The Portland daily press., 1873-07-11

AANos ouly y, 1910
Mr. Editor 1T is not the purpose of this
communication to impose upon your columns one
OF those brilliant letters so often inflicted upon
the public by the excited imagination of some
fertile brain in frantic endeavor to become a
newspaper correspondent. On the other hand,
1t is believed that it is a matter of public inter
est which calls out this correspondence At
tention having been called to the fact that an
excursion over the Portland & Ogdensburg
Railroad to Upper Bartlett by Forest City Tenn
pie of Honor, would be made as soon as the
completion of the road to that point would al
low, the committee from that order, yesterday,
through the courtesy of Superintendent Ham
ilton, made tour of the road for the purpose
of completing arrangements there.
That the committee feel just pride in hav-
ing secured this location for the annual picnic
of the Order, no one will question when little
description of tie route is given.
Leaving Portland at 40 A. M. a ride of three
hours brings one to No Conway. Thousands
have passed over this portion of the road and
as many have attempted description of its va
ried and beautiful scenery. Words upon this
point would indeed be idle; but as few, how
ever, have been privileged to penetrate beyond
this point, word to strangers will not fail of
interest.
Leaving No. Conway the road passes north
OF west down by the famous Bgelow mansion,
directly into the Saeo Valley. And here excuse
us if we become little romantic, for even here
we pause in astonshment at the scene before
u.s. To those acquainted with No. Conway and
its surroundings, description of this vicinity
is unnecessary, but as we pass on ana cross the
Saco River we enter the " Yosemite ealiey OF
the East Here previous ideas and magma
tions seem folly, for at this point artist and
writer have ever paused in establishment at the
grandeur and beauty of the scene before them.
The road strikes directly into the centre OF the
valley, cruelty striking dividing line through
the fertile and beautiful farms that everywhere
are seen. The idea seems almost incredible,
but such is the fact, that for miles scarcely
grade of ten feet in height can be seen ON the
line OF the road across this level tract Of
country.
A ride of twenty minutes from No. Conway
brings one to SO called Upper Bartlett, and here
the scene is indeed complete
On the right rises the mountain on which the
Saco takes its rise; and even here one can al
most stand astride it, but as it winds its serpen-
tine course down the valley it increases in vol
ume and size, fed as it is by the many tribu-
tares from the mountains, at whose very base
it flows.
Prominent among the many mountains which
surround this valley, we recall the names of
Kiarsarge, 10 Seavey, White Spark, Blackville
Parker, Hearts Ledge, Crawford, Lafayette,
White Ledge, CaTigan, White Face Bear and
the Hay Stacks, standing as it were hand in
hand, as if jealous guardians of the scene be-
meath Them Pages cannot better express
ones thoughts than do the lines of Bryant:
1.-THE scene is lovely round: beautiful river there
W anders amid the fresh and fertile meads,
The Paradise He made unto himself.
Mining the soil for ages. On each side
The fields swell upward to the hills; beyond
Above the hills in the blue distance, rise
The mountain columns with which earth props
heaven"
At the very terminus of the road is one of
the most beautiful groves to be seen in all this
ride of seventy miles, Indeed it seems planted
for this very purpose, with superior advantages
for amusements. To the west and within a
stones throw of Fl. N. Jose's site for his new
mill, is a most beautiful tract for the lovers of
the national game. Nothing will be left I'M
done that will add to the pleasure of this excur-
sion, and the only difficulty anticipated is the
capacity of the road, as the fares will be placed
at about one-quarter the regular price.
COMMITTEE.