The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1897-09-19
THEY CALL 1T TACOMA
AND 1T Is THE ESPECIAL PRIDE OF
THE CITY of THE SAME NAME.
Even a Rival of Famous Mont Blanc
How 1t Is Reached and Some of the
Beauties of the Journey.
c. P. Ferry, in Tacoma Ledger.

c. P. Ferry, in Tacoma Ledger.
For a third Of a century have gazed in
wondering admiration on our grand Mount
Tacoma, and comparisons which 1 have
made with European peaks, the most noted
in the world have been favorable to our
mountain, but 1 had no conception until re-
Gently of the wonderful attractions which
surround Mount Tacoma. A trip to our
mountain giant is a revelation of scenic
beauty and grandeur, a combination of
huge mountain domes, cathedral spires and
buttresses, yawning canyons, beautiful
lakes, mountain ranges. graceful, leaping
foaming waterfalls, ever-moving glaciers,
dashing, rushing streams, beautiful forests,
extensive evergreen gemmed parks, beauti-
full flora, all bathed in ever-changing colors,
a combination of scenic wonder impossible
to describe and which can be appreciated
fully only by a personal experience of many
weeks.
L had realized before that no mountain in
Europe is so grand, so majestic, as is Mount
Tacoma, though some of them are more
lofty; but from the best points of view of
the European peaks high foot hills and
ranges obscure and reduce their apparent
height but it has been only since my re-
cent visit to Mount Tacoma that / have
learned that it is by far the most interest
ing mountain known to tourists-and l feel
confident that it will in time be famous the
world over, not only for it's grandeur and
the difficulties of its ascent, its wondrous
beauty as seen from Puget sound. but for
its environments, for the great variety of
interesting, beautiful features which meet
the tourist at almost every step from the
time he leaves Tacoma until he arrives at
the summit. The route which leads to the
south side OF the mountain, and which is
the most easy and accessible route, COM
mences at Tacoma.
A comfortable four-horse stage takes pas
sengers to Longmire Sprints, distance of
about sixty-five miles in two days. The
round trip is ST. Some wheelmen make the
entire distance by wheel.
SUPERB SCENERY.
The scenery along the route is itself
worthy of elaborate description. The road
leads through beautiful country, includ-
ing the Succotash valley. and by the side of
sparkling mountain streams There is a
rude hotel at Longmire, and splendid
camping ground. In the immediate vicinity
of the hotel are number of highly mineral
lied springs of various temperatures. The
water of one spring is delicious for drink
ing. and is very similar to vichy. 1t makes
splendid lemonade.
commences to be perceptible Though the
rise from tidewater at Tacoma is about
5000 feet, it has been so gradual as to be
unnoticed but the difference in latitude be-
tween Longmire and the Mazama camp in
Paradise valley, a distance of about nine
miles by the route which one is obliged to
follow is over g 600 feet and the trail is in
some places quite steep, but the distance
can be accomplished on foot in four or five
hours, and on horseback in much shorter
time. From the springs to the camping
grounds there is a charming variety which
makes one almost forget fatigue. After
passing for short distance through the
woods, the trail strikes a milky white river.
broad and shallow, whose bed is filled with
powders, over and between which the
water rushes rapidly and noisily.
The trail soon leaves the milky river and
crosses a beautiful little stream called Par
adise river, clear and sparkling. 1t comes
directly from the snow fields of Paradise
Park Two beautiful waterfalls. which, if
in Europe would be famous and make for
tunes for those living in their vicinity, give
excuses for long, delicious rests. Passing
the last waterfall, after a sharp ascent
Paradise Park commences and continues to
the base of the peak.
This celebrated park lies between the
Tatoosh range of mountains and the base
of the peak of Mount Tacoma, a distance
of about two miles in width. and between
the Nesqually and Cowitz glaciers about
the same distance. The park lies at an ele-
walton of about 5000 feet and contains
enough interesting features to give en-
DlOymGnt Tor Gays TO the most active noun
tain climbers, while the setting of this
beautiful gem is most charming. The prin-
cipal features of the park are the green
GASES of mountain verdure, which energies
from the snow field in great variety of
ferns coupled with myrids of beautiful
flowers, in endless variety GOO varieties
ciumps of small graceful evergreen. Gla-
ciers, waterfalls and lakes add to the gen.
eral beauty.
DESTINED TO BE FAMOUS.
When one reflects that the most cele-
brated. most visited mountain in Europe,
Mont Blanc, has but one approach and
that through tame civilization to its very
base, and that it's natural attractions out
side of the peak are very meager and soon
exhausted, and that the most expert noun
tain climber could not exhaust the wonders
of Mount Tacoma in weeks, think there is
no doubt that the fame of Mount Tacoma
as the most interesting mountain known to
tourists will soon be fully established
Mont Blanc, the most celebrated noun
tain in Europe. rises from a range of noun
.tains. and it's attractions are principally its
height and the difficulties of it's ascent
Other attractive features are so scarce that
in one Of the small glaciers at the foot of
the peak parties have carved out a galley
in the ice a distance of probably 100 feet.
and 10 cents is charged as an entrance fee
Mount Tacoma is an isolated peak with
nothing to obstruct the view from the har-
Dor of Puget Sound, of it's entire elevation
of nearly three miles.
It's base is sixty miles in circumference.
Around this thirteen glaciers from
which several rivers descend fed by innu-
neral rills and small streams, whose
beauties it would take weeks of unfiagging
efforts to visit. Waterfalls, some of them
of great beauty are found in many beauti-
full forms. The beauties of Paradise Park
are repeated many times around the peak
on a much larger scale, and in endless
access in many cases which will tax the
ability of the most adventurous climbers to
overcome.
When the tourists of all lands visit Mount
Tacoma they will find many things to ex-
cite their wonder bur nothing which will
surprise them more than to learn that this
great mountain is named after a foreigner
unknown to fame in his own country They
will wonder still more why this is so when
they learn that for unknown ages it has
borne beautiful poetic name, Tahoma. or
Tacoma which means nourishing
breasts" abiding to the glaciers. which
send down milky streams furnishing nour-
ishing water in the valley below.
They will wonder why the Northern Pa
cific Railroad Company, which has fought
for the Indian name for years, has recently
changed the name in it's advertising matter
If they go to the right people to inquire
they will learn that the unpatriotic and I'M
American act of changing the name was
accomplished by a Seattle senator for the
miserable, petty reason that rival town
was named after the mountain. He used
his influence as senator to induce some gov
eminent official to recognize and three
years ago officially gave Rainier as the
name of the mountain to perpetuate the
present people of his own Nation. Such an
unpatriotic thing could not have been ac-