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

tn present. fss,nsts~ 81 shs >ag'sesn Pasi ne
rs,veao nasssncsus tassnss nsfk ..
a New Tacoma Washington Terri
tcrs) letter says: As seen ifen th'
vssanda Of the comfortable hstei 81
this place there can be no finer view O
single mountain than that hal o.
Mount Tacoma. Ranier.' ihcmonn..
tain was formerly called, in hoocr o.
an officer In the British navy Who VISIT
ed the waters OF Puget Sound IN early
times: but Tacoma was she old tndssn
name. and its Specification IS near 20
heaven A more appropriate ana nj
ling name could not have been iound :
for the mountain extends nesse"-
ward more than 1900 feet. La these
asvs. when so many mountains and
HIS cf nature are named after men, II
"a ,efteShing to come upon those spots
xb,eb suggest older and more romantic
memories. 10 perpctuate the name OF
awell-known and patriotic citizen may
he well enough, but the names the In
dians gave 10 nature, besides being mu-
steal and fall Of grace, were almost IN
yariabiy extremely appropriate 90
Their meaning and worthy TO De
retained. Their names given TO
the mountains are grsnder IN
many instances. and far more ca
pable Of inspiring awe thsa the name
OF man. Many Of these Indian names
have been ANONYMOUSLY set aside IA
various sections OF the country. An
instance of the kind occurs In the Ad-
;,onasek mountains, where the high
est peak in 1.-THE Adirondack wilder
ness - was deprived of the grand old
name Tahawus and afflicted with that
OF Marcy. The change OF name from
Rainier TO Tacoma is not an accurate
evolution Of the old Indian name,
neither was 1t made for the res-
sons have mentioned. 1t was made
by the railroad company. and 1t Is
not probable that the beauty OF nature
.be grandeur Of the mountain. or any
desire TO perpetuate very musical old
aboriginal name had anything whatever
10 do with il. IL was made to help
along the town Of New Tacoma, within
whose boundaries | am now writing.
and which is the present terminus OF the
Northern Pacific railroad. Not that the
company as a corporation has any great
interests in New Tacoma, or that it
intends 1t TO be the terminus should
better one appear, but it was
thought that n change in the noun
tain's name would not only accord
with that Of the town, but would
link it in such way with itself as to
really make il an attraction Of the rail-
road system, and to all intents and
purposes portion of it. The change
Of name has undoubtedly had the de-
sired effect, ard it was good change
aside from the real desirableness. But
il has been the cause of some disputes
among the inhabitants and Of no little
Quiet contention. 1t is usual thing
for every western town to vie with
every other town in its immediate vi
cinity for the supremacy, and to there
fore run down and disparage anything
q neighboring town does which does
not directly and completely help to
its own growth and prosperity. As
result. the towns in the vicinity thought
the change from "Ranier - to ia
coma " most absurd, and did their best
to crush out the new and retain the
old. Notwithstanding this, the name
Of +" Tacoma has become more firmly
fastened to the mountain and the name
OF "Ranier bids fair to gradually fade
out. There are numerous persons in
the country who are very careful to
call it "Ranicr :" and will contest the
point if the word Tacoma is used,
and some there are who 20 so far as to
pretend they do not know of what a
person is talking when he speaks Of
"Monnt Tacoma"
From the town the appearance Of the
mountain is indeed grand and inspiring.
Towering far above the surrounding
peaks Of the Cascade range, with it's
white and sparkling peak Of ice and
snow, on a clear day it stands out ma
jestic. To the beholder it seems to
grow in size, to rise in elevation, and
TO be moving constantly nearer aud
nearer. The distance to its base
does not seem ten miles, but it Is
fifty miles in straight line, and even
further by the usual mode Of travel
ling. The town is on high and
rising ground, and the hotel
fronts upon q high bluff, beneath
, which are concealed the railroad tracks
and piers and landings Of the bay. The
veranda Of the house is wide, and the
view of the country is unobstructed for
many miles. The tide covers and I'M
covers the flats Of the bay with cease
less regularity, and the white sails of
the small boats iotting the water here
and there look like living things. AS
one sits upon this veranda and looks
ont over the water upon the distant
lines of sharp peaks Of the wooded
Cascade range he sees the icy noun
tain rising from their midst and tower
ing into the sky. Nowhere but at sea-
level can . mountain give such an idea
of elevation. Wooded peaks and lines
Of forest so surround its base that 1t
is almost impossible to make out its
own timber line. A solid mass OF
ice and snow alone can be seen rising,
rs il were, from the centre of vast
timber land. With q good glass the
glaciers and precipices of its sides car
be distinguished, aud in the bright sun
light Of morning the particles Of ics
and snow glisten like numerous dia
monds. Eyen.ide and twilight bring .
peculiar rosy tingc which forms beau
tiiul effects on the whole mass, anC
nellows the surrounding country unit
il gradually fades into and loses itsel
in the shades Of sight. From New
Tacoma the mountain rises q singl,
peak, from Ellensburg it shows thre'
separate and distinct knobs, and frou
Portland i, appears to be an elongated
mass.
The ascent Of Mount Tacoma to
height Of about IL 900 feet is frequent
" made. and the trip is said TO b
grad. The cars are taken TO Wilke
con or Carbonate, distance Of abou
twenty-five miles, and horses, a guide
and provisions are procured at tina
pcint. A good trail leads through tn
woods to the snow line. 1t is pictu
RESCUE and filed with beautiful views
n~l-<-- "a. al <.ls o,aro 20 -. yalta