The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1873-08-12
THE WHITE MOUNTAINS.
Grand Scenes at High Altitudcs-Giories
of the Great Hills Of Now Hampshire.
To mn on Trru


To THE EDITOR OF THE HERALD:-
NORTH CONWAY, August s, 1873
Why is there so little White Mountain travel this
Summer This is the question oftcnest upon the
lips OF the Summer tourist IN this delightful
region. The question may be variOusly answered,
but without doubt the two controlling causes are
the Boston fire and the European travelling mania
with which so many thousands OF our cOuntrymen
and women have been attacked. AS regards the
first cause, 1t cannot be denied that Boston's
quota Of pleasure seekers among the "White IIills
is wonderfully smaller than for many years past
and it cannot but be attributed to the devastating
fire that snatche 80 much wealth from the pockets
OF her citizens. AS to the European travel it is
also q fact that the number of those who
have either already sailed, or are intending
soon to do so, is greater by thousands than
during any previous year. This fact has
crippled American pleasure travel in marked
degree, END with 1t the pockets of angry hotel
proprietors, whose lips were involuntarily smack
ing at the very thought Of large receipts and heavy
profits. One thing, however, is morally certain
travel through the White Mountains must always
be great, and although for temporary causes 1t
may be less during some years than others, still
the unrivaed attractions Of this locality will
always call together myriads OF those who delight
in the beauties and wonders of nature as here so
strIkingly exhibited. The season at this place
"the Gate OF the White Mountains"-is not yet at
its height, nor will 1t be for several days. Still the
hotels are rapidly flling up, well as the numer
GUS private boarding houses and in week hun
dreds more will have arrived and filed the places
which are SO eagerly awaiting their coming. The
gayetles OF the season also will soon commence.
The proprietors OF the Kearsarge House
propose before long to give grand
masquerade ball, to which the guests OF the hotels
and the guests Of many boarding houses invited,
Then the whrl OF gayety will have fairly COM
menced, and II any perchance come here for other
reasons than those which Nature offers they will
have abundant opportunity to accomplish their
ends AS much as the beauties OF North Conway
have been praised in literature, they can scarcely
be Overestiinated. The mountain views are OF sur.
passing grandeur, the drives reveal new beauties
at every turn, the air is beautiful and nvgoratng,
and the sunsets golden paintings from Natures
ton of O passing moment have accorded more
than Justice to this locality, listen to Starr King
when he says: 1.-THE distinction OF North Conway
is that 1t Is large natural poem in landscape
quotation from Arcadia, or suburb Of Paradise.
And then the sunsets OF North Conway COleridge
asked Mont Blanc II he had "a charm to stay
the morning star In his steep course 1t
Is time for some poet to put the question
der the Saco, by what sorcery they evoke evening
after evening, upon the heavens that watch them,
such lavish and Italian bloom. Nay, 1t Is not
Italian for the basis OF Its beauty Is pure blue and
the skies OF Italy are not nearly 80 blue as those of
New England. one sees more clear sky In light
summer weeks In Conway, probably, than in
the compass OF an Italian year." This tells
but hall the truth. No language can over
rate the bewitchIng glories OF North Conway
sunset, nor be too liberal In according I'M
limited praise to the beauties VI It's noun