The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1883-10-27
THROUGH CALIFORNIA.
WONDERS OF THE GOLDEN STATE
on the Road to Yosemite y.ll.y-Aceu..d ., Rob.
ber, By POrtsr-Ths Timber Country and
the nusty Roads-stag, Robbery R.nI.
nisesuets-1he Scenery and Pals.


train by a large party OF friends, all sober,
at the thought Of parting with us, we SET
out for The Yosemite Valley. had in.
tended 10 enter the valley by way Of Stock
ton, Milton and Chinese Camp, but there
were SO many people with their heads
filed with the same ideas as our own that
I feared 10 take the chances Of finding
conveyance by that route and concluded to
go via MADEIRA, and even bythat route was
obliged to secure seats in the stage some
four days in advance. / Iarrived at MADEIRA
about IL o'clock at night. Our sleeper was
switched of on side track. We laid TIL
morning. About 9 o'clock We were reused
by what seemed TO me to bea woman CIV
ing her husband regular tongue lashing,
but, as all the passengers soon found out,
1t wasn't. heard the words, in that style
OF voice peculiar to those from farther east
and north than at home, delivered with
much emphasis, "Now, why do you lie that
way for. You know you had no money.
Why, do you say stole II? You hal no
money, and you know you hadn't; what do
you Is foI?" Upon inquiry being made 8
10 the cause oi the disturbance the lady
from whom the words proceeded said:
n SIT WAN ABOUT LIKE THIS"
"Itwas about like this. I had gone to the
saloon, and it being dark l stumbled on a
valise, and in gathering up my skirts I
gathered up that miserable porters pam
falcons, and eaccused me OF stealing his
money" Herindignation knew no bounds.
1t 80 happened that the porter Of the Sleep
er, who was porter and conductor, had for
the comfort CT the passengers put out the
lamps, and it must have been very dark.
Contrary to the cus,om he must have been
asleep and was aroused by the lady falling,
and reaching for his pants found them
gone, presumed there were burglars about
and reused some OF the passengers for the
purpose OF catching them. He was quite
surprised when be found out the true state
OF the case.
His clothing having been restored to him
and finding the s. he was short, be cameand
apologizsd in the most gentlemanly man
ner, and that should have been the end OF
1t, but that didn't pacify the lady. She want.
ed her husband 10 shoot the reporter. He
didn't appear to bs ruill.d, however. and
merely remarked, "Come to bed Susey;
we'll see about it in the morning." We
were routed early to get ready for the coach,
and while dressing could hear the lady ex.
planning to each lady friend in the dress
ing room as they congregated, at was
about like this and the whole story was
gone over. This occurred 90 often that
lelt like Mark Twain did about hearing the
story.oi Greeley's ride with Hank Monk
from Carson City to Placeryille, in "Rough-
ing It." During the day when the pas
sengers would feel drowsy would say,
at was about like this.n They would ali
start up and discuss the whole matter over
and give their opinions as to who was
right Generally they sided with the por-
ter.
One Of our passengers was Mr.. ]. 8.
Kinnan, OF Toledo, Ohio, who joined our
trio making quartette Of 1t. He was
quite an acquisition, and having done a
great deal oftraveling was like "Smidt" in
Hans B.itmann, "Aad drayeled peiore,
and ,derefore he knew de robes. The route
from MADEIRA to the valley, distance Of
ninety.six miles, Is uninteresting, generally.
There ia a tlume near the road which runs
up to the mountains, distance OF fiftysi
miles, which cost $3.50, 900, built on trestle
work in come places thirty feet high from
the ground. It is shaped like an ordinary
hog trough, only larger, as its sides were
perhaps thirty inches high, and in 1t a)wed
about fifteen inches Of water, which iloated
the sawed timber down 10 MADEIRA. The
water was quite dark from some cause,
and tasted very much like tar. We passed
through the celebrated village Of Fresno
Flats" This appears to be the place where
tine miners come 10 "irrigate." There are
six or seven houses, and two Of thess are
iIrieating places, one wholesale and the
other retail. BY the time we reached
Cross Gold Gulch, twenty.eight miles
from Madera, We had passed oyer az dusty
road as could be imagined. We were
covered with 1t. Some lodged on my eye.
brows, and when the stage, jolted 1t Tell
into my eyes. The weather was quite
warm and we perspired some, which made
1t pleasanter.
FINE TIMBER COUNTRY.
About forty miles from MADEIRA we struck
some Of the finest timber ever saw-ce.
dar, sugar, pine and redwood-saw plenty
Of trees measuring eight to ten feet ia diam.
eter, with not a branch for distance Of 70
to 100 feet from the roots. In several
places the road would pass between two oil
these large trees where there was just room
enough for the Stage TO pass through.
There appeared to be plenty oil springs
along the way, which Furnished watering
places for the hoiseB, the water, however
was brackish and didn't quench thirst as
our pure Ohio river water. They had had
no rain here since April. The forests con
seouently we're very dry, and in u number
OF places fires were destroying the timber
On the way / noticed a solitary house, IL
front OF which was q large table filed with
fruits, candies, etc. This did not appear Il
be o stopping place, as the stage didn't stoE
going or returning. II would be safe 90
sertion to say that during the day, asidt
from those In the stages, there would no
ten persons pass the house on the way
Now the question with me was, what wert
, 1.-The propIletor's average daily sales, ant
what his profits? I thought he did wron,
by not .standing In" with the drivers 0
the stages but no, there he sat leanin,
back against the door am, with his hand
! back Of his head, looking as unconeernedl;Y
, at Us es we passed by as though he didn'
have fruit stand. By the time | hat
> ridden seventy miles the novelty 0
: sEsge riding had worn OF and It began I,
got dark, the dust got little thicker, q
that once in while would get q mouth
iui as well as an eye full. The road got {
I little rougher 80 that when bounced ul
t from one j1lt I got caughtby another whei
, | came down, which produced q jarrin
sensation and was rough on clothes. Ate
!, much peeripg through the darkness, dust
u etc, l fiually discovered Clark's, our stop
. ping place for the night. The driver ot tn
q stage must have been anxious TO get ther
a for the last four miles were driven II
twenty minutes-pretty fast driving over
mountain road 5000 feet abeye the leye
4 oI the sea, On landing we found "min