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About The Sunday Oregonian. (Portland, Ore.) 1881-current | View Entire Issue (Sept. 13, 1908)
THE SUNDAY OREGONIAX. PORTLAND. SEPTE3IB ETC 13, 1908. if m 0i I M 11 If J-.' IT1 iiT MOW THE RAILROAD , KlM3 TOOK HIS AANUALVACATIOA) lM 4 i 5 i , n t!T WII.L1AM WAGNER. 1 mjr UA.MATH County. Oregon, will b j u a Summer resort what South- era C&JIfomU U as a Winter re port." was the statement made by E. H. Karrlman when he addressed an audi ence of Klamath Falls people while on hi way to his beautiful Pelican Bay re port. It lies witljin the. power of Mr. Harriman to make this prediction come true. and. If the reports coming from Fellcsn Bay are correct. Mr. Harriman has plans that will make the Klamath re gion one of the most widely known re sorts on the Pacific Coast. Northern Klamath County has been appropriately termed the Switzerland of North America, ami the lover of the beauties of nature will find Pelican Bay and Its eurroundinics a most fascinating place. The bay is one of the most north ern extremities of the Upper Klamath Iake. which Is more than 50 miles In length and about 12 miles In width. Into this - bay -flows Pelican 'Creek, a stream about ?0 yards wide and not more than a half mile In length. Its source Is a large spring and It Is above this spring on a grassy slope with heavy pine timber ' in the rear that the resort of Mr. Harri man Is situated. Pelican Creek Is navi , gable to its very source and large steam ers run to within a few yards of the main building at the resort. The water is cold as ice and clear as a crystal and everywhere the trout can be seen swim ming about, while ducks and all kinds of water fowl abound there In large num bers. The artist cannot paint a picture that would do Justice to the grandeur of the stream that lrarts to the Oregon home of the Wall street wizard. The lodge itself Is not a thing of beauty, hut the very appearance of It suggests rest and recreation. All of the build ings are crude and are those. In the main, that were built by the persons who lived at Pelican Bay in order to derive a sub plptenca, not to spend a fortune in mak ing the place comfortable for a season of rest. Since- the place has passed into the hands of Harriman practically no new buildings have been put up. but all of the small cottages that were built some few years ago for the convenience of the few campers who came to the lodge for short outings have been remodeled and furnished with a view of making them commodious and adapted to the needs of the new owner. In all parts of the grounds there are tents which are occupied by members of the party, who prefer to sleep in them Instead of occupying quarters in tha log houses and cabins. Though many im provements have been made at the lodge and modern heating and lighting methods supplant the fireplace, candles and the coal oil lamps, the place still has the ap pearance of some quiet farmer's home, where nature lavished beauty with a gen erous hand. Modern Improvements. Among the additions made to the lodge since it became the property of Mr. Har rtman is the installation, of an electric light plant, which furnishes light for ev ery building on the place and also illu minates the grounds. The plant Is run by a gasoline engine and is in the hands of an experienced man. In the private office of Mr. Harriman the click-click of the tel egraph instrument is heard for several hours every day and most of the buildings are equipped with telephones so that com munication can be held between the cot tages. An ice plant has been Installed at a big expense and the purest article that can be manufactured Is supplied. The cghin that are occupied as sleeping Quar- ' 1 1 V! ters all have baths with hot and cold water, which Is piped from large tanks to all parts of the grounds. Instead of the rattle of fie old wagon in heard the chug chug of the automobiles, but the garage is hardly up to the average buggy shed ths one finds on a well-kept farm. . It con sists of a log framework covered with canvas and under, this Improvised shelter are kept the two large machines which are in charge of an experienced chauf feur. All of the buildings that are occupied by members of the party and also those of the employes are equipped in a modern way and everywhere there are twentieth century conveniences. Tle Woods. With the exception of the meadows bor dering on the beautiful Pelican Creek the grounds are mostly heavily timbered and form a shelter for wild animals. It is through this forest that Mr. Harriman, has had an automobile road built connect ing with Fort Klamath and Crater Lake. The woods are in their natural condition and the large pines and iirs cover the mountains which lie to the north and west of the bay. In the background of the lodge Is majestic -Mount McLoughlin (Mount Pltti. snow-capped the year round, and at the base of this mountain is one of the best hunting grounds for deer and bear in the state of Oregon, or on the Pa cific Coast, and it was in this section that Roland Harriman, the 11-year-old son of the magnate, succeeded in killing a blflr bear that has placed him In the foremost rank with the bear hunters of the coun try. Shooting on tlie Lakes and Marshes. Diicks and geese propagate in great numbers on the marshes bordering on the Upper Klamath Lake In the vicinity of the Harriman resort, and it is in this sec