howcoc16.html

 History of Wasco County, Oregon
by Wm. H. McNeal

Chapter 16
(approximately 15 pages when printed)


OUR FIRST FAIR of 1885 by Edward F. Sharp

     The first Wasco County Fair had its first official start in 1885 when A.S. McAllister, a retired John Day sheepman and operator of The Dalles Steam Laundry at 3rd & Federal, became the first presi-dent of the Fair Board. Phillip Sharp, father of Edward (above) who furnished the information for this story, was vice-president, of the board. J.O. Mack, father of Mable Mack of The Dalles and a whole-sale liquor dealer of those times was secretary-treasurer.

     Orlando Humason, the father or Wasco County, was very much interested in the fair project. He owned a farm up on the hill (bluff) which included the grounds selected for the fair. He leased 40 acres to the Fair Board at a very low figure. The 40 acres were bounded by 12th street on the north, H street on the east, 14 street on the south and ran west almost over to the I.N. Wiley place on B or Federal street. The Humason Donation Land claim had been fenced 40 years before (1855) by an old "worm fence" of 12 foot rails. Ed Sharp hauled these rails down to his 4th & Federal street home for firewood. The rails were filled with the accumulation of 40 years of wind blown sand which very effectively filled every crack and crevice. The old steam wood-saw operator had to spend about half of his time filing his saw which was dulled by the sand in the rails!.

     The Fair Board erected a high board fence around the race track and pavilion and grand-stand portion of the grounds to keep the Indians and kids out. They hired Edward Sharp, surveyor and later Wasco County surveyor to lay out the ½ mile track which he did by sticking 2 circles at the end of 1/8th of a mile straight-of-ways, at the right distance to make the full ½ mile track. The grounds had a natural incline up on the 14th street side which made a fine grandstand location and place for bleachers. Anna and Elizabeth Lang handled the pavilion displays.

     In those days practically everyone had a horse. Interest in horse racing was always a feverish topic which could only be settled on the race track by a Sunday, holiday or Fair race, at which money always changed hands. The race track was used between Fairs for training horses, racing and ball games.

     The Fair Board built a pavilion and exhibit building 60 X 150 feet just west of 13 & Kelley Avenue, the second year of the fair. By that time a circuit of race horses always played the fair. Eban Boyington, Dalles horse trainer and trader, had one of the best trotters. He was a big 1600 pound Purcheon work stallion, but he could open up and run a half mile like a deer! The betting was always on the level. There was a row of stables for the horses and other livestock as well as pens. Water was piped over from the old John's Mill flume, used then by the city as a water pipe line. The first year they had to haul water to the grounds for stock and drinking purposes.

     In 1895 as residences commenced to encroach upon the grounds the Board leased 40 acres from the Stadelmans which is now known as Wasco County hospital and Fair Grounds. The Board developed that into one of the best Fair Grounds in eastern Oregon. It also had a half mile track, a nice pavilion, now used as Wasco County Hospital. It had stables for horses, pens for livestock and plenty of water. The Fari was held on the streets of The Dalles in 1907-08-09-10-1911.

     In 1912 when Jim Kelley was president of the Fair Board he and Victor Marden started the Pendleton Roundup in The Dalles on those fair grounds west of town. The first year local cowboys from Wasco and Klickitat counties did the riding. Then Victor Marden went east to visit the Cheyenne Roundup, the first ever held north of Texas. He induced some of those riders to come out for The Dalles Roundup in 1913 and they made a much better show. By 1914 Pendleton "saw the light" and had the Cheyenne boys stop for their show, after they left The Dalles, making the Pendleton turnout much bigger. The 1914 show was the biggest and best roundup The Dalles ever seen and the best Pendleton had had up to then. Jealousy crept into The Dalles show and Victor Marden was accused of trying to promote the show just to sell saddles and make his business better. This was just what Pendleton wanted. The Dalles show in 1915 was not so good and the Pendleton show was bigger and better than ever. During World War I days Wasco County and The Dalles business men dropped BOTH the fair and the show. This was all it took to kill the fair in The Dalles and there had never been one held here since.

