Weston weekly leader. [volume] (Weston, Umatilla County, Or.) 1878-189?, 1885-06-26
LOCAL TSTELLIGENCE.
Fresh candies and Fourth Of July
goods at F. M. PaulJ's.

The crops around Adams give prom-
Use of most bountiful yield.
"A nice line Of candies and nuts at
j. J. Baata & Co., Centerville.
Mrs. w. B. Mays and children
came up from Pendleton on visit last
week.
Mayor White aud Mr.. MeMorris
have had their dwellings raised from
the ground.
Has the idea of building Metho-
dist church in Weston this summer
been abandoned?
Don't fail to call on j. J. Banta L
Co., aud get their prices an Machine
Oils before you buy.
Sheriff Martin offers 5000 reward
for the capture aud delivery at any Jail
this side of the Rockies of Indian Henry
who murdered Hilton.
Last Sunday a solemn stiffness per-
vaded the town. The campmeeting on
the mountain and the horse race(?) on the
Reservation accounted for it.
H. A. Nelson the Blue Mountain's S
first baseman went to Portland last
week and will perhaps remain there per.
manently as professional player.
Mr.. P. A. Worthinston has just
returned from trip to his Willow
creek farm. He reports all grain in
the vicinity of Lexington and Penland
Buttes as full OF promise. The wheat
is not so rank as in this neighborheod
but it is healthy and headed out in good
shape. Some fields will certainly make
thirty bushels to the acre. Most of the
wheat is too thin; and this will reduce
the general average, which, all over
that country, will be from seventeen
to twenty bushels to the acre. Barley
looks exceedingly we'll. Alfalfa has
been tried in several places and gives
promise of thriving fairly. The expert.
ment of farming in the Willow creek
country has proved success. The
present crop prospects are encouraging
to the settlers and will give an enhanced
value to farms in that part of the couu-
try. The LEADER rejoices in their
prosperity.
Many years ago, so the legend runs
party of army officers from Fort Walla
Walla, accompanied by guides and SER
wants, was journeying along the trail
that then led to the Grande Ronde val
ley. The trail has almost disappeared.
Many men in those days were full of
the spirit of prospecting. The shevel
and pan were their constant compan-
ions. The ftful tever of the mining ex-
citement fingers still. 1t is no longer
epidemic; but sporadic cases are not
unfrequent. The first night out the
party camped on the summit of a range
| of hills somewhere between the Walla
Walla river and the north fork of the
Umatilla, and both these streams are
here to this day. It was dry camp.
Not far from the halting place was a
| little lake. or what had formerly been a
little lake. The exact location of this
depression is not now definitely known.
/ Near the rim of this basin one of the
guides, who is dead at present, dug a
prospect hole. He struck bedrock and
found pay dirt of excellent quality. He
filled his pan and carried it to camp.
There being scarcity of water, he
carried it with him the next morning
to the north fork of the Umatilla
Upon washing the dirt it panned out
| fourteen dollars, or some other great
amount. The party was in the govern
ment service and could not return. Il
must have been during Democrat ad
ministration. The party proceeded. In
an encounter with Indians the man whe
dug the prospect hole was killed. He
is still dead. Those were stirring times
and he was probably soon forgotten, but
his rich find was held in sacred remem
hrance by his surviving comrades
Twas ever thus. In a few years ont
or two of the party returned to tAi
country. At least one of them settlet
here. He is here yet. 1t was remem
bered by these men that Florence, on
of the richest camps ON the coast, wa
located on just such an elevated BASH
as that on the Walla Walla trail tina
panned out so we'll. Prospecting par
ties were organized. The dry cam
could not be found. The little lax
was lost also. 1t persists in stayiu
lost. But these men are industriou
and persevering at prospecting. Th
hills along the trail are full of prospec
holes. The love of gold is potent i
the human breast. Not a summer passe
but some sanguine party prospects thes
hills. Many have tried and failed. Bu
each year adds new recruits to the nun
Der of the faithful. He who formed on
of the original party is as hopeful q
: ever. But looking for the last lax
, lacked one of the important element
Of adventure. There was little or n
danger attendant upon it. Prospectin
par.les-sonetimes ct gray headed mer
sometimes ST sturdy youths used
D sneak off as if ashamed of their avar
r cious credulity The scene of the scare
was close to civilization and this robbie
the trip of much of its romance. tt
incidental murder of Hilton while on
prospecting trip has evidently adde
the element Of danger to the uncertain
ty of riches. A fresh impetus has bee
given TO the prospecting business B
sides, did not the Indians say that the
, knew where there was plenty of gol