The Elk County advocate. [volume] (Ridgway, Pa.) 1868-1883, 1879-03-13
PIXIES PEAK SIGNAL STATION.
Wonders Of the Highest Inhabited Portion
of the (aIohe.

a Solorado correspondent OF the B0s-
ton Journal writes as follows: The
United States signal station 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, 1873. That it
was wise provision of the government
in establishing a signal station at this
point is no longer questioned, the facts
having already demonstrated its practi-
cability, and the present success prom
ises that Pixies peak signal station is
yet to stand at the head of all astronom-
lcal and meteorological stations in the
world. This point is wonderfully favor
ed by nature for the study of astronomy
and meteorology. The rarity of the at
mosphere brings out remarkable bril-
liancy 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 ut
Washington was the report of Professor
Loud. of Colorado college, from obser-
vations taken at Pixies peak.
The signal station is now under the
charge of Sergeants Ohoate, Blake and
Sweeney. These officers are detailed
from the army because of their peculiar
adaptability and special qualifications
for the accurate execution of the nice
duties of taking astronomical and me
neurological observations. To Sergeant
Rufus Choate am greatly indebted for
the particulars embodied in this article,
The summit of Pixies peak contains
sixty acres. 1t is Ii, 1886 feet above the
level of the sea. On the highest point
stands the signal station, rough stone
building twenty-four by thirty, one
story in height. 1t is divided into four
rooms-officers' room, kitchen, store l..
room and woodroom. 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 larger part of the year. The station
is thr ee miles from the timber line.
where the greater part of vegetation
ceases. Short grass tufted with delicate
Alpine flowers struggle for an existence
against the frigidity of the atmosphere
and creep toward the mountain top; but
there are hundreds of acres of cold gray
and reddish rocks where not a vestige of
verdure exists.
Like the dwellers of the Arctic regions,
the inhabitants of Pixies peak have but
two seasons summer and winter. Two
months of fsummer-August and Septem-
ber-and ten, long cold months of win
ter. The summer season passes quick.
ly. The atmosphere is congenial; the
many visitors at the peak enhance it's
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
establishment at the grandeur and sub
Unity of the wonderful views as seen
from the peak. To behold sunrise
from the peak is an event of lifetime.
and for this purpose visitors often re-
main over night at the station to be
ready to catch the arst glimpse of the
sun as 1t appears above the horizon,
gliding with its bright rays the noun.
tains, hills, valleys and plains, to the
wonder and delight of the amazed be-
holder.
The duties of the off GERS 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
ty of the heavenly regions is viewed and
a record made of the same, and monthly
reports of these records are sent to
headquarters at Washington. The
present year has been unusually prolific
in sun-dogs, which are said to prognos-
ticate earthquakes, subterranean explo-
slons, immense freshets and troublous
times. A government Office at Pixies
peak is no sinecure, for the officer must
! buffet all storms and brave all weathers.
Occasionally an electric storm visits the
peak. There is but little thunder ac-
companying these storms, but the
mountain seems all on fire. Sergeant
Choate informs me that when he was
out observing one of these storms it ap-
peared as though the whole mountain
top was sheet of electric fame. 1t
came out of every rock and darted
around with wonderful audacity. II
played around him, and, as he expressed
it, shot down his back and darted out OF
each boot.toe. and so completely filled
him with electricity that he could not
retain his foothold, but bounded and
rebounded from the rock like rubber
ball; he felt as though powerful
electric battery was pouring fiery darts
all through him, and deeming "discre-
tion the better part of valor," he bound
ed into the signal station for preserva-
tion. Sergeant Choate was at the spring.
in December, and on December 81 he
left for the peak, wearing Norwegian
snowshoes twelve feet in length. II
was weary task and dreary trip. The
first night out he slept in the snow on
the mountains side. The second night
the mercury fell to twenty degrees be.
low zero. He sought shelter in desert.
ed cabin, through which the wind whis
tied tunes anything but agreeable; here
he built small fire, but avoided sleep
fearing the extreme cold might produce
the sleep of death. The third day he
reached the station safely.
The summer months are also occu
pied in preparing for the long siege oi
winter. During the months of August
and September upward of 5000 pounds
of the usual variety of family stores and
about twenty-five cords of frewood are
snugly slowed away. These are all car
ried to the peak in small quantities OIL
the back sof the poor, despised burro
whose head has the appearance of beino
encased in cloth and whose ears are
nearly the length of his legs, and who
walks at the pace of snail, and a very
slow snail at that.