Lincoln County leader. [volume] (Toledo, Lincoln County, Or.) 1893-1987, 1893-05-04
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Number 9.

mother, and having had a social
chat with our old friend, Grandpa
Baldwin, who by the way, is one of
the old pioneers of Yaquina Bay,
having been one of the first settlers
in Newport and for many years
proprietor of the old Ocean House,
we again donned our packs and
started ON up Rock creek, passing
through the farms ofFred Stanton,
George Miller, Derrick brothers,
Edwin Stanton and William CARR.
son, who all have fine ranches with
from 20 to SO acres of bottom land
and all bordering on the banks Of
Rock creek, We had not paid this
vicinity visit for nearly year
and were agreeably surprised at the
improvements made in one short
year, The land in this section of
the county is entirely of a different
formation as compared with the
Yaquina country, being nearly all
sand, whereas, the other Is soap
stone. Glover and timothy grass
grows well on the highest tablelapd;
while the sandy bottoms along the
creek grow anything that will mia.
ture in an Oregon climate, At 3
O. clock D. m. bv Porters watch we
arrived at the home of John Lucas.
Johns latch string always hangs
on the out side, and we received q
harty welcome. MI. Lucas place
is situated mostly on high table,
lands. But with rare good judge
ment has made his improvements
on the banks of Rock creek Just
below the falls, where he can catch
the speckled trout and look out on
the finest water power in Polk
county as 1t comes laundering down.
the rocky canyon. Rock creek Il
settled six miles above the falls and
three miles of good wagon road
built with no grade over per cent.
Fifty-five or sixty settlers have TAX
ell land In this township, which
was surveyed about a year and a
half ago by A. l.. Porter, then coun.
ty surveyor Of Benton county.
This land is in Polk county. The
Bill creating Lincoln county includ-
ed this township, but the Polk
county delegation objected to SUR
rendering any of their territory and
a compromise was effected. How.
ever they will necessary be compell-
ed to survey, lay out aud assist to
build wagon road from Kings
Valley, Benton county to the line
of Lincoln county, a distance Of
about ID miles, In order that these
settlers may be able to reach the
county seat of Polk county. There
is no justice in compelling these
settlers who are trying to hew out
homes for themselves and families,
to cross Lincoln county go through
Benton county and then half way
across Polk county to do business
at the county seat.
After exchanging compliments
with Mr.. Lucas, he promising to
put on the big pot and little one too,
we started out to climb s. A. or
Social Ascent mountain, so called
by hunters but more recently called
Granite Mountain. After coon
ing" cedar log at the foot of the
falls where the roar from the raging
waters were nearly deafening, the
waters pouring over granite bould-
ers some Of which were as large as
an ordinary house, and affording
water power for future develope-
ments. The water being fairly
alive with mountain trout, here Is
the pardise of the lover of the rod
and fly. After taking a fresh chew
Of Climax and drawing a long
breath we commenced the slow and
difficult task of climbing the mount
ain. For the first two or three
hundred feet there Is quite growth
of vegetation but seemingly no soil
as the rocks roll from under ones
feet as you ascend. The next four
or five hundred feet has occasionally
a standing dead fir tree. The lat
ter part Of the last six or seven
hundred feet Is nearly bare of trees
and vegetation and is a towering
cliff Of granite rocks. The summit
is very narrow not over fifty feet
wide. The ascent was made in one
hour. The view from the highest
peak was grand indeed. looking to
the north as far as the eve can see