The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1880-08-26

-. nee usses ef she Yosemite Valley
Described.

W03CfbDVus
.ppkiL,xG paEcirrcEs, DENSE FORESTS, AND
GRAND cAxoxs-THE FEAR INSPIRED bf
SENSATIONAL STAGE RIDE VIEW ~ " TIE
BRIDAL vErL" IN THE SUNSET sLscikH
porxr, rHE BIG TREES, AND OTHER AAS'kLs
OF NATURE -
fCcrrsspondence Of The 81. Louis Globe Democrat
SAN FRANCISCO, CAL, August &c. "See
the Yosemite aud die ~ has become pro-
verb, Whether Il means that after enaur,ng
the hardsbips of four-days' stage-ride over
the rouvhest roads In the country, through
dust ana heat, one will be In physical con-
d,,ion bordering on death, or whether II Is
70 he taken In the sense os q grand triumph,
after q bich, like seeing Mecca. one may al.
low his soul to take flight TO that distant
land from whose shores no traveller ever
returns. the writer cannot say. III u were
Ieit TO him 10 decide he would change The
n,overb altogether and make II, "See the
Yosemite. then tell all your friends 10 see
a., II Is the grandest sight In nature
Gods own triumph over all his other won.
derfuIaud sublime works. Never mind the
dust, the staging, or the internal beat OF
California, but see the Yosemite. IL will
be your triumph; II will never De your
regret.
THERE ARE SEVERAL ROUTES
70 the Yosemite Valley. but the best, In all
probability, Is that which Is known as the
Rig. Oak Fiat route, by way OF Stockton and
Milton. as by this route one Is enabled TO
see not only the Valley itself, but the Tuo'
lumne and Calavcras groves OF big trees, as
well rs TO pass through almost all that IN
ferestipg section OF California known as the
placer-mining region, where so many
brave men toiled and delved during the
mining craze OF 40, 80, and '6f. Reaching
Milton, the terminus OF the CopperopolIs
railroad, the tourist takes comfortable seat
In an elegant four.horse stage.coach, behind
typical Bret Harte stage-driyer, and Is soon
speeding up tbeValley OF San Joaquin ipro.
nounced San Walkin). An hour later the
ascent OF the Sierra Nevada foothills Is COM
menced, and shortly after O'Clock the
stage draws up with grand flourish before
the old inn In the depopulated and forlorn
city Of Copperopolis. This place was once
famous for its copper mines, and boasted OF
a population OF 10000 souls. In an evil
day. however, the miners struck water, and
the doom OF Copperopolis was sealed. All
efforts 10 pump out the water and prevent
its flow proved unavailing. and policy die
faied the abandonment OF the mines. The
Inhabitants soon fed to other parts, and re-
Gently the census-man failed to discover
more than forty-fve people in the once
thriving town, although many stores and
buildings and large quantity OF costly
mining machinery remain to testify TO her
former greatness.
During the afternoon the road lay
through parched and withered country,
with only an occasional oasis, or green spot,
to relieve the monotony. Towards evening
the placer gold-miniug region OF California
was entered, and on all sides appeared the
evidences OF the miners labor in the washed
and barren condition Of the country.
FOR NILES AND MILES
the riyer-beds and valleys and hlIsides had
been worked until nothing but the bedrock
or large fields OF gravel and boulders re-
manned. An infinite amount OF labor must
have been expended in washing tins great
region, but one will not be surprised
that it was done when told OF the
immense yield of treasure In the shining,
yellow gold. Portions OF the country
that were particularly rich have been
washed dozens Of times, and are still being
washed by the persistent aud industrious
Cinnamon, who are content to take out
six bittee," "four bitiee," aud even "two
bittee" per day where as many dollars We're
formerly obtained. -
About dusk the stage ratified through the
old mining village OF Chinese Camp, at one
time large and prosperous, but now practi-
cally deserted, as the precious mineral has
been taken away and nothing but very in
different agricultural country remains 10
support the place. Five miles beyond Chi
nese Camp, Wood river was fcrded near its
junction with the beautiful TuOlumne.
Wood river had worldwide reputation in
early DAYS as one OF the richest placer-mining
d stricts in the State, and for q long time
for man to say he had /" Wood-river dir"
i'm his pocket meant that he was we'll fixed
as far as this worlds goods 60. Here
were found number OF Mongolians in
dustriousIy panniDg the gravel and red
earth, although the sun was almost ready 10
hide itself behind the high bill TO the west
ward. The endurance OF these people IL
something wonderful, and no wonder the
laboring man complains; in the mining re-
gions especially they work fourteen and fif-
teen hours day, and live on few cents
worth Of the poorest and commonest food.
After leaving Wood river the ascent OF the
Sierras commenced in earnest in the long
pull up what is called Rattlesnake Hill. In
TWO miles the coach ascends 400 feet, at
times almost
HANGING OVER FRIGHrFUL PRECIPICEs
and cliffs, but it was dark and the speed OF
the stage slow, so no one murmured. On
the very summit OF the mountain The stage
stopped for the night at Priests Hotel
Early the following day the stage was on
It's way again with refreshed and joyful
passengers; up mountains and down noun.
fains, through large mining villages and by
small camps, traversing beautiful canyons
and dense forests Of pine, fir, and the
cracked manzeneta, going up steadily all
the time. About O'Clock the Tue.
lumne grove OF big trees was announced
by the driver, and few minutes later
the stage-coach passed through tun-
mel hewed out OF the trunk OF the
dead giant, a sequoya, some thirty feet in
diameter. The Tuolumne grove contains
about thirty big trees, most OF them OF i'm
mense proportions. The big tree OF Sc
quoya, which is the scientific appellatiOn,
resembles the cedar or red wood in It's gen.
eral appearance, although when subjected
10 close examination il will be found to
differ widely from any other tree In exist.
ence. The foliage Is more like the pine
than anything else, although the spears are
shorter and OF finer texture. The bark is
coarse and, like the tree itself, appears
unnatural and abnormal. The wood,
however, Is very beautiful, OF a deep
red color, fne grained, and very soft,
and Is susceptible OF high polish.
An hour after leaving the trees an altitude
OF 5000 feet was attained, and the entire
country for miles and miles could be seen.
Back OF US lay tier after tier OF mountains,
covered with thick forests and separated by
deep canyons, while In front yawned the
deep aud graud Yosemite Valley. Then