, 1889-11-07

this will probably he done when the
commerce on the upper Columbia grows
greater. There are little valleys along
the Columbia for many miles below
and that grow marvelously beautiful
and well Favored fruit. These valleys
are being taken up and will soon be In
cultivation. The trade from all these
belongs to the Spokane II Northern rail
road and OF the city of Spokane Falls.
MARCUS.
At the head of the valley into which
the railroad comes after leaving the Col
vile river is Marcus, the next terminus
of the railroad after Colville. The rail
road hero for the first time comes
squarely up against the banks of the
Columbia. The terminal grounds are on
n little plateau twenty or thirty feet
above the riveS which sweeps by in
lordly mngniHcence. Its banks are clean
and well defined I; its water as blue as the
sea; its current unchecked by snng or
sond-bar, and its depth beyond discov-
cry by the naked eye. II Is one OF the
finest streams IN the world, and many a
richly laden craft will plow over its sur
face in future days.
Marcus Is u place with n history. On
a level some ten feet below that of the
railroad terminal grounds stand "A group
of well worn, but neatly constructed and
mathematically arranged low, long log
houses, very quaint in appearance, and
evidently not constructed by either trap
per or aborigine. These were tho
houses erected by the North American
boundary commission of Great Britain,
in 1850 for their use while lin conjunc-
ton with commission appointed by
the United States, they were fixing the
British Columbia. The work ul
tie two commissions continued through
OF 1882, the English commission
which was under the command of II
colonel, and which consisted of forty
men, all told, abandoned these quarters.
An adventurous young Hebrew by the
name of Marcus 0ppcnheimer came
along and took possession of tho vacated
buildings. That was twenty-seven years
ago, and Mr.. Oppenheimer, q much older
man than he was then, is there to-day,
and rejoices in having the place bear his
first name, He opened small general
store for the supply of trappers, miners
and Indians, and has done n prosperous
| business all these years. He now has
I two or three warehouses well filed with
goods, and has trade of $1,000 u month.
! At first he had to haul every article he
| had in his store from Walla Walla, u
distance of more than 200 miles, and at
cost of cents pound. When tho
/ Northern Pacific railroad came to Spo-
kane Falls ho was brought 100 miles
nearer source of supply. In two
months the railroad will land freight at
his door. He has waited nearly thirty
years to see this, and those who have
| had occasion to observe his amiablo
manner will not bcgrudge him the en-
JOY yment of his reward.
VOICES OF THE PAST.
One can linger about Marcus and have
many interesting reflections. There is
| the old mcssroom of the officers of the
| English commission. remaining to-day
much as it was when abandoned in 1852.
| The coloneps quarters are also still in
tact. Thore Is the guardhousc, also,
with its two little windows, long since
boarded over, and the old hospital. The
old houses were built for defense and
comfort rather than. for elegance and
beauty. The chimneys were constructed
of sun-dried brick, and remain to-day in
| n fnir state of preservation. At the end
of each house is great fireplace, and
around which, no doubt, has bluzed
many great lire, and around which has
been told many stories of pence and war,
love and adventure. One member of the
commission remained; he sleeps ON the
plateau where the railroad will make its
terminus. His long rest will now, nc
doubt, be rudely disturbed, aud the de-
caycd remnants OF the enclosure placed
about lis grave by his conirade viii
shortly have disappeared forever, and
the grave itself lost in the common
dust.
Lying up against one of the houses OF
the English commission are two sections
of the smoke stack of u little steamboat
that u few years ago ran on the Column
bia between Kettle Falls and the Little
Dnlles. Her owner and commander was
Captain Finkston, who ~ spoken of by
all who knew him ms being "a man OF
manly and noble qualities, ore day,
two years ago, while standing on the
deck of his boat directing the discharge
/ of Il cargo, "A stray ball from rifle that
had been aimed at u deer OF. ncighbor-
| ing hill, by an Indian hunter, struck
l him in the knee and shattered the bone.
I Amputation was neCes sary, and as the
work was rudely done, there being no
capable surgeon near, the gallant captain
died. lie had, like many other white
men OF that region, married an Indian
woman, ana lett eight huf.brccd chill.
dren. When 1 was going over the line
Ol TIC SpOkune ~ NOitlleTn rullrONu Iust
week | stopped with "A companion at
I Captain IinkstOn's ranch, which is but
a lew miles from Marcus, ana got a bas.
ket oil beautiful apples, which were
! picked from the trees by pretty halt
breed daughter OF the captain. Not
withstanding the fact that she had been
educated ut the Catholic mission she was
SO shy that She with all the balance of
the family, tried to run away and hide
I frnll n ike hrQnu nrIirtn
chickens. The captains widow, alas for
the frailty OF womaniy affections, has
already married white man by the less
distinguished name OF Miller, and has
rcjoiced his heart by increasing by one
the modest number of children she de-
liyerrd over to his kindly keeping in the
first instance.
IN CONCLUSION.
have thus endeavored to give some
idea of the country and people along the