Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1883-03-02
Iht SIRE press.
THE YOSEMITE IN JULY.
What A Burlingtonian Saw There


Chinese quarter, staring at the ten thousant
oddities of work aud merchandise of TIN
queue rious Celcstials we shook the dust OF
that city from our shoes and steamed across
the Ferry to Oakland at 4 p. m, on July
10th on our way to the Yosemite, lcavinl
the citizens of Frisco" to ponder over thu
five moral virtues of the Cinnamon repre-.
seated by the ever-present typical five but
tons on their coats.
IAN aboard" was the first thing in order
as we struck the oakland wharf and W,
seized our "grip-sacks" and struck out fo
the proper tram as quickly as possible.
Our journey for the first three hours take
US through the finest wheat section of The
earth, the Sacramento Flats-and the field
were waving with golden ears ripe for the
harvest.
Midnight finds us at MADEIRA, 1s5 mile.
away and the point from which we art
are to take the stage for the Yosemite
1t was never our fortune to be ''set down
In SO hot place as the MADEIRA hotel. We
found our rom by the glare of "talow
dip" or more properly speaking "glim'-
ing and lowering all the windows we ven.
turcd 10 rinse the outer coating of dust from
ourselves.
To our surprise the watcr-pitcher and the
water had been warmed for this special
occasion, and later when we attempted to
stretch our weary limbs for repose we found
hot l,l al. 81 hal all 6
us, and rs we lay for two long hours alter
mating between the trials of Job and dreams
of gauze uniforms and big fans we concluded
that our landlord must be very kind
hearted man to have given us such warm
reception.
The next morning at we are up and at :
on our way to Clark's, seventy miles
distant, which is the end Of our trip for that
day.
The ride for the day was q hard one, TAX
ing us over sandy plains and rough, stony
hills in scorchlng sun and clouds of dust,
but with an experienced "Jehu" and six fleet
horses, which were changed every twelve
miles, we managed 10 travel rapidly and not
without some pleasant remarks from the ten
passengers
In our morning hours we had the company
of "N" tlume which starts in the hills "a
miles from MADEIRA and is used for transpor-
ting lumber, for there is little or no timber
near MADEIRA.
We pass hundreds and hundreds of ground
squirrels which resemble in color aud size
the common grey squirrel of New Ensl md.
Also prairie dogs and burrowing owls by the
dozen, and occasionally jack RABBIT, all out
looking for their morning meal.
About l p. III. we reached Coarse Gold
Guch, having nude 80 miles.
1.slt I,.l.i
Gold was not visible.
The afteruo N ride of 30 miles for the most
part WAS rocky and hilly, but it took us
through many patches of timber. and all
which was quite refreshing.
AT 1880 we are on the hotel steps at
Clarks, where we found new, neat and
well-cunductud hotel situated in pleasant
valley near trout stream.
He with clean, cool rooms an abundant
table and gen'lemanlv walters Clta!ilns fiom
Cork we were quite contented.
Our next trip Of half a day will find us IN
the valley proper and so we had best halt
and take our "h,arhgs.'
The word Yosemite means Grizzly Bear
but the present Indian name is Ahwahee.
The Yosemite was first entered by white
men about 1850, I'll which time au expedition
was AIMED IN drive out the Indians, and
tourists frs VISITED it in 1855.
in 1854 Congress enacted THAT there shall
be, aud Is hereby granted 10 the State OF
California, the Celt or gorge in the Granite
Peak OF the Sierra Nevada Mountains stu-
ated in the county of Msrlposa, In the State
aforesaid, and the head waters of the
MERGED river, and known as the Yosemite
Valley, with its branches and spurs, in csti-
mated length 10 miles and in average width
one mile Buck fiom the main edge of the
at,.ts. Il /
condition that it 'shall be held for public
use, resort and recreiion,' and also the
tracts embracing what is known as the
Marposa Big Tree Grovc, not 10 exceed the
area Uf four sec ions"
The above act wa9 approved by the Presi-
den, June 30, 1868 and the necessary sur
veys were made in the autumn of that year
to establish the boundaries Of the grant in
question and at the next session OF the Leg
islhturc OF Ca iurnia an act was passed &C.
cepting the grant Of the Yosemite Valley aud
the Big Tree Grove on the stipulated con-
ditions.
The Yosemite Valley proper contains a
little over one thousand acres and is located
In Marposa county, little south of cast
from San Francisco, and through which
winds the Merc'd River,
The Valley is about 155 miles in direct
line from San Francisco, but by either of the
travelled routes it is necessarily much fur
Their.
The different routes to the Yosemite are
the Stockton or Milton and the MERGED and
the MADEIRA, the two latter Joining a short
distance from Clarks. We. went aud re-
turned by Mauera but would advise our
friends to 60 by either the Stockton and Mil.
ton route or MADEIRA and return by the
other,
The Valley Is nearly in the centre of the
State and midway between the east and west
bases OF the Sicrras
The layine portion Of what is termed the
Yosemite is about six miles in length and
from one-half to one mile in width and quite
level with a general direction of northeast
ant southwest and al right angles with the
line Of the mouutlins.
Its depression below the adjacent region
is nearly II mile aud its elevation above the
sea is about 1900 feet.
Says Prof, Whitney, "Thc principal fea-
lures of the Yosemite and those by which il
is distinguished from all other known val
leys, are fist, The near approach to YER
ticality of its walls; second, their great
height, not only absolutely, but as compared
with the width of the Valley itself
and finally the very small amount of talus
or debris at the base of these gigantic
cliffs"
Many OF the waterfalls of this Valley are
q hundred tunes more beautiful that more
noted ones of Europe and still they are "un-
wept, unhonured aud unsung,n
The next morning after our arrival at
Clarks, We leave by Stage at and sit down
10 dinner al Cooks, in the Yosemite Valley
the Mecca OF our pilgrimage--aItc a ride
of 20 miles.
The roud for the first mile from Clarks is
nearly Level, bu, when we have reached the
eleven Mile Station" where we change
four horses Tor six, VIC have risen two thous.
and feet.
In the next mile we rise between three and
four hundred feet and then for five miles de.
scend gradually aud finally when we have