The weekly Portage sentinel. [volume] (Ravenna, Ohio) 1854-1861, 1856-01-05
The Mammoth Tree Grove Of Cal
iGOrnia.

!
The Mammoth Tree Grove Of Cal
iGOrnia.
Last Wednesday morning left my resi-
dence in San Joaquin County and took up
my march for this locality, and arrived here
about five O'Clock in the afternoon, yester-
day. On my way hither passed through
Sonora and Colum5 5ia, crossing the Stanis-
laus at Abbey's Ferry" in the mountains.
| The road from Sonora to this place (Big
Tree) is in splendid order, aud can be trav-
eled with perfect safety in buggy or car
riage. The distance from Sonora v,a Muir
PHYS Camp is twenty i've miles. On ar
riring at this place | was much surprised to
find a first-class hotel, with every conven-
iencc OF similar establishment in a large
city. 1t is we'll fitted up for the accomo-
dation Of the ladies, being amply provided
with bedrooms, parlors, Sc. There is a
commodious stablc on the ground, which
will accommodate some forty horses.
In tho body of the Big Tree" there is
house, IA by Is, which contains two fine
bowling alleys. The stump OF the tree is
intended for ball room. Imaasured the
stump myself, at distance Of eight feet from
the ground, and founnd it to be twenty-eig {
feet in diameter at the narowest place.
I am indebted to Mr. Chas. S. Stevens for
his kindness in guiding me through the for.
est, and for giving me the names OF the
trees.
The Man moth Tree Grove containg in
its valley eighty five monster trees in an u
rea Of fifty acres. The "Big Tree" is not
the largest tree in the grove, But it is the
largest perfect one 1t is ninety five feet
in circumference, and measured, after
it was cut down, 900 feet in length,
the stump standing eight feet high. 1t
is estimated by the grains Of the stump to
be three thousand years old. Five men
were occupied twenty-five days in telling
it (Which was done by boring) and three
weeks to strip off its bark to the height Of
fifty-two feet. -...r... .
The "Miner's Cabin" is eightyfeet in cir
conference and nearly 800 feet high; it is
open in front about fifteen feet
The "Three Sisters are group evident
! ly grown from the same root, about 800 feet
high, aud ninety two feet in circumference.
They are perfect, and the mo,t beautiful
ones in the whole group.
| The "PioneeT's Cabin is $50 feet high;
where the top is broken off it has small
opening through it.
The "Old Bachelor" is quite forlorn-
looking Old gentleman, having many rents
In his back, and the roughest looking bark
in the whole group, and is 800 teet high, and
sixty feet in circumfer.nc
The Husband and Wife" are about $50
feet high. and each sixty feet in circumfer-
cnce. They seem very afectionate, leaning
together at the top.
The "Family Group" consists oi twenty
ak trees, the father, mother and twenty
Flour Children. The father from appearance,
was blown down many years ago. The
tree measured ITO feet in circumference, and
the supposed hight. while standing, was 45o
feet; the remaining lenghth, where it was
broken off by falling againgt another tree,
is 800 feet. 1t is hollow the entire length
and large enough to ride into on horseback
4 Nearly half of the trunk is embedded in the
ground, and measures % feet in diameter a.
above the surface.
i The "derinit'' stands entirely BY itself,
and is $40 feet high and seventy-ive feet in
circumference exceedingly straight and sym
metrical. sa
The III srcules'' is $50 feet high and lo7
\ feet in circumference; this Is the largest
standing tree in the grove, and would make
i 725.o05 feet Of lumber; it like many other
/, lurge trees, is imperfect, being burnt on one
side eight feet
/ The . NJ other" is ninety lone feetin circum.
''tfeteuce and s27 feet high.
II The "Pennsylgania', so called by two
young ladies Of Philadelphia, is twenty.fonr
/ feet in diameter and 3l5 feet hight.
i The "North Carolina. is twenty-four feel
in diameter and slO feet high.
I. TheHGreen Mountaina Elate's II twenty.
two feet in diameter and 900 feet high
il The shfother and Son, are toge gesher nine,
lIty three il circumterence; the mother Il
u aog "a As,,l ,ssl thss uns 4nfl "a 80 NJ s &