Ellsworth American. [volume] (Ellsworth, Me.) 1855-current, 1895-03-21
FOR A STATE PARK.
A Suggestion to Set Apart Mt.
katahdin

katahdin.
A most commendable movement is on
foot to set apart Mt. ktaadn and vicinity
for State park. 1t is plan which every
lover of nature and of his country will
heartily approve. This grand mountain
named Ktaadn by the Penobscot Indians,
but sometimes spelled Katahdin-occu-
pies the geographical centre of Maine.
Although not as lofty as Mt. Washing
ton, a hundred and eighty miles to tie
southwest, it yet has the appearance Of
being larger and grander mountain for
Mt. Washington is but single peak IN
the midst of other mountains; whereas
ktaadn stands alone, an enormous
granite upheaval, rising abruptly to
height of 5000 feet from a base of com
paratively small elevation above the sea
level.
The impression given the beholder by
Ktaadn is that of vast, ponderous bulk
The summit, indeed is a plateau, or
table land, four miles in length by a mile
in width, diversified by minor peaks.
Not even among the White Mountains,
and nowhere east of the Rockies and the
Sierras, is there scenery comparable with
that i'll the Gulf, the Gorge, and at the
Great Slide of ktaadn.
The outlook from the table-land, north
south, east and west, EN- braces the entire
lake region of Maine, and for sylvan
beauty and extent Is far superior to that
from the summit of Mt. Washington, or
any other of the White Mountain group
Who, of all the hundreds Of tourists and
sportsmen who annually visit the Maine
woods, can ever forget the rugged, wild
scenery of he West branch, and the camps
at "Avol, ""Debsconeag," "Pokwokamus'
and "Sourdnahunk," or yet the dark
ma II nf ktaa6n from
of the Togue ponds at the southeast foot
of the mountain! 1T was here that the
pen of Thoreau found a fitting subject
for all his writings.
1t now becomes a question for prompt
decision whether this region shall be de-
vastated by lumbermen, fires and squatter
population; for a railroad has recently
been constructed along its immediate
southern border, and already steam saw
mills and other enginery of forest de-
structlon are gnaW1ng into 1t. 1t Is very
desirable that a tract 30 miles square, OF
which Mt. ktaadn is the center, shall be
acquired by purchase and become State
park. This tract should include the val
ley of the West Branch, along the Milf
nocket and the Pamedumcook lakes on
the south; the Chesuncook and Caribou
lakes on the west the Sourdnahunk
mountain and lake on the north; and
extend eastward to the east branch of
the Penobscot river-in round numbers,
562, 900 acres.
1t is certain that such a park would be-
come as years pass, not only State play
ground, but q national attraction, visited
by hundreds and thousands of tourists
annually, whose coming and sojourn
would be protitab to the people. For
this is the great game region of Maine;
and under even the present lax system of
game protection, moose, deer and bear
are increasing in numbers rather than
shing.
If, in view Of the expense Of purchasing
these forest lands of the present lum Der
owners, the State legislature felt itself
una BILE to act it should take measures to
acquire possession of them as soon as the
larger trees are cut off for lumber. Pos
session may then be secured by the pay
ment of a trit1ing sum per acre, and ii
| protected from squatttr3 and forest fires,
the growth will largely renew itself in
| the course OF twenty or thirty years.
| The entire region may thus become State
| domain for the future, in the course OF a
single generation. The land itself, as
should be remarked, is almost wholly
unfit for agriculture. Nature, indeed ,
would seem to have designed it as pub
| lie park.
What is true of the Mt. ktaadn district,
! is also true of the entire lake region of
mort hern Maine, above Moosehead Lake,
and including also the Rangeley lakes.
IL Is not land OF value IN the agricultural
sense, and it would be public misfor-
tune to have it occupied by immigran
| French Canadians, who would clear and
| burn off the forests. Little revenue to
the State would ever come from such
INDECENT settlers; while the destruction
of the forests would irretrievably ruin
the magnificent water power now fur
nished by the kennebec, Penobscot and
| Androscoggin rivers, and i'll the matter
| OF climate permanently lnlure the better
farming lands of southern Maine. The
| true interests of he State of Maine clearly
lie in keeping all this north region in
forest, as great game preserve and
public park Youths Companion