The Vancouver independent. (Vancouver, W.T. [Wash.]) 1875-1910, 1878-04-18

stick to it Il few years. The road
from here on to VIM. Zeck's sawmill
is very rough, but the distance is only
two miles, and Jones & Co. soon ar
rive over the hills to
THE POOR HOUSE
Of Clarke county, where Mr.. Geek at
tends to the wants of the INDECENT.
At present there is but one county
charge--an unfortunate young man
who has lost limb. The sawmill,
for want of water, has shut down, and
garden making occupies the time of
Mr.. 4. and his boys. Two miles fur
ther through the mud and
FERN PRAIRIE
is reached. Messrs. Webster and But
terheld are in the fields blowing, and
over beyond, one, two, three, and five
miles, could be seen the freshly plowed
ground of the Blair's, the Camcron's,
and the dwellers at Sunnyside, by the
Little Washougal. Returning town
ward and descending the mountain,
in review is passed the
FINE MEADOW FARMS
Of VIM. Goodwin and Jacob Duback,
with those of Messrs. DeNorc and
John proebstel in the distance. How
green and beautiful is everything
here. What Il land of promise! To
the north of the main road mile is
found the prairie where David Stamp
and George Whipple have farms, on
each of which fencing and other i'm
provements have been made during
the winter. From here to Mill Plain
the single tracked wagon road runs
south through
a PICTURESQUE, BEAUTIFUL FOREST,
whose gigantic trees tower aloft, and
beneath whose shade grow the long
rank hazels, the vine maple with pea
green leaves, and the thousand forms
of tender plants, delicate MOSES and
trailing vines, and where the sun
never comes except in checkcred
form as his rays penetrate the dark
foliage Of the tree tops. The moss
forms natural carpet over which, III
the new road, the horses trot noise
lesslv. These woods are redolcnt
with those fragrant odors which are
peculiar to the genuine forest, and
which, together with the soughing of
the wind through the branches, fills
the traveller with a sensation of lone
illness, as of some one left behind, or
OF the long ago, and Of awe in the gi
gantic and solemn presence of Gods
first temples. But suddenly the road
leads out from the thick woods into
the broad
MILL PLAIN,
where the green fields of fall and
spring grain, seeded in drills and
looking even and beautiful, are sug-
gestive Of full granaries, fat cattle
and horses, and peace and plenty in
the farmers home. The spin down
MILL PLAIN AVENUE
is the most delightful ride in the
county. If the farms on each side
were smaller. if there were more
dwelling houses and barns and or
chards, in short, if more people were
there to enjoy the fruits Of the broad
prairie, the rural scene would be far
more interesting. Whirling to the
left through lane fringed with ever
greens, the road winds around among
the trees, over the rocks and little
waterfalls, and energies upon the
north bank of the lordly Columbia at
HExTER's MILL,
where a very good quality of -four is
now being made. The mill is being
repaired, and large share of the
crop this fall will no doubt find its
way hither from Mill Plain and the
surrounding country. Rolling on to-
wards town, on each side of the road
are seen many improvements. The
John Ernest place, now owned by NJ.
Whittier, Esq, has had large tract
cleared and seeded, and new build
ings put up. The road from here on
TOWNWARDS
is dry and almost dusty, but uneven,
and like all the roads of the county,
sadly needs repairing. Vancouver
hoves in view and the setting sun
gilds the metallic cased spire of st.
James and throws a warm glow over
the water and the green bottoms
along the bank. The Portland and