Daily capital journal. (Salem, Oregon) 1903-1919, 1904-07-28

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was eaten with an appetite John d
Rockefeller could not buy for a mil
lion.
Gelatby spring is just about half way
to Newport bicycle cyclometers re
cOrdlng 42' miles from Newport to
Blodgetts, which we reached at Z a
m Here we climb the ridge that
leads over the divide into the valley
that takes you down to Eddyville
about 16 miles away The road is fine
driving.
On the top OF the ridge coming out
from Blodgett we passed the ranch OF
Johman Friedrich, who has lived in
the coast range many years. There
are 10 German families in this neigh
borhood, and they are all prosperous.
The ranches have big barns for hay
and sheds for stock, with pole frames
and shake roofs. The houses are
frame, painted white, with shaved
shingle roofs. All through these hills
are springs of running water, and the
sheep keep mutton fat the year
around on the tender grass that
grows under the fern the dryest sea
son. The coast range is a grand nat
ural stock, fruit, grain and dairy re-
glon II is cooler in summer and
warmer I'M winter than the Cascade
mountains, and is not one.twentieth
settled or developed. Better say not
One-fortieth. Land for ranches can
be had at almost any price. There Is
great deal Of clearing and slashing
being done all through the valleys
leading down to the Corvallis & East
ern railroad, Herds of cattle, bands
of goats and hoclds of sheep are multi.
plying rapidly In all this region.
There are only three big hills be
tween Salem and Newport by the
Kings Valley route. one as you leave
that valley for Blodgett's valley one
as you leave Blodgett's station and
the third climbing the ridge from the
Pioneer quarry.
We met two camping outfits, where
single horse drew n two-seated rig
with baggage, but that is too big
load for one horse, especially with a
breast HARNESS that shuts off ais wind,
and a tight check rein to hold up his
head. In the mountain II pays to
not overhead. overdrive. or not to de.
prlve horse of his freedom
The last ridge You cross In the
coast range Is 12 miles from New.
port, and must be 2OOO feet high. The
top OF the ridge Is very narrow, bare
ly wide enough for wagon tread
The view Is one OF surprising grand.
eur AT the top Eight or ten miles
away lies the endless expanse OF the
great blue Pacific. The drive over
land makes one fairly hunger for the
sight OF the sea. You can smell it's
cooling salt breath long before Il
greets the eyes, But the smell OF the
Pacific is not near SO pungent nor
does Il permeate so far inland as the
Atlantic.
East, NORTH and south, as far as the
eye can reach are the cobre ever.
green ridges of the forest-clad and
fem-clOthed Coast mountains. Up all
their slopes sweep the groves OF sec,
ond-growth forest, for which the
ground was cleared by the fires OF
former generations Nature has
planted with lavish hand thousands of
thousands OF square miles of young
forest evergreen and decidious, that
makes ridiculous mans feeble efforts
at schools OF forestry. No man can
gaze without admiration on these
miles and miles ridge folding a ridge.
ot this rich growth OF spring ever.
green's. Then there are acres OF
pale green binowy alders, siNery ce.
dars, clusters OF willows with foliage
Hike the olive groves OF California.
elder trees loaded with crimson and
blue clusters OF berries towering
ocean spray and purple sprea. or
b0c0brush, and aam,ug here and
tnere blazing scarlet masses OF vine
maple on 20 the north lies the 81.
letz country To the south is the Al
sea. as We get nearer the coast line
To the southeast arv Table mountain
aud Mary's Peak The ranges are low.
er ami lower until their sloplng yer
ture drops down TO YaQulna Bay or
kisses The lines OF white breakers
beating forever on the long white
sandy beaches As we crown Ge last
mountain before dropping down into
Newport the bay lies at our feet like
silver horseshoe The glRtenng
sands and sarf of South beach aash