The daily mountaineer. (Dalles, Or.) 1861-1866, 1865-12-06
FIVE YEARS AGo---A RE rROspECT.

the Columbia Basin were hattened by the
the Rock Creek humbug. For many years
previous to that time, the people of the coun-
try had annually INDUCED in gold excite
ment, and rush to some supposed El Dorado,
only to be disappointed, and to return to the
Willamette Valley to hibernate. To doubt
the authenticity of the most mendacious re-
ports on the subject of gold discoveries, was
species Of in6delity not to be tolerated
Somehow or another the public had come to
believe that there must be extensive mines of
gold and silver in the interior, but at the pc
riod Of which we speak, the faith of the people
was somewhat shaken on this point.
Everybody recollects the incredulity mani
tested at the first reports of gold in the Nez
Perces country-that ewildering doubts we're |
succeeded by golden proofs-tbe steamboat
exploration of Snake river, in the spring of
l96l-the discovery of Elk City mines in June
those of Florence, in August, and the i'm
mense rush Of people in consequence, in the
spring of 1862. By the fall of that year, pub
lie expectation was again dampened by the
limited extent of Florence, but was revived by
the Warren's Diggings and Boise discoveries.
In the spring of 1862 the mines in the Blue
Mountains rose to great importance in the
public estimation, but Boise attracted the bulk
| of this population. In June, ls63 came the
discovery of the Owyhee placers, and men
walked over the incalculable treasures of War
Eagle Mountain until nearly winter, before
the discovery of the quartz -lodes therein gave
a new impetus to mining enterprises in that
district. Since then the energies of prospec-
tors have been stimulated by the discovery of
new mining districts, which are only of less
importance than Boise and owyhee, because
they have not yet had the required popula-
tion to develop their dormant wealth.
If we look at the increase in the means o..
transportation on the Columbia River, we
shall find the true index of the relative pros
perity of this section from 1860 to 1855 At
the former period, the Julia and Carrie Ladd
did the work from Portland to Cascades the
Hassaloe and Idaho from the Cascades to the
Dalles, and the little steamer Col. Wright was
2 the only boat employed above the Falls of the
Columbia. On the lower section of the river
, the old stern-wheel steamers have been laid
up, and side-wheel boats of great speed AM
large carrying capacity have been put on thu
f river. The Cascade Portage is crossed by ar
iron railroad instead of the wooden railroad
4 of 1860; between the Cascades and the Dale
! there are boats competent to carry one thou
: sand tons of freight day, and two THOUSAND
!. passengers, and above this point is the rail
10 road to Cello, and nearly q dozen steamer
a on the third section of the river. The ne,
j. steamers on the upper sections of Snak
a and the Columbia, are important auxiliarie
IS to the trade and travel, and the latest enter
Of prise, the steamer for Pen d'oreille. Lake,
Of one more, but not the last, in that series
r undertakings which is designed to popula,
to the Columbia Basin, and connect it with th
ID sea.
I'd The changes in the relations of men to eac
other, and of the community to the world, al
en- even more striking than the developments
IN the country's wealth. Five years ago Il
en- cream of society consisted in large part
'st gay young cavaliers who managed to mai
on tain family, consisting of an aboriginal lat
O. and several sitkum siwashes, by The dextro
10 management Of lasso. About two-thirds
on the population was liable to indictment on I
he charge of confused ideas of the titles to liy
Of stock, and an equal proportion Of the peor