The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1896-10-24
THE TALL SHAFT.
Some Interesting Stories about tho WASH
ipgton Monument.
Washington Star. J

\"ooAAh6sOA SoesAsJ
Visitors to The Star office. as tnay 60
out OF the front door about 10 'clock in
the morning will observe in those
sunny days what seems to be bright
star, or at least an electric light, tipping
the apex Of the Washington monument.
The phenomenon has been especially
noticeable in the last few bright days
following the protracted and depressing
period of cloudy weather. Scores of
people may be seen almost any morning
looking up at the top Of tho monument
and wondering what it is there that
produces such brilliant effulgenc.
1t ia simpy the reflection Of the morn
ing sun upon the smoothly polished facet
of the aluminium tip which surmounta
the cleaning white shaft at that hour.
The angle of incidence and the angle Of
refraction are such as to bring to the eye
of the prosperous and enterprising adver-
tiser of The Star, after he has left his
copy early in the day, just as he passes
out Of the front door of the office, sight
that is unique for Its brillianoe and it's
peouliarites. 1t lasts no longer than
fifteen minutes.
The distance at which the monument
is visible has always been a Latter of
debatable interest with Washington
people. Not train approaches the
city, nor boat speeds up Or down the
Potomac, but carries group of people
anxious to see at just what point they
can last see the white marble against the
sky as they depart or first find it as they
return.
Probably the greatest distance atwhich
the monument is seen is from the
summit Of the Blue Ridge at Smokers
Gap, distance of about forry-three
miles in an air line. The elevation there
is 2.0oU feet above the Potomac. The
mountaineers years ago with their keen
ayes, trained to long and sharp sight in
the mountains, detected the white spot
cleaning on the horizon, and they can
| always quickly determine It's place on
| the horizon line. But by city folks, how
ever, the location Of the white shaft is
| not an easy matter. Thousands Of Wash
| inRton people every summer invade that
region as summer boarders, to subsist
on fresh milk and fried chicken, and
incidentally in their excursions upon the
mountain to get sight Of the monu-
ment. On clear days ii Is distinctly
visible, especially to those who are
familiar with its precise location. But it
Is more easily seen at sunset than at
any other hour, as the sharp reflection OF
the SUMS rays brings out the white
surface of the marble. The mountain
people are only TOO glad to point out the
monumnt to their visitors, and usually
tell them the secret by hich they can
themselves locate it. This lie by finding
first on the horizon line the slight
elevation Of contour presented by
left, perhaps one degree, there it Is. The
point from which the monument was
first seen from the Blue Ridge Is the
mountain farm of Mr.. Louis p. Shoe
maker of this city, and the place is called
Monument View.''
One Of the most singular stories that
may be told about the Washington
monument is hardly credible yet it can
be vouched for AZ perfectly true. There
are hundreds of ladies' in Washington
who wear upon their hats the plumagt
or the entire skin Of bird which has
lost its life flying against the tall mass
of marble In the dimness of twilight OF
daybreak. Every morning one of thu
watchmen who spends the night In tins
monument finds about Its base quite
number of birds who have lost their Liver
in this way. This mortality ia nos Inn
tied to any one species, but includes
nearly all the birds known in this region
Strange to say, few English sparrows lost
their lives by flying against the nsonu
ment, but the beautiful golden fnches
cedar birds, starlinRs. Hangers, gros
beaks and many others Of bright plumng'
and great rarety have been found. Tn
watohman takes these birds up town u
} a taxidermist, who stuffs and mounts tn
rarer specimens, which are sold for
good round price to collectors, and an
skins OF these less rare are prepared 10
} this milliner. Hardly a morning come