The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1895-12-28
Written for the Tribune.

| scend the western slope of the Cascades
| on a grade similar to that in ascending
the eastern slope-116 feet to the mile
In the midst of superb mountain
scenery, to the valley and canyon of
| Green River, beautiful mountain
stream. which rises in the Cascades.
This stream is well stocked with trout
and flows through dense forests of
cedar. fir and spruce, the trees ranging
from 100 to $50 feet high. straight as an
arrow and often without branch for a
hundred feet or more from the base, and
from five to ten feet through.
Our credentials not only allowed us
the freedom of any train with stop
offs" at will. but the privilege of a seat
on the locomotive, beside the engineer
where he could point out the objects of
interest, to be photographed as we de-
scended the net work of gorges and
canyons, so profoundly grand.
Viewed from the Locomotive Cab
Imagine the sensation! The engineer
opens the throttle-vaive just enough to
give the train a start. when steam is
shut off and brakes are applied, and we
go safely. but with laundering speed
along the narrow pathway. blasted out
from the mountain side. around sharp
spurs, over yawning CULTS, the locomo-
tive trembling in every part. swaying
from side to side and jolting upon her
heavy springs as she warns to her
work. Faster and faster turn the
driving wheels, louder and louder
sounds the roar of the train, the re-
Verberation being more and more in
tensified amid these mountain fast
nesses Suddenly shooting around
promontory. as if about to leap into a
yawning abyss which opens before us,
we make another short curve and then
GO back on our course on the opposite
side of the spur. while above us is the
iron pathway we have just passed over.
Thus we sweep along mie after mile. in
thrilling and exciting race following
the winding track skillfully hewn from
the ''sold WALL; of Gods masonry" the
proud monarch safely held in check by
the air-break lever, controlled by the
faithful engineer. who at no time loses
his clutch on the wheels, and when the
speed is too rapid, an extra turn of the
little brass handle and the wheels are
gripped little harder, the momentum
of the immense train Is checked and
finally brought to standstill at Wes
ton, which is the foot Of the mountain
grade and the first stop made after
leaving the tunnel a small railroad
town in the dense forests.
AS we glide along through the ever
shifting scenes our constant COM
panion, "The Lundelius Camera" is
brought into use. in obtaining snap
shots of this grand scenery, these in
describable mountain views. Here we OBJ
tained another view of Mount Tacoma.
Its great snow dome is seen ahead of
us. and in varying aspects-now west
ward, then northWard-so that we get
magnificent views of the massive
mountain and of the nearer hills.
A nearer and more rugged wilder
ness soon presents itself which is gaZed
at by every one with feelings of deepest
ave. as Mt Tacoma's cold. hoary head
looks solemnly down with noble dig
nifty upon us tourists and the array of
smaller mountain peaks which are
simply satellites to their great master
and monarch.
Weston is the twin sister of Easton.
just over the range where we first en-
tered the tunnel on the eastern slope.
Here our westbound train takes the
side track for the eaStbound train to
pass and the tourists are permitted to
behold an interesting sight In railroad
ing-of two trains. one bound towards
the rising sun and the other towards
the setting sun. and both for n time
running parallel to each other and in
the same direction.
Green River Hot Springs.
Lester is the terminus of the Cascade
and Green River divisions of the road.
sixty-four miles from Tacoma. through
the Puyallup valley, with twelve small
stations intervening, the principal ones
being Hot Springs, Meekcr, and Puy-
allup. Mceker being the junction point
of the line to Seattle. Situated on the
Green river in the valley of that name.
Al. nj
eighty miles from Seattle, is the noted
Green River Hot Springs. the great
health and pleasure resort of the Pa
tifc Northwest. These springs are l.
450 feet above sea level and surrounded
by mountain peaks that reach an alti-
tude of nearly Il mile-3,60 feet and up
wards These waters contain iron.
magnesia and sulphur. an excellent
combination of mineral ingredients for
rejuvenating the system, and It's baths
have effected complete cures In cases OF
rheumatism; while it's friends claim for
alcoholism. the water Is an absolute
cure. as it opens the pores of the skin
and drinking 1t removes all craving Tor
stmulants. 1t gives us great pNasure
to chronicle these discoveries in the in
terest of unfortunate suffering human
ity. Such good hotel accommodations
are seldom found in so mountainous
country as here: besides. the river is
filed with salmon and mountain trout.
Glacier Fed Streams
After leaving the Green river. the
railroad crosses two divides-first to the
White river towards Seattle, and then
to the Puyallup, both picturesque
streams. fed from glaciers bearing the
same names whose source Is from the
apex of the great white peak. Mount
Tacoma There are sixteen or more OF
these ice rivers, which drain in every
case from single glaciers into Puget
Sound and the Columbia river. They
vary in size from four and one half
miles long and mile or more in width,
down to one-half mile in length and a
quarter of q mile wide for the smallest.
For vertical distance of one mile
and one-half, or 5000 feet from the |
summit downward. the mountain proper
is covered with glittering. polished.
white enamel of ice and snow, hundreds |
of feet deep. Instead of a mountain of |
black. rocky ridges and precipices, we |
find a dome with white cleaning top |
and sides and bluishgreen ice preci- |
pices. From the upper part of this |
crystal field the glaciers spring. 1t is
a favored opportunity to pe permitted |
to gaze at this great white throne and |
learn new lessons of Gods goodness and |
Natures manifold greatness.
Speeding Toward Tacomn.
From looking upward to the eternal |
hills, as inclination prompts, our rail-
road takes us into the depths of the |
massive forests, broken only by an oc-
co cional clea ring to Eagle Gorge near