The Weiser signal. [volume] (Weiser, Idaho) 1890-1904, 1898-03-31


above Sturgil WAS 80 feet in length and 20
inches wide. it WAS not until l:20 p. m. of
the 2lst that we got started agan.
while we were lying here we were wit
nesses of an accident that may prove OF
interest to such of your readers who have
prospecting trips in contemplation. We
were tied up on the Idaho side of the
river. and The hills on the Oregon side
rose abruptly from the banks of the river
TO IA height of about thousand feet On
the day of our arrival four men. with
four horse team and n wagon loaded with
"A light camping outfit and a few tools,
evidently.a prospecting party. were seen
lnboriously toiing toward the summit of
the hills. and when we first sighted them
they were about 500 feet above So
steep was the pitch of the hill that they
were obliged to tack zigZag fashion across
it's face, and while one man drove the
other three held the wagon 10 keepit from
| slipping. We watched their progress
with considerable interest when the wagon
was seen to give n lurch hover n moment
apparently in mid mir and the next mo-
menJ that hillside appeared To be covered |
| with flying men, horses wagons ana |
bundles Of bedding; then came cloud OF
uust which obscured everything Pre-
sently pair Of wheels came tumbling
into the river. the dust raised. revealing
| one of the men standing near where the
wagon tipped. two more about IA hundred
feet lower down. and the fourth some dis
ltance below holding two horses. the other
Two having run some distance from them.
| There was not enough left OF the wagon
to make IL wheel barrow and the pnrty's
effects were scattered all the way down
the hill Evidently none of them were
hurt and they appeared TO take their dis
ter very philosophicaliy. AS the last we
saw of Them thev were making their way
SLOWLY over the hin with therouttit loaded
on n kind of sled they had mprovised out
of willows which grew along The bank
.'Everyone was glad 10 leave Sturgill'
bar. the work here had been OF the
l. most labOrious kind, and the men, work
! ing in the hold nearly night and day,
. were well nigh worn out. We passed the
mouth of Powder river a few miles below
Siurgill this appeared n muddy, slug
gsh looking stream, about hundred Ieet
wide Mt lis mouth; and old gentleman
and two young ladies were noticed stand
. lug near "A cabin. evidently their home
: the current here WAS cranky and the cap
o tain would not stop. A short distance
S below snow began to show in the noun
e tnins AL intervals of three or four miles
o old miners cabins appeared on the banks,
s at some of which a bewhiskered, over
allied miner, a woman. two or three rag
. ged children and few dogs would pre-
r sent themselves, but oftener they were
i uninhabitei and going to decay.
: IA bout 3:30 arrived in sight ol
e Brownlee Ferry. passing the Indian cave.
e which is natural hollow in the rocks
e about 20 feet square, and across tht
IS face of which stone wall with II door IN
e IL has been built; smoke issuing from
IS this indicated that someone WAS making
.r a temporary home of the cave. Neal
d here, on the opposite or Idaho side, is !
hot sulphur spring, in which. it is said. {
It man once took II bath and died from th'
il effects of doing SO. but whether his deati
,e was caused by the character of the waite
or the novelty of n bath, tradition doe
" not state.
ye ARRIVING at the ferry proper. we fount
ID that The Steel wire which holds The fcrr,
r. boat would have to be lowered into III
re water in order to allow us to pass over II
in and although Captain Gray sent four mel
TX ashore TO assist the ferry men. so crud
as were the fastenngs and arrangements TO
al handling the wire, that we were unabl
til TO proceed until nearly o'clock, whe
we dropped into edy a mile below tn
,g ferry and tied up for the night
" There is something Of "a break in tn
,f- hills around Brownee's. making an eS
d. celent range for stock. with which tn
"A country is quite plenfifully sprnkled here
it abuuts. The natives were lavish wit
their information regarding Box Cal
M von' and this IN fact has been the cas-
to all the way down the river We hav
TO had all kinds, from the man who ha
MS walked across il dry shod at low water
s. the one who assured us it WAS bolin
he chadron in which no boat could live
Ill minute ADu run ~ miles HI nout ior
10 miles. at "a pitch of 40 degrees and wante
TX. to bet $40 that none OF us would G
elk through alive; the boys DUBBED the LATTE
N the forty man"
&C. "Owing to the conflicting nature Of II
me reports and lack of reliable information
th there was considerable suppressed anx
nd ETY. amoug the crew when we pulled ava
ps, from Brownlee's at $50 n m, and tho
is. who were looking for adventure were soc
ig- To get what they were looking for boz
nr- three miles below our starting point WI
)ut Horse creek empiies into the Snak
Sc This is beautiful mountain sireal
wo and as Its rystal waters intermingle wi
efJ the muddy. mirky waters OF the Sna
in IL makes one think he would be willing
M give any price FOR one cupful OF sprii
off water. We have no time, however to "a
ely miro this sparkling brook. for as we roui
per the bend Wild Horse rapids come in sigl
AN These rapids are described on our cha
AS very dangerous for all kinds OF era
md and the chart is right, but IL don't put
quite strong enough The river a
r at proaching this point narrows TO abo
fter Iwo-thirds of It's usual width; the fall
AIRY very rapid and TO make matters mu
worse makes three abrupt turns. the CO
= tour of The stream forming letter
When shot into these rapids and {
Ill., surging. twisting. foaming water beg
use 10 pound over weakened bulkheads n
FOR wash over oDr deck, captain Gray
Ex- several noiches in my estimation.
.ver reason for this was that there was no I'll
Dr. while we were running the rapids thu
edy couldn't see projecting rock right abe
we And within 20 feet OF us chat he was 81
yhs. to strike and smash TO pieces on. and
idle aggrayating part OF It was ne didn't Sc
n il 10 care We didn't strike anythil
,ood though. and after we were safely throu
are and looked back and SAW where we
AS "A passed through. WAS good deal smal
eed- in my own estimation tnan ihe capt
tiles had been lew moments before
3 .The next rough water we struck
IooLo,,t p, pide The river uarrowe n