Ashland tidings. [volume] (Ashland, Or.) 1876-1919, 1919-02-11
INTERESTING TOUR FROM
ASHLAND TO THE SEA

Hultor llulnSS.
From Ashland to Crescent City Is
wonderful trip and should be ad-
vertised together with the trip to
Crater Lake and to the Josephine
Caves. Crossing the Siskiyous and
passing thru the redwood trees OF
Smith River Canyon are great ex-
perlences. Then, there's the ocean,
which is just as wild and wet at
Crescent City as at any other point
on the Pacific.
Frank Moore and your correspon-
dent made this trip the second week
In January, which may not seem a
particularly propitious season for
mountain staging. However, we did
not find a bit of dust anywhere
along the line. We heard that the
roads were in horrible shape, with
foot of snow in the mountains, and
had considerable trouble in getting
someone to take us over. Finally,
we struck Hart-struck him all in a
heap, as 1t were. You see, Hart Is
not In the taxi business any more,
having bought a little farm down
the valley and gone into the business
of promoting the string bean busi-
ness But when we proposed hun
dred mile trip over the mountains
in the dead of winter he couldn't re-
slst the temptation. Hart is one of
those men who, upon hearing a
threat, rises refreshed. If we had
suggested that he take us from Ash
land to Central Point, or from Med
ford to Jacksonville, he wouldn't
have been interested. But the hard
er the trip the stronger the appeal
to this veteran captain Of land
launches, who was born during the
Mexican war and is still going strong.
Hart has a back like barn door
and a chin like a chunk of chilled
steel. He can scarcely keep awake
when the driving is easy, but when
the going is rough and risky and
the passengers in the back seat are
holding on for dear life and bounc-
ing into each others laps, Hart
slows a three-cornered piece OF plug
tobacco in his left cheek and takes
fresh grip on the steering wheel,
while his grim visage relaxes into
smile Of satisfaction. His battered
old Ford is one of the first that Hen
ry ever manufactured, but, unlike
some cars which are more expensive
and perhaps more comfortable, III
never fails to get there, Eli.
After crossing the Applegate, eight
miles west of Grants Pass, the road
follows along a creek, thru beauti-
full woods, to the Illinois divide. The
best pull is up a mile-long hill, down
which runaway stage once was
wrecked, the driver shooting one of
the lead horses to stop the team and
losing his own life in the smash-up |
which followed.
For many miles the road crosses
the Illinois valley, flat, timbered
country where the soil is poor and |
gravelly and the houses few and far
between. Where the road enters the
foothills on the south side there is an
immense placer mine, where a mil
lion tons of gravel have been washed
out by three giants" which are
still playing on the gold-bearing pay
dirt.
Now and then little village is
passed, the largest being Kirby,
which used to be the county-seat of
Josephine County. We were told
here that wood was getting pretty
high; $1.00 to $1.25 per tier. From
here to the coast fireplaces are the
rule and stoves the exception. These
fireplaces over here have one pecul-
iarity which l have never noticed
elsewhere, being capable of comfort {
ably heating room.
One remnant of former prosper
GUS mining town is called Tailholt,
of half dozen weather.
beaten cabins holding on to existence
with all their might. Another is
named Gasquet, after Frenchman
who built the road over the noun
tains with bunch of Cinnamon and
for many years maintained toll
gate at this point. Here an old noun
taineer was murdered by a couple of
Dagoes. A mile farther we come to
Mary Adams, this being the name of
lady who serves meals to travellers.
A few years ago Mary married a man
named Peacock, typical mountain
eer who has pet deer and numer-
Gus hunting dogs. one of which had
gotten its foot caught in bear trap
and was held prisoner for ten days.
By all means stop at Mary Adams
AS we near the summit of the Sis
kiyous the scenery is surprisingly