The state rights democrat. [volume] (Albany, Linn County, Oregon) 1865-1900, 1891-01-09


During the last two or three years there
has been great deal said A. 70 the local..
y Of the .sBlue Bucket Mines" Thisis
place where q train Of euigfanis coming
to Oregon In ls4s Il said TO have found
an abundance Of gold, though At the time
they did not know what the mineral was.
The :raln pf emigranls had arrived At The
mouth Of Malheur river where they were
met BY Stephen Meek, lrapper, and
brother to 10 Meek, who claimed to know
shorter route % the Willamette Valley
than by The .1alles. lie persuaded them
70 follow his lead and he would lead them |
direct to the Read Of the valley by the
Mckinney route. Alter travelling with |
| him some distance they concluded he was
blk and threatened 70 hang him. He
left them. They became Loaf, many OF
their number died and they lost good
deal Of stock. II was on the lost trip that
they were said 10 have found gold. The
following IL an extract from diary kept
by Mr. Heron, father OF w Heron, OF
Salem, and Of ! r Heron, a former Sher.
iH Of Linn county. The diary was ob-
ialned by Jason Wheeler, Of this city, from
i j X Heron and copied. Mr. Heron afser
wards lost the original. The following
were captains In the trains that crossed
on thls route: Sol Teiherow, Owensby,
Sinclair and McNary. Among those IN
the trains were Samlei Parker, Me- Her.
ron. Anderson Cox, Hiram Smead. John
Butt, Judge Stewart. Matt Scott, Mr. Ter.
wllilger, liaman Lewis, Henry Marlin.
(ihe man who found the kold,) Capt King.
II Peterson and VIM A Peterson, now Of
,hls city, The diary runs from August
a3rd TO September Sth, 1886
! August s3rd.
This morning our company was called
together, Tor the purpose OF hiring pilot
: 10 conduct us across the bend In Boise
River and over the Blue Mountains. down
10 the Dailcs, on the Columbia River.
! This route will cut off The bend Of the
road that leads down Burnt River, and Il
said TO be ono hundred and fifty ltsol
miles nearer than the old route. Price
y agreed on with Mr. Meek to take ~
|. through the new route was fifty dollars.
!. So we got up our oxen and started about
= Q O'Clock, and travelled a northwest course
!, TO beautiful ssreatn Of water called Nal.
4 heu., about twelve miles from where VI
: crossed the river, found plenty OF grass
) and ANAL Willows 10 build iire 70 &c
= supper With, so there was no grambling.
August s4th.
More oxen missing this morning. II
o'clock before all the wagons were out q
camp. travelled about ~ miles, 8 frs
i mica northwest, then changed our course
q 10 southwest until we came 10 same strean
y Of water that we encamped on last night
q and found plenty of wafer and grass ant
q dry willows 10 make Gre With. The Feut
to-day has been dry ard nncommoni,
dusty, and entirely destitute OF timber o
vegetation Of any Kind, except Wild sage
et and Il Il dying very fast f.r want Of rain
:. country ioierahiy level bat not III tol enl
81 tisation. The Indians stole one hork
OF last night Within thirty yards OF our ea
campment.
August 3sth.
Started about o'clock and cucampc
MI about 4. Travelled over some very rougl
4. road to-day, the lords Of the creek ver
rough and rocky. the country very poo
!. and broken. no timber only along ia
y. \. water courses. There are some willow
: = and grass l. very good on the low bottom
4, near he creek. Course 10 day grneFatl
!" southwest, distance about len miles.
ce August 10th.
er Started half past seven. Stlil kecpln
de up Malh.ue Greek and crossed Il the sre
he ond time. then we left Il and turned into
gap Into the Blue Mountains. over som
tolerably rough road near our eneamp
ment and on The east OF II was a sollin
- spring that afforded water enough wher
m We found hrst-rate wafer and grass an
willows. and a kiad oi sofs wood ealls
Y Balm. Distance, eighteen mlcs.
- August s7,h,
J. Late start this morning; nine oxe
a missing. II O'Clock before all Of u
"a wagons were out OF camp, then We move
of southwest course Stout Item miles
the head Of the same sbranch that v
:. camped on last night; had some yer
a. rough road to-day. passed down ore yeI
IN rocky ravsne.ihe valley OF the little stFral
80 where se are to. o.night. and had Il yer
dusty down the branch, found plenty I
water and tome willows, grass not goo
. very much dried up. mountains entirei
- barren, no soil here.
=. August ssth
= Made m early start this morning. o,
sv pilot told us We had ~ miles 10 60 10 gra
- and water. So we travelled of Al quic
- pace hui found no water, only sma
hr spring that did not afford water enoug
10 drink. 80 our poor oxen, cattle and ho
ses had 10 suffer for water another nigl
after hard days travel over some Of Il
10 worst roads that they have travelled ov,
isy yet, for Il was uneommonly rocky az
nd billy. We passed up one mountain to-dl
Of that was about three miles high. bessds
ich several that were from 4 10 i Of mi
mi high, and down some that were very nel
n- a mile sl6pe. Passed some cedar, thong
ne they were small; grass good; course {
day southwest.
So miles from Boise River.
N August Goth.
- This morning we left our dry encam
y ment and travelled about Il OF mile
as northwest course, then turning mort
, = east course one mile, then north a OF
10 mile, then we turned northwest about
miles and passed up mountain aboi
one mile high; here We changed ol
course to west about one mile TO the Il
So Of another mountain, here we discovers
be water and grass sufficient about3ls mill
hs off, so VIC turned southwest course ovi
N, some as rocky road az ever want
!, travel, for our wagons were off one roc
aes on 10 another all Of the way down IL
slope OF the mountain, which occaeiont
a mighty jolting and rumhling with o
wagons, for both men and cattle were
NJ hurry to get 10 water. We found
re. beautiful little stream Of excellent watt
ng and plenty Of grass, and willows thl
Ir- were dry and some cedar TO make a ti
r. with. We passed considerable ced.
mt timber, hut il was low and scrubby. "
he had considerable rain this evening. Di
int tance nine miles.
Of August s0th.
lss This morning very wet and rainy, la
N, breakfast. 0o'clock 0 before We collecte
IS ous oxen together, 10 o'clock all OF IL
c.. wagons on the roll again. Travele
o. about 8 miles west course 10 the streai
or that we left the 2Bth. Here we encaml
I'd ed for there are mountains all around u
IN and we have the Blue Mountains
nd climb over again tomorrow that are aal
70 be % miles across. Grass very goo
and plenty Of Willow, Alder and Balm 0
the mountains. Some cedar, but the
O. are small and low; the mountains whel
ws we are now are covered with grass;
lr- grows up under the snow in winter an
he dries up with the heat OF summer, bT
OF does not rot likeit would farther eai
of where 1t rains through summer, for
ge seldom ever rains here in the summe
Irs The cattle and horses eat 1t as we'll {