The new Northwest. [volume] (Portland, Or.) 1871-1887, 1874-11-20
EDITORIAL CORRESPONDENCE.

travelling up the Columbia on board the
o. S. y. Company's steamer Tenino,
where, as a guest of the Company, we
were sumptuously entertained, as indeed |
was everybody else-and their name was
legion-whO found themselves aboard
the well-ordered craft, bound for Una
tilla, Wallula and Walla Walla.
1t was near night when we landed at
Umatilla, and therefore SO late as to
make stemming the rapids q difficult
matter in the coming darkness so our
captain decided to remain till morning.
Umatilla sits ragged, forlorn, wind
worn and desolate, upon sandy slope,
overlooking the wild Columbia and
still wilder rocks and plains that sur
round it. Sand drifts like snow banks,
lie heaped up on the street crossings.
Lo, the inevitable Indian, sits in his
wigwam under the lee side of rock
teamsters with their prairie sehooners
and jaded teams are cooking theit food
by a sage bush fire merchants with
hats drawn over their eyes TO avoid the
cobble stones that otherwise might fill
them, go hurrying to and fro-for busi-
ness is brisk when the boats are in, and
Umatilla transacts heavy exchange
with the upper country "-by which
we hope nobody will imagine that we
mean heaven.
As soon as our worthy steamer was
moored for the night, it was decided
that we should give lecture upon the
"Woman Question" Mine host of the
Wilson hotel, and his amiable wife,
kindly rendered the use OF the hotel
Office for a lecture room, and we all
gathered around roaring fire, to listen
to the gospel of peace and good will from
within, and the roar of the elements
from without. An hour and half thus
passed very pleasantly, and then-the
lecture and the gale having subsidized
the travellers went back to the boat and
the citizens to their homes, to talk over
the Woman Question and make COM
ments upon drifting sand hills.
The next morning, bright and early,
found US on our way, toiling up the
rapids nd through the great, wild wastes
of dreary upland, now used only fol
grazing, with here and there forlorn
hope of a farmhouse where a solitary
woman stands gazing at the steamer
, from the wind-worn stoop, looking a:
though the monotony of solitude had in
crusted her in an impenetrable veil o
|, reticence. When the history Of the
"Women of the Border shall be writer
and everywhere properly appreciated
many hitherto unknown heroine, VIII,
stood guard in the front of the wilder
ness while humanity was filling up tht
vast expanse ofacreage behind her, viii
form fit theme for flowery pens lik,
Addie L. Ballou's.
Half-past \. NJ. found us at "gale-torr
. Waliula," which has, during the pas
three years, increased in proportion a.
Cmatilla has diminished.
Our former townsman, Mr.. Peabody
is here doing lively business as agent
for the o. :. y. Company, and with
his family, enjoying excellent health
Halted for a little while, and then en-.
: joycd the hospitality of the Northwest
ern Stage Company, who favored Vi
with = ride TO Walla Walla.
Stopped first at the Slime house, on,
. Of the finest hotels in the Northwest
and the next morning removed to th,
Oriental, where we had personal friends
Mr.. and Mrs. Cook are old hands a
= hotel business, and are making our sta,
very comfortable.
Would like to tell you something
about the staging from WalIula, but W,
remember the story of the man with tn
: wagon-bed full of shelled corn and for
= bear. This man, as our readers know
was very profane Individual, and wa
. quite "gifted" in that line when pro
> voked. He was a driving up steep hill
' with load of corn one day, when, un
beknown TO himself, although seen b,
! others, the gate fell out of the back en-,
. of the wagon, allowing all the corn to b
spilled on the hillside. Everybody ex
y pected an unusual volley of profanity
ie but to their surprise the farmer sur
I" veyed the scene and made no comment
, "Why don't you ?" queried on
f" with merry twinkle in his eye
le "I couldn't do the subject justice,
:, :, was the quiet answer. Our readers ca
II see the point.
g Whitman Station is the half-wa
~ house and present terminus of tn
! Walla Walla and Wallula railroad.
'e allow often do you make throug
- - trips?" queried a traveller, who sough
:. information from one of the railroa
er bosses.
= "Tri-weekly," was the reply. Ther
ie by way of explanation, he added, "w
~ make trip one week ard then try t
u get back the next"
The road is literally wooden one
as yet, but the company look for iro
IS rails by January. Opposition stages ar
y, also run, but the old line seems to shar
is the lions halfof the patronage.
ut Monday and Tuesday evenings brough
Of US very large audiences in the City Hal
a. Then, as next week is "Court week,
Of and there will be many people in tow
whom we could not otherwise meet, W
varied the programme and deferred th
~ remainder of course of six lectures ii
la that time.
e Walla Walla improves quite rapidly
ne considering its inland position. Til