East Oregonian : E.O. (Pendleton, OR) 1888-current, 1905-08-07

Blanched and whitened by years of
"vnosure 20 summer sun and winter
snow, a human skeleton, supposed to
be that of Dave Woodard, the pioneer
tollgate keeper of the Blue mountains,
was found In desolate canyon a few
miles from Mud springs, north of Ell
gin, few days ago.
While searching for a spring hidden
away in thicket near Mud Springs,
George Garwood and Bailey Shelton
camptenders for Mack Shelton, a
Union county sheepman, discovered
the bones of human skeleton,
where they had been gnawed and
scattered by wild animals and bleach
ed by exposure. They gathered up
the bones and found the skeleton to
be complete and from the location of
the remains and the general LAY"
of the country, 1t is thought by all
the settlers in that section to be the
last mortal part of pioneer Dave
Woodard, who for 90 years lived at
the summit of the mountains, between
Milton and Summerville. and for
many years maintained a toll road
and kept a tollgate at "Woodard's
Station"
The story of Mr.. Woodard's tragic
death is familiar to every one in this
part of Oregon. During the winter
of 1899 he went from his home at the
summit of the mountains to Elgin,
with a hand-sled, after supplies. The
snow was deep and the weather rough
and he had difficulty in finding the
trail, while going down with the emp
ty sled, but he finally reached Elgin,
purchased his supplies, lashed them to
his large hand-sled, and although
| over so years old at the time, turned
his face toward the mountain and
started up the treacherous trail with
| his load.
The storm swept down the canyons
covered up landmarks, trails and
roads, and blinded the struggling pio-
neer as he tolled toward his home
| 1t was the most severe storm of the
entire winter and after two or three
| DAYS waiting for him to return after
the storm subsidized, his family began
to inquire and found that he had lef
Elgin. intending to go home and nc
trace of him could be found alonl
the route.
Instantly the entire country wa:
aroused by the news that Dave Wood
ard was lost and hundreds of friends
turned the mountain upside down II
searching for him.
His sled, loaded with provisions
was found where he abandoned 1t af
| ter he had wandered away from tn
trail in the binding snowstorm, bu
the drifting snow had completely OBJ
liberated his tracks and covered vi
every falling log and tree trunk be
hind which he might have taken ref
uge and the lond and faithful searcl
was fruitless. For months squads o
friends remained in the mountains II
| homes that melting snow and return
ing spring would discover the body o
the pioneer, but not the slightest trac
was ever found, and this handful o
whitened bones is now supposed to b
his remains.
Mr.. Woodard came to the Blu
mountains in the early sixties an
operated the "Woodard" tollgate an
road across the mountains. which wa
for years the main travelled road be
tween Walla Walla and the ldah
mines. He was known to everybod
in this entire section and of late years
since the tollgate was abandoned, ha
kept a hotel and stopping place Q
the summit, which was a favorit
summer camp for hundreds of Wall
Walla and Umatilla county peopl'
His relatives at Milton believe thf
the bones just found are his remain
and it settles his sad fate in the