The Cincinnati daily star. [volume] ([Cincinnati, Ohio]) 1875-1880, 1875-08-06
A CINCINNATIAN in NEW ENGLAND.
speciai Correspondence OF the Star.
PORTLAND, ME-, August ?, 1876

After doing Portland our party made
up their minds to visit Pleasant Noun
tain. Excursion tickets were procured
at the office OF the Portland and OSdens-
burg railroad, by the way of Lake Sc
bago, Sougo river, Bay Of Naples and
Long Lake, leaving about ten miles Of
staging to the mountain.
1t has been but q lew years since
steamboat travel over this chain of beau
tifui lakes and rivers was established,
and yet 1t has become one OF the most
popular routes in New England. Aside
from the charms of the sail over the
lake, the chief attraction is the passage
up the narrow and sinuous Songo river.
This river connects Lake Sebago and
Naples bay, and is said to be the crook
edest river in the world. 1t is not over
sixty feet in width and OF an average
depth of twenty feet. The distance on
straight line, between the lake and the
bay, Is about two miles, yet you travel
by the river about seven miles, making
| twenty-seven turns. The passage up
| the Songo is one of continued delight
| novel, unique, and in some respects ex.
citing, afording a series OF continued
surprises, as the boat turns the sharp
bends, brushing the overhanging limbs.
| Before reaching Naples hay we have to
pass through lock, which eleyates the
steamer to the level of the water OF the
bay.
| Across Naples bay, two miles. we pass
through draw bridge over the chute,
and are admitted to Long lake. Long
lake, as it's name indicates, is long and
narrow-not being over mile wide at
its widest point. After uine miles sail
we take our leave Of the steamer and
qood-looking Capt. Nelse Wales, who
has been very clever in pointing out TO
us the different points of interest on the
route, and take stage at Bridgton for
the mountain, ten miles distant. An
hours ride in q westerly direction brings
us to the foot of Mount Pleasant. From
this point the Mount Pleasant road, re-
I Gently built, winds around romantic
scenery nearly three miles to the sum-
nit, A ride OF about O mile brings us to
the Halfway Station. Here, on a pic
turesuue plateau. intersected by a
mountain stream, stands the newly
built Reception House and stable. From
this point the road winds up through a
forest of intermingling pines, frs,
spruces and hemlocks, naples, beeches
other shrubs, and.a wealth OF terms, un-
tiI we reach the summit-201S feet above
the level Of the sea.
Here is situated the Mount Pleasant
House, the only house on the mountain,
except the Halfway Station, a wooden
structure OF Two stories, and well ar
ranged for the comfort of guests. Con-
Il peeted with the house is billiard hall
and bowling alley. The building is Sc
curely fastened to the rocks by four iron
cables running over it and embedded in
the rocks.
The Mount Pleasant House is owned
and presided over by Mr.. Chas. e. Gibbs,
of Bfidgton, and whose son., Horace
Gibbs, acts as mountain guide, and by
| whose assistance visitors are enabled to
pass pleasant and instructive time.
The view from the summit OF this noun
Lin, it is said, is not surpassed by any
| peak OF the White Mountains, not ex-
| eepting Kearsarge or Mount Washing
| ton.
Moods Pond, Highland Lake, Bridgton
| Centre, North Bridg.on, and South
| Bridgton villages; Long Lake, which re-
sembles some majestic river, and the
Bay of Naples; and the Harrison and
Otisfeld hills, beyond which the distinc.
tive features of the landscape are lost in
i the horizon haze. SouthWard, we be-
hold Saddleback Mountain in Baldwin
Mt. Cutler in Hiram, and Lake Sebago,
the queen of these inland seas, bey yond
=. whicn we may discern Portland and
} catch the silver gleam of the Atlantic
In the west is BroWnield, where is seer
at certain hours OF the day, faint pen
non Of smoke following the whirl OF the
: iron horse through field aud forest; anG
in its range old Ossipee, ON the shores
4. of Winni nipesaukee--thatss ssmost exquisite
t Jewel in the necklace Of New England
: lin the northwest are seen the Saco rivel
! and its lovely valley, Lovewelps Pond
, Ion whose shere occurred LovewelPi
famous Indian fight in 1925, Round ant
} Pleasant Ponds, Kezar Pond ant
River, Jockey Cap, Oak Hill, and Frye
: lburg village; the four-toOthed SUNNI
of Chocorua; and, further north, tht
tall, isolated, oone-snaped Keagsarge
near North ConWay-the view bounde(
in that direction by the White Mountain
3 range, capped by the sharp dome OF Mt
I. Washington. In the northeast are tn
: pretty villages OF Waterford, near Baa
e and Hawk Mountains; and, Norway AM
, Paris Hill may be deserted. Some fit.
D lakes and ponds may be distinctly seei
from the summit by the naked eye, AM
! the view tar surpasses that from Mt
, Washington, being unobstructed b.
, clouds and neighboring mountains, an,
| rich in all the varied characteristics 0
8 the beautiful, the sublime, and the pic
4 turesque.
At the end of a two days. rest ou
: guide accompanied us to the foot of tn
: mountain and procured for us suppl
. OF fishing tackle and instructed us in Ih
t art of trout fishing in one Of the mour
T tain streams, where we captured mum
Der OF the speckled beauties.
: =. S.-Neyer wear your silk hat on
trip to the mountains. I.
= Hair and Character.