Morning journal and courier. [volume] (New Haven [Conn.]) 1848-1894, 1893-05-24
CLIMBING THE MOUNTAIN.

CLIMBING THE MOUNTAIN.
A Partial Description of the Electric |
Railroad Now Being Built Towards
the Top of Wilson's Peak in SOUTH
ern California, With Some Notes In |
Regard to the Speed of Cars.
PASADENA, CAL, May IS, 1s93.-Since
our last unsuccessful attempt to ride on q
burro to the top of Mount Wilson we have
tried to be content with lower altitude,
and have remained quietly at this place,
albeit at good elevation above the ocean,
where we hope before long to voyage and
to make q few discoveries
But edged on and encouraged by one
who should have perhaps have been more
prudent, We finally concluded to once more
try for the upper regions; not, indeed, for
the mountains of our former failure, but
one considerably less eminent, one, in fact,
of less than Q mile in elevation, and one,
too, which is provided with modern i'm
provements not common to most noun
tains.
Warned by our previous unhappy expe-
rience we leave burros, either tinted or
shaded, to those who wish for such incon-
venient and dangerous modes of convey
ance, and proceed to make the journey on
foot in the good old fashioned way.
At first we found the trail not difficult,
being nothing more or less than the road
bed of an electric railroad which Is now In
course Of construction; a piece of engi-
neeripg Of easy grade, but of the most
amazing contours; this part We traverse
with pleasure and wonder that mountain
climbing should be considered at all tire
| some.
Soon, however, we come to the end of
| this pleasant way, and find ourselves at
another end; the lower end of the Gin
| cline" 90 called.
1t may be very good moline for all we
know, but we feel no inclination to ascend
| it, for it ia set at an angle of sixty-6ye de-
grees and extends up the mountain for an
apparently interminable distance.
At the foot of this incline the first part
of the electric road ends, and from here the
cars must be hauled by cable to the hotel
now building about half way to the noun
tain top. And so We retrace our steps
along the ties till we find a narrow foot
path turning off to one side and twisting
itself up the heights.
The less said about this part of our
journey perhaps the better, and we almost
sigh for the blue burro we had before.
However, every turn brings us higher, and
extends the field of vision till we think that
perhaps we may soon be able to view the
state of Connecticut, and the good people
therein. And here We fall in with the son
of the famous John Brown of Ossawatto-
mic, who lives somewhere in this Vicinity,
and are much pleased to hear from him
that the rest of the trail is comparatively
easy.
But though it may be easy enough for
those who are accustomed to 1t, it is hard
| enough for US, and we are glad enough
when the last zigzag Is made and we are at
the summit of loves mountain, which is
but hill as compared with the surround
ing peaks.
There will be the great hotel, and here is
| the top of the incline; we can see its top all
right and also about half way down it, but
for the balance of 1t We must have faith,
for bscsuee the lower half is sleeper than
the upper half we can no more see 1t than
one who stands upon the ridge of house
Roof can see the side of the same house.
We feel elated enough, little thinking
what ia to befall us; here we are really al
the top of mountain; seeming success
after most disastrous failure; and here Lief
the country (and climate) spread out before
US, land is plenty in every direction ani
there are groups Of houses-or perhaps
beehives. If real estate man SHOULD
show up now and offer as 'ssnap" at two
or three hundred dollars front foot IL
yonder patch of brown we should be dis
poaed to snap him down the apparently
bOttomless incline, and tell him before b,
started that we could easily help ourselves
to such slice as we wished for.
How much We are pleased with every
thing, how the wind blows, how very fin,
the views. There Ia the Pacific ocean
there We see the islands of said ocean, pre-
sumably covered with cocoanut trees ant
savage islanders; or perhaps one of then
may be Robinson Crusoe's island. VIII,
knowsa We decide at once that we viii
sail towards them at the first opportunity
| of which more anon.
And then we consider as to whether o
not we shall climb to the greater elevation
towards which the trail continues.
We watch with great interest the Ca
coming up the incline, loaded with lambe
for the hotel, and drawn up by mul
power applied to windlass and cable. w
look with curiosity at the train of ;burro
with littleskegs dashed to their backs, en-
gagged In bringing water from the neare.
spring, and at the electric engine being se
in place and intended to s7pplant the mul
power.
Then discovering sill at once that tn
sun Is getting low il the west, and re
membering that We promised to return l.
good season, We begin to think abou
descending the trail.
But now the car of lumber has arrive
at the top, is unloaded, and about to g
down for more, 1t is easily let down b
means of a powerful brake applied to tn
| windlass; and we are assured that we Cal
ride down If we choose. 1t Is perfectly SAT
we are told, and much better than walk
ing:
much, for walking down a steep trait
much worse than walking up, If that ca
| be.
But-has that incline really any bottom
or rather is there any connecting link be
tween the top and the bottom2 We hsv
seen the bottom, and we have ais
seen the top, but the intervals Stil
there must be, for things come up fror
somewhere; so we decide to try it. W
seat ourselves on the car, the mules ar
unhitched from the windlass, the brake
put on and off we go.
| For the first part We enjoy tho ride; t.
be sure 1t is rather poky, and the cabl
which lengthens out bshind us looks won
derfully thin, but have We not been as
sured of safetys So We try to feel hApp,
and to think how much better it ia thai
walking.
Then the speed begins to increase, faster
faster, we go, faster and swifter yet. W.
are already over the more gentle part o
the incline and are at the steepest part
the rails do really reach to the bottom
We can now see that they do, but what l.
beyond the last raila Is the landing soft, O.
is it harda will the brake check our spec.
or will 1t not? Will the car stick to thu
rails or will it jump into the canon so ia
below us? We whiz by a workman who ha
quickly climbed an electric pole; anothe
moment and we are at the end and deeply
buried in bank of send. J,F.B.
Card.
On behalf of the Organized Charlie
association We desire to express our SINGER
thanks to all those who had share in tn
| lectures given by Lieutenant PearY last Friday