     A Horse show was held at Dufur in 1916 and 1917. Frank Ingalls was the booster of that show and it featured draft horses, buggies and buggy teams and general purpose horses. A Dufur Fair and show was also held Friday and Saturday Sept. 29, 1930. It was sponsored by the Dufur Valley Fruit Growers' Association Fair Committee whose membership included E. Gill, T.H. Johnston, W.G. Faust, M.M. Burtner, G.W. Parker. These men solicited exhibits and had them delivered into Dufur. Frank Ingalls managed the horse show.

     The Southern Wasco County Fair was established at Tygh Valley by this time. A full account of the struggles and success of the Tygh fair which has since became the Wasco County Fair, is covered in this history under Tygh Valley.

     It is interesting to note that Antelope also had a horse show and fair in that city in 1898 and 1899 an account of which is given in this history under Antelope.

OUR WILD FLOWERS

     The wild flowers of our vicinity was a subject very ably written by Mrs. S. Brooks in the Times-Mountaineer of May 17, 1898, loaner for this work from the library of Mrs. Fred Houghton:

     Our wild flowers well deserve mention. I only wish I had more time to devote to them. The little Erigenia or Indian Potato with its delicate heliotrope odor is the first to make its appearance, often as early as January, if we have a few warm days. The next are the Golden Stars, then the Purple Eyed Grass with its yellow companion the little Fritillaria which proclaims spring has really come. They are followed by the Golden Esythroniums (Rock Lilies), the buttercups, larkspurs, peonies, and lupines of all shades from blues to purple and white, some pinks and yellows too.

     Summer brings the Painted Cup with its fiery glow. the Penstemons and many others of the Labiate family. There are crowds of Compositae headed by the Sun Flower. Among the shrubs is the Oregon Grape, Service Berry, Wild Cherry, Yellow Currant, Ocean Spray and its cousin Shushula with lilac colored blossoms of the spircea type. Along the creeks are the wild roses and White Clematis near The Dalles. Across the Columbia in the sands of Rockland (Dallesport) the Afronia with its verbena-like flowers prevail and sand lilies.

First Flowers in The Dalles

     The first cultivated flowers in The Dalles were grown at the homes of Judge W.C. Laughlin and Captain Lawrence Coe's home and when I brought my first rose cutting from Portland to The Dalles on the steamer Idaho in 1868 the attention I received was only ridicule that I should hope any of them would grow. I scarecely think of any of my cuttings being the ancestors of our beautiful rose bushes of The Dalles today. Attempts to beautify the home and make life's surroundings better are never lost. Today our green lawns and flowers speak of homes of refinement and culture. A home is not only a house but also the surroundings and their influence. My plea is to flower-deck all our homes, especially those in the country. The little space of beauty, near the home, on which the eye may rest after the days toil lightens the burden. Children will leave the home which has forgotten mother's old fashion flower garden.

Oregon Grape

     Oregon Grape, our state flower or plant has leaves even more beautiful than the flower. The flower is rich in beauty all its own. Oregon Grape with its brilliant green and deepest crimson surpasses the world famous English Holly. It is found from the Pacific Ocean to the Rocky mountains in the days when Oregon domain extended to those limits and from California to the Columbia river, the biggest state the Union ever had in 1949. It is truly representative of our beautiful state, evergreen, with crimson and gold.

The Geranium

     The easiest house plant of all to grow is the geranium. There are many beautiful varieties now grown for a great display of flowers. They must be protected from the frost on cold winter days but a little care will reward the grower with freshness for the home.

The Congregational Church

     The Congregational church was established in 1859 by Rev. W.A. Tenny. They used the old Wasco county courthouse which sat where the city hall now is, but the prisoners in the jail on the first floor interrupted the services by singing different songs and loud talking. In 1802 Rev. Thomas Condon became pastor and they built their first church in 1863. Charter members were: E.S. and Mary Joslyn, W.D. Stilwell, E.S. Penfield, Zelek and Camille Donnell, Robert Pentland, Governor Zenas Moody, H.J. Waldron, E.B. Comfort, Orlando Humanson, John P. Booth, James B. Condon, Joshua French, Samuel Brooks, E.B. McFarland, Fred McDonald, R.A. Roscoe, W.R. Butcher, O. Sylvester, B.S. Hunning-ton, Mrs. E.R. Robinson.

