The Sumpter miner. [volume] (Sumpter, Or.) 1899-1905, 1900-10-03
PIONEER OF PIONEERS.
Frank Mclean Mines at Can
yon City in 1868.


gon, who has helped to m Ike the coun.
ry's history from the time when there
was an almost daily skirmish with Chief
Pauiina's bandit tribe, TO the present time,
when the schoolhouse stands near the
battle-ground and the red apple grows by
the old time trail Of numbering savages.
Mr.. Mclean first came into Grant
county In 1861, when miners dug coarse
gold out Of Canyon creek by saeksfull;
he was there when the m III sacks and
pack trains ran the gauntlet Of ambush BY
day and swift attack by night, when
packers and express riders were left dead
by the wavsiie, aud a government escort
was necessary to safe conduct from The
Dalles 10 Canvon City.
Since $50, Mr.. Mclean has been res.
ident Of Grant county. lie knows the
town Of Canyon CITY, It's birth, and re.
members well when II was the county
seat Of all the country from Nevada north
TO Snake river, and when Joaquin Miller
was Judge over all the mountains, deserts,
lakes aud valleys. and held his cour, IN
an old log house by Canyon creek. As
a miner, Mr.. Mclean was among the first
TO break ground IN the camps that have
made eastern Oregon famous. At Can.
yon City he worked a rocker when pianos
were unthought OF; when an abstract OF
title consisted ot q siA shooter and a ready
finger; when q man who wore his linen
cuff Tor collar could not have gotten q
job at carrying boiled beans In hash
house.
IN I86s he worked with the miners who
camp whose log huts are now slowly
orumbiing in the deep canyon between
Grrenhorn aud Dixie, and, one year later,
lie saw the inpctuous miners leave and
abandon the talings oi their years work
10 the people who were to come with tu.
ture years. lie knew the Gable Bros,
who discovered Gable Cove, aud sold out
on Elk creek to Bill rhurbrun, who blew
IN the installmen,s oi u good old English
annuity lust over the mountains from
where Granite and liwton are making
money galore Tor the lucky mineowrers OF
today. tie has seen the mining industry
rise and tall, aud has seen It rise again
upon newer principles, aud watched the
growth Of fields aud orchards, for which
he helped pave the way.
After SusanNille. In 1905, failed to the
ambitions at the early miners, Mr.. NJ
Bean returned to Canyon City, where he
engaged In business, and IN 1907 was
burned out by the first great tire, In which
Canyon City became q total wreck, but
was speedily rebuilt and carried on.
through good fortune and bad, TO the pres.
rnt time.
II was IN the year Of his return TO Can.
yon City, In IS6s, that he was one day
called upon to investigate the cause Of
delayed express from The Dalles. Secur.
ing the company Of another, he rode down
the narrow valley. Of the John Day river,
IS miles to Cottonwood, where Express
Messenger Il. e.. Page, now u resident Of
Spokane. WASH, told him Of an Indian
attack upon the stage In which the mail
pouches were stolen aud he, himself, es.
ssped only after an exciting bareback ride.
This episode was one at the many In
which pauilna's marauding savages hg.
ured In those days, and led TO the eNcoun.
ter near Waterman Flat, In which n. n.
Wheeler. the pioueer. whose name Is piy