Fayetteville observer. [volume] (Fayetteville, Tenn.) 1850-1966, 1871-12-21
MOUNT WASHINGTON IN WINTER.
BY MRS. HELEN NJ. MITCHELL.


the North Pole for an Arctic eli.
mate if he is willing to climb
Mount Washington. Not only
will he enjoy the luxury of a tenn
perature there that occasionally
sinks to f rty or fifty degrees be-
low zero, but can listen to winds
that blow at the rate OF ninety
ana one hundred miles an hour,
if he is fortunate enough to en-
counter a storm. At least such
is the testimony of the saca@ts
who wintered on the summit of
this peak last year. They lave
recently given, their experience to
the word in book form, all the
party contributing thereto, and
the work is full OF interest, both
scientific and otherwise.
The expedition consisted of
Prot. Hitchcock, state geologist
ct New Hampshire, ], II Hunt.
ington, s; A Nelson, Theodore
Smith, observer aud teIegripbeI
for the Signal service, aud the
photographers, A. f. Clough and
II. A. Klmball, 1t was organized
( for the purpose of STUDYING at
mospheric phenomena at an alti.
tude of 6,293 feet above tue level
OF the sea, and thereby aiding
something to cur knowledge Of
meteorology. For, though Mount
Washington is in New Hampshire,
the climate at its summit is that
of the Arctic zone, or aboLt.seven.
ty degrees of north la itude, and
this, combined with its elevation,
makes it a very important station
for weather reports
The party, finding themselves
unable to secure either the Tip, top
or Summit houses for occupancy,
fitted up room in the newly-erect-
ed depot of the Mount Washing
ton railway. 1t was about twen-
ty feet long, eleven feet wide, and
eight feet high. Over the original
floor of thick planks sheating pa.
per was laid, then close fitting
boards aud two more thicknesses
Of sheating paper, then 4 layer
OF carpet-lining, and lastly THE
carpet itself, warm and heavy
The walls were covered with tar
red paper, then with boards, then
Sheathing- paper, and over idr this
wallpaper. Strips OF board were
fastened for projection over the
two haH windows, and the outside
door was a little aperture two feet
square and nearly that distance
| from the floor. The structure was
/ fastened down to the rocks by
! three iron chains passing over the
roof, and the walls. strengthened
i,in every possible way by bolts,
iron rods and, wooden braces. :
tBut in spite of all these precau-
| tionst the house rocked and shook
before q violent ,yind-storm5 likea
ship IN a gale, aud the gusts out.
side sounded to those within like
waves dashiiig against d rocky
barrier. ,-.,.,,... ...y..
The one room occupied by these
"dwellers 5ot the clouds" was cde.
voted to manifold uses. 3 Not only
, did they cook, eat aud s.e4p there,
bat made of it also a parlor. study,
library, observatory and telegraph
office A cofee-mill jutted out
from the bookcase, near by stood
a rocking chair, and in close,prox'
unity to the bedstead with its over.
hanging bunk, was battery, tel.
egraph instrument, etc. There
were plenty Of shelves, and pegs,
and nails, for holding and hang
ing up all sorts of miscellaneous
articles. But the most valued of
their possessions were two stoves
one for cooking and the other pos
sessing marvellous heating prop
critics. By the aid of these they
were able to keep the temperature
OF the room Up to sixty degrees
most of the time, and in no in
stance did it sink below thirty-fve
!, But this was only done in the Sc.
we're. weather by shovelling il
coal until the stoves were at d reG
heat. @
The account of their house
keeping, as furnished by Mr.. Mel
son, Is exceedingly amusing
Their fare resembled that of sol
diers, and consisted, for the mos
part, of coffee, hard tack and
canned beef, though this was va
ried occasionally by ''eatables'
sent them from below. The day
when they had roast lamb or .tur
kew for dinner, however, wer
looked upon as eventful epochs
J. \ soletimes that tn
1t happene.. rrts- .smorning
IRE wouldn't go in ta.
anq they had. TO cat a cod bres,