CHAPTER X.

History of the settling of the Walla Walla country.—Report of government experts as to the soil—Packing to the mines of Idaho, ete.—The market and opportunities.—The outlook in 1870 when I landed there.—The country grasped by its throat; the government prostituted.—1000 miles of river navigation to the sea strangled, and the tribute that was levied.—The result.—The promised railroad, ete.—First land claim I located.—Life in the beginning of a home; dangers and draw-backs.—My first outfit.— Sell my claim; hunt for and loeate another in a new wild section; description of it and the locality—My Indian neighbors; how they treated the first white men they ever saw.—A homebuilder’s land rights and what he must necessarily endure in carving a home in a wilderness.—Warned of the perplexities, conspiracies and treason to be planted in the way.—How we started out to build a good and spacious home; our first house, ete.—Travelling, moving and camping in the west.—25 miles to blacksmith’s shop,
14 CONTENTS,
etce.—The “ Egypt” for supplies —Land claims located about us and abandoned, are re-located by others time and again.—My first crop; big, black, hungry crickets, one hundred bushels to the acre.—So that we are left alone in the “France Settlement.”—The section surveyed and I “ file my claim.”—Raise hogs; the result ; also get a band of cattle; experience on the range. — Getting roads opened, ete.—First railroad in Eastern Washington. - Struggling for a livelihood and home; how I managed.—Other new settle- ments and people; how they done.—“ Land hunters.”—“ Prove up”; pay for and get patent for pre-emption claim and take a homestead claim adjoining.—Copy of United States patent.—How we just loped along eui ahead uf the country.—It settles up.— New county; towns, ete., built; settlers swindled; build school house, ete., ete.