The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1894-03-30
THE JUMBO OF TREES.
A Petrihed Monster 60 Feet Through
and 500 Feet in Length.
From the San Franciso Examiner.

From the San Franciso Examiner.
The largest tree in the world lies broken
and petrified at the end of a defile in
northwestern Nevada. Its dimensions
are so great that those who know of it's
existence hesitate to tell the story be-
cause they hardly expect to be believed:
but there is sufficient evidence to give the
tale credit, improbable though it may
seem.
This tree makes the monarchs of the
Mariposa grove seem like impostors, and
compared to it "the tallest pine grown
on Norwegian hills to be the mast of some
great admiral is out wand. AS for the
story of its discovery, is thus told by
Dad" Lynn, of Fresno, and supported
by other equally well-known people ;
Back in 1860 company OF about forty
five left He'd Bluff to prospect the then
unknown country beyond Honey Lake
and Surprise Valley There were in the
party, lawyers. butchers, and shoemak-
ers, but we were one-sided on one point
each individual felt positive that this was
the turning point of their existence, and
that bright, shining gold in unlimited
quantities would reward the rather I'M
pleasant jaunt
The lndians-we called them Ban
noCks-were at that time raising hair
and very many sudden moves were at
times necessary in order to get rid of their
unwelcome attentions hiding but hJJle
gold in this section, we travelled toward
Baker county, Oregon, through a country
entirely denuded of timber, except Il 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 10 go Though. and
! on either side doomed precipices 800 and
| 500 feet high. The crevasse was about
fifteen miles long, and at its end, just to
I the right of the trail, we found d number
of peJrihed tree stumps of different
heights and sizes.
in their midst on the ground lay a
monster tree, somewhat Embedded in the
soil. 1t was completely petrlhed, and,
| from the clean-cut fractures of the trunk
seemed to have fallen alter its petrifac-
ton. At its butt this tree was quite
/ sixty feet in diameter. We measured its
! length with a tape line. 1t was Just 666
feet long. No limbs remained, but in the
trunk were clefts where apparently limbs
| had broken off. Am Derlike heads of pet
ri6ed pitch or gum adhered to the sides
| Of the trunk for distance OF 100 feet or
| more.
Where the huge trunk was broken
| squarely o. the center seemed transpar-
ent and the growth marks showed in
| beautiful concentric rInEs. Its natural
! appearance was ndnuSOmer IMAM any
dressed marble or mosaic l ever have
seen, and we all expressed the opinion
that it would make a wonderfully beauti-
| full floor and interior finish for some grand
| building.
y don't often tell this story, because
! people do not believe it, but [ could 90 to
! the place now without the least trouble
| and point out this wonder Judge Court
ney Talbot. of Tulare was Que of our
! party, and here is an extract from letter
l recently received from him which cor
/ To6Ordtes my tale:
1ulare, Jan. s, ] }9f. My Dear Old Friend:
! ! have scarcely ever told about that tree.
! once met our old compan on, Mr.. Viii, esides,
/ and told him my recollection about that tree
that it was 90 feet in diameter ana GO feet
! long and perfectly pstriaed. I told him l
scarcely ever mentioned IL the story being
| too big for credenee. he said:
Tell it when and where you please.
stand ready 10 make affidavit to those fig
] ures."
/ / afterward met old Allen Hardin and he
| said the same thing. I can call to the stand
/ to verify the statement Col. AlcI1nSeS. Holt
! Fine. am kln.. y. q. Shirley. yourself and
any memter of our com 5any that may Ue
within reach. have often wondered why a
great curiosity like that should remain unob-
served 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 trip"