The first store erected in Glenbrook was placed on piles over the water.  This was built in 1874, by J.A.  Rigby and A. Childers.  One morning the latter partner disappeared, and it was surmised that he had fallen into the water and was drowned.  New partners were taken into the firm, but in January, 1877, the store was burned, and it was not re-erected on its original site.

When the lumber interests and the railway were removed Glenbrook declined, until it was the most deserted looking place possible.  Then the sons of Mr. Bliss, one of whom was born there, cleared away all the evidences of its former lumbering activities, built a handsome and commodious modern hotel on the most scenic point, and re-established the place as a choice resort on the Nevada shore, as described elsewhere.

Incline.  It will be a source of interest, even to many who know Lake Tahoe well, that there used to be a town named Incline on its shores.  In the curve of Crystal Bay, a few miles from where the scars show where the water escaped from Marlette Lake flume, this town was located in 1882.  It was the source of supplies for the lumbering interests of the Sierra Nevada Wood and Lumber Company, and received its name from a sixteen-hundred feet incline up which lumber was hauled.  The incline was operated by an endless cable, somewhat after the style of Mount Lowe, in Southern California, the car on one side going up, and on the other coming down one trip, and vice versa the next.  The lumber thus raised was thrown into the flume, carried therein around to Lake View, on the line of the Virginia and Truckee railway, there loaded on cars and shipped to Carson and Virginia, largely for use in the mines.

When the logging interests were active the place had quite a population, had its own post-office and was an election precinct.  When the logging interests waned the town declined, and in 1898 the post office was discontinued.  Now nothing remains but the old incline, grown up with weeds and chaparral.  New towns are springing up at Al Tahoe, Lakeside and Carnelian Bay which will soon demand a revision of this chapter.

[Illustration:  Lake Tahoe from Tahoe Tavern]

[Illustration:  Steamer Tahoe Rounding Rubicon Point, Lake Tahoe]

[Illustration:  McKinney’s and Moana Villa, With Rubicon Peaks in the Distance, Lake Tahoe]

[Illustration:  Steamer Landing, McKinney’s, Lake Tahoe]

CHAPTER XVIII

BY STEAMER AROUND LAKE TAHOE

The ride around Lake Tahoe is one of varied delights, as the visitor sees not only the Lake itself from every possible angle, but gains an ever shifting panorama of country, and, more remarkable than all, he rides directly over that wonderful kaleidoscope of changing color that is a never-ceasing surprise and enchantment.

Tahoe Tavern is the starting point of the ride, the train conveying the passenger directly to the wharf from which he takes the steamer.  Capt.  Pomin is in control.