The Republican journal. [volume] (Belfast, Me.) 1829-current, 1904-10-20
THE WHITE MOUNTAINS

ave. 49,
of September, under the conductorshlp
of Orrin J. Dickey of this city, was a
decided success The party consisted
of MI and Mrs. J. G. Paul, Mr.. and
Mrs. c. Y. Black, Mr.. and Mrs. Selwyn
Thompson, MI. and Mrs. Freeman NJ.
Wood, Mrs. F. J. Rigby and Miss
Maude E. Barker of Belfast, and Mr..
and Mrs. Z. D. Hatch of Islesboro.
The party left here on the morning
train Sept. 9th and had a pleasant ride
to Portland, where they stopped for
dinner at the West End Hotel. Here
they were served with a delicious re-
past, leaving Portland soon after l p.
m., on the White Mountain Division.
The country through which the train
passed is most picturesque and with the
autumnal foliage over all could not be
surpassed for beauty. The party were
reaching the mountains and seeing the
overhanging Lodges which = for years
have seemingly threatened destruction
TO all below they were awed with the
grandeur. They passed many pretty
little hamlet nestled at the foot of
some mountain beside silvery stream
OF green marshes on which herds were
feeding Their attention was called to
the Tedstone granite quarries near
North Conway, where much of the gran
tie was quarried for the building OF the
tomb of General Grant.
With each mile passed the scenery
seemed to grow grander and the travel
more dangerous. 1t was a route one
must travel over in order to enjoy the
beauty of the trip. We were notified
when we reached the scene of the re-
cent Washout, and although only one or
two trains had preceded US there was
no hitch in the trip over the new trestle
work which had been erected,
We made but brief stops at the Bemis
House and the Wiley House and then
halted for few minutes at CraWfordS.
Here we saw the reflection of the
mountain in Saco Pond and were al
most tempted to believe the smooth
waters of the beautiful little lake to be
mirror Breton Woods was, how
ever, soon at hand and we saw the Mt.
Pleasant and the Mt. Washington,
while a short distance farther brought
us to Fabyans, where we were most
royalty entertained. The evening was
cool and our party sought the cozy
seats in the corner by the big fireplace,
where we talked over the trip. Dinner
was soon served and the party was well
looked after, while the appearance of
real lobster salad actually took the in
land conditions away and we almost
imagined we were back in-not in Bel
fast, for Holsters fail to grow there.
After dinner we sought our cosy corn
ers. The orchestra played pleasing
selections and there was dancing and
many cards were written home and to
far away friends, and the evening hours
slipped quickly away and it was time
tor retiring.
W ednesday morning the party We're
up early and after breakfast were ready
for the days program. 1t was early
decided that to climb Mt. Washington
would require the whole day and there
We're side trips which were also desired
1t was accordingly decided to try a
climb M Mt. Deception, which is di-
rectly III front of the hotel and some
j, 500 feet above the sea level. All with
the exception of two made the ascent,
and they took a carriage drive to the
base of Mt. Washington instead. No
clearer day had graced the mountains
this season and the view well repaid us
for the climb We could See far over
into Vermont and beneath us to the
west was the little village of Bethle-
hem on slight plateau. The picture
was grand. On the mountain top, with
some Of the party high up on the tripod,
The eXcursioniSts were photographed.
The journey up had been steep and tire
some but when the time for the de-
scent arrived it was with regret that
We retraced our steps. When we reach
ed the hotel lunch was in waiting,
TO which all did ample justice. Soon
after luncheon mountain coach was
ready at the door for trip down the
valley and through Crawford Notch.
The coach was of the real Rocky Noun
tain style, equipped with four white
horses and driver who knew how to
handle them. To describe the trip is
beyond any of the party. The scenery
was the grandest ever witnessed by the
majority and the ride had no equal.
Our route was past the Crawford
House, through the Notch to the Will
ley Farm, where many years ago the
whole family with their hired help were
crushed to death by the avalanche of
snow and rock which came down the
mountain side. The family had heard
the roar Of the big slide coming, and
fearing it would entomb them in the
house rushed out. Just before the
tumbling rock and snow reached the