The Dalles times-mountaineer. [volume] (The Dalles, Or.) 1882-1904, 1889-09-28
4 fairs at the LOCKS.
CASTLE GARDEN, Sept. %, 1889.

| Editor TINES -MoUSTAISEER:
Having noticed "Veritas" letter in last
Wednesdays daily came to the conclu,
sion thar it would not be bad idea TO
contribute a few facts | have in my posses
| sion.
Three years ago there was pretence of
| receiving bids for the boarding of help
| employed here. l myself have read the
sworn statement Of men, perfectly respon-
sible, that they offered 10 board the en-
ployes for $3.72 per week. The contract
was awarded to the former proprietor S.
o. Hersey, and when work commenced
mems wages were reduced ten cents per
day and they were charged S4.2O weekly
for board.
l boarded in this mess-house at a time
when the superintendent came swelling
through the dining room, threatening TO
discharge man forrapping some mustard
off spoon upon his plate, the man
having made some little noise IN so doing
have sat down to cble there when for
meat we had liver actually rotten, and
butter so rancid that when swallowed q
man felt as if saw had passed over his
throat.
As an instance of their tyranny with
respect TO forcing man to board in the
mess-house will rehearse the following
story: A man at present working here had
taken up a ranch and placed his family,
consisting of wife and two children,
upon it while he worked here. One of
the family, young girl, was very sickly
when living on the homestead, but imme-
diately changed for the better upon re-
moval to this place. The man wanted 10
hold his land but he had to work. He
left the wife and son 10 remain at the
home and thought to keep the little girl
here for her health's sake, the two intend
ing to keep house together; but they
bounded him into the mess-house, and he
was forced 10 ship the child home, where
she died a few weeks later. This is writ
ten as have it from the mans own lips.
a laughable scene was enacted yester-
day, viz: that of the boss laborer trotting
around with lump of bull butter in
rag, endeavoring to get employees to sam
pie same in interest of the mess-house.
This is his latest. A short time ago he
was stricken with the brilliant idea of
taking up subscription for a clock. He
was fearful of drawing on the L. s. gov
ernment lest it should disturb the surplus
Apropos of Norway and his survey
ing. He found it necessary to make a
survey through the center of the canal, |
part of the performance was that of max |
ing meander around an obstruction IN |
the same. He took the rather primitive |
method of measuring round it with a
tape line. Carefully establishing his |
point he imbedded stone in cement |
placing in the center of said stone nicely |
turned copper center; yet after all this |
artistic work he was only three and a |
half feet out of the way. Quite mean |
der, indeed He overheard the lieutenant |
remarking that it would be necessary to |
take survey of a certain slightly dis
abled sorrel horse, judge his worth and
endeavor to dispose of him. Norway"
officious as is his wont, got his apparatus
and surveyed the old horse from stem 10
stern and reported, but the result has
never been made public.
Running our stone yard is only hoary
relic of the polygamous past. He came
to us with flourish of trumpeis, vowing
to produce some wondrous innovations in
the working of stone, something after the
manner of that employed by the Egyptians
during the building Of the pyramids. But
his schemes fell through. He had been
too long engaged in triliing on the ARP
OF Zion and found himself behind the
times. He actually did not know piece
OF soapstone from piece of granite.
During one of the lieutentants absences
NORWAY" and our "Relic" combined
made grand mistake. We had cut
great many stone for the forming. OF the
segment of an arch. 1t all had to be
done over again at cost of not less than
S3 per stone. Quite an item uselessly
deducted from our appropriation. He
cannot make out his monthly reports, and
cannot measure the stone cut, but has to
get one OF our boys to do the work for
him. GRANITE.