The Dickinson press., 1896-08-08
Western Letter.


although sixty miles away, seems
just on the outskirts of the city and
set to watch over it. This is one of
six volcanic peaks in the vicinity
but the highest and finest of them
all. 1t is but recently that it has
been climbed and the ascent is utter.
ly impossible on the north side and
elsewhere attended with great diff.
Guilty and danger.
Paradise Valley, where just now
the snow is disappearing at the rate
of an acre day, is a favOrite resort =.
The spring flowers cover this valley
clear to the snow line with a wealth
of color and fill the air with their
perfume.
It was our pleasure few evenings
since to listen to tribute to this
glorious mountain by one who spent
some time two years ago at a point
a little above Paradise Valley.
From the fact that the party was
made up of ministers, this place has
been since known as ministers
HILL" "From our camp" said DR..
Deven, tive could see the old Gas.
cades, the Olympic mountains. the
sister volcanic ;peaks, the beautiful
panorama of the Sound with its cir.
clet of cities; at our feet lay lovely
Paradise Valley with its carpet of
flowers; above us were the everlast.
ing SHOWS and rock; on either hand
the glaciers. At our very door was
fresh cold water from a glacier
stream while our refrigerator was
never out of order. At night we
slept amid the thunders of the ava.
lanches. It all was grand beyond de-
scription."
There are twelve named glaciers
upon Mt. Tacoma; and while not so
large as those of the Alps or the
Muir of Alaska, they afford as much
to the student.
In making the ascent, the last
night is spent II 900 feet above the
sea.level and the place is named
Camp Misery, rightly DR.. Deven
says. The camp is nothing but a
small hole amid rocks and snow
where only cold meals can be served
and where the crash and roar of fall.
ing snow, ice and rock is enough to
make the courage of the bravest
fail. And in nine cases out of ten it
does. Once in the crater, which is
mile and one.half across, there is
warmth, whether from extinct or
from smouldering fires is a question.
Seattle, thirty miles north from
Tacoma, claims an almost equal
share in the mountain, although the
added distance renders the view less
lmp0sing.s We are aware that we
have used the Tacoma name for the
great peak, prefering the old Indian
name to the geographical one, Ra.
nier, which the Seattle people are
particular always to use. They do
not know any such mountain as Mt
Tacoma. being unwilling to give the
rival city that prestige. Tacoma
and Seattle campers at Chautauqua,
halfway between the cities, compro-
mise however, and say "the noun.
TAIN"
Tacoma is built upon a hill and
many Of the streets seem at first very
steep to stranger. A ride down
some of them in an electric car re.
minds one of a toboggan slide. But
Seattle has sleeper hills. In the lat
ter city the cable car climbs four
hundred feet, most of it in four or
five blocks. But the view from the
top is fine.
Tacoma-and in fact all the Sound
cities-is enjoying (?) dull times af.
ter the boom: It has q fne location
and is finely built aud in a few years
cannot fail to be prosperous; but now
it is far in advance Of the needs of
business and empty stores and houses
and idle men are the result. And
what is true of Tacoma In this way,
is true also of Seattle. They tell us
business is a little better than it was
and they hope the worst is over.
After seeing how things are on
the Coast, our party was a unit in
the conclusion that the people of the
West Missouri country had not
kuown what hard times meant these
last three years and that we should
stink Of our marcies." And speak
Ing of Dakota, reminds us that all
through the west we have found
strong prejudice against our state as
a land of cyclones, billiards. deathly
cold, no crops and what not; and it
has taken quite alittle of our time
to try to set people right in their es.
innate Of the West Missouri country
at least. And after all our talk we
have seen an incredulous look and
felt certain that we had not con.
vinced our hearers. 1t should be the
duty of every one of our people to
see that our state is rightly known;
and that while her defects are
known they be not exaggerated, and
that the good things be told also.
The bluff upon which Tacoma is
situated drops suddenly, giving her a
deep harbor where the largest ships
can come and 20. Her ocean trade
is immense and the local Sound pas.
senger and freight business no in.
considerable item. Just now both
Seattle and Tacoma are striving to
be made the terminus of a new line
of Japanese steamships.
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