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About Herald and news. (Klamath Falls, Or.) 1942-current | View Entire Issue (Nov. 10, 1963)
etatt soft it to$ jsxdwm KLAMATH FALLS, OREGON, SUNDAY, NOVEMBER II), 1963 Day-By-Day Chronicle Recalls 1909 Team And Wagon Trip To Crater Lake JcdllAM By RUTH KING Last Aug, 11, "Memories of Swan Family Early Day Home steading Recalled," in the fea ture section of Xhe Herald and News, brought to mind for Mr. and .Mrs. W. F. Jinnette of Merrill, a trip to Crater 'Lake with the Swan family in 1909. That trip, taken by team and wagon,- chronicled day by day by Mrs. Jinnette in pen and ink in a ruled tablet, is illustrated with pictures of the lake-bound party in a farm wagon behind four horses, Annie Creek Canyon in Crater Lake National Park, Garden of the Gods and of the famous lake itself. There were no plush molels with thick carpeted floors but there were overhanging fir boughs jnd deep layers of fra grant needles to sleep on . . . there were no automatic d i s pdDsers of Coca Cola or sand wiches wrapped in foil just clear, cold spring water, deer in the forest and native berries beside the trail . . . there were no automatic laundromats, yet laundry tied behind a moving jlif & fTm'irr- iim r- r laianfiftiiiiiiHriuM rinmirflTn itilfcTAiAiefl X dmmmjl AXTiST'S VIEW The folks who rode up the mountain to Crater Lake found the beauty they had heard about. Their first glimpse of the famous spot as the sun sank is described by Mrs. Jinnette In hor diary. The summit of '. Mt. Mazama, the mighty mountain, was more than 1 2,000 -feat high before the mountain top collapsed and the lake was formed in the crater. Crater Lake National Park on the crest of the Cascade Range in Southern Oregon cov FOUR-HORSB MOTOR Maude and Kite, Bell and Bess , were the horse power that pulled the heavily laden farm wagon bearing a party of nine and duffel on an I 1-day trip to Crater Lake in 1909. This picture was taken at the J. G. Swan homestead on the west side of Upper Klamath Lake, probably by a Mr. White who joined the party. In the front seat were George H. Carleton and NATURE'S MAJESTY Mount Scott that towor above the rim of Crater Lake shows evidence on its scarred surface of past glaciers. The entire lake end its setting can be taken in by the eye at one time, an impressive experience. i boat on a fast-flowing stream accomplished the same end and over all there was the sweet smell of the woods, the neigh of a horse that never had seen a gasoline service station . . . asphalt had not yew streamed into the mountains and the roads, sometimes rutted and rocky, jarred the spine and tugged at the iron-bound wagon wheels ... it was a time when men left someone to milk the cows night and morning, gath ered the family and the quilts and turned to the open road without setting a goal 600 miles away. The outing, begun on Tuesday, Aug. 16, was completed 11 days later. Monday, Aug. 16 Our party (Mr. and Mrs. Swan) their children, Margaret and John, Miss Conrcy, Mr. Carlcton, Will, Karl and myself, left the ranch (north of Merrill) at 8:45 a.m. in a lumber wagon drawn by (our horses. We had a warm dusty ride of 23 miles to the Falls and reached Mr. Swan's house about 1 o'clock. After getting some of the dust off and having dinner, the men and Karl went downtown. We women did a little more pack ing. The children were put to bed early and we did the few last things after supper in or der to get an early start next morning. Tuesday, Aug, 17 Mr. Carleton met a friend in town and asked him to go with us. His name is White and he is from San Jose. Calif., having come west from Iowa. In our grub boxes we have bacon, ham, flour, eornmcal, sweet and Irish potatoes, a box of ripe peaches, canned coin, peas, tomatoes, salmon, baked beans, applesauce and jelly, bread, coffee, tea. condensed milk, butter, eggs, baking pow der, salt, pepper, soda, salad dressing, rice, sago, tapioca, graham crackers, soda crack ers, cream of wheal, shredded wheat biscuits and sugar. We took a few tools, two Ian terns, kerosene, some grain for the horses, two tarpaulins, a few ers 250-square miles. The lake is six miles wide, 1,932 feet deep and it has 20 miles of shoreline. Tha surround ing cliffs rise as much as 1,980 feet to the uneven caldera rim, which ranges from 6,683 feet to 8,156 feet in ele vation. It was near the rim that the travelers sat around a campfire when the night grew chill and planned for the next day's excursion to the waler's edge. Mits Conrny and Margaret Swan. Ceater wore A'r. and Mrs. Swan and son, John, and in the rear t:at vwi MJr. and Mrs. William (Willi Jinnette and Karl. It wju toaaJ box on front of wagon that jarred loone arad KaHmred curry combs and other necessary iteccs. Nta Ualtra hung on spring seat of wagon. I A r extra clothes and some bedding. Mr. White had a kodak and rifle and Will had two rifles and a shotgun. We left the Falls at 8:15 and started north over the hills. There