Rogue River courier. (Grants Pass, Or.) 1886-1927, 1904-08-18
E. S. VanDyke In the Evening
Telegram Describes a
Southward "Trip.

The never ending glories of the Adj
rondacks have been told and retold by
writer's of fantastic humor and the
draemers of poetic dreams; the snow
capped peaks of the old world have
been scaled and rescaled. both in poet.
~ and in prose, and even here on our
own Pacific Coast the beauties of the
Yellowstone Park and the Yosemite
Valley have already been presented
many time to the public by vivid pen
pictures snatched from some admir-.
able brain.
But of Oregon, with it's snow.caLped
mountain peaks, its dashing mountain
rivers, leaving vast and unexplored
canyon in their flow onward to the
Pacific, little has as yet been written
and of Southern Oregon, the Italy of
the state, comparatively nothing. Yet
here in this secluded little paradise,
with its Italian skies. its unanimity
Of climate, its vast mineral wealth Of
gold and copper, its abundance of all
varieties OF fruit. and, above all this
its sturdy, resolute citizens, nature
has displayed some of her grandest
handiwork.
Many inspiring bits of scenery such
as the great gorge of the Rogue River,
the giant caves of Josehpine county.
and that wonderful world-famed mir
ror Of the Indian gods, Crater Lake,
combine to give tosthis chosen district
an enchantment in tho minds of the
old settlers. And especially are they
dear, as they are nearly all hallowed
with crown Of Indian lore.
The Siskiyou Mountains, perhaps
the grandest of all this charm of seen.
cry, lie along the southern boundary
of the state, and may be said to bind
Oregon and California together, since
they extend partly into Northern Gal.
ifornia, and thus form the connecting
link of the two states.
Leaving Grants Pass. u thriving lit.
tie city of about 1000 inhabitants,
nestled close on the bosom Of Southern
Oregon hills, at about noon, we begin
the journey which, during the course
of the day is to take us over the Sis.
kiyous ON down into the State of Cal
ifornia.
For about ten miles the railroad fol.
lows the bends and curves of Rogue
River, mischievous little stream,
laughing and chattering like a child
at play, on its way seaward; and now
we begin to catch occasional glimps es
of rare beauty.
Here at our left arises gigantic
cliff, perhaps 1000 feet high, its sides
showing the warning and beating OF
the elements on its surface for thous,
ands of years. Its top is as smooth as
marble. and here is the famous coun.
Gil table Of the Rouge River Indians
We can almost see the mi ghty chief
tatins as they meet there night after
night, with their strange customs and
dances, either to smoke the peace pip,
or to listen TO the wild harangue Of
one Of their number melting them tC
war with the Klamaths in the south.
For moment the huge rocks Of q
canyon obstruct our view, but now
we are out in the glorious sunlight
again, and right before MS is jackson
County's metropolis-Ashland the last
city on the Southern Pacific lines in
Oregon. At Ashland our train take,
on now engines Of a much larger type
than those of the valley country, mas
siyeiy and powerfully built.
Now we beign the ascent in on arnest,
and the three engines on our train al
they puff, puff. puff, seem like somC
great monster Titans as they woarily
toll up the slope Of their Olympus.
One almost pities them, for ~ the
huge drive. wheels push ON and On al