     Dr. Condon resigned in 1873 to become professor of geology at Pacific University and later at the University of Oregon. Rev. W.R. Butcher served to 1876; J.W. Harris to 1878; D.D. Gray to 1887; R.V. Hoyt (1887-88); W.C. Curtiss (1888-89) and the church burned in 1888. A new one was built in 1889 costing $13,000.

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The Baptist Church

     The Baptist church was established at 3rd & Washington in 1872 with Rev. Ezra Fisher and G.C. Chandler in charge. In 1878 Rev. C.W. Roes was pastor. In Dec.1881 the Baptist Home Missionary Society sent Rev. O.D. Taylor. In 1883 the 3rd street property was sold for $4250 and a new church erected at 5th & Washington where the courthouse now stands and completed in 1884. In 1887 Rev. J.C. Baker became pastor and in 1888 Rev. O.D. Taylor became pastor. In 1889 John Harper, M.J. Hill and L.L. Hill incorporated the Calvary Baptist Church and in 1901 dedicated their $2500 church at 7th and Union. The members abandoned the old First Baptist church, on account of the conduct of Rev. O.D. Taylor (see page 448) and he left for Baker City about 1904 where he died. The church was acquired by Wasco County and one of the best court houses in the west replaced the old building. The new $160,000 Baptist church at 12 & Federal was dedicated in September 1951.

The Harvey Machine Co.

     The Harvey Machine Company's plans to build a $65,000,000 aluminum reduction plant at The Dalles has stirred almost as much excitement as the government's building of The Dalles Dam. As this history is being written Lawrence Harvey of Torrance and Los Angeles, Calif. was quoted by the United Press on November 16, 1952 as declaring, "that the proposed plant at The Dalles could be constructed in 12 to 16 months if the Defense Production Administration granted the permit to build and buy controlled materials. The plant would produce 54,000 tons of aluminum annually, to be processed into bars in the second stage potline section. The third stage would be a rolling mill to process the bars into sheets and other forms for fabrication. The local PUD and Bonneville Power Administration have given the firm power to operate the plant from McNary Dam which will be available in 1954 to the extent of 80,000 k.w. of firm power and 60,000 k.w. of interruptible power and to employ 1000 men in the reduction plant and a like number in the rolling mill. At site Dalles Dam power will be available for $14.50 per k.w. yr. 1957!

     The company was attracted to The Dalles area by Ivan Bloch, Portland industrial consultant retained by Dalles City, Port of The Dalles, Wasco County and the Chamber of Commerce. When Ivan Bloch first came to the Pacific coast with Bonneville Power Administration and talked industrial development in The Dalles, he was belittled by private power advocates in The Dalles who laughed at him and said, "his statements are only a pipe dream." Efforts will be made to "write off" part of the plant's cost as a defense plant by using its federal tax money to defray building costs. The plant holds an option on 400 acres of Dallesport land and 250 acres north of the railroad tracks in the Chenowith creek area which includes river frontage for ocean-going ships and barges which would carry raw bauxite ore for processing here. The ore would come from the Caribbean area of the Dutch islands and Dutch Guiana on the northeast corner of South America. The Harvey company reported that they were buying enough metal now to support and pay for anew plant and the government needs 200,000 tons more annually.

     Fumes from the plant are expected to be controlled by "fume arrestors" which were reported to be able to filter 90% of the poison from the smoke. April 1, 1953 was the date set for the final announce-ments of the plans of the Harvey Machine Co. according to Leo M. Harvey, president. The tax write-off was 85% and the financing of The Dalles plant is all taken care of. Leo Harvey is a man of action, not words. He started out in 1914 with one man and now has sales of $30,000,000 annually. Lawrence Harvey is vice-president and chairman of the board of directors. Herbert Harvey, brother of Leo, is in charge of production. Homer Harvey, son of Leo, like his brother Lawrence, is a vice-president. They expect to have the first aluminum on the market from The Dalles plant in 1954. The market price is "pegged" at what it costs to produce aluminum at the newest plant! Leo Harvey expects to try out ocean-going barges to haul his ore with as their shallow draft makes them easy to got in and out of the shallow harbors of the Guianas. A Liberty ship of 8000 tons capacity costs $2000 a day to operate while barges coat $800 a day, a string of which will haul 20,000 tons at $4000 a day, for a savings of 60%. It was planned to haul gypsum board from Los Angeles to the east coast and return with a ship load of bauxite to The Dalles. A lawsuit is pending against the American Cyanamid Co. for possession of the British-Guiana mines. Ore from Singapore is possible. The government has granted them their $20,000,000 rolling mill for aluminum sheets, strips and circular metal pieces.

