The new Northwest. [volume] (Portland, Or.) 1871-1887, 1880-11-18
$3.50 CIrY, November S, $50

CANYON CITY, November s 1880
DEAR READERS OF TIE NEW NORTHWEST:
After mailing the editorial letter of last week
from the Saltzman House, in the John Day Val
ley, we retired early to rest. After dreamless
sleep, we were ready to mount the Thursday
morning blackboard, bound for the village of
Mitchell, seventeen Cayuse miles away. Our
route lay over and through alternate hills and
valleys, creek beds and mountain gorges, and we
experienced half dozen varieties of climate i'm
many half miles, and saw more sidelong ridges
than we would ever care to count The valleys
are low and level, and are capable Of producing
fruits and vegetables of both temperate and semi
tropical character. Everywhere, upon either
hand the great ragged bluffs rise up in bold array
casting black shadows into the gorges from one
side, and rejecting back the suns rays from the
other and so tempering the atmosphere that ap-
pies peaches, tomatoes, pears, plums and cherries
grow and ripen in profusion wherever they are
cultivated. Irrigating bitches noticeable here
and theIe, the waters they supply being clear and
pure, like melted SHOWS The basaltic rocks Of
The Dalles region have given place to concrete
mountains, bluffs of sandstone, and banks Of
washed gravel cement. Sea shells abound on the
highest peaks, and petrifed trees, and even per-
feet leaves of stone, are found in many places of a
character to prove that inconceivable changes
have occurred in these fastnesses at some remote
period in the ages gone. Some of the great rocks
are castelated, like those of the Wind River
country, some of the bilIowy bluffs are variegated
in color, and one great caste-lke structure Of
sandstone slabs with huge dome at the summit
the driver told US was called senator Mitchell -
in honor of the gentleman whose name il bears.
A mile or two beyond this mammoth rock is the
village Of Mitchell above mentioned, which con
ssts of half a dozen new, unpainted frame houses,
with the post Office, hotel and store in one Of
them, and all cuddled costly down upon the bosom
Of a friendly valley around which great bluff.
keep tireess and eternal vigil like sentnels for
ever at their post.
Mr.. I. y. Sargent, the leading man of the vii
lage, and proprietor of the aforesaid hotel post
office and store, welcomed US in the hospitable
manner peculiar to the country, and ushered us
into the CHEEKY presence of his amiable wife, who
informed us that wedding was in progress and
our help was needed to arrange the drapery Of the
bride. In a little while all was ready, and the
grOOm-elect, an honest young rancheman from
Baker county, led forth the bride, who was lovely
TO look upon in her fiOatngvei and snowy orange
blossoms, and Elder Rowe, who had halted by the
way for the purpose, proceeded to pronounce
Frank Hundsaker and Fanny Sargent husband
and wife The wedding was private affair. only
the parents of the high contracting parties and
half dozen invited guests besides ourself and the
stage driver being present. But the occasion was
all the more enjoyable because Of its simplicity.
In little while we all sat down to a sumptuous
feast, and the afternoon was spent in neighborIv
chit-chat and the friendly interchange Of views
upon many widely different topics.
Where the crowd came from that attended the
lecture in the evening was hard to conjecture
but it was promptly on hand, and a more respect
full and attentive auditory we have never had
Ranche-men and ranche-women were there, the
former roughly and warmly clad and fully
equipped for the stock business and the latter for
the most part, pale and anxious-visaged, and APP
parenty in need of the ducking OvercOats and fur
lined boots that made the men comfortable and
kept them and jolly. When frontier men
and women learn that women must clOthe them
selves as warmly men do, there will be far less
of i'll health and mortality among pioneer farmers
wives than now. The interest in our work was
respectful and demonstrative, and the women
were much encouraged by the favorable opinions
Of their husbands relative to their inalienable
rights.
After the lecture, the "boys," as men of all ages
are called on the road to the number of a couple
Of dozen, began TO tune themselves up around the
freight wagons and camp-fires for the dulcet har-
monies of a grand ch0riU0ri The newIy-married
couple took the hint, and, Disgusting themselves
departed in hack for the house of a neighbor,
several miles away. 1t was hardly nine O'Clock
before the fun began. And such fun The "bovs''
threw stones at the house. and fired blank cart