Fort Worth gazette. [volume] (Fort Worth, Tex.) 1891-1898, 1891-08-24
KINGS RIVER CANYON.
4 Region That Is Said to Rival the Xo-
semitic in Natural Beauty.

semitic in Natural Beauty.
Except in the matter OF waterfalls, Yo-
semitic isn't in it when compared with the
great Kings river canyon" said Artist G.
d. Robinson.
John P. Irish said that the beauty Of
the Yosemite valley was its oneness" re-
sumed Mr.. Robinson II canno. under
stand what he means by that. If he means
the oneness of the Yosemite ring he is just
about right, but if he means that the Io
semitic valley stands alone by itself he is
away in the background. He does not
know anything at all about the Yosemite,
and don't think he ever saw the valley
unit! he was appointed one of its commits
sioners.
John Muir can cIer indisputable evil
dence that the Yosemite valley repeats
itself time and again all through the
Sierras, with the exception Of the Hetchy-
Hetchy valley. You can see the Hetchy-
Hetchy valley inside of the Yosemite and
there is nothing to jar upon the scene of
harmony. But some OF the peaks in the
great Kings river canyon are equally as
high. You can set the Yosemite and
HetchyHetchy valleys together i'll the
Kings river canyon, and there will be plen-
ty OF room to move them up and down
lengthwiSe.
The canyon increases in Importance and
magnitude as you go up the valley, but the
broadcast spaces are found near its mouth.
The narrowest part, where the glaciers
have worked most actively, is at its upper
end, and there its walls are the loftiest
-. NJ. Hutchings. the pioneer, was the
original explorer of Kings river canyon, as
be was of the Yosemite valley. All the
trails and other improvements in the Io-
semitic valley We're designed by him"
Mr. Robinson was loud in his praise of
the scenic beauty of the Kings river canyon
He exhibited several oil sketches in proof
of his statement, and these sketches are re-
markaOle for the emerald meadows, the
lofty peaks and the deep blue skies they
portray. IN fact, this deep blueness, verg-
ing on indigo, seems to be an exaggeration
but Mr.. Robinson declares that his sky
tint is as true to nature as his art could
make it.
One of these sketches portrays Mount
Hutchings, bold peak rising between
1000 and 5000 feet above the floor of the
valley, through which flows the picturesque
stream known as the south fork of the
Kings river. the only waterfall of any
great magnitude is the Roaring river falls.
1T appears to be not more than TWENTY-FIVE
feet wide and fifty feet high, but by meas
urements made by surveyors it is fifty feet
wide by 100 feet high.
Its appearance is deceptive because Of the
lofty cliffs that close in Oh il on the sides
and in the rear. The water falls over a
precipice, making a beautiful fan of foam,
and spreading out in turbulent, eddving
mass into Roaring river. The wall back
OF it stands 2,0O0 feet above the level of the
river, and on the left hand side rises peal
on whose top the snow falls while it rains
on the river below.
The Muir dome, about half way up the
valley, is an imposing mountain, and very
much resembles the north dome Of the
Yosemite. 1t stands nearly 5000 feet above
the level Of the valley. It is really an ele-
waited ridge, the front face of which bears
a very strong resemblance to Fl Captain
in the Yosemite valley.
Another sketch in oil portrays somber,
towering wall Of blue granite, roughly fur
rOwed by the storms of cent? fies.
Mr.. Muir has named IL the Seven Gables.
on account of its remarkable resenblar !
to the gables of an immense building. At |
the foot OF this mountain is a beautiful |
emerald meadow whose sides are studded |
with giant sequoias.
The highest summit crossed bv Messrs. |
Robinson and Muir stands $500 feet above |
sea level. 1t has been named the Great |
Summit.
In the canyon are five great groves OF |
one of the trees named General |
Grant measuring thirty nine feet In diam
eter at the base. The trunk has been
burned from circular form into that OF
an ellipse, and its original diameter must
have been more than forty feet. The val
ley is from IS TO 100 miles east of Fresno
city, and is uninhabited save by few
jewellers in cabins.-Ssp Francisco Exam
ner.