The Newtown bee., 1904-08-05
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THE HOME CIRCLE.
SANTA CRUZ AND THE BIO TREE.

DAUGHTER OF, DIR AND MRS H. H
 FAREWELL OF NEW MILFORD,
 WRITES OF HER EXPERIENCES IN
 CALIFORNIA.
 Santa Cruz, Cal, March 15, 1904.
 Went to the "big trees'' this morn ing, 8 most beautiful ride about six miles from here. These are not the true big trees, but 3 very close rela- tive, and this grove is the finest of the sort in California. The trees are not as large around as the real "big tree, " but they average some taller. Our train ride of yesterday through a red wood section had somewhat prepared us for the 'grove" to-day, still it came over us as one of the grandest and most impressive sights of all our trip.
 A few steps from the road, through little roughly built log house, and we found ourselves surrounded on all sides by these great giants, 5000 to 5000 years old, and towering up 300 feet to- wards the sky. Many of them rise for 100 feet, straight as an arrow, and guiltless of limbs or leaf, to break the smooth outline, the bark so perfectly grooved longitudinally, as to remind one of some fluted Grecian column. The Iwhole grove can be easily inn agined as a mighty cathedral, and these the pillars that support the green roof above. Most of the finest Giant" 65 feet in circumference, and though 60 to 70 feet was broken of in Hurricane some years ago, it still stands 3O6 feet high. All the other trees are about 300 feet in height. One of the most famous is General Fremont's tree. He was the first white man to visit the grove, where he spent the winter of 1846 with his troops and camped inside of this big old tree that bears his name. Some little time ago, party of 50 people entered this tree, and stood there without crowding. This tree is B guides took us considerable distance to see civilian J. Bryan." It is a large tree, about 35 to 40 feet in cir conference, which is blown over, and only about 50 to 75 feet of the trunk left. Of course, as none of the visitors in our party happened to be free sil- yer men, Ia general laugh followed. One Iof the most astonishing things about these red woods is their re- markable vitality. Nothing will kill one. Most of the old trees are hollow, and scared by fire. This is said to have been done by the Indians, who, during the rainy season, camped here, burning their fires within the trees, until, in many cases, nothing but the merest. shell remains, still they live fresh bark out around the edges of the fire scared openings. Cut one down, and young ones spring up, some from the top of the stump, and others around the stump. The lmost notable case of this IS group known as Cathe- dral spires, where 2 trees are growing in this way. They have united solidly at the base and only become separate at about 12 feet from the ground. The base of this one tree, or group of trees, measures 110 feet in circumfer- ence. Far down, at the very edge of hollowed out of redwood logs. They must have lain there for years, for they are covered with green moss and the sides are decayed, but from the bottom of one, at the largest end, 8 young redwood is growing, perhaps five UT six inches through. So far as we could see, it had sprung from the log itself.
 This afternoon, we went out on what is known as the "Cliff Drive," which runs along the cliff, northwardly Here the stone is of peculiar formation, part sandstone, part limestone, and a part has washed away, and part stands, leaving series of natural bridges caves, and the like, for miles. Every year the road has to be moved back. Now, in what was last year the road, and now fenced off, are two great holes broken through, some 30 feet across, and through which the waves surge in and out with a sound like thunder. Even low tide, the waves dash and beat and form about the rocks and through narrow passages, and into it's innumerable caves. It is a beautiful drive on clear sunny day, but on a dark night, with heavy sea and storm, 1 should consider it splendid place to keep away from. At times the waves dash up 100 feet, they say, and I have photo taken last year, when the spray covers all but the cupola on small land now desert en) house, which to-day stands on ledge good 70 feet above the water. We visited the lighthouse on the point, kept by woman keeper, and a couple of miles further down stopped to look at the wave motor, (the only one in the world, so said) belonging to the city. s1t is used for pumping water into tank abOutr125 feet high, and will raise about 5000 gallons per hour. A :cheap power, and one that one would suppose would be more gener- ally used at sea coast places.
 Santa Cruz, Cal,