The Carbon advocate. [volume] (Lehighton, Pa.) 1872-1924, 1891-07-04
DOWN THE FLUME.
THRILLING VOYAGE FROM THE SNOW
LINE OF THE SlERRAs.

NNNNA ~ AAuh ElMlAle Aa-Ilne hOnN Used
A Narrow Escape Tremendous Speed
On an Incline The Grand Scenery
End OF the Trip.
After a slow and wearisome climb, and
as it began to grow dusk, our team, tired
and dusty, drove into Camp Sequoia.
The fiume extends from the high snow
line IN the Sierras TO the plains, 90 miles
distant. 1t is built Of inch and quarter
/ planks, and at the start, where the grade
is steepest, is 40 inches across the top.
This width is increased, however, when
the decrease in the grade necessitates a
larger volume of water to float the lum-
Der, and at the lower end reaches an ex-
treme width of GA inches. At each
increase in the size of the fume more
water must be added to the stream.
The first head of water comes from
Lake Sequoia, and the supply is aug
mented by small streams at four diff
ferent places between the mill and Kings
River. To preserves a fairly regular grade
in constructing this flume enormously
high trestles We're found necessary to
carry the fumes across canons, chasns,
and around sharp spurs of mountains.
The first 81 miles built took over {, ,000,-
600 feet oflumber to construct, and most
OF this lumber had to be packed on the
shoulders of men. 1t has taken about
100000 feet of lumber, all told, to COM
plete the fiume.
But to return to the head of the flume,
around which our little party of four
was clustered, our spirits dropping as
rapidly as the mercury during a cold
snap, and our hearts seeking the seclu-
sion Of our boots. Coming down a flume
when you are at the bottom and look up
is very different proposition to going
down a tiume when you are at the top
and look down Stories Of former trips
that resulted most disastrously flashed
through our minds. If it had not been
for the crowd of onlookeTs 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 a 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 hume resembles nothing SO much as
a hog trough with one end missing
The flume being built V shape and at a
right angle, the boat is constructed like
wise, 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 examina-
tion we found our boat to be 16 feet long
with ID inch plank running the length
OF the boat, thus making 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 misgiv-
ings and balancing ourselves, the order
to cast off was given, the spikes holding
our frail craft to the flume 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
throwing himself back on the man be-
hind him.
1t was just in time. The sudden shock |
threw us all flat ON our backs and the |
boat tipped" under projecting beam
hat would have decapitated the whole |
outfit, Cautiously regaining an upright
position we took look at the scenery
around us. AS far ahead as one could |
zee stretched the flume, looking a thin. /
jpidery thread stretching down the |
mountain side. On either side gloomy |
'ocks and forest trees flashed past in an |
ndistinguishable blur when the hume |
ny near the ground, but when it rose on
5restles to cross some canon or ravine
we seemed suspended, like Mohammed's
'offin, "'twixt heaven and earth.
In the meantime our speed had been
Not member of the party
poke a word, but in dumb amazement
leld firm grip to the seat. Our boat
lad proceeded but half mile when inn
nediately before us could be seen what
We subsequently learned TO be one of the
teepest inclines of the whole course of
he fume-a drop of $50 yards, with a
srade of 1900 feet to the mile. It was
nut a few moments when our boat was
It the head of this incline. Pieces of
imber could be seen on the mountain
ide below us, these pieces having been
lurled out Of the flume during their
ourse. The sight was not very assuring
o us, but there was no such thing as
topping or turning back at this stage of
he journey. Holding our respective
'reaths, and offering mental prayers for
'ur own safety, we consigned ourselves
o our fate. The boat stopped for an
Instant at the head of the chute, pitched
'ver the curve, and shot out into what
eemed to be mere space.
A dim perception of fleeing forests,
lashing wildly past wall of rocks for a
ew seconds, the noisy wash of the waters
'ehind us, after all of which we found
ourselves at the bottom of the incline
rying to regain our breath It was
hort, aud luckily, too. Human nerves
ould hardly have stood the strain much
onger. Going on at a slightly reduced
ate of speed, we were treated to a CON
tant change Of mountain scenery, now
loosely hugging the perpendicular wall
f the rocky gorge, again being swept
round the sharp point of a mountain on
ur way across wide canons, up as high
S 1870 feet, with only the knowledge Of
he frail trestlework between US and
,hata
No grander view of the lower Sierras
ould be experienced than that which we
ad as we swept on through space. The
lternating views of deep gorges, high
Lifts, timber clad mountain heights,
with the novel means of trans
robbed the journey Of all
reariness.
Finally we reached Kings River, and
r course now lay parallel with the
ueam and about the same grade. Our
oat proceeded steadily, but with none
f the occasional rapidity we had exI eri-
need in the higher mountains left be-
ind. After having "fiumedn about %