Johnstown weekly Democrat. (Johnstown, Cambria County, Pa.) 1889-1916, 1890-06-20
PROBABLY THE LARGEST ON THE
AMERICAN CONTINENT.


1t is very strangely diversified between
almost completely destroyed by some
long past and tremendous forest conha-
grafton. Fortunately some of the largest
and oldest members of this family group
were entirely overlooked by the flames,
and they remain, as far as fire is con-
cerned, perfect trees. One, the "Living
Giant" is especially worthy of mention
This tree is about $40 feet high, of which
at least 225 feet of its massive trunk is
without branch and scarcely with an
excresence to mar its symmetrical beau
| ty. 1t is about thirty feet in diameter,
and is the most completely faultless speci-
men of the old and giant sequoia that l
have ever seen. "Old Sequoia," the big
est tree in the state, lies about 200 yards
down sloping hill to the southwest Of
this tree, the "Living Giant" The Yo-
semitic stage road here passes directly
under the high up and overhanging
branches of the Living Giant" The
local and distinguishing name of this
stage turnpike from the others leading
into Yosemite is the "Big Oak Flat
Road" so named from having its early
initial point at Big Oak Flat, famous at
first as very rich placer mining camp
and forever now as Bret Harte's "Roar-
ing Camp"
TREE 5000 YEARS OLD.
The history of the rise and fall of this
veritable monarch of sequoiadom is as
plainly written upon its remains and its
surroundings as though it had been COM
memorated upon an everlasting tablet,
Of course its age is only conjectural. If
reliance can be placed upon the consecu-
tive yearly ring theory, there must have
been enough of them about the greatest
girth of this vegetable behemoth to have
made it some 5000 years old. To judge
by the exceeding symmetry of the best
preserved members remaining of this Tu-
olumne grove, "Old Sequoia" must have
been wonderfully beautiful tree, con-
sidering its immense size. 1t also may
have been close on to 500 feet high.
say may have been, because the Sc
quota is very disappointing regarding al
titude, it being the rule for the specief
to grow to an average altitude of &C
feet, or some over in the larger spec.
mems, without putting forth any large
branches, thus preserving a comparative
evenness of diameter and bulk for that
distance, then to suddenly put out 2
multitude of large boughs, which rapid
ly diminish the balance of the shaft,
which then tapers suddenly to point
resembling nothing so much as freshly
sharpened lead pencil, excepting for its
branches.
These causes might have made "Old Sc
quota but little taller than his neighbors,
say $50 feet. The violence of the winter
storms is also greatly liable to break off
the brittle and attenuated tops, with
their great weight of foliage, if they
reach up much above the general level
of the surrounding forest. Still the wood
here is altogether so Dense and the en-
tire grove occupies so sheltered posi-
ton, that it is possible this tree may have
enjoyed an altitude commensurate with
its enormous bulk.
HOW THE GIANT LOOKS.
The tree "Old Sequoia" is but black
ened ard charred stump on two of its
sides, and when within 100 feet of its
roots one feels vexed within himself for
having been foolish enough to tramp out
of his way for such disappointing result.
Still, curiosity will impel him to keep
on until he is within few feet Of the
remains of this once greatest of all Sc
quota monsters. AT distance of some
60
mensity of this tree begins to force it
self upon the perceptions of the behold
er and when one has reached its very
base and partly circled it, curiosity is
changed to wonder, and, upon beholding
the burnt cavity within its roots, Won
der to awe
The tree is best approached from the
east. One crosses little brook and i'm
mediately staads upon a shattered and
partially burned mass from the great
tree itself. This piece is some II feet
wide, 80 feet long and feet thick, and
is distant from the remaining main body
Of the tree fully 800 feet.
Great fragments of charred wood still
extend into the underground behind us,
upon bU6 GdSJ Sllo VI buG DIOOh, W luo
west bank of which we have just cross
ed. Framents which fell from the tree
during the confagration, of immense
size, lie piled upon each other in solid
mass, extending from the piece upon
which we stand to almost the very base
of the remaining portion. OF this re-
naming part, directly in front of us, is
a living mass, appearing from our stand
point like stub broken off at about
midway its height The piece is, meas
uring from its extreme edges at about
6 inches above the ground, 40 feet in dia-
meter The whole remaining circuit of
the tree is 121 feet. The largest remain
ing portion at which we are gazing is
then al feet in diameter and about 1856
feet high. It's bark is as fresh and glis
tening in the sun as that of any of It's
uninjured and living neighbors.
The vitality of this remaining portion
of this tree is attested by the presence
.o.,,, OO caok &c T.. hnA 3D.,