tion that the sons of Harriman have en Joyed superb shooting. It is a compara tively easy matter for the amateur hunter to bag the limit, 25 birds, in a day's shoot. The season did not open until the first of September and It was for this that the party remained at the Bay for several days, so that the boys. Averell and Ro land, might enjoy the pleasure of hunting ducks and geese as well as big game. On his visit to Klamath last year Mr. Harriman went into the hills himself in an attempt to bag a bear, but this year, he left this to his sons, and he was very much delighted when the younger of the two succeeded in killing Mr. Bruin. A twinkle always appears in the eye of Papa Harriman when he tells visitors at the lodge how Roland killed the bear. The hide is nailed on the side of the main house and will doubtless occupy a prom inent place in the Harriman palace on the banks of the Hudson. Harriman Not Robust. Mr. Harriman was not In the best of health when he came to Pelican Bay and the object of his visit was to hide him self from turmoil and strife and for a time forget the deadly combat that is con tinually going on between the bulls and bears of the American financial center. With this object In view it has been his purpose to avoid as many visitors at the lodge as possible and he has refused ad mission to all newspapermen several of whom have called and many others have wired and written for permission to come. While Pelican Bay is a secluded spot, yet it Is so situated that the public can not be entirely shut off from coming, as the navigable water extends to within a few yards of the main building, and in order to keep the curious from landing. Colonel W. H. Holabird. of Mr. Harrlman's per sonal staff and who has the sole manage- ( -- mil -Nf II - lit - - ' n ; k - ' Ai if r I r & I U .;;-tv I f ! I AW!!- 1 1 ! ) ment of the Pelican Bay resort. Is always on the watch and the visitors are treated courteously, but in most Instances are re fused permission to land. The pictures accompanying this article were taken with the permission of Colonel Holabird and are the only ones taken while Mr. Harri man and party stopped at the Bay. Visitors at the lodge are politely In formed that Mr. Harriman is at the lodge for a season of rest and that he wishes to see no one. He has not been In the best of health and has been suffering more or lees from rheumatism since coming to Klamath. His general condition is much improved and aside from his rheumatic affliction he is in very good health and la good condition to once more shoulder the mental burdens that he bears, as head of the greatest combination of American railway systems that has yet been real ised. Harriman at Home. Mr. Harriman is not trying on any Roosevelt strenuousness. In fact, he seems to avoid everything that flavors of Rooseveltlsm. His sole aim appears to be' recreation and rest. During the heat of the day he can be seen . sitting in the shade of the lawn, reading, or may fre quently be observed talking to Mrs. Har riman or one of the children. Usually one or both of his daughters are with him when he rests in. the refreshing breezes that come from the snow-capped Mount Pitt. He does not rise until after 6 and after breakfast several hours of his time are consumed in answering correspond ence and in dictating messages to his sec retary. In the evening he again takes up the burdens of a business life and devotes a few hours to answering the important messages that are received during the day. After dinner he spends most of his time in the little log cabin which he and Mrs. Harriman occupy. . A Dead Game Sport. While Ashing is exceptionally good in the immediate vicinity of the Harriman resort, it is as a rule difficult to catch trout in any way except by trolling, but on this Mr. Harriman draws the line. He is a dead game sport when it comes to fishing, and If he cannot get his game with a fly he does without fish. His main fishing ground is at the mouth of Crystal Creek, probably a mile from the lodge. He is towed to this place in his casting boat, sometimes accompanied by Mrs. Harriman. and spends a few hours cast ing the fly. He is very skillful at it. and would make some of the champion cast ers ashamed of themselves. He succeed ed in making a number of good catches. f- I and speaks very favorably of Klamath as. a fishing ground. Pleasures ot the Party. The members of the party have many things with which to amuse themselves. Those who enjoy hunting take to the woods or else to the swamps, while oth ers go rowing, launch riding, trolling, au tomobillng or horseback riding. On the grounds there are two fine tennis courts and a rifle range. The ladies of the Harriman party fre quently go rowing and are quite expert with the oars. They row out onto the bay where they go trolling, but usually they are accompanied by some masculine member of the party who does the rowing while the ladles do the trolling. The catches made by the Harriman daughters would do credit to many of the fisher men of this section, and in several in stances they have succeeded in landing trout that weighed approximately ten pounds. Harriman I'nknown. Harriman may be well known it? Wall street and in most parts of America and in some foreign lands that have been penetrated by the railroads, but some of the backwoodsmen of Oregon are not aware that such a man as Harriman exists, much less that he