The Coolidge examiner., 1935-01-11


covered by new bark, were caused
by fire long before the discovery
OF America. For centuries the tree
grew new bark, at the rate of half
an Inch or less a year, until finally
the wound was healed.
Tree torches burning in the
Sierra Nevada might have signal
lied every event in recorded human
history, from the building of the
Pyramids to our own Civil war.
White Men Slow to Find Them.
No doubt the Coast Redwoods
were seen by the first Europeans
to visit our Pacific coast, yet for
more than two centuries after the
visit of Sir Francis Drake, In 1879,
white men roamed up and down
California apparently without climb
Ing far enough up the high Slerras
TO find the Big Trees.
The Indians knew them, OF course.
In summer they camped among them
and left potholes in granite rocks
where they ground acorn meal.
Even now the identity OF the
first white men to gaze on the Big
Trees OF the Sierras is in doubt.
IL may have been some member OF
the Joseph II. Walker expedition of
1888. One Zenas Leonard, clerk of
the Walker party. recorded:
''In the last two days travelling
we have found some trees of the
Redwood species Incredibly large,
some of them which would measure
from 16 TO IS fathoms COG to 10S
feet) around the trunk at the height
of a mans head from the ground"
That group OF Big Trees, now
known as the Calaveras North
Grove. was, however, the first of
these sequolas TO become well
known.
In the spring OF 1852 A. T. Dowd,
a miner OF Murphy's Camp, In the
historic Mother Lode district, fol-
lowed a wounded bear into the Sc
quotas. He came running back to
his companions and excitedly
dragged them with him to see "the
largest bear in California" What
he showed them was a Big Tree
probably the one which afterward
was felled and dance hall built on
top OF 1t.
John Bidwell, a member of the
first immigrant party to enter Cal
ifornia by the overland route. stated
that he saw the Calaveras Big Trees
In 1871; but Dowd is popularity
given credit as the discoverer Of
the Sequoia gigantea.
In 1857 Galen Clark discovered
the Mariposa, or Wawona, Grove In
what Is now the Yosemite National
park. The following year Hale ID.
Tharp, a pioneer Of Three Rivers,
in Tulare county, was led up the
Middle Fork of the Keweah river
by Yokut Indians, and on the grassy
slopes beneath Moro Rock to the
plateau where grows the noble for
est Of the Sequoia gigantea, the Gi-
ant Forest, In what is now Sequoia
National park.
General Sherman" the Biggest.
Here, IN Sequoia National park,
stands that hoary veteran OF all Big
Trees, the General Sherman" found
and named by James Wolverton In
1879. Many other trees, including
Redwoods, Douglas frs, and the
Australian eucalyptus, are taller;
but no other, so far as one knows,
has its bulk. It's greatest base d.
ameter is 36.5 feet and its trunk
contains 6OO,120 board feet Of lum-
Der.
You can imagine its size when
told that a train Of 30 railway
cars would be required to haul its
trunk alone. One limb, 130 feet
above the ground, is nearly seven
feet thick. Sawed into boards, the
tree would build about 40 five-room
housesi
To save some Of these trees, the
Sequoia National park was created
In 1890, and for years patroled each
summer by United States cavalry.
Private individuals, however, still
owned the finest parts of the Sc
quota forests and had, of course, a
perfect right TO cut them. down
for lumber. To avoid this, the late
Stephen. T. Mather, as director of
the National Park service, asked
congress for funds with which to
buy and save mere of the Big Trees.
An appropriation was made, but 1t
was insufficient.
Then aid was asked Of the Ma
tional Geographic society. Imme-
diately, from its own funds and with
voluntary contributions from indi-
vidual members, 1t subscribed suffi-
cient money to purchase the lands
and Big Trees desired.
In all, the society bought and
gave to the United States. total Of
1,316 acres at a cost Ct S9G,330.