was quite a climb over the barren hills back of t h e Falls, then we went for miles through a beautiful pine forest. Most of us had started with col ored glasses but when we en tered the woods we took them off. Out in the open there is always a glare when the sun shines thai hurls the eyes and one needs colored glasses in rid ing any distance. Once in awhile we passed a little homestead set in among the pine trees, with few cleared acres and some strag gling rye or oats, a little log cabin, an outbuilding or two and a skinny team of horses. About noon we left the forest and entered the Klamath In dian Reservation coming in sight of Upper Klamath Lake. This is a fine body of water 35 or 40 miles long by 20 miles wide. It has a steamer course rrs v.' tt.i t s lt . - It Hi v-v , ill'. . : 11., Jl k I LITTLE CHANGE Annie Creek Canyon In Crater Lake National Perk is still un sooiled, much today as it was over half a century ago. The Crater Late-bound party was awed by its sheer walls where in those days there were no safety barriers. Chip munks chattered on the rim end begged bits of bacon, from Klamath Falls to the In dian Agency Landing at t h e north end. We ate dinner by a big run ning spring of clear, ice-cold water, bubbling up among the stones at the foot of a hill and flowing down to the lake. While we were there an old Indian woman came along and ate w ith us. It seemed she had been out talking to a surveyor and was quite indignant "that the white people keep changing the lines and pushing them back all the time." She was as sarcastic an old woman as I ever heard talk and she did keep up an amus ing as well as an interesting babble. Each Indian or head of a fam ily is given so much land and stock by the government and he can do with it as he likes. Some really try and do farm and raise grain and slock while oth ers can't see the value of land and let it lay idle while they work for someone else. This old woman said her land wasn't making her anything so she had left it and was taking care of a garden and chickens for some one else. Afler dinner we drove for miles at the foot of hills along a stony road on the east shore of the lake. On either side of the road was shrubbery sarvis and wild gooseberry, and chit turn berry. This is the berry from which different forms of cascara are made. Late in the afternoon we left the lake and traveled through the Wood River Valley. This is such a pretty valley as level as a table and watered by Wood River, a fine clear stream. About 6:30 we stopped at an In dian's house to see about camp ing all night in his pasture. Most all the Indians on the Reservation had gone to the huckleberry patch and we could find no one home on this place so we drove in. Back of the house we found a spring near the barn. We camped here and the men turned the horses "in the pasture. We women and children slept on the hay under a shed ancfl the men slept under the bay1 stacks near us. The mosquitoes were of a monstrous variety and quite plentiful. We made about 30 miles and it was warm and clear. Wendrsday, Aug. 18 For breakfast we had oatmeal mush, eggs, bacon, biscuits 'fried in a skillet), coffee, but ter and peaches. We packed up and were on our way again hy 8. In a little while wo passed the Agency. There are quile a few houses there and it is a very pretty place in a pine grove on the banks of a stream from a big spring. Water from this spring furnishes power for electric lights elc. The schools and dormitories are nice look ing frame buildings of fairly good size. They say some of Ihe Indian graduates make good use of their education and again others are lazy and indifferent. A few farms we noticed were kept up in good shape but most of them were "bum" looking. Nearly all their buildings were ram shackle affairs. At one place we stopped to water the horses near a little hut. They always keep all doors and windows closed and no soon er had we slopped than a door opened and two women came out. They were "sickly" looking and one had her head tied up and was so yellow and thin. She said she had been sweating for two months. A few miles further on we passed old Fort Klamath. It has been 20 years since soldiers Wore there and now a few ruins aMong clamps of pines a n i quaking aspen mark the place. It must have been a beautiful place in those times when it was well kept. A few miles north of this w e passed through Fort Klamath a lillle town where the Indians and whites living near, get supplies. Here we bought bread and steak. Mr. Swan knows a family a short way from town on o u r road and we stopped there to get milk for the children. These people run a dairy and raise lots of cattle on great fields of wild hay. There are a few private irrigation ditches in this valley. All the way we have met oili er campers going to or coming from the Lake. Every 15 or 20 miles there are regular camp ing grounds, usually near a ranch where one can get bread, butter, milk and horse feed. At