The Wilmington daily Republican. (Wilmington, Del.) 1890-1902, 1893-07-18
Mammoth Trees.

Mammoth Trees.
Communicated
wish to correct an error that APP
pcaTed In tho issue of July Sth, rela-
tive to q piece OF red wood bark which
/ sent Stansbury Murray, Jr., pIoprie-
tor Of Murray's Hotel, No. 104 East
Front street. Your paper stated that
the piece OF bark was from one OF the
mammoth red wood trees Of Yellow
stone Park, and wish to correct the
mistake for the benefit OF the readers
of the REPUBLICAN by stating that
species found In the Yellowstone Park
nor are there any big trees OF any
note found there, as the Yellowstone
Park ID noted for its mineral springs,
geysers, boiling springs and beautiful
mountain scenery only.
The mammoth red wood trees, or
seQuoia gigantoa, and what are
known as the world renowned big
trees OF California are found only In
the mountain regions of California
on the slopes OF the Sierra Madre
or Coast Range mountains not very
far from the Pacific Ocean. traversing
Mexican boundary line northwest; but
the trees found on the coast are not SO
large as those found on the high
Slerras. About 5000 feet elevation on
the Sierra Nevada mountains are
found the largest trees In the State OF
In the world. They are found grow
ing for distance of about 200 miles
on the western slope OF the Sierra
Nevadas from the Calaveras grove,
near the Yosemite Valley south to
Tulare county.
Having spent over two years In the
Golden State, / CHANGED to visit this
wonderful grove OF trees In August,
1891. There Is set apart ae National
Park, named the General Grant Ma
tlonal Park, large grove of these
mammoth trees, and to remain as
such forever. In this grove is found
the largest OF all living trees, and the
giant tree OF thu world. The circum-
ference of this tree is l06 feet, which
would make little over IS feet in
diameter. What would our timber.
men OF the mills In Delaware think OF
such tree in comparison OF the for
est growth of Delaware? This large
tree Is named General Grant, In honor
Of our great General OF the late civil
war. The tree Ia stated as being 800
teet high. The top portion OF tho tree
looks as IL 1t had been broken off or
shattered by some mighty storm that
inrest those regions in the winter
months.
The side of the tree on the west side
Is burned In for few feet; making al
space sufficiently large to walk in and
hide yourself. Before this was burnt
out the real diameter of the tree mustl
have been over 40 feet. The most
noted trees OF the grove are named
after famous men connected with the
history OF our country. The first
glimpse OF these mammoth giants of
the forest seems to bewilder person,
and q queer feeling comes over you to
stand among such wonderful bodies
OF wood. Some OF the trees are over
800 feet high; some of them have no
limbs upwards OF 200 feet. Some of
the trees are quite rough looking on
the outside, but others are SO smooth
and round that they loob as they
might have been turned by some huge
machinery. ....
The bark on these trees has red
color and very dry and light, but
grows to an enormous thickness, and
tho largest piece OF bark ever dlscov.
cred measures Just SO inches In thick
ness: the writer having seen 1t in the
show window OF L. N. Sanscawen's
drug store, Visalia. Cal.
The writer was fortunate enough to
procure piece OF the bark of the big
trees measuring about ~ inches thick
and also another large piece which he
brought home for the purpose OF Gu :
Ting up into small souvenirs to lie dis.
tributed among his friends. The piece
that Mr.. Murray has Ia only q small
portion of the bark, and no one can
get an Idea OF how thick it was before
the larger portion was cut up.
For the Interest of the readers OF the
Republican" / will describe what
was once the largest standing tree.
but which Is now PROSTATE and de-
caying, having fallen down in years
gone by. 1t measures l22 feet In cir.
conference and 1926 feet in length:
what grand sight it must have
been In Its day. Probably nature
never intended for 1t to get any Iarg-
or and its day was doomed
While In the Park the writer saw
the stump and part of the giant body
oil the big tree from which q section
was taken that was exhibited at the
Centennial at Philadelphia in 1876.
Visitors at the Columbian Worlds
Fair will sec section 80 feet high and
30 feet diameter in the United States
Government Building of big tree
from California, which will give them
nm idea OF how large those MANN 9th
trees are. The writer saw a part of
the section Of this tree before it left
California and also saw 1t again at the
Worlds Fair during his visit there In
May, enroute home from the far west.
Visitors among these trees attempt
to solve the question OF age. but are
at a loss to explain.G knowledge tells
us that it takes several thousand
yeare tor tree to. grow SO large.
There Is not the least doubt that the
stormy days of over 5000 or probably
1000 years have continued to greet
them. They are known to students
OF natural history all over the world.
Scientific men claim them as one of
tho seven wonders of the world. Many
an Imposing scene connected with thel
history of the world has occurred
since their days OF infancy. Naturel
found them growing long before theI
Hood, and they still live and will con-
tinue to live for generations to come.
Respectfully. JOHN Ii. GRIFFITH.