Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1905-09-29

government In 1854, ana IL mas Deen
receded by the state legislature to tn
United States. 1t Is about thirty-five
miles from the Yosemite Valley and
morning drive from Wawona, the head
quarters Of the Southern Pacific stage
line. Wawona is an Indian word,
meaning big trees" Yosemite means
full grown grizzly bear" Wawona Is
lovely place park Of several thou
sand acres, shaded by enormous pines
and inclosed by massive mountains. At
one end Of the park Is a cozy little ho-
tel, surrounded by cottages. It reminds
you Of some Of the Virginia summer
resorts. The Washburn brothers, who
keep the place, are genial, hospitable
men who are always looking out for the
comfort Of their guests and try to make
them feel at home. But you find the
same evidences of genuine hospitality
at all Of the hotels in the valley-at
Glacier Point, at Advance. Hazel Green
and Coulterville-and you are sure of
getting a good bed and a good meal
wherever you stop In this country. It
is common fault of tourists to limit
their time In the Yosemite. and they
thus deprive themselves of great deal
Of pleasure. People who come here
should not set any time for going away,
for the longer they remain the more
enjoyment they will get There are
enough pleasant excursions around
Wawona, for example. to occupy a
fortnight. The visit to the Mariposa
trees is only one of a dozen.
In the center OF. the Mariposa grove,
like a mere atom in a universe, stands
a little log cabin. occupied by the GUS
todian and the rangers. The custodian
sells photographs and curios and holds
a commission as justice of the peace,
so that he can deal with vandals
promptly and make the majesty of the
law felt In the forest. In front of the
cabin Is a spring, whose waters are the
not be colder IL they ran from the back
Of an iceberg. and this circumstance
suggests the existence Of q concealed
glacier. They show you the place
where President Roosevelt wrapped
himself In q blanket one night and lay
down on the pine needles between two
Titanic trees. In the morning when he
was wakened he said he never slept so
sweetly In his life before and that his
bed was softer than any they had at
the White House. He spent week In
these woods with John Muir and an
other friend. with one Of the forest
rangers as a guide. They had no tents.
but slept on the ground in their blank
cts, although there was frost every
night. They had no cooking utensils
except frying pan and coffee pot, re-
enforced by tin plates and cups and
knives and forks. They didn't even
have a wash basin. They found plenty
Of water In the creeks and springs.
They carried strip Of bacon and some
-four and they shot what fresh meat
they needed. Nobody ever enjoyed a
visit to the valley more than the pres
ident.
Over in one corner Of the Mariposa
big tree grove stands pile Of boulders
twelve feet high, shaped like an obelisk
"a very appropriate monument In hon.
or OF Galen Clark. the man who dis
covered it.. Mr.. Clark Is still living,
and you can see him and hear him tell
Of his wonderful experiences II you will
come here and visit the tent camp run
by the Sentinel Hotel. He is 81 years
old, but is as vigorous as a man Of so.
He came from the town Of Dublin, N.
H.. via the Isthmus Of Panama, In 1853,
and worked In the gold mines at Mari
posa. In 1857. while on hunting trip,
he discovered the big trees and built
the present log cabin which for thirty
years was known as "Galen's Hosplce."
For twenty-four years he was guardian
of the Yosemite and for a long time
was postmaster there. He remains in
the valley winter and summer. He
hasn't been out Of IL for many years,
and with his own hands has dug his
grave in a little cemetery and has sat
up a granite block upon which he has
carved his name and the date Of his
birth. A lusty young sequoia tree Is
planted at each Of the four corners OF
the lot. WIN. E. CURTIS.