one of these places we camped for dinner and till Ihe next morning. This camping ground is in an aspen grove in front of a house and is known as Ihe "Vaughn Camp." We got fine water from a stream near and the horses were turned in I lie pasture, the fee being 12'i cents a night per head. We found tables and every thing so convenient it was a lovely place lo camp. About noon a party stopped to eat din ner. They were from Mcdford and were going home had been on the road two weeks. Had1 camped in Koguc River Valley and killed six deer. After dinner, the men except Mr. Carleton went fishing. They brought in enough fine trout for breakfast. We slept on the ground, under Ihe trees. The air was so fiesh and pure every body slept like logs and we had no mosquitoes. It was another clear fine day and we made 18 or 20 miles. Thursday, Aug. 9 Got up early, had breakfast (fried fish, oatmeal , mush, boiled potatoes, flapjacks, ap plesauce and coffee) and had started by 7:30. Here we began a gradual climb of 3,000 feet lo the lake. About 9 we struck Annie Creek and swung to the left of it. It rushes down Ihe canyon in a narrow swift stream and at this place it broadens out into a wider and quieter creek. Almost all the morning, we followed the canyon on the west side, sometimes so close lo the edge we can look down from 100 to 500 feet to the wa ter. This canyon is beautiful. The sides are quite precipitous some places they are a solid rock wall, in others there is soil with ferns and tall pines grow ing. Before noon we entered Ihe border of Crater Lake Park. Were passed all along by other campers. In places the road Is pretty narrow and occasionally we found double roads where vehicles could pass each other. Most automobiles had horns and let us know when they were near. The horses did not mind them at all. Saw a party of men from Portland touring the coun try in an auto. They had been mil a month and had had no ac cident. They told the boys of a place back in the mountains where they might get a deer. Saw mil lions of fallen trees in this park, the work of forest fires. We ate a lunch in the wagon when we stopped to water the horses at a spring. We passed the government lodge where the keeper lives and he flailed us to get our names. He had regis tered between 2,000 and 3,000 visitors to the lake this year. Last winter the snow had crushed in the roofs of most of the buildings and carpenters were reroofing them. The snow gets from 35 lo 40 feet deep in the winter ana! everylioy shuts up their houses and leaves txr jng the winter months. Mr. Swan bought milk and we ttioved on. We turned lo t h c right a:l crossed a streffiji froai a spring that is the licai- '' r i "' Its ' 4 1 waters of Annie Creek. On the bank of this stream are a doz en or more fonts, known as Ar ant's Camp where tourists may stop if they like. The road winds around Ihe mountain side and the climb is quite gradual until within a few miles of Ihe top. No part of the road has been dangerous in any way. Pretty soon we came to the last camping place before reaching the top. Wo stopped, washed our faces and hands, watered the horses and Will, Mr. Swan and Mr. White filled a demijohn and buckets with water lo carry up. We had heard there was no water at Ihe top and we wanted to siay all night there. We could hardly wait till wo finished this last climb. Mr. Carleton rested the horses every few minutes as this was the steepest climb of all, 1.000 fect in halt a mile and the other men beat us up in time to make snow balls and give us a show er when we did get up. It was about 5 o'clock and clear and we looked down 2,000 feet to the water as blue as indigo. Oh, it was grand! The rim is flat in some places and not at all sharp or narrow as I had supposed it would be. There are lovely places to camp. We unloaded our junk, fixed a fire, turned the horses loose to graze and went over to the edge lo get another look at the lake before dark. It must MERRILL PIONEERS Mr. and Mrs. William F. Jinnette, right, and their son, Karl, made a trip by wagon to Crater Lake in 1909. They still live on the original homestead north of Morrill and have made the same trip since many times at a faster pace. Both have been active in many organizations in Klamath County. With them here, is their only daughter, Mrs. Frank Merrill of Everett, Wash. Mr. Jinnette, who came to this country in 1908 worked for George H. Carleton for $1.25 per day and Mrs. Jinnette charged 25 cents per meal to men she cooked for. have Iwcn a magnificent 1 d mountain as it towered there be fore the eruption and lo look across that body of water, 15 miles long by 10 miles wide, and 2,000 feet deep and to think of the cause of it all, really did make one feel sHioky. There is a large rock in the lake called "The Phantom Ship" and viewed from a certain place it looks exactly like a sleamcr. Almost in the center of the lake is an island or rather a peak sticking up, thought to have been the top of another moun tain. It is covered with pines and Ihe very top of this lillle peak is missing. They say there is a small lake in it. The reflection of the sunset on the water was beau tiful. It made one think of fai ryland with the pink and yellow cast of the western sky in the cenlcr and the dark blue around thai, and bordered by the em erald green near the edge .where the water is shallow. It was wondorful! It grew very chilly about dark and wc all sat with wraps on around a . 