The new Northwest. [volume] (Portland, Or.) 1871-1887, 1880-12-02
UNIoN. November -, 1850.

UNION, November -, 1850.
DEAR READERs OF THE NEW NORTHWEST:
The premature cold weather that has abounded
in unprecedented intensity for the past three
weeks all over this Borean upper country did not
prevent the good people of Baker City from at
tending our lectures, did it in any way retard
their enthusiasm upon the woman question.
Here, as at Canyon City, they were ready to or
ganize a County Woman Suffrage Association;
and here, as elsewhere, the very best elements of
society social religious, liberal and literary were
ready to take the lead in the work. As the Re
cOrding Secretary of the Association has already
forwarded the minutes of the first organized meet
ing, it is not necessary to make further mention
of il in this connection except to speak in praise
of the zeal of the friends of the cause, and their
determination to use all honorable means to keep
it before the people.
Baker City has almost outgrown our former
conceptions of it during the five years that have
elapsed since our first visit. Quite a number of
new and substantial stone and brick business
houses adorn the main street exhibiting the con-
fdence of the proprietors in the future prosperity
of the place. There are excellent farms in the
valley, and seemingly inexhaustbe stock ranges
on the mountains and hills; but the chief attrac-
ton is the mines, whose resources are scarcely vet
imagined, and certainly not yet developed.
In the valuable cabinet owned by Mr.. J. w
Virtue, and which visitors can inspect at their
leisure in the Virtue & Van Schuyler banking
house, can be seen almost every variety Of ore
from adjacent mines all rich, and abounding in
gold, silver, isinglass antimony, quicksilver
asbestos sulphur, tin, copper, iron, and many
other metals. Next Summer when the weather
is propitious, we hope to return and visit the
mines and give them an extensive writing-up
from personal observation.
Besides his magnificent collection Of minerals
including smelling ores, carbonate ores, gold
bearing quartz, leaf gold, shot gold, gold Jumps
and gold dust Mr. Virtues cabinet contains a rare
assortment of coins, some Of which are fifteen
hundred years old. He exhibits some specimens
of Continental currency, and quite a number Of
Confederate bills. a bronze medal proclaims that
ii was awarded to him by the Centennial Com
mission for his fine display Of from the Virtue
Mining Company's claims, which were on exhi-
bition at the National Exposition. Among other
curiosties, we note cannibal's war club, Living
stones tobacco pipe, the pocket knife of Captain
Jack with a. B. Meachams blood upon it; the
sharks tooth club that killed Captain Cook pre-
sented to Mr. Virtue by Lee Afilard, ESQ of
Portlandl an air castle, elaborately carved from
solid wood by an unfortunate convict who was
imprisoned for life, and whose only tool was a
piece of hoop iron; some mammoth fossils. among
them a jaw bone three feet in length tooth
twelve inches long and seven inches i'm diameter.
and tusk nearly eight feet long and fully twenty
one inches in circumference. These fossils were
found by miners many hundreds Of feet below the
surface of the earth, and would conclusively prove
the vast and inconcevable age Of this planet if all
other demonstration were wanting. a pair of
huge antlers, closely clasped i'm the clock of
death" surmounts one large showcase, and some
fine specimens of the California redwood adorn
the top of another. Want of space forbids further
detail concerning this cabinet at this time but we
hope some day in the future to examine it more
fully 1t is a credit to Eastern Oregon, and of
great value to its enterprising possessor
Turning from the contemplation Of Nature s
vast resources as exhibited in the above-named
cabinet we return to the home of our hospitabe
friends, the Cleavers and, after an hours chat go
forth again a-canvassing. With this rather un-
pleasant duty always combine all we can Of
independent observation. We note first the furni-
ture store and undertaker's emporium of Mr. J. NJ.
Cleaver, and are surprised at the multiplicity of
orders that crowd upon him for articles in his line
Then we pass OH, noting whisky shops tobacco
nsts and restaurants, and call at the well-filled
drug store Of Mr.. II. Mckinney, where for half an
hour we hold glad converse with this gentleman
Snd his intelligent wife, nee Miss Susie Harrison,
Of Salem, and for a number Of years prior to her
marriage partner Of Miss Whipple, now princi-
pal Of the public school in Astoria The millinery