Los Angeles herald., 1907-01-27
MOUNTAINS
TRANSIT FORMEO
TO FAIRYLANO
Snow Glistenson Tow.
ering Peaks
Native Daughter Tells of Her First
Experience with the Cold Flakes
That Fire the Blood of
Poets
ny ALMA MAY COOK

At last the great black clouds had
cleared and the sunny blue sky showed
forth again and the bright morning
sun saw us bound for the car, just at
the time of the morning when every
office boy was sweeping the sidewalks,
and by the time we reached the great
station at the corner of Sixth and Main
streets we carried enough real estate
on our clothes to set up a good sized
real estate office. But after waiting
a short time, hearing the automatic
piano grind out popular tunes at 5
cents per, we boarded the car for Mount
Lowe-and the snow The snow was
the most important feature for me, who
was dubbed from the first the tender
foot of the party, although l had lived
in California-Well, perhaps longer than
l would like to state.
Out of the station we skinned along,
out Main street over the old familiar
route, down through the mercantile sec
ton, on to where the little "dagos'
make faces at the passers by, and even
passed that great black cloud ever
looming up, a cloud by day and a fire
by night-the gas works. Then out we
sped into the more open country, but
yet a city to almost the very foot of
the everlasting hills over the Arroyo
Seco, where artists go day after day,
into South Pasadena, over the ground
that in a few short weeks will blossom
forth in the golden poppies. Then past
the Hotel Green and then-then comes
the delight and novelty of the trip. The
ever rising mesa gives a view of that
through which we have passed, makes
a view that is inspiring, but nothing
of that which is to come. A little more
passing through golden. orange orch
ards, a view up the San Fernando val
ley, which looks for all the world like
a patch quilt just spread out to dry
up into a jagged cliff and we are at
Rubio canyon.
Gather Feathery Ferns
Then we gather our grips and alight,
to scramble up the walk Here the
ferns attract the eye and give a quick
gasp of pleasure for the window boxes
at home, but there looms up big sign,
DO not pick the ferns But that
didn't say not to pull them out by the
roots. A little climb, a pull, a con-
venient basket, and there you are. on
up the canyon, the little babbling brook
making a pleasant sound, we walked
over rocks and planks and at last be-
held the feathery falls.
Here, as we were resting from our
labors, two men, high up, in khaki
peared. Just around the corner, but
filling the little canyon, fioated the clear
tones of a man whistling THE Holy
City" At first small, then clearer up
to the crescedo, then soft again for
the angel city, and up, up again to the
grand hallelujah, the clear tones rose,
until one almost could see,
Like two cathedral towers these
stately pines
JJplift their fretted SUBMITS tipped with
cones,
The arch beneath them is not built with
stones,
Not Art but Nature traced those lovely
lines
And carved this graceful arabesque of
vines"
We all sat spellbound, each busy
with his own thoughts that the beauti-
full song. the grandeur of the noun
tains and the still small voice Of the
brooklet, now swelling into white foam
over the ragged rocks and now in
steady stream, rejecting the blue of the
sky, all blended to make a scene long
to be remembered.
Then a quick descent back to the in
cline car, and then for our second start,
this time up, up, into the very air it
almost seems.
Grow Nervous on Incline
1t is amusing to watch the expressions
on the faces of the passengers. This
was my third trip up the incline, so l
felt quite like an old-timer. Some enter
with a look of distrust and furtively
glance at the strong cables, the car,
then up the incline and then back to
the mountain looming up at the foot,
and then sit down with a do or die
expression.
When the car starts all give a little
start, sometimes a little squeal or two
to add to the sendof. The incline is
5000 feet long and the direct ascent
1400 feet, the grade beginning al GO
per cent, gaining to 62 per cent after
passing the turnout, and then to IS
and As per cent, is told us by the con-
ductor, who is always ready to answer
questions, still the fears of the timid
and call out the points of interest.
These bureaus of information in the
shape of conductors, are fine. They
never seem to tire Of answering the
same questions every hour of the day
After the first breath of relief is
taken, usually about one third the way
up, for you can't hold it much longer
than that, people begin 10 sit up and
take notice. out TO the right there, if
you can see past that big picture hat
is the beautiful valley unfolding in a
panorama Of the most wonderful coll
ors in delicate blues, laVeLders and
greens in the nearer sections. Up and
up, leaving the mountain that looked
miles high at the base, now looking
well, not as high as we are, seeing