Rutland weekly herald. [volume] (Rutland, Vt.) 1859-1877, 1871-12-21
Prof Hitchcock,s Losture.

College, delivered his lecture, illustrstsd
with views, on life on Mt. Washington II
Winter. TO large audience at the Opers
House. last evening.
He said that the question was asked BY
nearly every one. why the expedition wst
made to the White Mountains, and the
winter of 1901 passed there. He would
answer that there were four controlling
reasons for this.
First. To obt+iu and record accurate
meteorological observations. of the tenn.
perature. barometric changes, the wind,
rain, snow, etc. The physical character
OF the mountain was peculiar, and a
correct knowledge of it would contribute
to the cause of scieuce and aid in foretell.
ing the state of the weather. 1t was the
highest mountain In New England, and
upon 1t were to be found arctic animals
and vegetation. Tts climate was that of
70 degrees north l.titude, being some 80
degrees colder than its actual latitude,
which was something more than 44O
north. 1t was easy of access by railroad
and telegraph. Seven observations were
taken each day-three each for the Smith
soni4n Institute and the Signal Service.
ana one for the associated prees The
observations on an arctic temperature
being sent to the press every night, could
be compared by the readers the next
morning with their own climate. while
they would have to wait raoptbs.and even
years, for similar results from polar expo
ditions.
Second. Another important object was
to obtain photographic views of the
2louds and of froet views. These must
be taken in-tantaneeusly, and of course
on the spot
Third It ia not to be denied that all the
members were, more or lesa, actuated by
a d'sire for adventure and excitement.
This feeling was stimulated by the war
nings received by those living about To Q
mountains. They told us wo wo.o,d
freeza, would starve, whe-s the wind blew
we would RIM down che mountain. etc.
This. instead of de;,erring, only stimula.
It'd the enterpri e.
Fourh Snrsn of the parties we're n--
tlVe7 OF Few Hampshire. or her adopted
so0s' md they naturally desired to bring
her monntains into prominence, and at
tract tourists to the State.
II is undoubtedly the opinion of the
public that AL Of t4ese otjaots have been
accomplished. The reports Of the meteoro-
logical o'serVa" ons have been fnll, and
have proved of great advantage in. com.
p''inR me W. Athpr repert and predicting
"prohaN'lit" -" The Signal SerVica. "a a
result ~ IL expedition. have now their
obs"rV1rS stationed on the White Noun
tAi"S, ~ ID propose TO establish stations on
all thu prominent mountains OF the CONN
try. including the Green Mountains. The
su"cesS of the photographers was also
molste.
The love Of adventure was gratified IN
thrilling adventures narrow escapes from
de.th ascending peaks, considered mac
oessihle in summer; the diseov. ry If new
ravines, many of them Of great depth, eto.
1t had also succeeded in attracting q
large number of tourists to the State.
Toere we're two thousand more persons
carried over the White Mountain Rail-
TO ID during the last seasou than during
any previous one. and NIL tue nu,-'s 'ef
the same story Of increased travel and q
larger number of visitors.
The expedition WAS composed of the
spe .ker. who had his office in Hanover.
N Fl but was connected with the sum
NIT nv telegraph, and wto occasionally
visited the mountain ; J. Fl. Huntington.
in charge Of the observatory on Mount
Washington s A. N-lson. observer; A.
IF. Clouun and Fl. A. Kimball, photograph
ere, and Sergeant TIL. odore Smith. U. s.
A., observer and telegrspher. The party
were making arrangements, fixing the
depot on the summit (which they used for
their residenot) laying the telegraph, etc /,
aud finally everything being In reHdi-
ness they sent their first telegram Decem-
Der 18th.
The most common question asked is
how cold was it The average tempers-
ture, during the stay of The party, was z
degrees above zero, being ten degrees
colder than that of Montreal and thirteen
tn an that of Hanover, which is probably
4 bout the same as that of Rutland.
The oldest weather commenced Febru-
arv 2nd and lasted four days. 1t came
suddenly. the telegraph wire snapped, bnt
it was supposed to h2vs been caused by
the wind. The depression OF the oarom'
eter bad been noticed, bat no apprehen-
sion OF a serious wind WAS felt, at Least
not till the next morning but it came IN
an instant, with the velocity of sixty and
ninety miles an hour. On Thursday the
thermometer was twenty-five degrees be-
low zero, Saturday, at one p. m, thirty
one, below, and at nine p. M, and for
eight hours afterwards at forty below,
with the WHO'D blowing at the rate of sew
enty and one hundred miles an hour.
The wind, as is we'll understood, makes
the cold more severe, and the party be-
lieva that the explorers of the Arctic re-
sious never suffered "a intense cold, they
being free of wind, notwithstanding the
thermometer has been lower. The mois-
turs from the body froze on the clothes,
pork was cut with saw, and in order to
obtain piece of butter a hammer and
cold ohisel were used. Although this in
tense cold prevailed outside, yet within
the house il was warm and comfortable.
Observations were taken att q. m, 2.
8, 7,9, and 10 p. m. Thoss at z a. NJ.
and at and 10 p. m. being telegrapbed
at once to Washington, while those at
.. IA. were for the Associated Press.
The Professor then, with an assistant,
by the aid OF stereoptoon presented
,4.,a.ol alma Of Tor liz, ax,d ano.~n ~.