Читать книгу Oregon, the Picturesque. A Book of Rambles in the Oregon Country and in the Wilds of Northern California онлайн

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Following a winding but fair road through the hills, we soon came, as we supposed, into the main part of Auburn, for we had taken no pains to learn anything about the town. At the foot of a sharp hill we paused in a crooked street with a row of ramshackle buildings on either side and it was apparent at a glance that the population of the ancient-looking town was chiefly Chinese. A few saloons and one or two huge wooden boarding houses were the most salient features and a small blacksmith shop near the end of the street was labeled “Garage.” We mentally classed “Sweet Auburn” with Chinese Camp and following the road leading out of the place began the ascent of an exceedingly steep hill.

We were not destined to pass old Auburn with so short an acquaintance, for something went wrong with the gearing of the car before we were half way up the hill and we returned perforce to the wretched little garage we had passed, never dreaming that at the crest of the hill was a fine, modern town with one of the best-equipped machine shops we saw outside of the cities. While the proprietor of the garage, who combined in his single person the function of consulting engineer and mechanical repairman, was endeavoring to diagnose our trouble, we learned from a bystander that there was another Auburn on the hilltop with an excellent hotel—welcome news, for apparently chances were strong for passing the night in the town. We found the newer section well built and attractive, with a handsome courthouse, an imposing high school, and a new bank building with tall, classic pillars that would hardly be out of place on Fifth Avenue. Best of all, we found a comfortable hotel, which did much to mitigate the disappointment of our enforced sojourn in the town.