Lawrence A. Harvey

     Lawrence A. Harvey, manufacturer, was born at Ontario, California May 18, 1912 the son of Leo M. and Lena P. (Brody) Harvey; B.S. University of Southern California 1931; LLB 1933; MBA Harvard University 1935; married Ruth Fuhrman in 1940 and have Brian and Larry.

     Was admitted to the bar in California in 1933; is a member of the firm of Harvey & Viereek 1933; is vice-president of the Harvey Machine Co. Inc.; was president of the Consolidated Pacific Investment Co. (1938); was an officer in the Harcraft Appliances, Inc. 1945; was vice-president of the Harcraft Subway Terminal Corp.; was a vice-president in the Robot Laundry Machinery Corp. and with the Vendo-matic Co. (all of California).

     Mr. Harvey is a member of the Society of Aero Engineers; the Army Ordnance Association; the Harvard Business School Alumni Association of Los Angeles and the American Bar Association.

     His California home address is 6641 Langdon Street, Van Nuys, California. His office address is 19200 South Western Avenue, Torrance, California.

     The Harvey Machine Company's plans, if fully carried out, will provide employment for 2000 families in The Dalles! That number is about equal to the number of individual working families now in The Dalles! In other words about ½ the working men of The Dalles will, after 1954, be employed by the Harvey Machine Co! The Harvey Machine Co. will dominate the life of the city, the industrial life, the schools, the social life, political affairs, our churches, our organizations. For a long time business men and many citizens have wanted "new blood" in the city, new faces, new ideas, new people. This long sought-for request will be answered in a "big way" and like a tidal wave over the city in the next 2 years. Are we prepared to welcome our new neighbors? They will seek 2000 new homes which means a lot of new homes are going to be built, new streets, water, sewer and other problems to be met, as well as schools, churches and more business houses.

     There is NOT too much room for new industries on this side of the river. There is plenty of room on the Washington side. We don't expect The Dalles to grow too large on account of lack of industrial space. It will be nice to see a large responsible firm like the Harvey Machine Co. dominate the scene. New blood and new community leadership might be just the tonic we need. Harvey Machine Co. employees are going to be with us for a long time to come. Lets give them a warm cordial welcome.

BIOGRAPHY

     Born at The Dalles, Oregon March 19, 1899, son of Orvin O. McNeal (1872-1910) a native of Mo. who came west by covered wagon (1882) with his parents, Wm. E. McNeal (1849-1932) native of Tenn. who lived in Mo. from 1853 to 1882, and whose wife was Martha (Barnes) McNeal (1845-1901) of Ky. They farmed in Thompson Addition when it was first opened for settlement in 1894 and jointly operated and vegetable and fish market on Court street until about 1900. Orvin O. McNeal married (1898) Nettie Davis (1875-1938) daughter of Silas Wm. Davis (1832-1897) native of Mo. who married Emeline Renoe (1839-1933) and came west to The Dalles by covered wagon in 1865 where Mr. Davis built boats for the Oregon Steam Navigation Co. and was a trainman on their Dalles to Celilo Portage railroad then operated The Dalles to Wapinitia Stage line from 1885 to 1897.

