The Oakley herald. [volume] (Oakley, Idaho) 1908-1961, 1920-09-17


cans who visit 1t In vacation time. 1t should have
good American name change in name OF
course. means changing the name Of Mount Raj
nier since the mountain Is one-third Of the whole
park.
Peter the Great, on his deathbed in 1925 de-
creed that Vltus Behting, a Dane in his employ,
should cross Siberia to the unknown western sea.
build two ships and search for the tabled passage
to the Atlantic. Thus came about the Russian pos
session of Alaska and of the north Pacific coast
Perez in 1878, and Haceta, in 1774, both Span
iards, explored the Pacific coast discovered Moot
ka sound and suspected the Columbia river from
the breakers it's bar. In 1777 Capt. James Cook
discovered Cooks inlet, but missed both Juan de
Fuca's straits and the Columbia Capt. Robert
Means of the East India company discovered the
straits in 1888 but dared not cross the Column
bias bar.
International tealousies brought about the Moot
ka Convention of $780, which gave the British the
right to fish and trade, provided they did no colo
nzing
Then in 1892 American, Capt. Robert
Gray of Boston, in the Columbia, the first Amer
lean ship to sail around the world C79O). 1t took
this dauntless American sailor nine days to get
through the breakers on the Columba's bar. He
sailed 30 miles up this noble river and named it
after his gallant ship.
That same year Capt George Vancouver Of the
British navy sent to enforce the Nootka con-
venton. He explored Puget sound, but baked at
trying to cross the Columbia's bar He met Cap
tain Gray who told him of his ascent of the river.
But the British commander baked at the break
ers, took possession Of the country in the name
OF his sovereign and left Lieutenant Broughton
In the Chatham to explore the river If he could
Broughton got into the river and assembled 100
miles by launch He saw Mount Rainier about
100 miles away and was struck with awe. Like
true British naval officer he named this magnf-
cent mountain, rising 14,4OS feet almost from sea
level, after Rear Admiral Peter Rainier
Mount Rainier is AZ miles from Tacoma and
81 miles from Seattle 1t is the sight of sights
from, either city. AS is well known, these two
cities have feud the name. Tacoma calls
1t Tacoma and Seattle calls 1t Mount Rainier This
is not to say that the controversy should be de.
cided in favor Of either CITY, But "The mountain
that was Cod OF the Indians, Of the most
impressive Of earth, should have a better name
than Rainier
Here random extracts from the intro
ductory pages Of Uncle Sans booklet:
"Of all the fre-mountains which, like beacons
once blazed along the Pacific coast, Mount Rainier
Is the nobest." wrote John Muir 4The Mountain
that Was God" wrote John D. Williams, giving
title to his book
Easily King Of ail Is Mount Rainier" wrote
r. r.. Matthes of the United States geological sur
vey, reviewing that series of huge extinct yoca.
noes towering high above the sky line of the Cas-.
cade range. almost $50 feet higher than Mount
Shasta, its nearest rival in grandeur and In mass
1t Is overwhelmingly impressive both by the vast.
ness OF Its glacial mantle and by the striking
sculpture OF Its cliffs. The total area of its cla-
ciers amounts to no less than 4S square miles an
expanse OF ice far exceeding that of any other
single peak In the United States Many of its
Individual Ice streams between four and six
mlies long and vie In magnitude and In spendor
with the most boosted glaciers of the Alps Cas-.
Gazing from the summit In all directions they
rad'ate like the arms of great sarfish"
Seen from Tacoma Seattle the vast mountain
appears to rise directly from sea level SO insip.
nif1cant seem the ridges about Its base Yet these
ridges themselves are OF mean height Thew
rise 5000 to 1900 feet above the valleys that Ont
through them, and their crests average coon foe,
In altitude
But SO colossal are the proportions of the great
volcano that they dwarf even mountains of This
size and give them the appearance of mere font.
hills In height it Is second In the United States
only to Mount Whitney.
Mount Rainier stands, in round numbers II nOo
feet above lis immediate base is nearly thrpa
miles high, measured from level and covers
0O square miles OF territory, or oncthird of the