Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1885-11-06


crater. Some smoke and considerable
steam issue constantly from these era
tiers. aud the air. even at that he'sns'
h warmed sufficiently to indncc con-
Portable nights rest, IL atmospheric
changes do not suddenly carry the mer-
cury too low. I have often heard It
said By people 10 this vicinity that they
have seen smoke coming from the top
Of Mount Tacoma. do not doubt the
story, but have never been able TO
see il. The ascent consumes two days,
and the night must be passed on
the top Of the mountain. IL Is i'm
portant. therefore, that il be made 10
midsummer, when the atmosphere Is
least likely to produce low tempera-
lures. Should IL be very cold on inc
summit. the steam from the crater
wonld cover the explorer from head 70
foot and his body would become be-
numbcd and stiff with cold. Clear
weather is also an important considera-
ton. for not only do clouds daze tie cx-
plorer, but they likewise turn to frost
and chill the system.
I met here yesterday farmer who
had made the "trip to the summit. He
lives in the interior Of the Territory,
and year or so ago had working for
him a Frenchman who constantly talked
| Of how he one time had climbed Mount
Tacoma. He mentioned this fact so
often that no one had any confidence in
what he said. Getting thoroughly
tired Of hearing the man talk, the
farmer, q. hale and hearty man of some
fifty odd years. thought OF putting a
stop to It by offering to make the as
cent with him. Much to his sur
prise The Frenchmsn accepted the
challenge, and remarked in the
same Dragging tone that he was ready
to start at any time. Indeed, he seemed
desirous Of going again. Having put
his foot in it by making direct propo-
sition, the farmer had. too much pluck
to back out; besides. he was an old
woodsman, and had long had desire
to climb the mountain, though he never
expected TO do it. The Frenchman be-
came more thoroughly interested, talked
daily Of the projected trip, and told
how they would find broken rope
hanging over the precipice at certain
point, and rag securely tied to stick
inside one Of the craters on the summit.
He expatiated on the heat and steam
coming from the crater, and how COM
fortably they would rest in its interior.
After harvesting was over they started.
They were gone several weeks, reached
the summit, and returned without &C.
cident. The farmer says he found the
broken piece of rope, the rag in the
crater. and that all the representations
made by the Frenchman were true.
He had then no doubt that the man had
made the ascent before. The climb up
the cliffs Of ice by ropes and ice-cutting
he described as most dangerous, but
the ascent was not a circumstance to the
descent. The crossing Of the glaciers
and crevasses was difficult and full of
danger. On delicate bridges Of snow
and ice they passed over great
CULTS, and a single misstep or the
breaking away of the ice beneath them
would have hurled them hundreds of
feet below. The crater on the summit
was warm and steaming and Of consid-
cradle size. The day they assembled
was clear and delightful in temperature.
Rolled in blankets they passed the first
portion Of the night in sound sleep, but
toward morning the temperature
changed, clouds settled upon the top of
the mountain, and they awoke stiff and
cold. The particles Of moisture
froze to their clothing, and it
was all they could do to keep
themselves in a condition to travel at
all. In addition to this, the rarefed at
mosphere had affected the farmer par
ticularly. and he began almost to de-
spair of his ability to make the descent.
The downward journey was so difficult
for him and Of such desperate nature
that even now it makes him shudder to
think Of it. He is proud OF his trip
to the summit, and is glad to be able to
say he has made it, but he does not care
to 60 again, and feels as if he would
not care to-climb any more snow noun
tains. Save the small amount of steam
and smoke which issues from these
craters Of Mount Tacoma, there is no
evidence Of any volcanic activity, and
this smoke can be seen from a distance
with the naked eye only at rare inter-
walls, if at all. Imagination, | think,
enables some people to see much more
than others. But the country is vol
csnic, and it is possible that the extinct
craters Of these snow mountains Of the
Northwest may again become active and
make things very lively for some of the
slow people Of Washington and Ore
gon.
The town Of New Tacoma is at pre-
sent dull, but its people are looking
forward TO better times when the finan-
cial depression of the East shall have
been somewhat done away with. Its
chief hope for the future is
based upon the completion Of the
Cascade branch Of the Northern Pa
ci6c railroad. 1t then hopes to be
the terminus, and q busy, bustling
place, with q harbor full Of YES
sells and a rapidly-increasing pop
ulation. Being at the foot ofthe sound,
it has somewhat the advantage Of Seat
tie, but cannot believe that the North
ern Pacific railroad is going to discrimi-
nate against Seattle and in favor Of New
Tacoma unless it is very much for its
interest to do so. The Northern Pa
cific, having few interests in New
Tacoma, will probably not con-
fine its road TO this or any other
town, but will build just as far up tho
ssound " as as its interests demand.
fit seems best to extend it to the Do
minion boundary it will probably be
so extended, regardless Of New Ia
coma or any other place. The rivalry
between New Tacoma and Seattle is
certainly most bitter. Seattle is the
, more worried, because it feels that its
rival already has a railroad start. The
a fact that Mr.. @. Il. Wright, Of Phila-
delphia, one Of the railroad directors,
is interested heavily in New Tacoma is
to them sufficient cause for alarm.
I The depth of water ip Puget sound
Q and its land-locked character make it a
: remarkably fine anchorage for vessels
!. Of any size. At times the great depth
4 | of fha xrafas - oI.oot.--.II. r..