The Daily Astorian. [volume] (Astoria, Or.) 1876-1883, 1883-07-17
Trip TO Bear Creek.
En-. ASroRIaN:

On last Sunday morning the writer
was one Of a party of eighteen per-
sons, TO board the swift little steamer
Relic for pleasure trip to tn, above
point. The party included several
"slaves" of "the art preservative, "
whose only chance for rest or recrea-
ton is on the Sabbath day. After
the usual hurry and scramble and
tugging of well filled lunch baskets,
and the various other articles be-
longing to such occasions, the little
steamer backed gracefully out from
the crowded dock and sped away up
the noble river. We saw and en-
joyed the beautiful panorama of the
Columbia, which has challenged the
descriptive power Of betterpens. The
ripping water, and invigorating
breeze Of the fresh morning, filed all
with pleasure and animation, and to
the printer men was the rarest treat
for many a day. Our course up the
somewhat tortuous channel OF the
lower part of Bear creek, was quite
successful until within few hundred
yards of Fishers landing, the head of
navigation There the unfitness of
the Relic as a snag puller was conclu-
sively proved by broken propeller,
bent shaft, and distorted condition of
Of the sheet iron and hitherto grace
fully proportiened craft. 1t being
impossible to land the party in the i'm
penetrable thicket of brush and black
berry vines that Overlapped either
bank of the stream the vessel was
poled to the landing, and run aground
for repairs at low tide. At this point
the party disembarked. There is
considerable open ground, and this
immediate vicinity, and farther up
the creek, possess attractions that are
unsurpassed, for picnic and camping
parties Dry ground, delightful
shade, sunshine, natural bowers, game
for hook or gun, pure milk and pure
water; what little else is lett to desire
can be had. Mr.. Fisher and Dir.
Kindred live near the landing and
Miss Raymond is teacher of the small
but well conducted school. Mr.. |
Thompson has here a camp and at
this point ne has landed most of the
pipe for the first five miles of the line. |
That gentleman extended to US the
hospitalities of his camp and by his
personal attention rendered our ample |
lunch, feast. After lunch every one |
enjoyed themselves as they pleased.
We went exploring up the creek and |
along the line of the pipe that is to
conduct its waters TO Astoria. The |
fountains that feed the stream are
pure; the bed of the stream is free
from moulding logs, leaves and de-
bris, and over its rocky bed the water
dashes in its downward course, there |
by becoming thoroughly aerifed. |
We drank all we wished of the pure
cool water; one sparkling glassfull con-
tains more potent argument for
temperance than the sermons of a
hundred reformers when supplement
ed by the animated liquid which they
are often compelled 10 offer rs a sub
stitute for water. Probably few per-
sons have any idea Of the difficulties
to be overcome in laying down this
line of pipe. To begin with it is diff
cult 10 establish line where
every foot of trail has TO be
cleared with an axe and The
slaughtered brush and vines more than
fills the track behind. In the small
portion of the line we inspected we
saw where she dense thickets had been
cut through till the ground was eI-
posed and deep ditch made in a
tangled mass of roots and logs filed in
with earth. Ii had to be cut, picked,
sawed and scratched. In some cases
logs six or seven feet through had
been cut, other cases buTroWed under.
From the number of wasp's nests We
saw suspended in alarming proximity
to the line, VIC judged that an unusual
amount of discretion as well as
patience had been necessary to- sue
cessful prosecution of the work. The
warning whistle was the signal for our
return to the landing. The party
was soon assembled and voted their
unqualified admiration for the skipper
who had been to the nearest machine
shop and by means of a maui and a
stick of cord wood had SO far repaired
the broken propeller that our safe but
tardy retnrR home was assured. The
party having to go, as it were, on three
legs, arrived home rather late, but
everyone thoroughly enjoyed them
selves. All agreed that they had @
drink of the best and purest water
and unite IN wishing speedy COM
pletion Of the waterworks.
EXCURsIoSIST.