Image provided by: University of Oregon Libraries; Eugene, OR
About The Sunday Oregonian. (Portland, Ore.) 1881-current | View Entire Issue (Aug. 5, 1906)
THE SUNDAY OEEGONIAN, PORTLAND, AUGUST 5, 1906. 39 1 ' V A i i i i 1H if (!' -' . i Room for Improvement . run ., -l H - 'III i n - v v in the Roadway, but the Is Matchless. TOIL GATE WELCHS SALMON FTP WOOD CAM BY MILE 0RE5NAM f)T TABOR :v. 'v. : 9 o- 'VT e - wp in vv- -v v. GOVERNMENT ?fs) I ' v.. 2: Jf ORIENT o n n K III: i i ill; It I -" lit' 1. ( - V . J I lilt-. . - & ? 1 . x - . . r . . , S;flSIS GOOD POAD , gMHM through the ror.,r2' 1 u j j1 HOTEL nl 2. A 1 j- 5 ill ROCKY POAD JNS1DE- THE TOLL GATE- i ; : J SOUTH SIDE of- MX HOOD FPM GVPNMENT CAMP ONE of the greatest attractions that Portland has Is a tour to Mount Hood by automobile. I refer to Gov ernment Camp on the south side of the mountain, which can be reached by auto mobile In from seven to eight hours from Portland. The start Is made from Morrison-street bridge, up East Morrison street to Twentieth, thence to East Staxk street and from there out the Base Line road to the Twelve-Mile House. On ar riving at this place turn to the right till Gresham is reached and then turn to the left, almost due east, till you come to the small village of Orient. The road here needs the tourist's attention and to make sure he should' ask for directions, because if he keeps straight on he will be landed on a road full of stumps and difficult to navigate. The beat road is when Orient is reached to turn to the right. The road form Portland to Orient is ideal, particu larly the Base Line road. For about two miles west of Mount Tabor the road has been oiled, which makes a dustless high way and one of the greatest comforts that travelers can get. It Is a matter for re gret that we cannot get all the roads oiled as, while It is Impossible to get rid of mud in the Winter, by this means we could do away with the dust nuisance In the Sum mer. There are delightful blta of scenery on the way from Portland to Sandy, or Revenue, as it is sometimes called, a dis tance of 28 miles. On the apex of the road at Mount Tabor looking to the north is a beautiful valley which Is well worth stopping a few minutes to look at. Be tween the Twelve-Mile House and Gresh am is another pretty scene. But the ban ner view of all Is a short distance be yond Sandy where the road runs high up above the valley below. The view from this point is superb and one never tires looking at it. After leaving Orient the ideal road ceases and from there on to Sandy the highway is planked in the center. A good many of the planks are worn out and at the places where new planks are put in they stand about two inches above the old wood, which jnakes riding very bumpy. On the side of the plank roadway 4s a dirt road which, in places. Is very good and in other places very bad. From Sandy to Salman the road Is not of the best. It is very narrow and very little work has ever been done on it. In many places the trees are stand ing in the road with barely enough room to get through between. If this road were widened and the ruts filled up and with proper drainage on the sides a great mprovement would be made. It la said that Clackamas County provides the magnificent sum of J200 to keep 20 miles of this road in shape for the year. Dr. C. B. Brown, at the request of the Automo bile Club, recently spent about ten days In this vicinity overseeing the fixing of the road. His principal work was blast ing stumps and boulders out of the road and filling up the large ruts. The club authorized the expenditure of J100 for this job and from this small amount Dr. Brown certainly did wonders. There are some terrific grades on the road which necessitate frequent use of the brakes. Some of these run to about 30 per cent and it is almost Impossible for a team to take a load of over 800 pounds over the hills. Freight from Gresham to Government Camp costs $60 a ton and it is said that teamsters are not very anxious to take it even at that figure. But in taking this trip one for gets all about steep grades and poor roads in viewing the magnificent scenery. For miles and miles one goes through splen did avenues under great tall trees and alongside of mapy banks and beautiful streams. It would be almost impossible to pick out a more beautiful spot. The famous 17-mlle drive at Del Monte is not to be compared with it and it la scenery one never gets tired of. From Efcdmon to Government Camp, a private corporation claims to have ac-. quired the road by a grant from the United States. It is claimed by some parties that they have merely a squat ter's right to the road, but as the corpora tion built the road they are certainly en titled to some consideration. The toll gate is not put at the beginning of their right of way at Salmon, but is put about ten miles away. The distance from Toll gate to Government Camp is nine miles and tlio charge for automobiles is $2 for the round trip. From the toll-gate is where the real climb begins. For the first few miles there are several stretches of heavy sand varying in depth from 4 to 12 "inches. This makes traction very difficult, especially for heavy cars. The road is full of large stones and the way being narrow makes It difficult to dodce these obstructions. The last fonr miles of the toll-road Is vile beyond description. There are a number of 'ery steep hills and the road is full of boulders. It Is only the most careful driver that can take his machine over this part of the trip without damage and a good many owners hesitate to make a second trip. This state of affairs is due to the short sighted policy of the owners of the toll road who make scarcely any attempt to improve the road. For $1000 spent in widening the road, draining and clearing out the large stones, the road could be put in fair condition and the traffic would be increased ten-fold. At Government Camp Is a hotel kept by Mr. Yoakum with comfortable accomoda tions for about 30 people. There is an abundant supply of fine wxter which comes from a spring In the mountains. The view of Mount Hood, which Is five miles from the hotel, is grand and awe inspiring. The pure air irr this location is simply enchanting and to breathe this at mosphere for a few hours even is well worth the trip alone. If Clackamas County could be induced to fix up the road from Pleasant Home to Salmon and the toll-road corporation would wake up and Improve their nine miles of road, here is a tour for the East ern visitor or for the Oregon people that cannot be surpassed. The Freak in the-Park. Edwin L. Sahln in Smart Set. Laat eve while strolling through the park Digesting, thinking, gazing, Upon a bench did I remark A spectacle amazing. Secludl 'neatli a lilac there. Which ' BCTeened it trom beholders, It bore twain heads, I do declare. Upon one pair of shoulders! A kind of twin; It looked to be; On near examination. So neatly Joined that I could sen No point of separation. And as I stood prepared to run If it should wax unruly. Two hearts I marked that beat as one- Another marvel, truly! Although of eyes It bad two pair It seemed to be poor-sighted. And acted as if unaware Of presence not Invited. And so I ventured closer yet. To note the vocals of it. All one head said was, "P'ecious pet! The other, "Does oo yove it? Well, well!" I mused, "a human freak! Moreover, imhecilic Escaped from somo musee to seek This covert most idyllic." And saying naught to cop. anon T would not nave it pestered), , I let it there, the benrh upon. Ajfiidst th dusk sequestered.
