Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1874-04-28
The State Line Survey.

| On Friday, April 18th, we met Albion
p. Gordon, Esq, of Fryeburg, our Coun.
ty Commissioner. coming out of the
woods. from survey OF tho State line
between Maine and New Hampshire.
The party went in the 1st of April, and got
as Ear as Gilead, when they concluded to
suspend operations till warmer weather.
The following account ol their doings
was furnished the Farmiagioa Chronicle
by one OF the party
Our party met at No. STAFFORD, n. H.,
March S0th. and consisted Of six persons,
three each from Maine and New lamp.
shiro-A. Z. Gordon. Esq, Of Frycburg,
surveyor for Maine, with w. X. Hobbs
of Fryeburg, and a. d. Russell, Weld,
rs his assistants Prof. j. II. Huntington
of Hanover, surveyor Tor New lamp
sphire with J. +. Woodbury. of Frances
town, and Pat Sullivan of Hanover, as
his assistants. We went by stage up the
Connecticut river valley to Connecticut
| Lake distance OF SO miles, through a
very fine farming region. On the Con-
ncciicut river and its branches there has
been cut and landed on their banks over
100000 leel OF lumber The past winter.
Next morning beheld US equipped for a
tramp in the woods. We all wore snow
shoes. and our provisions. blankets, axes.
and the rest OF our traps loaded upon Il
sled. Four OF US make string team"
to haul il, while the two surveyors 60
ahead 10 mark out the way. After travel
ling five miles we stopped for dinner.
Our provisions consist OF hard tack, com.
pressed beet, coffee. tea, sugar and con.
dcnScd milk. A fire was built on the
snow. tea made, we ate as best We could.
We travelled about four miles in the al-
tcrnoou, and then made preparations Tor
camping Tor the night. We found four
feet of snow on level in The woods. so
/, was useless 10 think of clearing OF the
snow TO The ground. and We spread our
tent. broke fir boughs TO lay on the snow,
built biz fire, took our supper, and all
but enc, whose business ii was to tend
lire, rolled ourselves in our blankets TO
sleep-perchancc to drcam-but the fact
was the Gre smoked awiully, and there
was bu, little sleep for the weary that
night.
The forest trees consist Of yellow and
white birch. spruce and lir.-very tall
and straight The mountains are ns
heavily ,imbcredns the valleys, and we
travel FOR miles without finding an open.
Ing large enough to sec out. Il is about
- miles from Connecticut Lake to the
corner between Maine and New IIamp
shire. which is marked by an iron post
set up in A. d. 1912 by the boundary sur,
vcy Of the year.
We experienced a severe snow storm
while in the woods. and in it VIC lost our
way, owing to 4 mistake of the guide.
Lost in the Wilderness for ,hrco days !;
thermometer below zero; and s,oiming
most Of tic time. Ono OF these cold
nights Prof Huntington and your cor.
responder, had TIC misfortune TO freeze
their feet badly. How was lhs for
April? We were obliged to leave our
sled and take our load upon our backs.
We crossed = stream and concluded 10
follow it, rs the surest plan to ii d our
way out. Travelling on snowshoes.
with frozen feet, has but very little
pleasure in ii, but had to DC done, and
eventually we came back into the old
tracks VIC made in going toward the
line.
IL being necessary TO have some more
supplies. four OF our party came out 10
The settlement TO procure them, and re-
TUNED 10 the woods Your correspond.
en;, feeling that discretion was the bet
Ter part o. ya!or," concluded not to 90
back until he WAS able TO travel, 50 he
got leave OF absence.
The survey will be made rs far as the
loot of Umbagog Lake on the crust. and
then leit TO be finished in tOdrmer lCedttcr.
II has been little rough. but on the
whole we had good time. Oar pat.
10y his jokes, kept US happy and wide
awake. More 10y aud by, it there is any
thing Of interest.
Sorcly yours, Il.