     Wm. H. McNeal was educated in The Dalles schools; spent 2 years in Navy (1917-1919); worked 3 parts of years (1918-17-19) in the mines at Butte; railroaded (1919-20); finished high school in 1921; was a printer's devil on Optimist in 1922; was a railroad painter in 1923-24; entered postal service in 1925, been a Rural Mail carrier since 1926; was an apprentice store clerk for Edw. C. Pease 1911-12; was Western Union messenger boy in 1920; served on battleship Oregon and submarine service in navy; was publicity director for the Portland convention of the National Rural Letter Carriers' Association in 1939 writing many articles on the west for the National Rural Letter Carrier, Washington, D.C., wrote articles for Oregon Grange Bulletin of Portland, for Chronicle and Optimist of The Dalles, for Western Horseman of Colorado Springs, for Oregon Journal of Education, for Portland Oregonian and Journal, for veteran publications; was editor of the Beaver Bulletin (1946-47) a private publication of the Oregon Rural Letter Carriers' Association; was commander of the Willard Anderson Post No. 2471 Veterans of Foreign Wars of The Dalles (1933-34); was 3 years director of the Public Power Club of The Dalles and the Grange Public Power Committee which brought cheap Bonneville power to The Dalles and the farmers of the Mid-Columbia area; been an advocate of graveled roads for farmers since 1926; member of American Legion; Grange and V.F.W. Faithest by religion. Listed in Vo1. 8 pages 383-84 1937 edition Compendium of American Genealogy; compiler of "Some of the Descendants of Col. John McNeal." Hobby: writer of history and feature articles; veterans affairs; cheap power and better roads. Married (1933) Elva, daughter of Benj. F. and Lina (Dillion) Wilhoit of Prineville; have son Ray of New York and daughter Gay of The Dalles; sister Emeline (Mrs. Burt M. Anderson) Seattle; brother John of The Dalles and half sister Frances of Portland.

This History

     We first became interested in history while working with the American Legion Frolics committee on publicity which published annually a paper advertising the show. Considerable reading and talking of history was necessary to get articles for that publication. Rex Miles was the editor and a fine fellow to work with. He was United Press wire operator on the Chronicle, writer and ad man. During those years we gathered considerable Wasco County historical data. We did not want to encroach upon aunt Lulu D. Crandall's efforts along those lines too much for she was doing a fine job. We urged her to compile her material in book form. She had plans for doing that but research work prevented their materialization. We had hoped some of the better qualified "old timers" of Wasco County would pick up the thread where Mrs. Crandall left off but no one ever did.

     It finally reached a point where little children and big ones too commenced to wonder why, if we had such a wealth of historical data in Wasco County, that it was not put in book form so they could refer to it in their school, home and organizational work? We didn't realize how important this really was to them until our own girl came home with similar questions which we couldn't answer. Then we set down to do something about it to satisfy our children and students of history who thirst for historical data on our rich history. It is a slow, hard, exacting task to write history.

     This Is NOT a perfect history. It is NOT over 75% perfect. The student should allow 25% for bad spelling, punctuation, poor grammar, errors in dates, typographical errors. The human mind is not more than 7% perfect. A committee could have made it 90% perfect, but where is that committee?

     We hope and trust the next historian will do better.

     Printing herein by Bohn Printing Shop. Cuts loaned by Chronicle and Optimist. Mimeographing by Mr. and Mrs. Rey Hogue. Paper, covers, stencils and typewriter purchased from Craig Office Supply Co. Typed, edited and published by W.H. McNeal. Assistants acknowledged under each article.

A SCRAP FROM AN OLD DIARY by Elizabeth M. Wilson of The Dalles

     The following short story was published in the 1905 edition of the Souvenir of Western Women by Elizabeth Wilson, mother of Judge Fred W. Wilson of The Dalles and loaned from the library of Mrs. Fred Houghton of The Dalles for this record:

     In September 1851, I was riding (on horseback) from Albany to Forest Grove, where I was then engaged in teaching. Only for short distances was there anything that could be called a road for wheeled vehicles. Much of the way we rode over a grassy trail, and everywhere the "ooihut" was in the open.

     The few and far-between settlers, as soon as was possible, had a corral fence for cattle and horses if they were fortunate enough to have any, and a field of grain, but nowhere could a fence be found on both sides of the way. The day waned; we met no one; we passed no one as we rode. It was a delightful ride, though a lonely one. Several times from adjoining thickets we saw the faces of deer steadily gazing at us with their penetrating eyes wholly without fear.

     We were still many miles from our destination and very tired and it was decided that the next cabin should be interviewed to see if any possible supper could be obtained. As we turned the bend of a large hill, somewhere in Yamhill county, we came in sight of a man plowing in the open. At some distance was a cabin, and a fence enclosing a piece of lard for gardening. My escort rode to the plowman to make inquiries, and I to the cabin. Two children, about 4 and 6 years of age were stand-ing by a rude stile. I asked them to tell their mother that I wanted to speak with her. They made no reply, but steadily stared at me.

