The new Northwest. [volume] (Portland, Or.) 1871-1887, 1876-01-14
FROM PORTLAND TO DALLAS.


To THE EDITOR OF THE New NORTHWEST:
The fame of Dallas, a wee city nestled
at the foot of Polk county hills, for fra
ternal feeling and kindly hospitality,
had so frequently reached the ear of
your correspondent, as to inspire her
with wish to visit it at the first oppor.
tunity-a wish which was transformed
into resolve when the coveted oppor-
tunity came.
Leaving behind the hum-drum drudg-
cry, inseparable from the performance
of everyday duties, stepped out upon
the slippery sidewalk early on the
morning of the New Year, and soon
thereafter was on board the east side
train, rapidly whirling Salem-ward.
Between the Clackamas and Oregon
City the track was for the distance of a
half mile covered with water, not how
ever of sufficient depth to reach the fur
mace, so, with the exception of slight
detention, it did not interfere with our
journey.
L had viewed the falls of the Will
lamette at Oregon City often before, but
never when SO awfuIIy grand as then.
AS though angered by the unwonted
accumulation of drift wood consequent
upon the excessive n1oiStReSs of the pre-
vious week, the surging, foaming waters
seemed to have lost all discretion, and
went "thumping and Pumping, and
humping and jumping, and dashing and
flashing, and splashing aud clashing,"
gathering fresh momentum as they
madly neared the terror-inspiring
abyss. But we must not halt too long
at the falls, or we will miss the stage
for Dallas.
1t being New Years day, my coDlpa,l-
ion du Voydge and myself received an
Invitation to participate in a lunch pro-
cured at Aurora by our genial young
friend, the baggage-master, and didn't
we enjoy it, though? ? Your correspond
ent entirely forgot that she was an in
valid, travelling for her health, while
discussing the varied and profuse bill of
fare prepared by the Aurora caterers.
We emerge upon the French Prairie,
the oldest agricultural settlement in the
State, but much as I might have en-
joyed it, was not privileged to inter-
view that far-famed individual, the
''oldest inhabitant.p However learned
his name, and it is not Gervais, but Re
Uiere. I learned further that he came to
this country in 1905, with Captains
Lewis and Clarke, and that he has re-
sided in French Prairie ever since; and
it is stated that when Holladay chose
the name of Gervais for his railroad
town, that the venerable companion Ot
the two captains complained that his
claims to Immortality had not beer
properly respected, declaring that he
had been here a "tousan' years" when
Gervais arrived.
While passing over this beautiful anC
fertile prairie, was shown a dark Woo
in which an aged gentleman, who haC
lived all his life previously in the city
of London, was lost some years ago, ant
survived for seUen days and nights with
out food. My informant was of tht
party that found him, and states that nC
one expected to see the old gentleman
alive when they began the search tn,
next day after his bewilderment, anC
that they would have been little NOR
ostop;sboJ to lovo Soon n man riso Fro,,
the grave, than they were to find hin
alive, a full week after. So enfeeblet
: had the poor old man become, that h.
appeared to have erept for several day
before he was found, for they discovere,
trails innumerable where he had beer
dragging himself through the tangled
, ferns, on his hands and knees. Thougl
! above eighty years of age at that time
he entirely recovered, nor passed to hi
} final rest for a number of years after
{ ward.
, Sitting in the parlor of the CONNER
cial Hotel, at Salem, awaiting the al
rival of the Dallas stage, L observes
that, Notwithstanding the Capital Cit,
has had the benefit of nearly all tn
meetings of the Temperance Alliances
Temperance Unions and Temperance
Conventions that have been held in thi
State, that there is still a work for TEN
perance people even there; for, during
the space of about half-hour, no les
than eight persons emerged from tn,
North Star Saloon, and of the eight, si,
were mere youths. One of the others wa
gray-haired old man, and the other ap
peared to be totally blind, being led b,
small boy. Who knows but the poo
man owes the loss of his eyes to his de
votion to Bacchus? Wonder fthat in
nocent little boy is the blind mans son
He should not be allowed to enter sucl
places at his tender age. I could bu
wonder, as L watched respectfully dresser
young men entering and emerging from
that den of iniquity, whether the,
would associate with lUomdn tina
would be seen entering whisky-shop
Gentlemen, if that is not a proper resor
, for respectable ladies, neither is it 70
: you; and if you justly traeise womer
who visit such places, you should b
treated likewise.