The Jeffersonian Democrat. [volume] (Chardon, Ohio) 1854-1865, 1862-11-07
NOVEMBER 7, 1862,
The Big Trees Of California.
CaAesiS FALLS, oG'. 26th. 1862

Enron OF TUE JbEFkhSONlAN DN''SN
/ forward to you copy OF GoscI ,puo"
of the California Big Trees, ana J,ur"ry
90 them by my sou, row in that b'dornao
IT, mov perhrrs, he rEad with interest by
thosn of vour readers who know him.
c. T. BLAkESLEE
Last Tucsdav, having no business on
hand, coucuied to vlslt the Dig l.eo'
a,I oc,oyJjraly. ordered out tho mustang,
nnd saddrd hin, aud stIiod' INC u's'1' CO
is ,hout seventy miles. which ] hoprd 10
t,,roI in two DAYS. After long, hot, dusty
lido | arrived at San Andros, town ~
the mouptnins, thirty miles away. h',o
nu, out NV horse, aud. taking my o'anNu';
,yon, ont nC town some distance, anu cahP'u
mn a h,gh hill. Next morning started h""
rodo ieisurrly on thrnugh the m"un'a'"s
until five o'clock in the afternoon, "ncn
Mnrnby's Camp appearcd-thn last sott,e-
mont should pass. now had htt'cn nlIes
stiIl to travel, up at ascent OF over wv 90
tLousHnd feet The FIRST throo miles ol tno
wav the road wound up ragino by tho s'd'
of a rushing stream of pure spring water
On either side, close Mt hand. rnsc ,ho
maintains hundreds of !eot. covered tnick
with mines from ono to two hundred ieot
hioh 1t wns nearly dark whom | reached
tho half Way House. public house ~
romantic place, and fitted up in Eecp'ng
with the surrounding scenery. Hero 'oIt
nv horse, and pushed on. AS adNaucuh
along the ridge leading TO tho valley nlght
came on, and tho huge pines, some OF tnem
fu!l ton feet iG diameter. cHc'ndod com
pletely tho starlight, and impcnotrao'o dark
ness surrounded me. u
After two hours of constant waIkl'g, /
began to descend into the valley OF wonders
Soon the lights of tho "GroYo Mansion
cleaned through tho trees, and tho clearing
boyond made intervening Objects ialhUy
discernihlo A strange feeling camo over
mo.--a fcoiing of awe or reverence, ,-anu l
Brmost dreaded to enter tho presence of
those forest giants But curiosity was the
stronger influence Pushing through tho
darkness, Imagination shaped every pino
into a mouster, until at longth too distinct
for n nhantom rose, side by side. ike two
huge sentintls tho "JdchH dRd Bodz oi
the cato to tho valley Between these !ho
road passes which leads to tho house. a
few rods fartbor on to the right, IS the
"Bowliug Alley" built upon tho body OF tho
tree which was "borrd down. Over the
stump is built AIR octagoual building repre-
seuting tho exact size ut tho tree before the
bark was removed. cit is y beautiful build
ING, anl usod as u dancing hall Tho top
oil the stump is perfectly smooth, twHhly-
nine aud Ealf feet in diameter. with tho
bark removed A hugo saw log cut from
the trunk, lies by its side, covered com
plotelg with the names ot visitors nus
log mounted by means OF stairway con
sisting of twonty-six steps
Early in tho morning | loft my room and
strOlled through tho grove. Tho troe5 hrr
ninety seven IN number, straight as arrows
and covered with foliage OF tho brightest
groen. They are nearly all named thoir
names being engraved upon tablets OF whlt'
marble. aud pinned high up upon thur aides
"Washington's Troo' Is, think, tho finest
Next to this is General Scott" and. lrk,
the old hero, stands unbont with years.
vorily doubt If this trcc would fall ii sawed OF
Mt the bottom 1t must bo twenty five fee
in diameter. and over throO hundred feet
high. The "Miners Cabin" foil last winter
II had been burned through at the bottom
and furnished "A commodiuu5 room, Tar bot.
ter than the majority of miners cabins
could offer This tree was thirty-two tee
in diameter, and now stretches its ponder
Gus longth from north to south, sinking
number of fcot into tho ground. l noticed
several places whero these hugo monster
had fallon and decayod. One trno les pros
trate. and, for iull one hundred ana MT
feot. a man NAV walk upright through tn
hollow in is trunk. Another, broken il
falling mau can ride through on horso
hack with care. and there is beaten tract
made by advontnrers who have dono so.
rcyretisd that had left my horse, rs | wal
dopriycd of the romance of riding through
il nyself Tho mother of tho Forest.
the largest tree on tho ground, was stripped
of it's bark few years since, to CRAFTY th'
nynrica OF Barnum. and tho curiosity OF th'
thousands who visit hls rooms Tho bark Il
removed one hundred and sixteen feet an'
the. tree stands stark and blasted. 1t really
ssoms almost sacrilcge to thus mutilate thcS'
eldest og living things on oarth,
Standing fartbesl back in time, highest
The week ia which tho voice Of God CAV
birth
To all tho forms Of life ard beauty throug
Tho world, whose parent might have Doe
tho first
To wake if life, to share in natures JOY,
| noticed tho "Old Bachelor" standiU
in grim seclusion by himself. Also, III
"OId Maid" like tho others of her race NJ
very attractive or approachnblo. 'Unc'
Toms Cabin" stunds dcsolato cntorod !
but Tom was not there Aunt Chloe, toe
was gone. The namo called to mind scene
before tOrgOttoO. VloUBh' w 'l'o' '''"""
real cabin, 30 marvoOusly described that yo
NAV sce It, with its inmates, ms really as "
may see again old home sooncs pictured !
tho memory. Ben Franklin, "Tho )
nmose Twins" "Tho Old Bay State 9Th
Kcystonp State" and othors, arc all statel
trees, ranging from twcnty to thirty 'IhrI
feet in diameter. Thero were thrco otho
in a group, which pleased mo especial
The ono in tho center was labeled Tho
Dor Vitm Qrecn." Sho Ia a portly fran
tall a.d straight, filling corsolot tulI 30
enty. i've feet In gi'th. On other sido,
little in advance, stand hor maids OF lloI
or" alike iu size. but little loss stately thu
their Queen. They are, however, buxo
damsels. and, in days of crinoline, won
mOnopolze the dry goods Of Broadwa
So much for the trees, Would that thu
could reveal tho past of their endurance
What storms, what snOws.a and rainsnnd ho
stones, have boat upon them What ligh
nings have threatened fIom above! VIII
mphoavals from boiow They stood wh'
Greece was glorious, whom Romo was might
when Christ walked with mon, VIII
changes thoy' havo witnessed, yot unohang,
Themselves, except from infancy to Il
rI Of thar fail Hnvt