"Go call your mamma," said I.

     There was no response. I then dismounted, wondering that no motive of interest or curiosity had caused the cabin door to open, but still all was silent. I said to the oldest: "Take me where your mamma is."

     She readily took my hand and led me through the tail rye grass and stopped by a newly-made grave!

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OUTSTANDING PEOPLE (Continued from page 52)

65. Rev. E.P. Roberts; page 215.
66. Albert S. Roberts; page 215.
67. Wm. Roberts; page 215.
68. Tom Roberts; page 215.
69. Rev.& Mrs. F.L. Johns, historians; page 216.
70. Lawrence Harvey; page 466.
71.
72.
73.
74. Robert R. Mays of Tygh; page 241.
75. Dan Butler of Tygh; page 241.
76. Phillip Foster of Barlow Road; 157-158.
77. Jason Cushion Duncan Pratt of Wamic; 244.
78. Fred S. Gorton of Wapinitia; page 248.
79. Alfred Sanford of Wamic & Shaniko; 249.
80. Silas Wm. Davis, Dalles to Wap. stage; 209.
81. Hamilton Kelley of Wapinitia; page 252.
82. Tom & Ellen Burgess of Bakeoven; page 261.
83. Matt Thorborn of Kingsley; page 304.
84. Jonathan N. Patterson of Dufur; page 330.
85. Edward Limmeroth, historian of Boyd; 331.
86. Epiram Gill of Dufur; page 332.
87. Daniel & Joshua French of The Dalles; 336.
88. George Young of Shaniko; page 264.
89. Tom Ward of Shaniko, Nansene; page 265.
90. A.R. Altermatt of Shaniko; page 267.
91.
92. Jim Clark of Burnt Ranch; page 263.
93. Herbert C. Hooper of Antelope; page 271.
94. John Silvertooth of Antelope; page 272.
95. Andrew Clarno of Clarno; page 273.
96. Horace Rice of Rice; page 235.

97. John & Nick Fax of Rice; page 286.
98. Dr. Ben Morgan of 3 mile; page 367.
99. Frank B. Ingalls of Dufur; page 325.
100. Markman M. Durtner of Dufur; page 326.
101. Margaret Walker (Mrs. Glenn Muman) of
        Wamic, Dufur and The Dalles; 428 S 13,
         Corvallis, historian; page 403.
102. John Adam Fleck, The Dalles; page 402.
103. Herbert Edward Morrow, geologist; 439 & 440.


List Additional People below:

104.

105.

106.

107.

108.

109.

110.

113.

114. Please refer to pages 442 & 443, list of 105
        veterans who died in the service.


THE SHANGRI-LA VALLEY of the WEST by W.H. McNeal

     When James Hilton wrote his Lost Horizon story which we are all familiar with, little did we realize that right here in our own back yard, so to speak, is the "hidden valley of Shangri-la" of the west! It has been known by the Indians for hundreds of years as HEAVEN! It was discovered by the white man in the 1880's. It is known to only a handful of people. For years it was the summer home for many Dalles people. We call it the Trout Lake country. Its area is some 50 square miles. It contains numerous lakes full of mountain trout and many streams that have never seen a fish hook! The forests abound with deer, elk, bear, game birds. The huckleberry fields lure a few fall visitors.

     The forest service has provided 82 campsites in the area for the camper, hiker, sportsman, photo-grapher, artist, vacationist or berry picker, along the creeks, rivers, meadows, lakes, spring or berry patches, with no reservations needed and no charges! Plenty of pure mountain air, washed free of man-made poisons; plenty of pure mountain drinking water, not contaminated by man-made purifying methods; fresh foods from the streams, bushes, gardens or on the wing or on foot that needs no "federal inspection" to certify as to its pureness. Sunshine with all its mountain glory. A maple carpet of green underfoot to soften the footsteps, and ease the eyestrain. A landscape of beautiful mountain flowers free for picking. Beautiful evergreen trees of all sizes. Awe-inspiring snow capped mountain peaks. This is where they go to "get away from it all" for a time.

