The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1894-12-28
LOFTY MOUNT TACOMA.
Interesting Facts Concerning One of the
Most Remarkable Peaks in the World.

Mt. Tacoma is one of row of five or
six lofty peaks, all doubtless OF volcanic
origin, lying between the range of the
Rocky Mountains and the Pacific coast.
This row of peaks is one Of the most re-
markable in the world. 1t begins with
the beautiful Mt. Shasta. California, in
cludes Mt Hood. Mist. Helens and Mt.
Adams, and it's furthest northern repre-
sentative is, perhaps. MT. Baker in Brit
ish Columbia. Mt. Tacoma is the giant
of them all, although it hardly exceeds
Mt Shasts in altitude. Its height accord
ing to the government survey is 1874
feet, two feet more than Shasta. But
it is a far more massive mountain
than Shasta. In fact, there
are few great peaks in any country that
can be compared with Mt. Tacoma In
majesty of appearance. AS seen from
the cities on Puget sound it looks far
loftier than any of the Alps when
viewed from an equal distance, because
nearly its entire height is before the
eve. In other words, instead OF rising
from a great plateau or on the back of
| lofty mountain wall, it springs to it's
| full height straight from sea level. It's
outline is exceedingly imposing, being
| that of huge dome, the upper part or
which, even in midsummer, is white
| with snow, while in winter the whole
mountain is clothed in white down to
| the foothills.
Sixteen or seventeen glaciers flow down
| the slopes Of the mountain, some of them
| of large size, and presenting all the
| characteristic features of moraines, ifs
| sures, mouths and icy preclplces which
| are to be found among the glaciers of
| the Alps. There is. perhaps, no other
mountain within the temperate zone
| that exhibits so extensive glacier sys-
| tenn.
The ascent of the mountain has not
been hitherto very difficult when the at
| tempt was made late in the summer.
| There is no such eli n bling on dizzy preci-
| pices as must be encountered on the
Matterhorn, for instance, all the diff
| Guilty arising from soft snow. Ava'anch-
es are frequent on its TANKS, al d the
| snow remains until July i'll some of the
lower ravines. Crater like, which lies
on the northwestern slope of the moun-
tain, occupying q profound depression,
with precipitous walls on three sides, is
believed by some to mark the site OF d
former crater Of the volcano, but during
a visit which [ made to it in 1892 / be.
came convinced that the expression
whose bottom is filed by the lake has
been produced by the shaking of an erup.
tion, but not the direct creation of vol
canic action.
The true crater, and that from which
all the eruptions have taken place, is on
the summit of the mountain. Its loca-
ton has always been indicated by sort
of notch or scallop i'll the mountain top,
visible from Tacoma and other surround
ing points. There is a legend among
some of the tribes of Indians living
near Mt. Tacoma that the mountain was
once very much larger than it is now
and that vast mass sunk out of sight
during great eruption. 1t is also said
that stones have been shot from the
crater to distance of many miles with
in historic time. Those who have care
fully watched Mt. Tacoma have. from
time to time, reported the appearance oil
nuffs of steam and smoke to it's summit,
Init ordinarily little attention has been
maid TO these Indications that its vol
canic fires were only slum bering, but
not extinct.
The city Of Tacoma is situated more
than 40 miles in an air line from the
crater Of the mountain, and Seattle is
still further. so that under no circum
stances could any danger be apprehended
at those points from the activity of the