The Athena press. [volume] (Athena, Umatilla County, Or.) 18??-1942, 1895-12-20
FROM MOUNTAIN VALLEY
Stock Suffering fos Feed---How But
ter Greek Was Named.

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ter Greek Was Named.
MOUNTAIN VALLEY, Dec. 19th,-
| Editor ATHENA Pass. Perhaps
soms of your many readers may be
interested in hearing something
from this end of the county, form-
erly known as Che Potts now
generally known as Mountain Val~
ley. Mountain Valley is situated
in the southwestern part of Una
tilla county, on the head waters Of
Butter Creek. This creek was so
named during the Indian war Of,
1856. The soldiers while stationed
at this place received a lot Of butter
from The Dalles, which was sent to
the officers of the company The
officers not taking the proper pre-
caution with their cow-grease, left
it unguarded and the private sold
iers got into it and ate it up. Hence
the name Butter Creek.
Mountain Valley and surround
ing vicinity, is strictly o stock
country, and over its hills roam
thousands of sheep, horses and cat
tie; and even thes melodious voice
of the bowling coyote is heard oc-
casionally.
Grass and feed is very scarce this
year owing to the drouth of the
past year. which heretofore has
been unknown. Most of the cat
tie men have plenty of g,ass in
their pastures, while stock on the
out range are actually dying Of
starvation. One draw. back to the
out range is the scarcity Of water,
most Of the watering places being
under fence. Several cattle own
ers of this vicinity take their cat
tie to the straw piles out north of
Pendleton for winter quarters.
Wood is very plentiful and of
good quality. You can get it de-
livered at your door-yard, sawed
and split, stove length, for the
round sum of eighty-tive cents per
cord. How is that tor wood? The
low price Of wood is a great advant-
age to this country, as it is noted
for its cold, drifting winds, which
necessitates considerable wood.
While the winds Of this country
are very disagreeable, they are,
nevertheless, a great benefit to this
country as they blow@the snow off
the ridges, and enables stock to get
grass enough to live through the
winter withvery little feed.
There is a saw-millin this neigh
borhood, which saws about $4,000
feet Of lumber per day, and furn.
ishes all kinds of trough and dress,
ed lumber from $40 to $22 per M,
Mountain Valley is very much
in need Of store, postoflice, black
smith shop, etc, as the nearest ac-
commodation to these places is a
distance of IL or 15 miles.
The people Of the valley get their
mail at Ridge postofice, generally
every Saturday, by some one who
goes from the Potts and brings IL
TO Hon. J. S. Gurdane's place where
the people collect for their mail
when the carrier arrives.
This postoffice is near the FAM
GUS Willow Springs where a battle
with the Bannock Indians were
fought in 1878, in which several
men were killed.
Mountain Valley can also boast
of having a fine church, erected in
1885 by the NJ. E. Church South,
but stands open for oil orthodox
denominations.
Rev. Otis, of Trenton, N. r., has
been in the valley the past week
lecturing on bible prophecy, and
prea ,hing occasionally. He seems
to be very devout christian and
thoroughly understands bis SUBJ
ject. Any one who win Cd and
hear him lecture will becoNe
thoroughly convinced that ho1 q
ION to his job" He is a member
of the Liberal u. B. church, but
his lectures alone are enough to
recommend him where ever he
goes.
This is school dist. No, 33, and
was organized under j. w. Ingle,
county school superintendent.
There are about As pupils in the
district. This district IS partly in
Morrow county, which I believe is
the only district in Umatilla coun-
ty that draws school money from
two counties. Although it is a
large district, yet they are in very
much need of q new school house
which / think they will have soon.
I have "a pupils enrolled, some
Of which are very obedient, while
others are inclined to be little
disorderly at times.
Athena can boast Of tat hogs and
fat chickens. but Mountain Valley
surely has the "crow" when IL
it comes to fat turkeys. Mrs. Nc
Broom is stall feeding her Christ
mas turkeys now, and is getting
them in fine fix for Christmas. In
this line Mrs. McBroom has no
equal. She is assisted in this en-
terprise by grandma McRae. Oh
how we long for Christmas when