\ (Ou;l>-^u:.- ^iXx^Sj^K^'. ^' -'':SiS!*&»*:,w"J:K!; THE STORY or OUNT ILOWE ^7 iMO PROF. THADDEUS S. C. LOWE. Eminent scientist and inventor, for whom Mt. Lowe was named. Builder of Mt. Lowe Railway. ©oi.;;4949;j7 MAV -/ i^lB Copyrighted Nineteen Eighteen Pacific Electric Railway C^imnnny V^^'^J \ THE STORY of MOUNT LOWE MOUNT LOWE is the best known and most acces- sible peak of the Sierra Madre range of Southern CaHfornia, and is famous for the ease of its ascent and the extent and beauty of the panorama which is spread before the traveler from its summit. That its appeal is a wide one is shown by the fact that it is visited by more tourists than even the far-famed Yosemite Valley. The Sierra Aladres are a continuation of the Coast Range, and lie betw-een the fertile San Gabriel Valley wath its flowers and orange groves, and the barren wastes of the Mojave Desert. The name signifies "Mother Mountains," and was bestowed by the Francis- can Fathers who established in this valley the Mission of San Gabriel in 1771, and ten years later founded the "Pueblo of Our Lady of the Angels," which has since grown into the City of Los Angeles, the metropolis of the southwest. Mt. Lowe was named in 1892 for Professor Thaddeus S. C. Lowe of Pasadena, a scientist of note, wdio invented the military balloon and thereby played a prominent part in the Civil War. Other inventions by Professor Lowe were numerous and important, including the first artifi- cial ice machine in the United States and a process for making water-gas which saved its owners many millions of dollars. The Mount Low^e Railway, including the famous Incline, w^as projected and built by Professor Lowe, and was regarded by him as the crowning achievement of his career. It was opened to the i)ublic on July 4th, 1893, .^ o^ics^ :%*'-»- * ^ /i^ and has operated continuously since that date without an accident — a most remarkable record. Soon afterward he built the Lowe Observatory on Echo Mountain, and Ye Alpine Tavern at the termi- nus of the railway. He also erected the Echo Mountain House, at the top of the Incline, which was destroyed by fire in 1900. Professor Lowe died in Pasadena, January 16th, 1913, at the age of eighty. W The Mount Lowe Trip The Mount Lowe trip, one of the famous tourist trips of the world, starts from the INIain Street Station of the Pacific Electric Railway, in Los Angeles, and the route lies through the industrial section of the city, and then through the aristocratic residence dis- tricts of Oneonta Park and Oak Knoll and the beautiful City of Pasadena, with its busy streets, attractive homes and great tourist hotels. Passing through the center of Pasadena, the car climbs to Altadena, the abode of millionaires, and on across the poppy fields to Rubio Canyon, where the grade suddenly becomes steeper, the sur- roundings wild and rugged and the first stage of the journey suddenly ends at the foot of the great Incline. A ])leasant side trip from this point is to follow the shady, wind- ing trail up the canyon, which is a favorite resort for picnic parties. The Great Incline The great Incline, perhaps the most striking feature of the Mount Lowe trip, is three thousand feet long and makes a direct ascent of thirteen hundred feet, the maximum grade being sixty-two per cent. The steel hoisting cable has a tested capacity of one hundred tons, but is never loaded beyond five tons, while an auxiliary safety qable, with automatic clutches, puts the risk of accident be- yond the range of possibility. At Rubio the traveler is completely shut in by high mountains, but as the car slowly ascends the view unfolds in ever widening vistas. r 1 Echo Mountain Echo Mountain, at the top of the Incline, is thirty-five hundred feet above sea level, and commands a most extended view, the San Gabriel Valley being spread out like a checker-board at the feet of the traveler. Here is located the ingenious machinery of the Incline, a searchlight of three million candle power, and the Lowe Observa- tory, which is probably the only astronomical observatory in the world that is maintained solely for public use. This Observatory is under the direction of Professor Edgar Lucien Larkin, the well known astronomer, who gives free popular .'S '• - - -^^' THE GREAT INCLINE Maximum grade sixty-two per cent. Operated for twenty-five years without an accident. i!:d:-t) lectures on Saturday, Sunday and holiday evenings and affords all visitors an opportunity to look through the great telescope. On these V evenings the searchlight is also exhibited, and the railv^^ay schedule •-,/ is so arranged that visitors may either "return to Los Angeles the *M same evening or spend the night at Ye Al])ine Tavern. The Observa- "' tory is also available on other evenings, by special arrangement, for the free use of private parties, schools, etc. Climbing to Cloudland From Echo Mountain to Alpine the journey is made in an obser- vation car, through scenes of increasing grandeur and never-ending- delight. The distance is five miles, with an ascent of fifteen hundred feet, and a maximum grade of nine per cent. For the greater part of the way the roadbed is cut out of solid granite, and even the most timid traveler is impressed with the solidity of construction and absolute safety of operation. In this wonderful five miles there are eighteen bridges and one hundred and twenty-seven curves, the long- est piece of straight track being two hundred and twenty-five feet. There are places where, as the road winds and doubles back and forth up the mountain, one can look down ui)on five different lines of rails, which prompted the witticism of Senator Depew some years ago that "it was not astonishing the road did not pay, when there was so much competition." Objects of special interest