Gloucester County Democrat. (Woodbury, N.J.) 1878-1932, 1904-07-07

flowing from the melting SHOWS Of the
surrounding mountains dash over the rim
mass of spray from top to bottom. The up
per Yosemite fall drops 1900 feet before
striking the rocks, it then makes a second
fall Of 900 feet, and makes third and
final plunge of 500 feet. The amount Of
water flowing from the large falls early in
the season is very great. The spray from
the lower Yosemite fall is spread out over
such large erea that four swift streams
flow from it, and one Of which would be
called quite large creek with us. The
volume Of water from the Bridal Veil also
fills several streams.
There are many falls land to see them in
their beauty one should go early in the
season. but the Yosemite and Bridal Veil
are the most noted. The most perfect rain
bow we ever saw was formed in the spray
at the foot of the Bridal Veil. The lesser
falls and cascades dry up early, and some
waggish indiyiduals, evidently Of the male
persuasion, have given rather suggestive
names to few Of them One Is called the
Widows Tears because it dries up so
soon, another the 'Maiden's Tears be-
cause so far from the Bridal Veil.
The wells Of the valley are practically
perpendicular and rise above the floor from
5000 to 6OO0 feet. The valley itself is
1000 feet above sea leyel, Indeed, so mar
row is the valley and so vertical and high
are the walls that for several days in mid
winter there are only two hours Of sum
shine
We were told that the Winter population
Of the valley is about thirty. The road
from Raymond is closed on account of
snow and no communication with the outer
world can be had except by the Merced
route, and that only by horseback. Mail
and special express matter is brought in on
alternate days. When asked what they do
in case of sickness, the reply was, We
don't allow ourselves to get sick.
Rates are very high as practically every
thing has to be brought by freight teams
from Raymond or Mefced, seventy aLd
ninety miles respectively. Freight rate are
from two to three and half cents per
ponnd The ''freightersi make the jour
ney in from Raymond in six days and 60
out empty in three. They consist of two
heavy wagons fastened together and drawn
by ten horses. The horses are called
wheel, pointers, skies, eights and leaders
respectively The driver sits in a saddle
on the left wheel horse and guides the
team with a single line. We were fortu-
nate enough to see two freighters turn
sharp curves The horses are driven around
the outer edge of the curve until they get
to place where the chain cannot pull
straight. At the word of command the
inner pointer and six step over the chain
thus allowing it to be pulled taut and the
wheel horses, eights and leaders pull the
wagons around. When the curve is rounded
the pointers and skies, whose duty it was
to keep clear of the chain, step back to
their proper positions, the inner ones over
the chain. and the burden is again evenly
distributed.
But we must leave much unsaid as we
want to finish our journey in this paper
We leave Yosemite Monday at noon ands
stop again for last full look as Inspiration
Point. We look back again and again and
at last even El Captain, the ''Chief of the
Valley, y is seen no more, but the mental
picture Of the Yosemite and its beauty re-
mains. We spend Monday night at Wa
wona and start early on Tuesday morning
that we may visit the Mariroaa grove Of
big trees.
We pass the 'Sentinels, walk on the
''Fallen Monarch, pick up tiny cones
under the ''Grizzly Giant and ride
through the California /" We have been
privileged to see another of the many won
ders of this wonderful state. We reach
Raymond in the early evening, go to our
berths in the Pullman and arrive at Oak
land at a. m. Wednesday morning, May
18th.
By means of piling the Southern Pacifci
extends out in the bay to deep water; an q
this point, Port Costa, is connected with
San Francisco by ferry boats. These are
fine double-deck vessels and are allowed to
carry twenty-five hundred persons We
were surprised at the area Of the bays, but
everything is big in this big state The
thousands of sea gulls were new object of
interest.
Our stay in the city was brief, but in
cluded trip 70 the Cliff House and car
riage ride through Golden Gate Park. Two
out Of every three people in the park were
living on the ground. Evidentlv colds arc