The Hood River glacier. (Hood River, Or.) 1889-1933, 1912-07-25
WHERE such SCENERY
AS ON THE COLUMBIA
From the Oregonian)

matchless col0rs auu 70 us glory.
The Columbia river drains a region
of $50 900 square miles an empire of
untold riches and possibilities. eutting
its wav through gorge of rugged and
remarkabIe beauty. and this goroa ;s
characterized by well knOwn forms If
vertical escarpment and conicsl nina
Giles peculiar to the basaltie formation
which crown the successive heights NJ
the very mountain tops. Slender r,b.
bon-iIke falls bang from the brow N 4
sheer precipice or dash in foam q gr
some rocky guleh and the NOR irp
mists that linger on the wooded pes.
veil in mystery the beauty beyond
No one with spark Of love for the
grand and beautiful in nature should
forego this sublime panorama easily
accessible by steamer trip of day
from Portland.
The steamers ply down the William
ette river past the great lumber. wheat
and -four industries Of the city through
many bridges, one having the longest
draw span in the world and on the Co.
lumbia. where the historic city of Van
couyer comes into view. This old eity
brings memories OF the Hudson Bay
Company. Under shifting flags it has
continued as a military post of interest
and tradition. Here Generals Grant
and Sheridan were stationed as lieuter-
ants. Heading up the river soon great
rock piles of sublime grandeur and
mountainous proportions array them
selves. apparently closing the rivers
course, again extending wide welcome
to its progress. One Of the first fan
tistical basaltic formations is Rooster
Rock, standing proud and lone. Its
name was aptly placed. Near il is
Latourele falls.
OF the massive rocks, Cape Horn is
unique. Its strangely chiseed col
umns and walls rise 300 feet above the
waters edge. then pile upward and
backward to height Of $500 feet.
Just east of Cape Horn, on the south
shore of the river is seen Mutnomah
falls, which is $40 feet in height, five
times that of Niagara. Fish wheels
have been placed here and during the
salmon run the fish swim into the in
genious nets of the wheel which is
revolved by the current of the river,
raising the fish and sluicing them into
boxes at the hub. Five snow-capped
mountain peaks, Hood, st. Heiens,
Adams, jefferson and Rainier loom at
intervals.
The Cascades of the Columbia are
approached and according to an Indian
tradition the river of the Cascades once
flowed through the basalt beneath a
natural bridge that was broken down
during the mountain war, when the old
volcanoes, Hood and st. Helens. OF
opposite sides of the river hurled rocl
at each. other. s-Thisn break formed
dam. Inc river doubtless has beel
damned here within comparativel,
short period and submerged trees
standing erect, may be found alonl
both shores, while the whole river fol
80 miles above the Cascades looks like
lake or mill pond 1t is held bv some
that the submerged groves were car.
ried into their places by immense lane
slides.
To overcome the swift currents of
the Cascades the government has built
locks around them, at cost of 81, 900,
600. The approach and passage through
these locks is not one of the least
pleasures of the trip up the river. Be-
yond the locks the beautiful and sym
metrical Wind mountain appears. This
peak was so named because of their
belief that all winds had their origin
in the mountain. Gentle winds con-
stantly sweep Wind mountain in sum
mer, while in winter its peak is
wrapped in angry clouds, whirlwind
storms, flashes Of lightning and peals
of thunder.
Shortly beyond this mountain is
passed small rocky island, which
the Indians used for ages as a resting
place for their dead. They called it
''Mem-a- loose.il.a.hee" Qand of the
dead), The bodies of the dead, dressed
in their best clothing and surrounded
by their weapons and domestic utensils
we're placed on benches or shelves in
the houses. On the highest point of
rock on the island stands small stone
house, eight feet square and sur
mounted by an obeisk of white granite
l3 feet in height In this house lies
the BODY of Victor Trevitt, the we'll
known pioneer and friend of the
Indians.
The Columbia has its origin in the
glacier-fed lakes Of British Columbia,
flowing now north, now south, then
east. then west for l400 miles, gather
ing a toll of waters from a myriad Of
mountain rivers. Then it passes into
the Pacific ocean.
From confluence of the Willamette
and Columbia down to the sea the
character of the surrounding country
rapidly changes as the river broadens
out to width Of several miles. In
some places it is dotted by islands of
great fertility. Here can be seen the
great logging camps casting millions
of feet of logs into the water daily,
great sea going log RATS, 700 feet
long. being constructed, and further
along the center Of the great salmon
fishing industry of the Columbia, ia.
nous the world over.
Surrounding and protecting this en-
trance are three great forts that are
deemed impregnable and which are
always open to inspection by American
citizens upon request of the command
ing officer. Here starts the great
jetty, extending five miles out into
the ocean, with railroad running
along its top. A ride out on this has
no counterpart in the world.
A%..