1 rrm f fry ;Vi m THE PHANTOM SHIP This rocky up-thrust in the lake is one of the most talked of features of the lake. roaring campfire till bedtime. The boys made a shelter f o r our beds of a tarpaulin beside the wagon. They (the boys) slept in the open. Friday, Aug. 20 All the grownups were up early to see the sun rise. The sky was rather hazy and the colors were not so prominent as the evening before. Miss Con rey made pancakes for break fast and we also had mush, ba con, eggs, potatoes, butter, jelly and coffee. A number of camp ers were scattered around us. One party from Portland had come to stay all summer. The man of the bunch was to over see the erection of a big hotel to be put up right away (now Crater Lake Lodge). After the hotel is finished they plan to have automobiles make regular trips to meet the boat at the landing on Klamath Lake. At first we couldn't decide about going down to the water. Some of us wanted to go but were afraid to there were reporls of women fainting during t h e climb. Finally we decided to go down in two bunches. Mr. Swan, Will and myself went first. We left the children and the others at camp. We look ropes and sticks and started. The trail in some places is quile steep and rocky and narrow loo. It winds around and round. We crossed several little streams from melting snow. AU around the top in little hollows were piles of snow. We saw lots of beautiful flowers of such del icate colors, blue, pink and red. The only ones 1 recognized were the columbine. We were 35 minutes going down, rested a few minutes and Ihrcw some stones inlo tho wa ter and began the climb out. There were a couple of leaky boats and a disabled launch on Ihe waler but none of us ven tured into Ihcm, neither did we stop to fish. The lake has been stocked with fish and each tourist is en titled to five fish if he catches them. Going up wc met several couples going down. We had to slop every little bit and get our breaths. It certainly did try one's lungs and heart. We were 45 minutes coming up. Will went first and tied the rope around his waist and up over his shoulder and I held to the free end. In the steepest places it was quite a help to me. We relieved the others at camp and Miss Coprcy, Mr. Carlclon, Mr. White went down. While they were gone we packed up o u r r stuff, leaving out a lunch. When they came back we ate and started down for homo about 2. We came down at a break neck speed and made the foot of (he main hill in six minutes. The jockey box broke and its contents were scattered all along. Luckily some young folks came down just behind us and had picked up the hammer, cur; ry comb, and brush. We m e t wagon after wagon going up. Just outside the park limits. Will and Mr. White left us to see if they cou'd get a deer in the mountains as they had been told. They each had a rifle and a little grub and some bedding and struck out to the w e s t. Mr. White is a great big six- footer and Will looked like a lit tle school boy trudging beside him. The Vaughn Camp is a few miles from here and wc jogged on down to wait there for tho hunters. It is warm and clear. Saturday, Aug. 21 Afler breakfast Mrs. Swan and I washed some towels end a few clothes for the children then she and Mr. Swan look lunch and went horseback to a creek a few miles away to fish. Mr. Carleton hitched up to the wagon and we at camp w ent lo Fort Klamath for supplies and to have the horses shod. He left us at the edge of town in a grove. The children had a fine time playing till he came for us. For dinner we had sweet potatoes, steak, stewed peaches, lettuce (we got it from Mrs. Vaughn), bread, butter and lem onade. Afler lunch Mr. Carlc ton and Margaret look a walk. Miss Conrcy put John to sleep and I lay down wilh Karl, John and Karl took naps most ev ery day. Karl had a good time at this camp playing with the Vaughn children. They were larger than he and he got along very well .with them. Miss Conrcy made an apple sauce cake and baked it at Mrs. Vaughn's and we got milk here every day. About 5 Mr, While and Will came in tired, thirsty and hungry. They had run out of water up in tho mountains and had to come down lo camp. They saw plenty of deer tracks but could not find their water ing place and saw no deer. Lat er Mr. and Mrs. Swan came back with a nice lot of fish. Mr. Swan, Miss Conrey and Will did most of the cooking on the trip. Mr. White and Mr. Car leton got water and wood, at- (Continued on 1'agc 2) has the outlines of a ship and
