Los Angeles herald., 1891-06-16

For now these many years-he is in
clined to think that they stretch back
to the date of his arrival in California
in 1S72-the writer has been intending
to take in the Yosemite valley.
Although often urged to do SO by the
suave and capable San Francisco agent
of the Yosemite Stage and Turnpike
company, Samuel Miller, he had been
putting the thing off from year to year,
always putting it off to the next season.
He finally made the plunge the other
day, and below follows a portion of his
experiences.
GETTING INTO THE MOUNTAINS.
The tourist or Angelefio who desires
to explore the Yosemite valley takes
the 35 pm. train at the Arcade depot,
which will deposit him at Berenda
station somewhere about O'Clock
the next morning. At this season
of the year the day is breaking,
and he begins to look around for the
train that is to convey him to Raymond,
some forty miles distant. The saving
of that amount of staging is most sem
sible convenience. At O'Clock he is
under way and is enabled to approve of
the admirable habits of the rabbit fam
lily, both of the jack and cotton tail
variety, which believe in catching the
rabbit equivalent of the early worm.
These interesting creatures are numer-
GUS enough to suggest the refrain
"We're coming Father Abraham. three
hundred thousand strong" A conscrip-
ton OF these varmints between Berenda
and Raymond would make the rosters of
the German and Russian armies seem
small IN the comparison.
After traversing lot OF hog-wallows of
an intensely uninteresting description,
Raymond is reached, an excellent break
fast is consumed and a memorable
ascent begins. 1t is so uninterrupted for
hours that the refrain of the song, "Upin
balloon, boys" up, and up, and up, is
the principal theme suggested. And one
winds in and in, and up and up, break
ing through grand mountain chains. The
idea is impressed upon one that God is
good to provide the occasional passes
that make it at all possible to penetrate
these august recesses and ascend these
tremendous heights. Before reaching
them, however, one passes fine quarries
of granite, the product of which is now
being used in building operations in the
Mare Island navy yard, and the famous
Grub Gulch quartz mills, that have pro-
duced great deal of treasure in their
day. Our townsman, John Haley was for
years interested in one of the mines which
made good record in Fresno county.
He has lately disposed of his property
to syndicate. The only other object of
interest encountered on the way, with
the exception of the constantly recurring
scenic vistas, is the lumber f1ume which
discharges it's slabs in the town of Ma
dera. The weary way is unrelieved until
Grants station is reached. This is a
station half way between .5erenda and
Wawona, and is kept by Mr.. Liedig, a
gentleman who formerly ran the Hotel
Lincoln, in this city, with great success.
He sought the mountains for the benefit
of the health of his children, which was
greatly improved by the change. In
addition to an excellent cuisine, the
Grant station hotel is commended to
invalids by sulphur spring which is
contiguous to it.
wAWONA.
Grants station is midway between
Raymond and Wawona, which latter
point is reached about sun-down. 1t is
charming resort, and is kept by the
Washburn Brothers, who are large stock
holders in the Yosemite Stage and Turn
pike company. 1t is POLITICALLY situated
at the base of great mountains and on
the banks of the south branch of the
Merced river, noble trout stream, of
inconceivable swiftness, which frets
itself into foam over firmly imbedded
rocks. The Wawona hotel has about
every merit that mountain resort could
have. The cuisine is notably good, the
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