The daily intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Territory [i.e. Wash.]) 1876-1881, 1880-06-26
W SNAKE RIVER.


tN1oO ana turno Dear close Jeee0-
! blance to an uncoiled snake or snake
in the act OF crawling upon the ground
/ Iu this respect il diffsrs from ths Co.
iumbia. which has fewer curves aud ID
inuch less winding. ~
On the Suake rivsY. near its Junction
with the Columbia. 10 the nov and
stirring town u Ainsworth, which bida
fair soon 10 rival the largest town on
the last nsmed river in population and
importance. Already it contains sev.
ersl stores. steam ierryboat, machine
Z shops. seversl dwellings. &c. Lumbes
has been taken all the wsy from Taco
una, . distance Of $50 rniles, for the
construction Of oars. aud additional
lumber 10 being RATED from Lewiston,
distant l5o miles. for lies and other
purposes. Three of these .rsfts. con
tanning about 200. .Oc0 feet. csme down
/ the river last week, and as much more
will probably follow in the ensuing two
weeks. This material will euabae the
railroad company not only tn add
largely to the few miles Of road pre-
vieusly constructed. but also tn erect
quite number Of additional buildings.
The town and road are located upon o
ssgebrush plain. perfectly level ss far
rs the eye can reach. thus saving q de 81
Of labor and expense for grading.
Paiouse Ferry, 81 miles from Aims
worth. il . place where no to xn is vis-
ible, snd yet much freight is left here.
Near the landing 10 the Palouss river,
IN unnsvigsble stream l6O miles long;
but communicated with the Palouse
country 10 by horse and wagon over.she
mountains. which at this place are low
and not rugged. There 10 talk Of erect
ing . sswmill near by, the logs proba-
bly, to come from the Palouss river.
though no trees large enough for lum-
br cn ekseen. Here an amusing
incident occurred A large dog. mix
ture of the hound and spsstif, wss "
ing ON shore laxily watshing the sp-
preaching boat, when suddenly the
loud whistle OF the steamer reached his
esr,. With almost the velocity of =
ball when fired from . cannon that dog
started, his feet scarcely touching the
ground until he bad gone two or sahree
hun 1red yards. when his spesd slack
ened, but only Tor moment, fora sec
end toot of the hoarse whistle again
started him and kept him flying over
the ground until lost to view. 1t is
safe to ssy that dog did not return to
Palouse Ferry sOon after his scare. To
this point and many miles beyond the
country has forbidding aspect. 1t is
Q succession of low mountains or hills,
with . scsnt covering o. parched grass
mingled with sagsbrush. II should be
remarked that wherever there sis 3 de-.
preston in the nountAinss bothihess
and on the Columbia. are sem numer.
Gus cattle trails. which are used by the
stock when thirst impels them to come
from their bunch grass pastures to the
river in pursuit of water. Occasionally
large bands of cattle. sheep aud horses
are seen coming down these trails amid
clouds Of dust, to the waters edge!
Their condltios. always round and fat.
speaks volumes for the region east of
the mountains. . sight of which is de-
MED to the traveller on the river. fa-
louse Ferry 10 the place where the fer
rybost was recently capsized, drowning
. man and boy and several horses.
Half . dozen similar sleErias exist at
other phces b the Sisess AswiueADlp
ID stretched aosnss The siysef tbovs ~
smokestacks of the steamers; upon this
run two grooved iron wheels united by
su iron bar three or foarsfset 4esg to
the two ends Of which are sttach6d gHSs
Of stout rope which are wound upen
Wheels on the. scow. The aliernAts
tigAsenins ~ slsckenis q % oh6es ksSs )
propels sthef bost to sau6 fro.. Id the
csss ot the acrident above referred to.
which was published in your columns,
the cable parted. when the boat. unable
TO resist the rapid cufre6e..A turned bot
tom up and 10 still seen on an island in
tSs river in that position sse. IS
Penswawa, the next regular lending
place. aspires to the sppellation of =
town. though compossd Of only half .
dozen somber- -looking buildings. =
ferry. &c. Prom hors the nails and
passengers 60 in stages 70 towns east Of
The mountains Beyond this point the
scene 10 snliyepsd by frequent settle
msnts aud some quite fne-looking
fhrma The soil 10 hetter than that be-
low. ths iersilel benehebsgtow nidsi aid
mere numerous, and the mountaips BE-
gin. 70 assume . hight aed e0aeaeser
ahktor 10 thosa on th0 loves Columbia.
albois desEitus oe the tsoss which smbel-
lish the nsfgin q that river. Hare the
Indiaes sppeesin considerable eaumbefs.
and have unasr suleivatisA iaRm. The