Macon beacon. [volume] (Macon, Miss.) 1859-1995, 1895-11-16
MOUNT WASHINGTON.
Uncertainty About h Weather That Re
anita In Dtsappointment to fourlsts.

uncertainty sAuOuN INV WN&NaNN AaNN
suits In disappointment to Tourists.
People who live in the shadow OF
Mount Washington are inclined to re-
gard il as il it were a living being, and
the summer visitors usually acquire
the same feeling. Both agree in at.
tributing to it a malignant spirit which
delights in crossing the purposes OF
those who come to it
On days when the sky is almost cloud
less and all the other prominent peaks
OF the White mountains stand out clear
and prominent, Mount Washington is
likely to. be obseured. Hundreds of
visitors climb, drive and ride up the
mountain to get their beautiful view,
but less than five per cent are re-
warded for the exertions A special
train is run up every night during the
season, and many people go up and
stay over night to see the sunrise the
next morning. Sunrise on Mount
Washington is said to be worth much
excrtion and expense; but, unfortu'
nately, the exertion and the expense
are Away there and the reward rarely
comes An average of one clear morn
ing a week on the summit is what
those who know it best think a fair
estimate.
The meanest feature is the uncer-
tainty that accompanies all predictions
regarding weather on this mountain.
Those who know most about it confess
frankly their inability to give any in
telligent prediction more than fifteen
minutes in advance. When the peak
is covered with clouds and the air
is full of moisture Disguised persons
may make the descent, only to find,
after they are half way down the
mountain side, that the clouds have
lifted and the view from the peak is
40 longer obscured. In the same way
those who see no cloud within appar-
ent reach Of the peak when they begin
the ascent may find themselves in a
bowling storm when they get to the
top. Sometimes the clouds settle
down on the peak for days at a time,
while all around the skies over the
mountains and valleys are perfectly
clear. The most annoying Of all an.
noyances is the fact that sometimes
what appears to be only a small cloud
lowering v er the peak develops into a
tremendous mountain storm, sending
the Thermometer down to frost point,
and accompanied by binding rain and
terrific winds. Even in the summer
the great chains that hold the hotel on
the mountain top down to the rocks
are strained. During the month of
August nov was seen on the peak
once, and several men who had wan
dered from the hotel only a few rods
were discovered half frozen and un.
conscious.
1t is interesting to notice that even
the tickle weather and other disap.
pointing conditions Of life on Mount
Washington are not sufficient to deter
the enterprising newspaper man. A
clever little daily called Among the
Clouds, and said to be the only news.
paper in the world published on top OF
o mountain, is issued every morning
in spite of the fact hat sometimes
communication with the people below
is cut off for days. One day when the
regular train did not appear the COM
positors and the printers devil, after
finishing their regular work, impro-
vised a car and rode down the noun.
tain at a rate Of speed never equalled
before or since. They were bound to
have their papers on sale at the various
resorts IN. Y. Sun.