Cedar Falls gazette. [volume] (Cedar Falls, Iowa) 1860-1895, 1861-01-04
E'rcna Our UtaI, Correspondent.
SILVER CRY, Z. T., Nov. 18th, 1850.
MAMMOTH TREES OF CALIFORNIA.

MAMMOTH TREES OF CALIFORNIA.
These trees belong, according to botanists,
to the family Of Totodinms, and have been
rightly named Westinghouse Gigantia.-
They resemble, in the appearance of the
leaves and bark, the Cedar, of the species
common to the mountains of California and
still more closely the redwood trees Of the
Coast Range; with which some maintain
they are identical. There is grove ofthese
trees in Mareposa County, of some celebrity,
and few scattering trees near Crane Flat,
on the trail leading from Bull Creek to tn:
Yosemite Falls, but none Of these can equal
(storics to the contrary Notwithstanding the
trees of the famous Mammoth Grove" of
Calaveras County This celebrated grove"
is situated in small valley at the head Of a
small creek tributary to the Calaveras River
and some fifteen miles above Murphy's Bar
The soil in this valley is rich, black loan
in many places moist and almost Doggy, with
dense thicket of underground. The whole
valley contains little over 100 acres ofland
and was located and settled by WM LApHAM
in July 1853, but has since changed hands
and is. or was in October of 80, owned by
sPERY & PERRY of Murphy's Bar. The alt
tude of the "Grove" is very considerable
being $50 feet above San Francisco, ant
2 400 feet above Murphy's Bar, 10 miles be-
low. Snow often falls here during winter tt
the depth of four and five feet, and the hote
is always deserted, even by the proprietors
on the approach Of winter The big Trees
were discovered early in 1850, by hunter
whose accounts of their wonderful dimcn
sions, were considered as a mere invention tc
excite wonder or the preparatory steps tc
some kind Of "scll; :" so hard was it to
conceive anything of the kind of such enor.
nous magnitude; and in spite of all his as.
surances he was unable to prevail on any Of
his companions to accompany him to the
spot Finding they would not go with him
on the strength of the "big-tree story" he
had recourse to the following stratagem; he
came in one day and told his friends that he
had killed one Of the largest grizzlys ever
seen in the mountains, and wished them to
go with him to bring in the meat; and by
this artifice had at length the satisfaction OF
leading them to the spot and beholding them
gaze in speeches. establishment toward the
towering pinaclcs and upon the colossal trunks
of these stupendous productions Of nature
Within an area of 80 acres, 95 of this species
of trees are standing, and the whole Grove
contains considerably above one hundred
"The big Tree" of which everybody has
heard, is not the largest in the grove, though
much the best known. 1t Is eighty
feet in circumference, and measured after il
was cut down, 800 feet; the stump standing
eight feet high. 1t is estimated by the rings
or growth of the stump to be two thousand
years old. This tree was fclled in July 1853
and required the labor of five men 25 days tc
cut through the trunk, which was done by
boring with pump augers and cutting with
axes, saws and chissels. SO well balanced
was this huge tree, that after the trunk was
entirely separated from the stump, it required
three days work with wedges, levers and othe,
conuivanccs to topplc it over; and then took
four men three weeks to strip off the bark te
the height Of 90 feet There is now a ball
alley, on the trunk, enclosed on either side
with boards and covered with 4 shingle roof
The stump has been leveled and smoothed,
and is enclosed by sort of arbor of fir and
cedar boughs and is used as the ballroom Of
the Hotel, and affords ample space for num-
Der of couples. a -...
] will now proceed to notice, briefly, and
name some of the largest and most noted
trees of the "Groye," commencing On the
right hand part of The road or drive which
starting at the Hotel is laid out in the form
IF a circle, passing through the most inter.
esting part of the Grove" e...at
First, we have the Beauty ofthe Forest
three hundred feet in height and sixty-fve
in circumference, very straight and beauti
fully proportional and almost free from,
limbs till near the top which is surmounted
with handsome and regular cap or crown
of green.
Next we find, on our left, "Uncle Toms
CABIN three hundred and six feet high and
thirty in diameter. The "Cabin" has 8
door about three feet wide and is capable oil
atiording seats for forty persons; its hight
is II feet. Near the Cabin" stands tn,
"Old Dominion 294 feet high and 26 feet
in diameter. Then the " Empire State
$40 feet in hight, and 80 feet in diameter
Next "Old Vermont" 293 feet in hight and
q in diameter. Then group of six, one Of
which is called the Granite State" with a
double one called the "Siamese Twins" and
opposite this latter stands the Guardian
The Twins have one trunk but thci,
bodies separate at the hight of 40 feet; they
are 800 feet high. The Guardian" stands
by their side and is 80 feet in circumference
and $50 feet high. To the right Of the path
a little further ON stands sold Kentucky
3l5 feet high and 70 feet in circumference
Next, on same side, the sold Bachelor" a