is spending the Bummer" in Klamath County. While in the vicinity of the Harriman place the writer met a young man who resided in the woods and who was making one of his occasional trips to the nearest supply station. Fort Klamath, and as the fellow was wheeling a bicycle through deep sand he looked like one who might have been in civilization In recent years and one who would be at least almsot up with the times, for he was most certainly aware that the bicycle had been invented, but'if he knew these things he was com pletely ignorant of the fact that Harri man had been invented and that the in vention had been Introduced to Pelican Bay. It was shortly after lunch time, and he said he had come a long ways and in tended to stop at the ledge for the noon day meal, but before arriving there he was told that the outfit that had control of the place had quit serving meals and keeping travelers. He continued: "What kind of an outfit is it any way that has the place now?" He was told that Pelican Bay now belonged to Mr. Harriman. He looked puzzled, then said: "Harriman?" Who Is he? Didn't he used to live on 'Dead Injun' road?" When he was told who Harriman is, he did not stop for further conver sation and the last seen of him he was pushing his bicycle through the sand. Mr. Harriman was very much pleased with this occurence when he heard of it, for he felt sure that there was not a man in Oregon who had not heard of him. or at least of the "Harriman me thods." Daily Mall to Lodge. During Mr. Harrlman's stay at the lodge a dally mall has been run from Klamath Falls, the launch carrying nothing hut the mail and an occasional passenger, with the permission of Mr. Harriman or his resort manager. Colo nel Holabird. The launch left Klam ath Falls every morning and arrived at the lodge about noon, returning to Klamath Falls in the evening. By this method the mail at Pelican Bay was received only a few ' hours later than In Klamath Falls. It has been the aim of Mr. Harriman to avoid publicity and to keep all of i his movements private. He refused to attend various receptions to which he has been invited, making the excuse that he was in Oregon for rest and recreation. In business matters, especially in connection with the conference he held with his chiefs, Julius Kruttschnltt. William Hood. E. E. Calvin, W. -F. Herrin, and other prominent officials of his railroad systems, he instructed his employes to maintain the strictest privacy possible In all matters, and the -large steamer which conveyed the party from Klamath Falls to Pelican Bay was stopped at the mouth of Pell can creek and the party transferred to the Harriman launch to be taken to the resort. The objects of me conference have never been made public, but parties In touch with the Harriman plane for Ore gon say that It was to consider the matter of transportation facilities for Interior Oregon, which has for many years been overlooked by the railroad magnates, but which Is now to become fighting ground for Harriman and Hill. The former Is invading the vast terri tory from the South and the latter from the North. The result will be that 300 miles of country that is now without transportation facilities will soon, be supplied with railroads that will hasten the development of a land rich In natural resources. The visit of the various officials was wholly a matter of business for they remained but a few days and the time was spent considering the problems that confront the railroad king, for they were close ted in his private office most of the time.' No sooner had they concluded the consultations than they departed for their respective headquarters to look after the executive departments of which they are Mr. Harriman's rep resentatives in . transportation affairs. There was no time for hunting or fish ing. Their visit was solely one of business and aside from viewing the beautiful scenery of Pelican Bay and its mountainous surroundings, they were not permitted to enjoy the plea sures of a stay at the haven of rest of Mr. Harriman. Nothing authentic can be said as to the future of Pelican Bay at thld time, but the indications are that within the next few years there will be developments which will make the Upper Klamath Lake one of the most noted Summer resorts on the American continent. The agents of Mr. Harriman have been securing options on large tracts of land In, the vicinity of the lodge, and they have already inquired Into the cost of the de livery of 1000 yards of building sand at pelican Bay. It is the belief of those cog nizant with the conditions at the report that Mr. Harriman will Induce a number of the millionaires of the East to erect palaces overlooking the beautiful moun tain lake and that within the next few years hundreds of people will come to Klamath every Summer to enjoy the In vigorating mountain air and to bask in the sunshine of Southern Oregon. At the conclusion of a visit, of more than a month at Pelican Bay. Mr. Harri man expressed himself as highly pleased with Southern Oregon, and gave out the Information that Klamath will likely nee him and his family again next year. Tha Harriman party this year consisted of Mr. and Mrs. Harriman, their two daugh ters. Mary and Carol; their two sons, Averell and Roland: their family physi cian, the tutor of the boys, member of his personal staff, nd a retinue of serv ants and employes. Klamath Falls, Or., Sept. &.
