The St. Charles herald. [volume] (Hahnville, La.) 1873-1993, 1920-10-02

was notable event, IN tnat the
mountain in a way epjtomzes the progress OF 'he
west. 49,
; Although Lieut.. ZebuIon NJ Pike, O. S. A. the
intrepid explorer, first discovered Pixies teaA -.
1906 he never scaled the mountain, saying Tue
task was impossible for a human being. But LII.
Edwin James, member Of the expedltion "a
Major Long, In 1920, accomplished the ieai-
Major Long, In honor of James accomplishment
named the peak James Peak" but as early az
1910 trappers and plaiEsmen named II Fes
Peak" and Fremont put ii SO on the map.
In 1878 q bride path was built; wagon
road to the summit was built In 1880 and IN 1881
the cog wheel railroad, nine miles long, was
built The weather bureau established stauon
on the summit In 1915 the present automoDne
road was built at a cost OF $3OO,OOO after TWO
years of construction work. This road Is eighteen
miles long rises $685. feet In that distance, has
an average grade of seven per cent and maxi
mum grade Of 1Oh per cent. with AZ per cent
of the line in curves. 1t is twenty feet vide Win
curves as wide fifty feet
In April, 1919 a government war tank at
tempted to climb the peak over the automobile
highway, but broke down in the deep snow drifts
and did not make a second attempt. A month
later a caterpillar used for artillery hauling.
made the summit without difficulty. August q
1919 an airplane pilOted BY Alexander Lendrum
Of Colorado Springs made successful trip over
the summit Of the peak.
This brings US to date Now man 10 reforest-
ing the lower slopes Of the famous peak.
But nrst a word about the nrst ascent Or.
James was only q years cid at the time. Starting
from Council Bluffs, the explorers reached what
is now Colorado City July II. 1890. July Ii he
started with four men for tire top. The late
Frederick s. Dellenbaugh. member OF several
government expeditions In the west. wrote this
OF the climb Of Dr. James:
.About noon they came to the Boiling Spring.
the present welI-known spring Of Manltou. which
gives name to the stream of which 1t forms
source. This beautiful spring was IF great inter-
est to James and they had their lunch beside It,
Through its crystal waters could be seen on the
bottom the offerings Of beads and trnkets by
the Indians.
1.-THE night Of the 18th, James and his COM
papions spent in a most uncomfortable place. and
on the next morrlng started early with the hope
of making the round journey before dark. About
noon. the timber Iine 11.720 feet. was reached
and BY O'Clock they stood on the mighty sum-
nit. l41O8 feet above the sea and 5000 feet above
the plains ant. could see on the east the prairie
ocean melting into the limitless distance. while
on the other hand spread away broad chaos OF
peaks. canyons valleys, fading into the depths OF
1he unknown wilderness Vast clouds Of grass
hoppers were flying over the peak. sometimes SO
dense as almost to obscure the light.
AFTER half an hour on the majestic summit. now
reached BY prosaic railway, the descent began.
Losing their course they failed to reach the camp
~ Of the previous night and were forced to sleep
ont with no FOES or shelter or comfort OF any
kind; not after all 80 awful as It sounds As
soon as light came In the morning they continued
ard reached their camp. only to find II abiaze
the Are had spread and consumed everything
except few scraps of food. on which they
greedy breakfasted."
The American Forestry Association OF Wash
incton estimates that out Of the 100 million odd
acres of national forests there are seven and :
half million acres in need OF planting Or seeding
"a re-estabIish tree growth The yearly loss q
,he nation In forest products from lands suitet
univ for the production of timber and now idle u
nsid TO he s6sO0O00O. No large sums have beef
rpecificaliy appropriated BY congress TO refores
,he denuded lands within the national forests
,ha, the acreage planted each year has been norn'
mn, md the work Of an experimental character.
vp,rkins the areas IN the na"ona' i0ses's