River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1893-08-10
CALIFORNIA LETTER.
ALUM Rock SPRINGS, June, ISo:

visit the Great Fair we may visit
| some of Natures minor wonders on
the Pacific slope. At present after
| riding, walking and climbing we are
resting and eating our noond day lunch
| on the rocks at the foot of one of the
| falls answering to the name at the
| head of my letter. Alum Rock Can
yon has been often written about, but
| to each new conner it is beautiful
| picture to be enjoyed all by ones own
| self. As we sit here our eyes take in
all its rough wildness and beauty.
| The south side is lined with solid rock
and over hanging cliffs of blue sand
stone such as line the ravines and river
banks of part of old Maine; on the
| other side the cliff high above is COW
cred with trees, one huge madrone
| hanging far over seemingly to fall
with the first breeze. The fall is not
| a Niagara by any means, but when at
its height it might bear a comparison,
on small scale. The party of the
| first part" returning from his explor-
ing expedition, calls from a point high
above us to ''come and see the Yosem-
ite' and hastily laying aside paper and
pencil we climb the steep cliff think
ing perhaps the fall was near by, but
| another descent was before us, so on
we go over rocks, up hills, crossing
the mountain stream again and again,
until right across our path bridging
the creek lies most formidable object
in the form of log two feet or more
in diameter, its ends resting on either
bank, and no i0ay TO go around but TO
climb oUer. Mr.. RhOads had caught
up "A plank somewhere in his journey
and prepared to bridge the chasm, but
the incline was too much for me and
scrambling down into the bed of the
river we, that is, |, proposed To climb
over, suffice it to say the deed was
accomplished.
Another very unpleasant feature
was the every where present Poison
Oak (Rhus Fox) but well protected
hands hindered any evil effects, and
warm, tired and out of breath we
reached the foot of the canyon, where
from heighth of from so to 100 feet
fell two streams of water beautiful In
the MONDAY sun that shone brilliantly
down into these depths. Passing
around the curve we sat down on the
grey rocks facing the cool waters
whose spray gives us delicious sense
of rest. Looking far above we saw
where the lesser fall came over the
cliff, falling or rather sliding down a
rocky incline for perhaps 20 teet, then
burrying along on its way " its next
leap of so feet which it takes in very
leisurely manner, trickling down the
solid wall to our feet. The other be-
gins its downward journey from a
point so feet below the first and taking
ten foot leap onto shelving rock, it
bounds over and comes down its last
! fifty feet with rush, falling into the
deep dark basin, sending its spray
across and covering the rocks far up
the cliffs opposite. One can but Won
der at the power that rent these rocks
asunder aud feeling of awe steals
over us as we gaze, and a sensation of
fear as though they were closing to-
gether and shutting us in sends us on
our way back, quieter and more slowly
than we came. Coming to the forks,
we glance up the other rocky. lree
shaded glen where the other parties
are ''pleasuring,' wishing for more
| time TO explore its recesses, but
thoughts of the rough and stony path
before us, urges us on, and we again
"A much more hazardous undertaking
than the upward climb, but after
scanning the hillsides that no observer
with the inquisitive little Kodac be in
| sight, we crawl out on its broad sur
| face and back down until we reach
| the rocks in the stream. The last hill
! is climbed and we find ourselves at
our starting point, where resting on
the ground beneath spreading naples,
| oaks and sycamoreS we laZlly watch
| the shadows climb the hills, the birds
sailing over head and the hundreds of
squirrels who come to make our &C.
quaintance, or that of our lunch bas-
kets, for when the crumbs are all
gathered from among the leaves, they
climb the wheels and hunt the buggy
through and any basket not securely
fastened is soon lightened of its con-
tents, the one that can carry away the
biggest piece being the ''best fellow,
and we know they have literary soci-
ETY. among them for when nothing
eatable was to be found one big Great
ure gathered up and carried away a
piece of the morning paper.
The canyon is full of coy hooks,
where among the grand old trees
Nature has piled rocks in every con-
| ceivable shape, to be used as seats or
| tables for the picnicers whose name is
legion.
The city owns the property of one
hundred and sixty acres, and is beauti-
fying and improving 1t for public
park. 1t is noted for its mineral
springs, and bathing houses and a
large tank are among its many attrac-
tions. A fountain is being placed
near the center where one may get a
glass of any kind they like. Awhile
ago an effort was made to establish a
beer. garden here, but the better ele-
ment succeeded in hinderlng the des-
ecration. and to-day it is a safe place
for families to camp by week or month.
tents being seen all over the reserva-
ton. Prohibition rs not q failure
here.
Some things there are in life, which.
though not always "a thing of beauty
are still 'joy forever" and these
DAYS are bringing US pleasures that
memory will retain while life lasts.
The trip to the canyon was to have
been followed by visit to Mt. Hamil-
ton but this lovely morning finds us on
the ridge overlooking old Mission San
| Jose, eighteen miles from home. This is
where in CALIFORNIA; earliest days the
old Catholic fathers planted the Cross
and built their adobe, tile covered
buildings, such as are so well described
in Helen Hunt Jackson's Ramona. .
We rode along among the foot hills,
enjoying the view of the bay dotted
with white sails, the mountains on the
other side of the valley and the delight
full fragrance of the hundreds of acres
of poisoning vineyards until after
climbing up and climbing down we
come upon a very modern village with
naught of the old days except one
adobe house newly shingled, that
might have been the mission itself.
The church, near by was new, the orig
inal being thrown down in the earth
quake of 81. An eye witness told us
of the sorrow of the old Spaniards,
who stood with bowed heads amid the
ruins. mourning as for friend.
We enter the church enticed by
choir of children's voices, whose sweet