The Vancouver independent. (Vancouver, W.T. [Wash.]) 1875-1910, 1879-04-10

l left on Saturday morning. The weather
had again changed, and though the rain was
pouring down without stint. | succeeded i'll
hailing the "Nancouver" at Lambert's land
ing, where | got aboard, comfortably shell
tered from the storm, and borne down the
Columbia and up the Willamette with all
the ease and celebrity 50 characteristic of
that commodious little steamer. When
within sight of Portland | was transferred
to the Iatona, that beautiful and popular
boat on the Lewis river trade. Here found
several old friends and acquaintance. l
had hardly stepped aboard when n voice
from away back at the engine cried ont,
''there comes that hungry man 1t was
Crawford, the engineer, with whom had
, often dined. The purser proved to be John
Gather, recently of the firm of Miller &
Gather at La Center The man at the
wheel was none other than Capt. Wier of
HYDRA fame; and the man who superin-
tended the culinary part was recognized rs
that happy and iovial bachelor Gus Greves
I
The new wharf and warehouse has added
much to the appearance of that little town
Here spent few minutes at the store of
j. c. Miller, the only dry goods store there,
and then proceeded to call on my old host
and hostess Mr. and Mrs. McNab Here |
met with lady friend Mrs. Murray of
| Cedar creek, and with these genial and be-
nevoent people the evening hours were
pleasantly passed Sunday morning came,
and though the weather was not pleasant,
| set out to visit other friends. In my
circuit | called at the homes of Michael
Kane, f. p Saunders, Thomas Carol,
j. d. Banzer John X. Gather and John
IL. Timmen At the latter place | re-
NAMED over night.
| School matters in this neighborhood have
been langushing during the past year. but
there are bright prospects OF an early change
for the better. They have fine new frame
school house nearly completed, that is adj
mirably adapted to the purpose for which it
was built, and credit to its projectors.
| The people of the new district, recently cut
off from this one, have gone to work with
an energy and will worthy OF the cause, and
have school building nearly completed and
ready for school.
| On Monday morning started for the
Eaton settlement, with the intention of re-
turning from there direct to Vancouver.
Through the kindness of my friend Ira Spen-
Ger, | was furnished with horse to ride
there. The rain poured down all day with
out ceasing, and about 4 o'clock in the after
noon. wet and hungry, | arrived at the res
| idence of J. &. Downs. But supper was
soon served, and warm fire soon made me
forget the unpleasant journey of the day;
had been there before, and felt at home.
On the following morning | concluded to
take my back track The heavy rains had
swollen the streams to II fearful height, and
| concluded if had to travel by water |
would rather 90 by steamer than on foot.
SO started for La Center but by shorter
route than the one ON which had travelled
the day previous. Between John Eatons
and G. Graham's places | found it very dill
! ticult to make my way, even on foot. The
! storm of the 9th ult. had filed the road
for some distance with huge trees, in several
! places three deep. Here | found Messrs.
Graham, Burnham Lewis, Jos. Eaton, John
| Eaton, Mcbride, Walden, Abbey and 9th
ers with saws, axes, &c, trying to clear the
way. 1t seemed to me a Hercuean task
almost equal to running public school
! But returned to La Center that evening"
and on the following morning was aboard of
the L,tona and on my way to Vancouver
Since my return | have visited seven
schools On the 18th ult. schools No. 3 and
s were visited. The former is taught by j.
| &. Clark, who seems to be laborng faithfully
| to do his duty. The school is very small
however. and As it costs just as much to
| teach five or six scholars as it does twenty
or thirty. it seems a pity that more could
not be gathered in one school. The one in
district No. S is taught by Miss Carrie
Brooks. found about dozen scholars in
this school, and apparently under good dis
cipline. have since visited the school IN
district No. Is, taught by James Anderson.
Here found fourteen scholars. The school
room was rendered little announcement
He was preparing for an exhibition, and for
that purpose had erected a platform which