     Some of the better known camps are at Government Mineral Springs, La Wis Wis, Goose Lake, Spirit Lake, Bench Lake, Mosquito Lake, Takhlakh Lake, Pack Wood Lake, Bird Lake, Mirror Lake, Takhi Lake, Council, Horseshoe, Lewis River, Adams Creek, Earl creek Meadows, Cold Springs, Guler, Trout Lake. The mountain peaks are Adams and St. Helens with Rainier close by for skiing and climbing.

The Sulphur Mines

     At the 11,000 foot elevation on Mt. Adams is the location of the Sulphur Mines. Some 20 diamond drill holes down 300 feet through the ice and snow show sulphur deposits down 500 feet and more! This tremendous deposit is the highest sulphur or other mines in the U.S. The government is short of sulphur and until the recent development of the New Orleans beds, consideration was given to the extension of the J. Neil Lumber Co. railroad up to the timber line and the establishment of a tramway from there to the mine site. John Perry, cousin of the Crate children of The Dalles, packs supplies by horses, up the east slope of Mt. Adams to the mines. Mr. Perry was born and raised in the saddle, knows every road and trail of the area and has acted as guide and packer for many parties. Mt. Adams is one of the easiest mountains of the west to climb. Some years ago a team of work horses and sled was driven to the top, photographed, and the picture published in the Oregonian! In June 1952 the S. & M. Flying service of The Dalles landed a plane at the 12,307 foot level on Mt. Adams to see if it would be possible to fly miners and supplies up there. Wade Dean of Hood River, president of the Pacific Sulphur Co. made the aviation experiment. John Hodgkins, who was fined for landing a plane on top of Mt. Rainier, was the aviator who landed on the 3000 foot Mt. Adams runway.

Trout Lake

     Trout Lake 24 miles up the White Salmon river from the Columbia was settled by Peter Stoller and some 14 other families in the 1880's. The Petersburg school of The Dalles is named for Mr. Stoller who came there in 1882 from Switzerland. In those days supplies were brought by boat to Bingen Landing and carried in on pack horses, a two days journey. Wm. Stadelman introduced irrigation there in 1887 and formed the Trout Lake Irrigation Co. in 1889 which brought in many early settlers to Shangri-La Valley and Chas. Pearson store. Chris Guler brought the mail from the Maple Hotel at Bingen to the Guler Hotel in 1893, a 2 day trip. Teunis Wyers became the mail contractor in 1894 and under his management roads were improved and tourist service to the Guler Hotel increased by leaps and bounds to Trout Lake. Many Dalles people went over there for their summer vacations or had summer homes in Trout Lake.

Famous Trout Lake Photo

     Some of this increase was due to the famous and remarkable photo of Trout Lake taken by B.A. Gifford, internationally famous Dalles photographer, employed by the railroads to photograph points of recreational interest to draw tourist travel for the railroads. His Trout Lake photo, like his Lost Lake, Sunset On the Columbia (see pages 180 to 184 for detailed list of Gifford photos) and many, many others, was a masterpiece in photography. Trout Lake was shown glossy smooth, with Mt. Adams high in the background and its beautiful reflection in the lake. A log extended down into the lake waters and on that log, near the water edge, crouches Rev. Daniel Poling of The Dalles, with a fishing pole in his hand, and from the end of the fish line dangled a beautiful mountain trout about 12 inches long: That photograph had APPEAL to every HE-man in the world, fortunate enough to see it. The railroad companies of America had copies of that photo hanging in all the depots. of America and hotels to say nothing of the magazines and newspapers it appeared in. It was multilithed in colors in Germany and millions of post cards sold. It was in every travel bureau, fair and expositions, art galleries, homes, libraries and it merited all the publicity it got. The lake continued to be an attraction to about 1925 when it became overgrown by vegetation and its attraction lost. Plans were considered to restore it by dredging, but them are other lakes just as beautiful. The Creator did not put all the beauty into one lake, as Crater Lake has proven.

