The Dillon tribune. [volume] (Dillon, Mont.) 1881-1941, 1883-11-24
Ghf Ainor gribupt,
PUBLISHED EVERY SATURDAY.

PoMERoY, w. T., Nov. 18th, 1883.
Colfax, from whence we wrote our last
letter, is quite thriving town. 1t is the
county seat and principal town of Whitman
county and is located at the forks OF the
Palouse river, and is surrounded by good
agricultural region. The town is ten years
old, has been burned out twice. The last
time fifty EIGHT buildings we're destroyed,
entailing loss Of $4,000. The last fire
happened little over year ago and now
the town is built up Of substantial blocks.
A new rail road will soon be in operation,
connecting the town with direct communi-
cation with the Northern Pacific. A COL
lege and several churches are indications
of the intelligence of the community. Two
newspapers are published in the town.
Pullman is a new town named after the
noted sleeping car man, located on the
south fork Of the Palouse river, up which
stream railroad is being built. The town
at present has a building boom and bids
fair to be thriving place. Ten miles fur
Their across the country we came to Mos
COW, a beautiful town across the Idaho line.
Returning to Spring Flat we set out
south across the country. The descent to
Snake River is down a steep declivity. We
are told the bluffs are 1000 feet above the
river, which is large stream coursing its
way through an immense ravine Or wall of
bluffs that loom up in maj estic grandeur on
each side.
There arc quite number Of Indians yet
scattered through this country, but all
seem to be in a state of standardization,
and no trouble is apprehended from their
presence. AS late as 1858 the Indians
were quite troublesome. Col. Steptoe had
quite an experience with them in his at
tempt to go from Walla Walla to Fort
ColviIle. He lost many men, and was
driven into position of deiense near a
high butte, now called Step,oe Butte. Col.
Wright came to his relief and saved his
command from utter annihilation. Col
quite number and killed hundreds of their
ponies, and finally made peace on his own
terms. Since then the Indians have been
peaceable. In 1865 Col. Wright, with his
wife and members Of his staff, went down
to a watery grave off Crescent City, Ore
gon, when the steamship Jonathan was lost
off the coast.
The last Indian scare in this section was
in 1877, when Chief Josephs band went on
the war path in Camas Prairie, Idaho, and
killed quite number of the sttlers. Ca
mas Prairie is only some 90 miles from
this locality, and it is natural TO suppose
that much excitement prevailed here at
the time. The settlers left their homes and
fled to the town where barracks were hast;-
~ constructed and all the men called to
arms. The Nez Perez tribe of Indians in
their savage state are tribe of people who
are stout, robust and portly. They take
especial delight in ornaments Of all kinds
In winter the bucks wear a short skirt of
dressed skins, long, painted leggins and
mocasins, and plat of twisted grass
around the neck. The dress of the squaws
is more simple. In winter these Indians
hunt the deer on shoes over the plains, fish
for salmon, and dig for roots. A few days
ago we noticed a we'll dressed sGuaw stand
ing on the bank OF Snaie River with her
pappoose swung on her back. The little,
diminutive specimen of humanity, had a
face as round as the full moon and as ex-
pressive as sixteen-year old miss chewing
gum. Persons who become enamored of
poodle dogs would have called the babe
beautiful. A few more decades of time
and the noble red man will only be known
in history.
1t is astonishing how rapidly emigration
is setting up these Western Territories.
The coming winter three of them will be
knocking at the doors Of Congress for ad-
mission into the Union as States, and soon
the 'human sea- will cover the whole
area of Uncle Sans domain. 1t was in
1853 that Congress cut off Washington
Territory from that Of Oregon and. gave
it an existence separate and apart from that
Territory. Its western shore is washed by
the Pacific Ocean. Puget Sound, the
great inlet of the North Pacific coast. runs
through large part Of western Washing
ton. The Columbia River, the largest
stream on the Pacific slope, flows across
the eastern part Of the Territory. The Cas-
cade range of mountains, whose elevation
varies from 5000 to 5000 feet above the
sea level, one section being called Eastern
Washington, and the other Western. The
leading industries of the Territory are luln-
bering, stock raising, farming, salmon fish,
ing and commerce along the sound. In
the northwestern part Of the Territory
immense forests Of pine grow, many Of the
trees being three hundred feet in height,
and from FIVE to ten feet in diameter. This
region is the lumbcrman's paradise. An
extensive trade is carried on between Puget
Sound and Europe. The surplus grain, po-
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