The Forest Republican. [volume] (Tionesta, Pa.) 1869-1952, 1908-04-29
CalifOrnia's Great Timber.

i
of California recently made by himself
and party of Eastern people, from which
we give the following extracts:
In response to a message from Mrs.
Shewman's father, g. f. Watson, of the
Salmon Creek Lumber Co., Kellettville,
Pa, boarded the Southern Pacific for
San Francisco, Wednesday, January %.
The Tip Of about 500 miles was not une-
ventful, and picturesque indeed. The
first hundred miles through the beautiful
Willamette Valley over a small range or
divide and along the Umpqua river, the
valleys dotted with prosperous ranches,
some extensive, covering several thous-
and acres, with numerous herds ofcattle,
horses, sheep or perhaps goats. But one
does not lose sight OF the timber, passing
through great forests at times, and then
on up through the Umpqus canyon,
winding along up towards the Siskiyon
range reaching highest point at Siskiyon
town. Here found about foot ofsnow,
and a few moments stop gave several
passengers an opportunity te SNOWFALL
one another. Continuing on down the
other side of the divide, we soon came in
sight of Caliiornis's famous mountain
peak, Shasta, rising II, 400 feet, snow
down through the canyons, around the
loops of the railroad, where one can look
down hundreds of feet and see the rail.
road in two different loops which we very
soon travel over. We are getting close to
Shasta now. Here near its base nestles the
famous Shasta Springs, the train stops
obout 20 minutes and we take a big tin
cup of the sparkling soda water, and gaze
upon the cascade coming down the noun
tain side for some two hundred feet.
Various colored electric lights have been
placed throughout the whole cascade un-
derneath the falls and pools, and making
a most magnificent electric display. In
the territory from Sacramento to Frisco
wide fertile valleys reach for miles from
range to range, great ranges with great
herds oistock.
The following Sunday Mr.. Watson and
party arrived and had taken up quarters
at the Key Route Inn, in Oakland, and
going over to this hotel l found with Mr..
Watson, Mr.. f. y. Kreitler of Nebraska,
Pa; Mr.. W. r. Page of Oean, N. Y;
MRS. Page who came with the party, stop
ping in Southern California enroute) Mr..
and Mrs. j. L. Wheeler of Portland; w.
A. Dusenbury, E. T. Dusenbury of Port
Vile, n. Y; Lie. Weyeth of New Jersey,
and Mr.. Frck of Oak land.
The following Wednesday the men
mentioned above with the writer, started
for Hardy, Mendacino, Co., travelling 100
miles over a newly built railroad, arriv-
ing at Sherwood where our rigs were
awaiting and conveying us short dis
tsnce out to a ranch house which was
practically at the beginning OF the timber
country. We were at an altitude ofabout
$500 feet here, remaining over night and
listened to the coyotes bark-this house
until very recently was many miles from
civilization, is quite modern, has some
ten rooms, plastered, and is lighted with
fine acetylne plant. Some of the gen.
tlemen concluded they needed the bright
light to better find the bugs-but as the
plant was undergoing repairs, oil lamps
served the same purpose.
Getting away at day break the following
morning we skirted pretty little valley
and soon found ourselves winding up
Strong Mountain, going over its summit
through snow, at an elevation of about
1000 feet.
From here to the coast is about 80 miles
and we were about half way by noon, so
we had lunch, in sight of our first red
wood trees. For several miles we drove
through the greatest forest it has ever
been my lot 10 gaze upon, and have
seen good many. We all got out of our
rigs and sized up some of the big trees.
We tried to circle one of them by reach
ing as far as possible and touching hands
and it required eight men to complete the
circle around the tree, although we after
wards saw many larger ones, one fellow
where we stopped TO get snap shot,
would measure not less than 30 ieet
around. Continuing on we soon rose to
the second summit where we gazed on a
stretch of magnificent redwood forest
some fifteen miles to the Pacific coast,
making the descent from this point to the
coast and following very picturesque
drive north to Hardy creek where our
redwood plant is located, arriving just as
darkness closed down upon us and we re-
retired in comfortable beds at Mrs.
Kingsbury's Seaside Cottage" to be
lulled to sleep by the roar of the waves
as they dashed themselves to foam against
the rock bound coast.
The following day was spent in side
trips, driving and walking to various
points of interest about the property.
Down the Cottoneva and Mule creek, Tin
Can ridge, etc., names given various Sec
tons of more or less local prominence as
to redwood timber.
1t was the good fortune of the writer
with Mr.. Watson to witness the falling of
one of the giant trees. Members of the
party had gone into the woods where trees
were being felled and the woods boss was
asked about the time of the tree going
down, we were informed that two men
had been cutting on tree since 10 o'clock
a, m. (it was then about3 3 p. M and it
was expected to fall any time. Taking a
circuitous route we arrived at the spot
and waited a sholt time. The monster
was about 0 feet in diameter and soon be-
gan to crack and grosn and down it came
with a roar and crash, cresking and
smashing and sliding hundreds of feet to
the bottom of the canyon, taking every
thing in its path, and smashing itself into
splinters. This tree was somewhat hol-