Western Kansas world., 1918-11-07

20 miles away and whose peak il
10000 feet above its immediate base.
The streams Of ice extend from four
to six miles and it is claimed that they
are in magnitude and splendor with
the most famous of the Alpine glae-
iers-
About Mt Rainier the government
has created national park in order
that the exceptional wonders of the
mountains should be preserved for the
pleasure of home people who would
seek to see the wonders of the world
without travelling abroad.
This park is 18 miles square and
was established in 1892 When Great
ed they were only about two larger
national parks in the United States,
the Yellowstone and Yosemite parks.
1t is most remarkable that this
gigantic mountain which is now fam
Gus for its dense armor of ice and
glistening mantel of snow, has once
had a far different history for Mt.
built up of cinders and lava rock ce-
mented together by occasional flows
of liquid lava which has solidifed in
to layers of hard "lasaltic" rock
Some geologists claim that at one
time formation had built up the peak
to height of 10000 feet. Then a
most violent eruption blew off the
top of the mountain hurting the up
per 1000 feet into pieces and hurting
them over distances of 35 to 40 miles
where they are now found and iden-
titled as parts of the upper peak.
Even now, coated with all the ar
tic garb of its ice mantel it still keeps
of a minor nature having
occurred in 1854, 1858, 1870. Steam
jets even now melt fantastic holes in
the snow and ice and make certain
parts of the upper crater treacher-
Gus and the presence of guides a
necessity.
& After the eruptions which 'sbehead-
ed" the mountain and left a huge
crater three miles in diameter-the
successive eruptions built up two
smaller cones which rise above the
higher portions of the old orator rim
and from below appear as separate
peaks which overtop the dome of the
main mountain
No less marvellous than the ice and
snow is the zone of wild flowers
which fiourishes in delightful abun-
dance in a belt extending nearly so
miles around the mountain and two
miles wide beginning Immediately
above the timber line. So close to-
gether do anemones, daisies, lark
spur and colunbine flourish that the
bright colors and myriads of petals,
touching petal and growing from
waist to knee deep forms the most
remarkable spectacle of a wreath,
marking the boundary between two
climes.
I Peolpe who have Travelled to see
all the most famous wonders of ma
ture in this respect, have said that
the wild flower zone of Mt. Rainier
presented 'the most wonderful subal-
pine display ever found and call it
perfect flower elysium."
The forests upon the lower slopes
of the mountains and throughout the
whole park are remarkable even in
this land of trees. Protected from
the wind by the enclosing ridges with
the favorable temperature and moist
but well drained soil, the trees attain
magnificent height and perfect synna-
try. The largest trees are estimated
to be 400 years old and are the
Douglas fir. Men who find interest
and beauty in commercial possibil-
tiles say such a tree will furnish 5000
feet of lumber.
There is nothing I would like bet
ter than to be able to make trip up
Mt Rainier while 1 am so close to it
but as it would take several days and
a considerable sum of money 1 have
no idea it will be possible.
The description I have gained from
government statictics and from peo-.
pie who have made the trip also from
the fascination that the "b'9 hill" has
for me who have lived so long on the
wide rolling plains.
With all the beauty and wonder of
the mountains and forests and
streams the old far reaching freedom
of western Kansas has become none
the less dear to me and from having
known the plains best can feel the