
them to overtake Adams, so they continued
on toward the valley, and baked up their
last -four the same evening. They dragged
themselves along at the rate Of two or three
miles day from this time until the 29th
Nov, subsisting on the scrapings of the
-four sack 60 spoonfuls) and one grouse, then
exhausted they laid themselves on the snow
to die, but were found on the lst December
by Adams, who with Messrs. Murphy and
Loveland had been back as far as the 3 ami
mails which they had abandoned last and had
followed back on the trail and thus found
them. Being so emaciated as to be unable
to walk, Mr.. Loveland stayed with them
while Adams and Murphy returned to Will
low creek, some so miles, for more help to
bring them in, which being procured they
were brought in to Willow Creek on hand
barrows on the 23d Of December.
Mr.. Young had his great toes and fingers
frozen and Mr.. Mckinney had his hands
and feet both frozen,-his feet were partly
mortified, and being a man Of some fifty
years Of age, his recovery is somewhat
doubtful, his body being almost skele-
ton ten days after his arrival at Mr.. VIM.
Rodgers where he is being cared for as