Polk County observer. (Monmouth, Polk County, Or.) 1888-1927, 1906-08-17
SEES MANY CHANGES
Prominent Oregon Pioneer and Indian
War Veteran Gives His Inn
presslOns of Dallas.
IContinued nom Last weekl

@AA1Nl Oul OJuuCS lIldl
service, spent one summer witt
ID. P Thompson east of the Cascade
Mountains on a surveying expedition
He surveyed all that country from
Willow Creek to the foot of the Blue
Mountains, which took in Butter
Creek, UmatilIa Valley, Birch Greek
Wild Horse Greek, then over to the
Oregon line, then to the Columhis
River.
We got back to The Dalles about
October l. l wintered there and was
Deputy Sheriff about one year Al
that time, Wasco County extended
from the Cascade Mountains to the
foot'of the Rockies Sixteen counties
have since been made out of Wasco
County, yet the county is now nearly
as large as some of the eastern states.
While | was Deputy Sheriff, l had to
ride from rs to 100 miles to summon
jurors.
At that time, The Dalles was wide
open town, with plenty of gamblers
and toughs. Three companies OF
soldiers were stationed at the garrison.
The soldiers would come to town nearly
every night, and there were many
| fights between them and the gamblers.
A good many soldiers were killed at
different times, but no one was con
victed for murder.
In the month Of April, 1861, / started
pony express to the Orc Fino mines.
Ran the express alone until October,
when Joaquin Miller came to Walla
Walla with letter of introduction to
me from his uncle, Colonel Chapman,
OF Portland, and wanted to form a
partnership with me in the business.
He only had one pony and five dollars,
but took him in. He remained with
me for about eight months. We then
dissolved partnership, and Miller
went to Port Oxford, where he married
Minnie Dyer, better known as Minnie
Myrtle. She was quite a poet and a
good ali-around writer They lived in
Eugene h short time and then went to
Canyon City, where Miller was Pro-
bate Judge. He afterwards went to
Europe and made a big name.
I sold my express business to Wells,
Fargo & Company in the Fall Of 1868
and removed to Albany. Six months
later l bought the Eureka Hotel in
Salem, at the south end Of Commercial
street. While keeping hotel in the
summer of 1865, visited Dallas and
saw thriving little village.
l did not visit Dallas again until
July 25, 1906, when had the pleasure
of meeting quite number Of my old
friends OF the Yakima War. To say
that 1 was much surprised at the
great change in Dallas is putting it
mildly. l found thriving, rustllng
city Of at least 2OO0 or $500 inhabitants,
with beautiful courthouse, we'll
kept public square, and many fine
business blocks. Many of the stores
will compare favorably with those in
Portland. There are two large saw
mills, one with capacity OF 10000
feet per day an axe and pick handle
factory, where helves and pick handles
of the best quality are made from oak
timber. The town has two good hotel .
All of the professions are we'll repre-
sented. Dallas has as many fine
residences as any city on the Pacific
Coast of the same size, and many
beautiful, wclI-kept lawns. / was
sorry that did not have time to visit
Falls City. but I had to be back in
Portland, Monday, July 80.
met in Dallas of my old comrades,
J. M. Campbell, T. J. Hayter and DR..
T. V. b. Embree. | also met Hon.
J. L. Collins, an Indian War veteran.
At Rickreall. I visited Samuel and
Jacob Burch; also. Mrs. DR.. Boyle,
whom / had not seen for As years. l
shall always treasure in my
mind my late visit to Polk county.
NV old comrades and their families
did all they could to make my visit
pleasant, and l surely had royal
time. 1 return my thanks for their
sincere kindness. May God bless
them all, and may we meet agaiu-if
not on earth, ia the Bright Hereafter.
ISAAC V. MOSSMAN.