The Hood River glacier. (Hood River, Or.) 1889-1933, 1913-06-05

from Switzerland more than quarter
of century ago. owned the hotel until
recently, when he sold to Mr.. Rey-
nolds. The hostelry is now kept by H.
c. Coe.. MIR. euler bought the land
surrounding Trout Lake on which is
now located the hotel property from E.
l.. Smith. who with his family used to
camp in the valley before the white
man had settled the country. Geo. |.
Slocom spent one winter in the valley
alone. The snow fall is very deep
there, the altitude being 1900 feet, and
Mr.. Sloeom, who had a drove Of stock
for his only companions, still declares
that the days of that winter we're the
most lonesome of his existence.
Right at the very door of the euler
hotel, when the water of the creek is
not too high, the fisherman can I'LL his
basket with Rainbows, Lock -levens and
mountain trout. A quarter of mile
up stream the creek spreads out over
the lowlands and forms the lake. Here
is one of the most perfect breeding
grounds for trout in the northwest, and
this little lake fairly swarms with fish.
On an evening, when the trout are
jumping, the surface of the water boils
like bubbling spring. However. the
lake fish are very fastidious and will
not take fly unless il is very appeal
ing to their sense of the fitness of
things.
The Trout Lake region abounds with
wonders of nature. But a short dis
tance from the euler hotel are found
the ice caves and lava caves. Some of
these ice caves have been used by the
residents as storage houses. One is
called the Butter" cave. A door was
is constructed at its entrance and the
product of the early creamery was kept
there. When we get to growing ap-
piles like you folks over at Hood Riv-
er. F" says Mr.. euler, I'VE will have it
on you; for on years when prices are
not good we will just put our fruit in
our caves and keep it until the prices
become better" A number of potatoes
were placed in one of these caves by
Charles Pierson, rancher of the dis
trict. and kept for two years. The
tubers were as good for cooking as on
the day they were deposited in the un-
derground cavern and some of them
were planted and produced an excel
lent crop. The district there is fairly
scanned by caverns. Scientists say that
all Of the valley bed was one day
seehting mass of molten lava. These
caves are bubbles that were inter-
spersed through the lava, which, when
the mass cooled became caves.
At the head of the Trout Lake valley
may be seen the "Sleeping Beauty"
the almost perfect profile and bust of a
woman formed by the towering bluffs
of stone and the forest covered range.
However, the bust is four miles distant
from the head. four miles further
away from the valley, and at times a
mist divides them and only the head
can be seen. The huge "Sleeping
Beauty" can best be seen in the late
afternoon or evening just as the sun is
setting behind the range of hills.
Then she is fascinating sight. One
may look for hours, wondering what
legends the Indians may tell of the
great formation. There she has quietly
reclined for ages, a maid of the
Mists," when clouds veil her head, and
in winter wooed by Boreas, as he filings
her sable snow robes more closely
around her. But when the sunshine of
July IL falling she is veritable sum-
mer girl and wears all CT the glorious
colors that nature can provide, while
autumn brings the glorious garments
of tinted leaves.
One of the most enthusiastic of the
Trout Lake ranchers is B. X. Richter,
who came to the Hood River valley
year before last and purchased an
orchard in the Odell district. How
ever, he was attracted to the Trout
Lake district because of the wonderful
opportunities offered the dairy rancher,
and disposed of his place in the Odell
community and removed to Trout
Lake. He now has more than $50
acres of the most desirable soil there.
HIS barn is a massive structure. A
spring on the place supplies running
water to the house and operates dyn-
amo, which furnishes light for his
home and barns and power for the
machinery that is used about the house
and barn.
MIR. Richter recently shipped from
Elgin, ILL.,, "a thoroughbred Holstein
cows. These beautiful creatures may
now be seen on the pasture land of his
farm. His cream is collected daily, as
is that of his neighbors, and carried to
the valleys creamery, where the
cream from more than 400 cows is
manufactured into butter. Last
year" says Mr.. Richter, we received
an average of "a cents per pound for
every pound of butter fat we produced.
In addition to my monthly cream
check. marketed more than $500
worth of hogs. | figure that | can
make my hay yield me a net return of
$40 per ton by thus using it. Can you
blame me for being enthusiastic over
such a country"