The Tipton advertiser. [volume] (Tipton, Cedar Co., Iowa) 1856-1962, 1872-10-17
TO tho aeysers Of california.

From San Francisco the route i
across the bay Of Vallsjo, near whicl
is Mare Island, whore are the exten
sive government works, dry dock, ar
senal, &c., with water enough to floa
the largest naval vessels and facilitie.
for building and repairing them
Vallajo is port Of entry. Is the south,
ern terminus Of the California Pacifi,
railroad, and large numbers Of vessels
are loaded at its Docks with grain fol
foreign l,nris.
Fr0m this point we wended our way
up the Nappa valley A day Is pleas,
antly spent at Nappa City in visiting
the orchards. vineyards, &c. Hot
springs are near this poiat They are
visited by many persons during the
summer. Further up the valley We
reach CaIlistoga, "the Saratoga of th
Pacific" passing through one Of the
best fruit ani grain valleys Of the
slaEe. ssarly ~ under cultivation. A,
Calistoga are variety o: springs oI
various temperatures, some up to boil
ing heat. The water holds sulphur.
iron and magnesia. Here are conve-
| nient hotels aud bath houses where
thousands come to drink aud bAthe
and to enjoy themselves under the
shade Of the palm, oak, fir, and otbe,
trees, and the inviting verandahs and
srbors Of the principal hotels. A ride
II five miles takes you To the wonder
ful petrified forests, and still other no
ted springs are reached In convenient
distances. After y refreshing sleep.
which you can always obtain here, In
the cool nights that prevail, you are
called to an early breakfast, and
promptly 1T seven O'Clock, Clarke
Foss, the celebrated driver, appears
with his "six In hand" turning the
tsn-foot circle on the run, and fetches
up NJ the horse-block packages ART
,towed away, passengers take their
.eats. F0ss cracks his whip and away
se 20 up the converging valley. still
| mighty cultivated close up to the foot
4 hills. with vineyards and grains
We soon leave the country road aud
strike In'o tina. owned 0y Messrs Foss
+ Connolly, built at great expense, in
order tn give an easy ride to the gey-
.ers. Up we go, winding along the
narrow valley, around sharp points.
,he horses never breaking their trot
ior the first eleven miles, except once.
when = halt Is made, for few min
ties at the ranch Of the proprietors
for water aud rest under magnificent
i've osks AZ the end Of eleven miles
1Orses are changed and the real ascent
Of the mountains H. commenced. The
road being excellent. good time is
made the mountain scenery grows
more grand the road winds along pre-
cipitous cliffs, where far down one
aide is the deep valley, with mount
aims far above on the other. At twen-
~ miles horses are again changed, q
new driver. Washington GRIM takes
the reins Only four horses are now
used As the curves In the ROAD become
shorter and more numerous. Again
We go up until we look far down on
he tops Of towering forests. and yet
,ew peaks come constantly into view.
The summit is reached at 5000 feet
Sbove the sea. 4 halt Of few mo-
nents is made To give Us . view OF the
landscape; the driver cracks his whip.
and the horses start down the road at
y rapid rate, turing points over dizzy
heights, as none but those used to
such roads would dare to undertake.
The horses are in perfect accord with
the driver. and seem as much guided
ny his oice rs by ii,e resns. ''S!ow.
now" Steady rs they pass some
iifficult point in the narrow road.
Now, one" and they would dart IL
~ay, seeming to enjoy the exhilara-
tion and excitement Of the passen-
gers.
A ride Of about twenty minutes from
rhe summit, four miles. brings u. tn
lhe Ges ser House, descent OF 200
| feet made in that time. Some time
',efore reaching the point, steam
could be seen issuing from the mount
ain side, In the distance. and shrill
whistle Ia heard made by the escaping
steam from the mountain. Landing
1t the hotel at mid day, the heat OF
he valley is quite intense, and we are
| glad to rest under the magnificent
shade trees which surround the house
ur In some Of the many beautiful
| arbOrs.
From the verandah of the house, the
great Geyser Canyon is in full view
directly across the main, or "Pluton'
canyon. The heat at noon was toe
intense to allow OF q visit to the grea,
canyon. The beat Of the sun and
from the boiling springs and steam
Jets makes II almost unbearable. Thi.
rip IL postponed until the mountain
spurs shut off the descending sun, but
the main canyon can be visited, a,
much Of the way it is shaded with
massive forests which grow along tht
side.
Tho first thing In descending Is t.
stop, II you wish, and take hot sui
phur water bath In water led from
springs up the side Of the canyon
Further on you can take steam batt
with steam almost super-healed. di
rect from the earth. Good convent
ences are provided for the purpose
Passing up the bed Of the stream, WI
And the air Is filled, almost to suffoca
tion. with sulphurous vnpors. and th,
ground, and side to the left, covered
with numerous chemical deposits
and full OF breathing holes, sending
out jets of steam too hot to allow q
approach, while fountains of hot sui
phur water, nitrate of silver. iron, etc.
their quota Of the stream that flow
through this wild region. One sprin'
! yields cool supply Of sulphuric aci'
which when sweetened makes q yer,
agreeable substitute for lemonade, an,
Is used considerably for that purpose
small mountain trout are readil
caught In the stream, and, throw
into one Of the springs, are cooked i
. very few moments. About q mil