The Hood River glacier. (Hood River, Or.) 1889-1933, 1920-05-06

cOuntered along the entire route. Here
the roadbed now replaces the side Of
an old barn Of a prosperous Indian
Esncher, whose place affords the only
level ground between Hood River and
Mosier. 1t has been suggested that The
Indians ranch may be converted into a
golf course and the site of joint Hood
River and Mosier country club The
roughness of the tract, however, is
rather forbidding After all it may be
cheaper to purchase 81, 900 an acre ap.
pie land and uproOt Newtown and
Spitzenburg trees for golf links and
clubsite. From the short open space
the motorist, eastward bound, climbs
by easy grade up to the open face of as
wild cliff as may be found along the
great gorge of Wanna.
The maximum elevation of the road
is reached along this great natural
wall. The road will be more than dou.
bic width at the summit. The point
juts far out into the gorge, and indeed
it forms veritable eyrie.
Our party, catching the first recent
sunshiny day, however chose time of
high wind. With the great gorge,
seemingly, acting as a flue, the wind
fairly tore around the summit. One
member of the party, at least, although
he was ashamed to mention it at the
time, kept a hand on the latch to the
tonneau door of the machine, ready to
sDring out if the wind clutched up the
car and hurled it over the brink But
the sturdy little Overland 4 drove
and we heaved a sigh of relief when
ranaknI Ia. Lao 81 nf
tory. Workmen told us that the wind
blows more than zephyrike at the sum-
init promontory even when days are
calm at other points.
1t was noontime when the party
reached the summit, and at the invita-
tion of w. e. Roberts. srintendent
for the Kern Construction Co., whieh
is clearing up the new grade. we
stopped at the camp for lunch. 1t
might we'll be called a super lunch.
Those hard-rock men and muckers,
working in the invigorating breeze,
create immense aDpetites. and the cook
has learned how to astisfy them.
Steaming pitchers Of coffee were hand
ed around the long tables with a care
less abandon, but never a drop missed
the cups of the hungry men. Dinner
tables are sometimes said to groan
with sumptuous burdens. These mess
tables at the construction camp started
out that way, but it wasn't many min
utes until they were relieved of their
burden of foods. One wouldn't / refer
to the camp grub as dainty. but it was
and filling, and there was
a variety. They even served potatoes
in great big pyramids. A conversa-
tionalist talks to deaf ears at a camp
mess. After remark or two apropos
any old thing. he notes that the not
silent eaters around him begin TO
scowl. and he learns that talking isn't
popular while empty stomachs are be-
ing filled.
After lunch the party accompanied
Engineer Archibald, in charge of the
work for the State Highway Commits
sion. and a party of contractors repre-.
r. A. Josling. w. G. Att.
well and w. 6 Roberts, to the twin
tunnels, cut in the side Of the solid
rock cliffsides 325 feet above the rail
road tracks and almost directly above
them. Indeed, the debris from the
tunel and the approae hing huge notches
rut in the Irecipitous canyunside, had
to be hauled back long distance. 1t
would have facilitated the work to
have dropped it over the edge Of the
but this would have soon
covered the rail line.
The first tunnel encountered as the
tours to the west is but ~
feet long. Then comes break in the
rock gorge and an open space of GO
feet lets in the light Of day. The sec
Dnd tunnel follows, the bore extending
for 27l feet The tunnel slopes on
about four or five per cent grade TO
the west. From the standpoint of con-
3truction the twin tunnels cannot equal
he Mitchells Point open window bore. !
The twin tunnels are cut through |
giant, Jagged grained rock that pre- |
vents a finish pleasing TO the eye. At
Mitchells Point the hard rock men
found il possible to grow artistic in !
inishing up the dome and arches from |
)asalt columns. The rock wall from |
.unnel to cliff edge is thicker at the |
win tunnels than at Mitchells Point. |
At the latter place the motorist is
given "A view of the river from the |
'ar, although only a hopeless cripple |
inds it possible TO remain seated. At |
he twin tunnels the tourist will find it |
necessary to walk to the outer edge of /
he windows to gain the river view. |
indeed the windows are more like little |
.rosscuts of mine. They are from Is |
o 20 feet long. The wayfarer, how
,ver, is fully repaid bv walk TO their |
ends opening over the Columbia. Crews |
ire arranging narrow trails, protected |
~ high coping, along the straight up |
md down cliff from one tunnel t. an |
,ther. The view that one has is sufii- |
'ient to strike the most eloquent man /
,r woman silent for a moment. In 1
Iced, one cannot look up and down the |
Columbia and talk at the same time.
md after leaving it he is likely TO grow /
in his expressions.
All the way from the summit of the
lew highway into MOsier one is struck
" the change that takes place over the
yorge landscape. To the west the
yorge itself is green spotted and the
ills sloping back from the great can
,on are clad in the verdancy OF frs.
But as one goes east from the summit
he hills and canyons grow barer. At
mis- season Of the year wild grasses
md lichens are springing up and the
lopes and open places are showing a
Ight green. In places shadow effect
yill give them a mOuse-colOred look.
[ is the delicate tinting Of spring and
5 restful. Later. as the spring rains
ease all these grass shoots will be
Durnt brown and gray.
If an eager motor party is not salts
led with the views afforded from the
unnel windows. Just let them halt
heir car at the east entrance and climb
% the benchlike prominence above the
win bores. Here they can revel by the
lour in landscapes the like Of which
,nly Oregon and a Columbia River
yCrge can supply.
r., tbe turrefs the mile distarra