Centre Democrat. [volume] (Bellefonte, Pa.) 1848-1989, 1881-06-30

via. Columbia river, and il has to be
hauled from The Dalles, Oregon. on
wagons, and when IL reaches this place
is worth four cents pound. Our houses
are, as rule, built of inch boards, strip
ped, and instead OF plasterng, the in
sides are covered with thin muslin
tackled on and then papered. There IL
not much privacy in them az n word
spoken IN one room is heard in all 9th.
ers in the house and in consequence the
boys and girls do most OF their "spark.
ing on the "front gate" They serve
as a protection but are not excessively
warm on a cold winters day. In this
connection ! will say that notwithstand.
ing our extreme northern latitude our
winters are milder than in Virginia and
about the same as in Northern Ala.
bama. Snow rarely ever lies on the
ground more than three weeks and
usually in the month OF January. Stock
runs on the range the year round and
as Il rule is never fed. They are left to
shift for themselves and generally come
out all right. This winter, however,
was an exception TO the rule. 1t snow.
ed heavily about the Ist of December
and crusted and remained until Febru
AIRY 18th, and in consequence thousands
OF cattle and hundreds of horses were
starved to death in the range because
they were unable 10 move through the
crusted snow To places where grass was
to be found. But those who wintered
through, and came out poorer than Jobs
turkey this spring, are now as fat as any
grain fed animals in the east The ma
tive bunch and rye grasses OF this coun.
try, with which the hills and valleys
are now green, are more nutritious than
corn and will fatten an animal quicker
than corn. Farmers who fed out their
grain during the winter TO keep their
stock from starving, are now plowing
with horses whose only feed Is the
bunch grass they get at night in the
pasture after hard days work, aud
yet they keep in good condition.
Another drawback TO the country is
lack OF rain during the summer months.
For weeks and weeks not "A cloud will
be seen in the sky, and the atmosphere
IS 20 clear that we can see mountain a
hundred miles away a. distinctly as
you can see Muncy mountain from
Belleionte. In fact person from the
east can form no idea of distance by
sight, as objects seemingly only Inile
or two away are more apt To be ten or
fifteen miles distant. This has been
my experience.
The timber on the streams in the
valleys Is tacamahsc, or Balm Of Gilcad,
alder and black willow, with some birch
ana choke cherry, either of which
makes tolcrahle fence rails and stove
wood but is fit for but little else in
the mountains, however, there is some
oak and an excellent quality of sugar
pine. tir, tamArack aud cedar, the latter
being white, light and buoyant and
straight grained.
ANY one having little money after
he has reached this place can do well in
any kind OF business, but man with
out means here. A. elsewhere. has a
hard time OF it, although assistance
will be extended TO him more willingly.
II he Is worthy, than IN the east, a. all
OF the early settlers have gone through
the trials Of frontier life and are gen.
crous and hospitable to fault. What
i theirs Il their friends. No one will
take a mean advantage OF newcomers
necessities as it IL not considered hon.
orablc, and he who does 1t runs the risk
OF being fired out" A. the natives
term IL.
Good American horses are worth 500
each. The native Cayusc ponies. a cross
between the French Canadian and
Mustang, can be bought for from five to
fifty dollars each They are mostly
owned 10y the Indians and they must
need money very bad before they will
sell a good horse. These ponies are
anywhere from 10 to j. hands high.
compact. with fnc limbs. They are
very hardy aud tough and will carry a
man weighing ls0 pounds sixty and
seventy miles in day and hunt their
own feed at night and keep fat. have
seen them in pack trains carry 80
pounds each. Like an Indian. how.
ever, they are not entirely Trustworthy,
and will buck on the slightest provo
cation. ! have driven span of them
from this place TO The Dalles. distance
OF 10 miles inside OF twenty hours,
including stoppagcs, and, with one
nights rest, driven them back in the
same time. The horses Of this country
are much harder than in the east
they have strong firm hoofs aud such
thing as corns and fiat feet are un.
known. As rule they are not shoed,
except they are rode or driven long
distances. They have larger and better
lungs than do the eastern horses and
have greater endurance. The lope and
walk Is the only gait for riding horse
here, and our 'yacqueros" or "cow
BOYS" always ride like John Gilpin.
We have some Indians, but they are
good ones and are mostly employed in
the hop yards, Of which we have the
finest in the world, or by stockmen as
herders. Some OF the Indians have
herds Of horses and cattle Of their own
that run up into the hundreds. The
Indians are now largely in the minority
and fully realize that the "Bostou men,"
a. they call the Americans, are the
rulers. They are great gamblers, and
the very worst ones seem content If
they have a pony and sufficient "ohick.