The Bolivar bulletin. [volume] (Bolivar, Hardeman County, Tenn.) 1865-1888, 1879-04-03
TIE HIGHEST INHABITED POINT.

The Top Of Pike's Peak
The United States Signal Service sta
tion at Pixies Peak is the highest signal
station in the world it is also the highest
inhabited portion of the globe. It was
opened in the month of September, IS73
That it was a wise provision of the gov
ernment in establishing signal station
at this point is no longer questioned. the
facts having already demonstrated its
practicability, and the present success
promises that Pixies Peak Signal station
is yet to stand at the head of all astrono
mical and meteorological stations in the
world. This point is wonderfully favored
by nature for the study of astronomy and
meteorology. The rarity of the atmos-
phere brings out q remarkable brilliaDcy
and clearness to the stars ard all the
heavenly bodies. The nights are almost
always cloudless, and cloudy days are the
| exception. Eine-tenths Of the storms
are below the peak. The best and most
complete report of the last total ECLIPSE
of the sun, received at Washington, was
the report of Prot. Loud, OF Colorado
College, from observations taken at Pixies
Peak.
The signal station is now under charge
of SeTgts. Choate, Blake and Sweeney
because of their peculiar adaptabil ty and
special qualifications for the accurate
execution of the nice duties of taking
astronomical meteorological Observs-
tions. To Sergt, Rufus Choate l am
greatly indebted for the particulars en-
bodied in this article.
The summit of Pixies Peak contains
sixty acres. It is Il $50 feet above the
| level Of the sea. On the highest point
of the summit stands the signal station
a rough stone building, twentyefOur by
| thirty, one story in height. II is divided
| into tour roOms-ofhceTs' room. kitchen,
store-roOm and wood room. And here in
this blesk spot, nearly twenty miles from
/ the habitatiOn of man, these men live
the larger part of the year. The station
is three miles from the timber line, where
| the or ater part OF vegetation ceases
Short grass, tufted with delicate Alpine
| flowers, struggle for an existence against
/ the frigidity OF the atmosphere, and
cTeeps toward the mountain top; but
| there are hundreds of acres of cold gray
rocks where not vestige OF verduTe ex
lists.
Like the dweilers of the Artic regions,
| the inhabitants of Pixies Peak have but
| two seasOns-summer and winter. Two
| months of summer-August and Sep
tember--and ten long, cold months Of
winter. The summer season pssses
quickly. The atmosphere is congenisl /;
/ the many visitors at the peak enhance
| its social life with joy, wonderment and
mirth. During the summer OF 1873, up
ward of nine hundred people, in parties
of from five TO thirty, visited the peak,
among them many ladies. They regis
tered from the four quarters of the globe,
and they all expressed admiration and
astonishment at the grandeur snd SUD
Unity of the wonderful views ss seen
from the peak To behold sunrise from
the peak is an event of a Ii etime, and
tor this purpose visitors often remain over
night at the station, to be ready TO catch
the first glimpse of the sun as 1t appear
above the horizon, gliding with Its bright
rays the mountains, hills, valleys and
plains, to the wonder and delight Of the
amazed behOldeTs.
The duties of the officers are variou&
Seven observations are taken daily; all
storms are closely watched and esch
special and distinctive characteristic
duly recorded. Sunrise and sunset de-
mand close attention. Every peeuliarity
Of the heavenly regions is viewed d g
record made of the same /; monthly re-
ports are made Of these and sent to head
| QudEISlS at w ESllhs Aous AnD plCSC@-
year has been unusually prolific in sun
dogs, which are said to pTOgnosticate
earthquakes, and subteEranean explo-
sions, immense freshets, aud troublou7
times. A government Office at Pike g
Peak is no sinecure, for the CfhceT must
buffet all storms and brave all weathers-
Sergeant Choate was at the springs IN De-
cember, and on December 81 he lett ior
the Peak, wearing Norwegian snow
shoes twelve feet IN length.
The summer months are algO occupied
in preparing for the long siege Of winter.
During the months Of August and Sep
tembsr upwards of 5000 pounds OF the
usual variety OF family stores, and about
20 cords OF fire wood, are snugly slowed
away. These are all carried to the Peak
in small quantities, on the back Of the
poor, despised burTo, whose head has the
appearance OF being incased in clotn, and
whose ears are nearly the length OF his
legs, and who walks at the pace of g snaii
and very slo snail at that.