along the way — some of them famous throughout the world^are Las Flores Canyon (the Valley of Flowers), Cape of Good Hope, Grave of Owen Brown, son of John Brown of Ossawattomi, the Dawn Gold Mine, Devil's Slide, Horse- shoe Curve, Live Oak Forest, Circular Bridge, Sunset Point, Granite (}ate and Grand Canyon, at the head of which the car comes to rest before the door of Ye Alpine Tavern. Ml Lowe Resort Mt. Lowe Resort — Ye Alpine Tavern and Cottages — nestling among the giant spruce, cedars and oaks five thousand feet above the sea, is the terminus of the railway and a most charming stopping place, whether for a delicious luncheon, a day's sojourn or a month's rest. The Tavern is a picturesque inn in Swiss chalet style, with shady verandas, huge fireplace, attractive dining room and cosy guest chambers ; while the cottages — of which there are more than forty — are arranged either with hotel service or housekeeping facilities. The Resort extends a most tempting invitation to the wayfarer, and for- tunate indeed is he who can remain and }'ield to its spell. For him, after the crowd has gone, the squirrels will come down from their J?.;L •* . «^^ z ' r- L LOWE OBSERVATORY Edgar Lucien Larkin, Director. Open free to the public on Saturday, Sunday and holiday evenings. m irt- INCLINE CAR This unique car is arranged so as to always keep passengers "right side up." y» /* i, , . .---^aiAi. r ■^. ■■....■■ aK;5^»K€ ',V K I '41 i leafy homes and beg for nuts from his hand, the twiHght will disclose new beauties in the shadowy forest and the sunset will fling its ban- ners of red and gold across the sky. At his leisure he may explore the trails to nearby points of interest — Inspiration Point, Easter Rock, Sunset Point and many others — or take long tramps into the back ranges of the mountains, including the six-mile trip to Mt. Wilson, which passes through some of the finest scenery to be found anywhere. Inspiration Point Inspiration Point is only a half-mile from the Tavern, and com- mands a view second only to that from the summit itself. The scene at night is particularly wonderful, the lights of Los Angeles, Pasadena and many other cities being spread like diamonds upon a background of black velvet, while in the morning one may frequently look down upon clouds shining like fields of snow. Near by is Easter Rock, the annual scene of one of the Easter sunrise services for which California is famous. To the Summit The final stage of the Mt. Lowe trip is from Ye Alpine Tavern to the summit, a distance of two and one-half miles by an easy trail, and is made either on foot or horseback as the traveler may prefer. The animals provided are perfectly safe and are in charge of a competent guide. The trail leads up one side of the mountain and down another and discloses new beauties at every turn, while from the summit is unfolded a wonderful panorama of mountains, canyons, valleys, cities and limitless ocean. Stretching far away to the northern and eastern horizon may be seen range upon range of rugged mountains, their peaks often capped with snow, while to the south stretches the fertile San Gabriel Valley with its orange and lemon groves and its picturesque cities and towns buried in roses. Comparatively near at hand is the beautiful city of Pasadena, and farther off lies Los Angeles, with its tall build- ings and wddely spreading suburbs. Farther stiir are the shores of the Pacific, with their succession of thriving beach resorts. Far out on the blue waters, sixty miles distant, is the "Magic Isle" of Santa Catalina, while on especially clear days may be seen the dim outlines of San Clemente and San Nicholas, more than a hundred miles away. Standing on the summit of Mt. Lowe, with such a beautiful world spread out at his feet, the traveler gains a new conception of the handiwork of God and man as here exemplified, and is also in a position to endorse the advice of the old-timer w'ho said: ."The best way to see Southern California is first to go up on Mt. Lowe and look at it all at once !" •^x* ^ 'f*^.^^' m GRANITE GATE Hewn out of the solid rock. An imposing portal to the glories beyond. ■^v A BIRD'S EYE VIEW Sometimes you find yourself above the clouds, amid ever-changing scenes of beauty and mystery. CIRCULAR BRIDGE Famous the world over. One of the remarkable engineering feats of the Mt T " '-""ilway. -iMniniHnBMHHi ^^L ON THE ROAD TO ALPINE An interesting feature of Mt. Lowe is the great variety and beauty of the forest trees. .^e CLIMBING TO CLOUDLAND Every curve discloses new beauties and an ever- widening horizon. YE ALPINE TAVERN Situated at the terminus of the railway a mile above the sea. Bif fe^^^ HCij5»«k* FIREPLACE. YE ALPINE TAVERN Where huge logs blaze cheerily on cool days, and big arm chairs await the tired traveler. DINING ROOM, YE ALPINE TAVERN Far famed for its delicious viands and immaculate service. i JR- m « ■^. "THE BUNGALOW One of the most recent and luxurious additions to Mt. Lowe Resort. ^m^... HOUSEKEEPING COTTAGES 1 a suggestion of camp life, but i^i' comforts and conveniences. THE SUNSET TRAIL One of the many alluring walks that tempt the Mt. Lowe visitor. s'^^n^ r^^-z 4^fS?5 YE ALPINE TENNIS COURT A standard size cement court in such setting is a rare combination. SNOW ON MOUNT LOWE A scene like this within an hour's ride of orange blossoms is hard to find outside of California. ^ ^r r^mmm^^}^.,^ 4 '^<. >; if Hi ^' ON THE WAY TO THE SUMMIT An easy trail leads from Alpine Tavern to the summit of Mt. Lowe, eleven hundred feet above. liiS^::^ t ■K « K^^^^Vt^P"-^ .m ^ l?lP^7i^H B9-i^ ^^1 ^ 1. "On with the dance!" 2. The Billiard Room. 3. The Lights of the Valley. 4. An Alpine Guest Room. 5- "Ye Alpine Shoppe.' 6. Easter Rock. 7. A Cottage Kitchen. 8. The Chef's Domain. f C" i V