The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1894-05-13
THE FOREST GIANT.
A Petrif1ed Tree 80 Feet Through and
600 Feet in Length.
From the San Francisco Examiner.

From the San Francisco Examiner.
The largest tree in the world lies
broken and petrifed at the end of a defile
in Northwestern Nevada. Its dimen-
sions are so great that those who know
of its existence hesitate to tell the story
because they hardly expect to be be-
lieved but there is sufficient evidence to
give the tale credit improbable though 1t
may seem.
This tree makes the monarchs of the
Mariposa Grove seem like impostols, and
compare to- it the tallest pine grown on
Norwegian hills TO be the mast of some
great admiral is but a wand. AS for the
story of its discovery, it is thus told by
Dad" Lynn, of Fresno, and supported
by other equally well-known people:
Back in 1860 company of about forty
hve left Red Bluff to prospect the then
unknown country beyond Honey Lake
and Surprise valley. There were in the
party lawyers, butchers, and shoemakers,
but we were one-Sided on one point-each
individual felt positive that this was the
turning point of his existence, and that
bright, shining gold in unlimited guam
titles would reward the rather I'M
pleasant jaunt.
The Indians-we called them Ban
nacks-were at the time raising hair, and
very many sudden moves were at times
necessary in order to get rid of their I'M
welcome attentions. Finding but little
gold in this section, we travelled toward
Baker county, Oregon, through a country
entirely denuded of timber, except few
dwarf cottonwoods along the waterways.
Close TO the Baker county line we came
to an opening in the rocks, about wide
enough for our wagons to go through, and
on either side doomed precipices 500 and
oh
fifteen miles long, and at its end, just to
the right of the trail, we found a number
of petrified tree stumps of different nights
and sizes.
In their midst on the ground lay a
monster tree, somewhat imbedded in the
soil. II was completely petriied, and,
fromIthe clean-cut fractures of the trunk,
seemed to have fallen after its petrifica-
ton. At its butt this tree was quite sixty
feet in diameter. We measured its length
with tape line. 1t was Just 666 feet
long. No limbs remained, but in the
trunk were clefts where apparently lin bs
had broken off. Amber like beads of pet
rified pitch or gum adhered to the side of
the trunk for a distance of 100 feet or
more.
Where the huge trunk was broken
squarely off the center seemed traps
parent and the growth marks showed in
beautiful concentric rings. Its natural
appearance was handsomer than any
dressed marble or mosaic l ever have
seen, and we all expressed the opinion
that it woul make wonderfully beauti-
full floor and interior finish for some
grand building.
81 don't often tell this story, because
people do not believe it, but | could go to
the place now without the least trouble
and point out this wonder. Judge Court
ney Talbot, of Tulare, was one of our
party, and here is an extract from let
ter l recently received from him, which
corrOborates my tale:
"Tulare, Jan. 8, 1S94.--My Dear Old
Friend: l have scarcely ever told about
that tree. / once met our old companion,
lections about the tree-that it was 60
feet in diameter and 666 feet long and
perfectly peUrifed. | told him | scarcely
ever mentioned it, the story being too big
for credence. He said:
Tell it when and where you please.
l stand ready to make affidavit to those
figures
Il afterwards met Old Allen Hardin.
and ne said the same thing l can call to
the stand to verify the statement Col.
Mckiusey, Holt Fine, Sam King, T. O.
Shirley, yourself and any memb of our
company that may be within reach
have often wondered why a great curl
osity like that should remain unobserved
so long.
Now l stand ready to prove all this to
any Doubling Thomas who wishes to
look upon one of natures grandest freaks,
and who will pay the expenses of the
rfip -