Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1879-05-09
pixies Peak from Signal stasios.

inhabited portion OF the gi0oe. ~ Wa
opened In the month OF September,
1873. That II was . wise provision of
the Government in establishing sig-
nal station at this point 10 no longer
questioned, the fact having already
demonstrated its practicability, and the
present success promises that Pixies
Peak Signal Station is yet to stand ct
the head Of all astronomical and me-
neurological stations in the world. This
point is wonderfully favored by nature
for the study Of astronomy and me-
teorology. The rarity Of the atmos-
phere brings ont remarkable bril-.
fancy and clearness to the stars and
all the heavenly bodies. The nights
are most always cloudless, and cloudy
days are the exception. Nine-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 Professor
Loud, OF Colorado College, from OBJ
servations taken at Pixies Peak.
The Signal Station is now under the
charge Of Sergesnts Choate, Blake and
Sweeny. These officers are detailed
from Che army because Of their pecul-
lar adaptability and special qualifica-
tions for the accurate execution Of the
nice duties OF taking astronomical and
meteorological observations. ! To Ser
geant Rufus Choate / am greatly in
debted for the particulars embodied in
this article.
The summit Of Pixies Peak contains
sixty acres. It il II, 1856 feet above the
level of the sea. On the highest point
! Of the summit stands the Signal Station,
rough stone building, "a by 80, one
story in height. It Is divided into
four rooms officers room, kitchen,
store room and wood room. Ard here
and here in this bleak spot, nearly
twenty miles from the habitations Of
man, though three miles nearer the
heavenly regions than most parts Of
New England, these men live the
greater part Of the year. The station
is three miles from the timber line,
where the greater part Of vegetation
ceases. Short grass tufted with deli
cate Alpine flowers struggle for an ex-
istence against the frigidity Of the at
mosphere, and creep toward the noun
tain top but there are hundreds Of
acres of cold gray and reddish rocks
where not o ve1sige of verdure exists.
Like the dwellers Of the Arctic re-
gions the inhabitants of Pixies Peak
have but two easons--summer and
winter. Two months Of summer--Au-
gust and September--and ten long, cold
months Of winter. The summer season
passes quickly. The atmosphere is
congenial the many, visitors at the
Peak enhance its social life with Joy,
wonderment and mirth. During the
summer Of 1873 upwards 300 people,
in parties from i've to thirty, visited
the Peak, among them many ladies.
They Registered from the Jour quarters
Of the globe, and they all expressed sd-
miration and astonishment at the grand
eur and sublimity Of the views as seen
from the Peak. To behold q sunrise
. from tho Peak, il an event Of q lifetime,
and for this purpose visitors often re-
main over night at the station ITO be
ready to catch the 6rst glimpse Of the
sun as il appears above the horizon,
gliding with its bright rays the noun
tains, bills, valley and plains, to the
wonder and delight Of the amazed be.
holder.
The duties OF the officers are various.
Seven observations are taken daily all
storms are closely watched and each
special and distinctive characteristic
duly recorded. Sunrise and sunset de-
mand close attention. Every peculiar
ity Of the heavenly regions il viewed
and record made Of the same, and
monthly reports OF these records are
nant m x<vx ,~ka ID snr &xxr,
The present year has been unusually
prolific in sun-dogs, which are said to
prognosticate ea.sha uakes, subterran-
can explosions. immeGSe fTeshets and
troublous times. A Government office
at Pixies Peak is no sinecure, for the
officer must buffet all storms and brave
all wcathers. Occasionally an electric
storm visits the Peak. There Is but
little thunder accompanying these
storms, bat the mountain SEEMS all ON
FIRE. Sergeant Choats informs me that
when he WAS out observing one OF these
storms IL appeared a. though the whole
mountain top was o. sheet Of electric
fame. IL came ont Of every rock and
darted around with wonderful audacity
1t played around him, and as he ex-
pressed it, shot down his back and
aarted out OF each boot toe, and so com-
pletely filed him with electricity that
he could mot retain his foothold, but
bounded and rebounded from the rocks
like q rubber ball he felt q Enough .
powerful electric battery was pouring
/, hery darts all through him, and deem
Sing /" discretion the better part Of val
0s," he bounded into the Signal Station
for preservation. Sergeant ChoAte was
at the Springs in December. and en-
December 2lst he left for the Peak.
wearing Norwegian snow shoes twelve
feet 10 length. II was . weary task
and dreary trip. The frat night ous
he slept in the snow ON the mountains
side. The second night the mercury,
fell to 20 degrees below zero. He
sought shelter in deserted cabin.
through which the wind whistled tunes
anything but agreeable; here he built
Q small fire, bnt avoided sleep, fearing
the extreme cold might produce the
sleep Of death. The third dag he
reached the station safely.
The summer months are also occu-
pied in preparing for the long winter.
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