     In 1900 Teunis Wyers brought a group of 300 Mazama Club members from Bingen to Trout Lake, a very remarkable transportation feat for those horse and buggy days. By 1910 he kept 100 head of horses with 80 in the harness every day in the tourist season, for his freight and passenger business to this summer paradise of the west at Trout Lake, By World War 1 days 'dyers gradually changed over to automobiles for passengers and trucks for freight. We don't see the "Acres of Diamonds" in our own beck yard. Indians say it was Heaven. Settlers say it was "paradise valley." What do you say?

THE HOME 50 YEARS AGO

     This is a human interest story of home life 50 years ago.

     I was married 3 years before I learned to understand my wife. We always got along well enough together but I knew something was wrong. I studied and studied to find out just what it was, all without success. Then one day the following incident opened my eyes.

     It was a short time after New Years and my wife made a trip to the store to purchase a pair of shoes and thoughtfully purchased me an umbrella which I was in need of. I appreciated her thriftiness in taking advantage of the after-holiday bargains. I learned my mistake.

     The clerk who sold her the shoes was an able business man of 19 years experience in pleasing his customers. He won my wife as a customer by speaking admiringly of the size and shape of her foot; something that I, her lover and husband, had never tried to do. There is never anything wrong in our family anymore. Whenever my wife looks nice I take the pains to tell her so and when she is not at her best I keep still. She uses tact in handling me that I never appreciated before.

     A woman loves to be loved, but she also must be admired.

--- Chas. Foster; Coast Magazine, Seattle, Wash. October 1905.

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     So many men nowadays (1900) do not get married until they are well along in years, because, as they say, "the girls of their choice expect good homes and comparative ease." This discourages young men and they spend the best of their lives as bachelors with the idea in their heads that young women do not care for poor men.

     This is all a mistake. I believe that if a girl is too nice to assist a struggling young man in upbuilding a home, SHE IS NOT NICE ENOUGH TO SHARE IT WITH HIM WHEN IT IS FINISHED!

     When I accepted my husband as a life partner he had NOTHING BUT HIS GOOD HEALTH! I decided that he was the man I wanted and I did NOT allow his lack of wealth to stand in the way. Immediately after our honeymoon we bought a little home and today it is almost paid for. It is easy to buy a home. There is no use paying rent. We have very little furniture of any value. We expect to add to what we have after the house is paid for. I have actually gotten along with a tiny 12 X 18 inch mirror. I know my husband is doing all he can and that he will get me a better mirror when we can afford it.

     We are living within our means and getting a little more ahead every day and I would far rather be here helping him plan and save than to be at home with mother and father waiting for a prospective husband to get rich.

--- Emma Williams; Coast Magazine, Seattle, Wash. 1905.

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WASCO COUNTY HISTORIANS

Clark, Irene; on Dalles Chronicle staff in 1930's.
Condon, Dr. Thomas; geologist listed on page 58.
Crandall, Lulu D.; 66 and 227; pioneer historian of Dalles and Wasco County.
Dalles Chronicle; a community history since 1890 and Mountaineer before that; Optimist since 1905.
Camelia Donnell 126; early Dalles historian; mother of Lulu Crandall.
Fleming, Jess; page 260; southern Wasco county; historian. Gavin, John; 398; schools and city directory historian. Gifford,
.A. & Ralph; 62 and 164; picture historians.
History Central Oregon, Wasco County Library.
Historical Society of Dalles.
Kirsch, Mrs. Pete; 258; Maupin and Criterion historian. Limmeroth, Ed 288 & 331; scrapbooks in Dufur Library.
Lockley, Fred; History Columbia River Valley at Library.
Lord, Mrs. Wentworth (Elizabeth) REMINISCENCES OF EASTERN OREGON, early Dalles history at Library.
Masiker, Carson C. 371-372; History of 15 Mile Valley quoted herein.
McArthur, Lewis A. page 91; Oregon Geographic Names at Library.
McNeal, W.H. page 467, writer of this history.
Miller, H.G. page 71; history in pictures.
Morrow, Ed. pages 438 to 440, Geological History.
Walker, Margaret, page 403; Several Stories quoted herein. Wilson, Fred W. 69 and mother Elizabeth 30, both historians.

     Other historians are credited and quoted from page to page and are too numerous to mention all, whose efforts are acknowledged with thanks and appreciation.

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© Jeffrey L. Elmer All Rights Reserved