, 1890-12-18
LIFE ON THE COLUMBIA
A Thousand People Who
Dwell in Floating Houses.
MONTANA IN EARLY DAYS
An Aged Woman Driven From
Home-Funerals Among the
Okanogan Indians.

The Cathlamet Gazette estimates
that at least 1000 people live the
whole year around In scows on the
Columbia river All the way from
Vancouver to Astoria, II distance of
over 100 miles, these miniature
floating houses can be seen lying at
anchor in some sheltered nook, or
tied up at the mouth of an inland
slough.
In passing along on a steamer the
casual observer would seldom notice
them save for the small volume of
curling blue-black smoke that Is
seen issuing from their miniature
smoke stacks.
Scow architecture Is as varied in
design as the nationalities who In
habit them. Some are modelled
after the style of fine American
clipper ship, with a sharp bow and
projecting stern. Others resemble
the famous old Dutch galleons, IN
broad as they are long; but the most
common design to be seen on the
river 18th so uare bluff bow model
of 1912. These scows vary in length
from thirty to sixty feet aud broad
in proportion.
The interior arraugements consist
generally of two rooms-a sleeping
room and kitchen. Others, again,
are more pretentious and have
suite of four rooms Many of these
are nicely fitted up, their exterior
appearance differing widely from
their cheerful. cosy interior. The
space i'm the bow and stern Is used
for lockers to stow away provisions,
clothing, etc. Several dogs, n cat, u
set of playing cards, guns, fishing
tackle, spare webs, corks, buoys and
other fishing gear from an important
part of the scow cargo.
The rigging on these crafts usual
ly consists Of a mainsail and a stan
sail. With a fair wind and the tide
in their favor they can make very
fair progress. For the most part
they are Inhabited by Greeks, Rus
sian Firms and Scandinavians, with
an occasional American. Some have
their families aboard, but for the
most part the crews are single men.
The inhabitants are, as a rule,
genial, hospitable people. In their
rough ways they live along from
year to year, apparently oblivious
to the busy world around them.
With a good store of provisions and
liberal allowance of tobacco they
pass the time very comfortably.
They vary the monotony of life by
visiting the neighboring scows,
hunting, reading, etc. Taken alto
gether, these scow dwellers on the
Columbia are a peaceful, harmless
set of people. who are perfectly con-
tent to spend their days in this semi
primitive fashion.
Mr.. j. l.. Sweeney, Of Missoula,
one of the Montana pioneers, is at
the Rainier hotel, Seattle. To a
Post-Intelligencer reporter he said:
"a little gold was found in Mon
tana in 1862; the gold fever broke
out fiercely in 1863, and 1 struck the
state in 1864. / came from Wiscon-
sin, to which state had come from
Ohio. l first went to Virginia City,
and / have mined 1t in pretty nea rly
every part of the state. Almost the
first gold got out still carry with
me-" and he showed small slipper
of gold on his watch fob. II had 1t
made into this charm.
"In those good old days the vigil
lantes were busy. One of the most
famous men they hung, Henry
Plum mer, was the sheriff OF tho
territory. He was head of gang of
high way robbers who used to hold
up mail coaches; but he was strung
up at Bannock. i knew him be-
fore he came to Montana.
"The vigilantes did good work at
first throughout the state, but by
and by rascals got into the order,
committed robberies and murders
and hanged some one else for them.
The vigilantes at their best were
pretty active. 1 remember their
hanging three men on one beam in
O drug store.
~ have seen all tho ups and
downs Of Montana At one time