Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1890-11-08
Tipping DOWN THE FLUME

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Tipping DOWN THE FLUME
A Thrilling and Remarkable Voyage
From the Snow Line of the Sierras.
From the San Francisco Examiner
After q slow and wearisome climb, and as it
began to grow dusk. our team. tired and dusty.
drove into Camp Sequoia. The hume extends
from the high snow line in the Sierras to the
plains ffty-two miles distant 1t il built OF
inch and quarter planks and at the start,
where the grade is steepest, is forty three
inches across the top This width is increased,
however, when the decrease in the grade ne
cessitates a larger volume Of water to float the
lumber, and at the lower end reaches an ex-
treme width of sixty-four inches. At each IN
crease in the size of the fiume more water must
be added to the stream. The first head of water
comes from Lake Sequoia and the supply is
augmented by small streams at four different
places between the mill and Kings river. To
preserve fairly regular grade in constructing
this fume enormously high trestles were found
necessary to carry the fumes across canons,
chasms and around sharp spurs OF mountains.
The first twenty-seven miles built took over
5000. 900 feet of lumber to construct, and most
Of this lumber had to be packed on the shout
ders of men. 1t has taken about 5000 900 feet
OF lumber, all told, to complete the hume.
But to return to the head of the fume,
around which our little party of four was
clustered, spirits dropping as rapidly as
the mercury during cold snap, and our hearts
seeking the seclusion of our boots. Coming
down hume when you are at the bottom and
look up is a very different proposition to going
down fume when you are at the top and look
down. Stories Of former trips that resulted
most disastrousy flashed through our minds
If it had not been for the crowd Of onlookers
that stood around ready to cheer if We started
or jeer if we didn't. we would have backed out
one and ALL There was no help for it, and
with last despairing look at the beautiful
bright world around us that we were leaving
perhaps forever-we solemnly climbed into the
flume boat and shook hands sadly with those
that were not going
The boat that was to carry US down the flume
resembles nothing SO much as a hog trough
with one end missing. The tume being built
V-shape and at a right angle, the boat is con-
structed likewise, but at what would be the
bow end Of an ordinary boat there is no end at
all, 1t being purposely left open in order to
provide means for the water that backs up into
the boat to escape. On examination we found
our boat to be Ii feet long with 14-Inch plank
running the length of the boat, thus making a
false bottom, to raise US from reach of the water.
On this plank rested four small wooden stools,
one for each OF the party.
After taking seats, with many msgiyings
and balancing ourselves the order to cast off
was given, the spikes holding our frail craft
to the Hume side were pulled out and our craft
| shot on with the current on Its journey to the
plains. The sensation was exactly as if the
bottom had dropped out Of the universe and
we had dropped with it.
watch out!' yelled the man in front throw
ing himself back on the man behind him.
1t was just i'll time. The sudden shock threw
US all fat on our backs and the boat clipped"
under a projecting beam that would have de-
capitated the whole outfit. Cautiously regain
| ing an upright position we took a look at the
scenery around US. AS far ahead as one could
see stretched the fume, looking thin, sp,dery
thread stretching down the noun tain side On
either side gloomy rocks and forest trees
the fiume lay near the ground, but when it rose
| on trestles to cross some canon or ravine We
seemed suspended. like Mohammeds coffin
| "'twixu heaven and earth"
In the meantime our speed had been in
| creasing. Not a member Of the party spoke a
word. but i'll dumb amaZement held a firm
| grip to the seat Our boat had proceeded but
hall a mile when Immediately before us could
| be seen what we subsequently learned to be
| one OF the steepest nclines of the whole course
| of the fiume-a drop of $50 yards, with grade
| of 200 feet to the mile. 1t was but few mo-
| ments when our boat was at the head Of this
incline. Pieces Of timber could be seen on the
| mountain side below U.s. these pieces having
| been hurled out Of the fume during their
| course. The sight was not very assuring to U.s.
but there was no such thing as stopping or
| turning back at this stage of the journey
| Holding our respective breaths and Offering
| mental prayers for our own safety, We con-
| signed ourselves to our fate. The boat STONED
| for an instant at the head of the chute. pitched
| over the curve and shot out into what seemed
| to be mere space.
dim perception Of fleeing forests, dashinp
wildly past wall Of rocks for d few seconds.
the noisy wash OF the waters behind us, after
| all Of which we found ourselves at the bottom
OF the incline trying to regain our breath. L,
| was short, and luckily, too. Human nerves
could hardly have stood the strain much
| longer. Going on at u slightly reduced rate OF
speed, we were treated to constant change OF
| mountain scenery, now closely hugging the
| perpendicular wall of the rocky gorge, again
| being swept around the sharp point of a noun
| tain on our way across wide canons, up as high
| as $50 feet with only the knowledge of the
| frail trestlework between us and-what?
No grander view Of the lower Sierras could
| be experienced than that which we had as we
| swept on through space. The alternating views
Of deep gorges, high cliffs, timber clad noun
tain heights, combined with the novel means
Of transportation, robbed the journey of all
1 WEAKNESS
Finally We reached Kings river and our
| course now lay parallel with the stream and al
| about the same grade. Our boat proceeded
steadily, but with none of the occasional ra-
pidity We had experienced in the higher
mountains left behind. After having .sfumed''
about tenty-seven miles We came to the sus-
pension bridge across Kings river. But even
| ffty-two miles Of fume come to An end at last,
| and the speed becoming tame and slow in
comparison with the early part OF the trip, with
| the aid OF several men at work "herding" on
| the hume our frail craft was safely brought to
| q standstill, and we climbed out on the trestle
and stretched our cramped legs A few mo-
ments later, with the aid Of thirty-foot ladder,
we reached terra TRINA, our strange cruise
| ended.
--->O>-
At the Chrysanthemum Show.
From Puck.