, 1883-03-17


mule strsyed off, and he vent of' IN search
OF 1t in the morning, and while doing Sc
the train moved on. After finding the
animal ne gained the road, and dropping
his reins upon his mules. neck, took out
a novel tD read, but he was interrupted in
his literary pursuit by one Of the loose
animals Of the tram that come back along
the road Oh the run He headed il of,
turned II in the right direction aud on they
went. Directly he came 10 a creek, and
just as he was riding ou, on the opposite
side, An Indian, dressed IN a uniform
stripped from dead soldier, sprung from
the bushes into the road III front Of him
with musket in his hand. The Doctor
was not armed, but he still carried the
novel rolled up IN his hand, and without
an instant's hesitation he took ann with il
and spurred his mule at the red skin,
shouting at the same timer 'kla,-a- va,
God damn you, klat-a-wa This was too
much even for a savage. Not that he was
shocked al the Doctors evident disregard
for the thud commandment, nor that he
was afraid Of male; but to be brought in
range Of yellog- covered novel, loaded
with light literature, at the imminent
peril Of having Its contents shot into him,
WAS enough 10 stampede 4 whole tribe,
and in an instant he had taken to the
bush. Dr. Baker, without waiting for
further development, put spurs TO has
mule ard dashed away al full speed to
overtake the train which he reached with
out further adventure.
For the succeeding seven years, he re-
sided in Oakland in the Umpqus valley,
deYoting his time TO the varied pursuits
Of farming, stock raising, milling and
merchandising. In 1898 he again re-
turned 10 Portland, engaged IN the lard
ware business, and in 1860 started store
in Walla Wa,la under the management oi
William Stevens In May, 1861, the
Doctor took personal charge If HIS Wash
in9ton Territory business, aRd in 1862
his hrother-im-itw, ). +. Boyer. coming
from California, took the lahIIng car as a
partner III the merchantile branch ui the
Doctors H,lia Wilia establishment
The presence Of Mr Boyer IL the meg-
chant;le branch ~ his business enabled
the Doctor to give more attention Co cut
side operations, and in 1862 hr n-,,c,ated
himself with Capt A = Anl;II.y, II. ".
Carbett. William Gttes and Capt. Boul b.
man, for the purpose o. running line ui
boats between the mouth ot the De ChUtes
river and Lewiston, ia opposition 10 The
Oregon Steam Navigation Company.
They built the steamer Spray, which made
fourteen trips in 1862, hut IN The mean
time third transportation company,
known IS the Peoples Irmsr"rt'ti'H
Line, had entered iutG the carrying trade,
and having other boats to run sh"Se the
Cascades, put a steamer named the r. -
Baker, on the lower Columbia Ia the
spring Of 1863 the SPRAY "~n,rs Id their
boat to the .. s y ca. Which lett is"
competing lines on the n1eE, bat L.
sooner were DR.. R,kaf aud his associates
ont cf the way than the two remaining
lines compromised their rivalry '.y agree
ins to quit ccmpetit,on, the peoples l.ne
10 have all the iris.sht un the " Nli!Ame 'te,
and the q. s. y. Co. iu be left alone on
.he Columbia THIS lett III. upper conn
try st the mercy Of one freight and las
senser line, the very s'a'e of things which
had caused the buiidin. "f the steamer
Spray, and no sooner was this i'ct known
than. Dr. Baker AGAIN assOriatei himself
vita gentlemen for the pnrp"se II re-
moving the main obstruction Ia c'HPrti-
tior. on the Columbia river
There are TWO rapids III. TIA; stream Be =
tween Purtlan,, and Lewiston, through
which steamers cannot pass. At these
points, all freights must he uni"';ed ACC
transported a number of miles by lshd.
To make successful opposition, required
A connected line that included at least
three sresmers and two land transpor'a-
ton trains, making complicated business
that called for considerable capital.
II aas the purpose OF DR.. Baker and
bis associates To build railways a; the two
pain,s on the Columbia, where transpor
ta,icn WAS necessary by land, that should
carry freight for all alike, thus remoF'n4
much Of the freight c"mplicat!on, making
it easier than heretofore for paltles with
limited capital 10 eompste for the carry
ing trade upon that great artery from the
interior. They commenced at the Gas
c,d.s. had completed their road, and, IN
few weeks. il wuuld have been IN sciIvi
operation, when news was received TIM
Congress had given the .. S. \. Co th'
exclusive right Of way ever the gronnC
they had used in laying the track, "hicf
vas the only practical route This was
death blow 20 their enterprise, and under
advice Of their attorney, the road wa
sold a, heavy loss, in the spring OF 1864
to their opponents. This defeat nf DIR
R.ke- and his associates was one Of vas
momant 10 the coming tens of Thousand
who were to hive between the Rocky an'
Cascade mountains, for 1t meant monoFo
IL ss 4 fixture for, al least, one genera
tion OF the country Was to psy uG;ol'
millions, aid 1t was TO wsTd II sueh I
nsnc;sl drain upon the people industries
that they had invested their money, sn'
Congress hsd made !; q calamity 70 them
In 1866. the mines began 10 fail, AM
farmers, in localities nearer to them thai
Walla walla. furnished what Wss "an'e'
in tina mountain market Freights wer'
so high that no produce could be shiPpe'
,oxsrd, the sea, and the great valley sn'