, 1890-12-25
TWO INDIANS KILLED
A Terrible Fight Near Ruby
City.
The SIMILIKAMEEN PLACERS
A Clock That Is Nearly Two
Hundred Years Old-Ex-
change Cuttings.

Mr.. w. II. Hanscom, Of Ruby
City, informs the Sprague Herald
that few Sundays since serious
and fatal cutting aflray took place
among the Indians on Salmon
river, opposite Ruby CITY. Chief
Moses and some of his tribe were
met Mt that point by some of Chief
Joseph's band. The two tribes Of
Indians being hostile to each other,
u knife encounter Mt once took
place, which was witnessed by a.
number of citizens of Ruby. In less
time than IL can be told, two In
dians had gone to their happy
hunting grounds, and II third one
was stretched upon the ground,
seriously, If not fatally wounded.
The bands then hurriedly separated.
Judge Charles Ballard has re-
turned from the Slmilikamecn, says
the Ruby Miner whore he has been
surveying some placer claims. He
says that tho Similikameen un-
doubleday contains good placer
ground, some of which has been and
is now being prolitably worked, and
Others which require some improve
meuts to make them valuable.
For Instance, II wing darn partly
extended into the river would leave
| the bars dry, while the water would
he raised high enough to put in
sluices.
That portion of the river Begin
ming half II mile above Its Junction
with the Otanogun and continuing
five or six miles offers the richest
field for gold washing. Here the
river runs through canyon, and
velus of quartz containing traces of
gold cross 1t ut frequent Intervals
The formation, while of glacier
origin, is also gold-bearing, and Is
of slate and porphyry.
The preci pitous and broken nature
of this region Is favorable 10 gold
washing. In deep, smooth waters
the gold Ia carried onward, rs there
| is nothing in the river to catch 1t.
Anything that creates ripple
checks the flow of the precious
pebbles, and IL Is there that the
/ knowing miner plants himself with
| his rocker.
Judge Ballard, in addition to his
other graces, is also an expert canoe
man. Having occasion to use Il
dugout to cross the river, Allison
and Lathrop, who were surveying
with him, went down the stream to
get the boat, while the judge re-
posed his weary limbs on the soft
side of u rock.
Presently they hove In sight, con-
veying the canoe by land, as they
did not care to risk the rapids which
interviewed. The old tar was natur-
rally disgusted ut such unnautical
conduct, and yelled aloud: Hey,
you measly land-lubbers, drop that
craft and I'll show you how to sail
her through"
Suiting the action to tho words,
the judge transferred his avOirdu-
pois into the bosom of the frnil float,
and just as quickly were his ponder
ous proportions rejected and dcpOs-
tied on the more solid bed of the
Similikamecn. where he floundercd
about like porpoise in shallow
water.
Aud he hasn't said anything
since.
The Cathlamet Gazette says:
Bruce Polworth, the prosecuting at-
torney, has II clock in his office that
has n wonderful history. This
ancient timepiece was made in Am
sterdam, Holland, by the Wander
felt Bros, and bears the date of
17l5. Itstands about thirty inches
in height. The design of the clock
is somewhat "heavYh and partalies
of the styles prevalent in those days,
The works are of the simplest possi-
BILE construction, consisting of just
eight pieces. The material used in
making the clock Is hammered
brass and fine wrought steel. The
clock has undergone several minor
repairs, but is essentially the same
as when constructed to marx the
shifting OF the sands of time in the
far away Netherlands.
The history OF the old timepiece
is quite interesting, and carries with
IL Il wealth of recollections of the
time when the flag of Holland float
ed supremely In the breeze over tho
known world. The clock was orig
inally the property of n wealthy
burgomastor in Harlan. AT his
death 1t fell into the hands of an
other family and remained in their
possession for many years. AT u
sale of their effects some time in the
"forties" IL was bought by an
English captain, who touched with
his vessel ut Victoria in 1850, and
presented 1t to friend of MI. Pol
worth's, in whose possession it now
is. Judging from the appearance of
the clock, and its wonderful longevi-
ty, IL bids fair 10 see another century
roll past.
AN OLD RESIDENTER.
In the Days OF Gold he Owned Part Of