Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1905-07-25
rasort for tourists and flshermen. 1t is to

resort for tourists and fishermen, 1t is te
o certain extent q manufacturing place
There Is cutting-up mill, where three
hundred cords of spruce day are saw
cd into bolts to be taken by train to the
paper mill at Rumford Falls, and above
| the station are the birch mill and board.
ing house of G. b. Cummings & Sons OF
Norway, of which the shortness of oul
stay afforded US only aeeting and
distant view.
The log station of the railroad de-
serves passing notice, as it is the intro.
ductory note of style of architecture
which is much used in the region, and
without a judicious employment OF
which no resort can expect to be popular.
The station is built of peeled spruce
logs, with the log cabin idea carried out
in faithful detail, even to the wooden
door latches and enormous door handles.
The quarters at Camp Bemis are
arranged on the common plan of CEN
trail office and dining room, with log
cabins in which the guests live. They
are owned by Capt. F. G. Barker, man
we'll known to every one who goes into
the lake region. He not only owns
Camp Bemis, but also the Birches, and
fine hotel with connecting cottages,
called the Barker, built two or three
years since, several miles up the lake, on
the eastern shore near Haines Landing.
He also owns the line OF steamers which
make regular trips to the different points
on the lake. With all that he has on
his hands he never seems hurried or
Hurried, but takes things very calmly,
and If there is any heavy freight to un-
load he is the first one to catch hold.
After a good dinner at Bemis, We
boarded the steamer Florence E. Barker
(named for the captains only child, now
a girl of 12) and proceeded up the lake
to the Birches, where we spent the
night. The view of the shores from the
deck of the steamer inclines one to
doubt whether there is any foundation
for the fear that the forests of Maine
are ever going to give out. On all sides
of this lake, the largest of the chain, the
hills and mountains are covered from
waters edge to summit with a dense
growth, which, except for the brown
patches where the fire recently ran over,
look fresh and inexhaustible.
Incidentally we made trip across the
lake to Upper Dam at the outlet, where
we landed long enough to look down
upon a feet of fishermen anchored in
the pool below, whipping the waters
with flies. This pool is one of the most
famous fishing grounds in the world. A
good hotel accommodates the fishermen,
who act according to the strictest code
of sportsman's ethics. No fish are taken
except with fly, all are weighed with
old-fashioned steelyards, and all weigh
ing over three pounds are duly recorded,
those weighing less than three pounds
not being regarded at all. One man
fishes for weeks here every year, and
doesn't keep a fish, but lets them all 60
after they have been landed and
weighed.
1t is undoubtedly great thing to be
that kind of fisherman. 1t adds GER
tain zest and flavor to life, of which
some of us know no more than we do
of transcendentalism or Buddhism.
Upper Dam holds the waters of Moose
lookmeguntic and Cupsuptic Lakes, and
bears its title, not because it is really
the upper one, bnt because it is above
Middle Dam. Middle Dam holds the
waters of Molechunkamunk and Welo-
kenebacook Lakes, more commonly
known as Upper and Lower Richardson
Lakes. Farther down Enrol Dam holds
the waters of Umbagog Lake. Above Up
per Dam is another, which holds the wa.
ters of Rangeley or Oquossoc Lake, and
which, as nearly as can make out from
the map, is just plain Dam. All these
dams were built for the storage of water,
by the Union Water Power Co. of
Lewiston, and they have increased the
storage capacity of these reservoirs by
untold millions of gallons. Upper Dam
made of Mooselookmeguntic and Cup
suptic Lakes and the connecting stream
practically ono large lake, navigable by
the lake steamers throughout its entire
extent, and even several miles up the
crooked Cupsuptic River. In early
spring the lakes were very low, but ut
the time of our visit they were near high
water mark.
One result of this flowing of the lakes
has been much deplored, that is the
fringe of "deadening'' around the
shores, where the growth has been kill
ed by the fowage. In some places low
level areas of many acres were flowed,
and the stumps of the dead trees remain,
thrusting their grotesque ugliness up
into the beauty of the scene. In time
the action of the elements will wear
away that portion of the trees which
stands above the surface, but the snags
and roots which are covered with water
will remain there for generations.
The Birches is on the west shore of
Students Island. In 1850 three Yale
students camped on this island, and that
gave it its name. Eighteen years ago
Capt. Barker built three camps here, and
has since been increasing them, until
now there are over thirty. The central
buildings, office and dining room, are in
grove of white birches, and in two
; directions plank walk runs by the log
cabins. Each of these contains a sitting
room with large fireplace, and from two
to six sleeping rooms. The interior of
each cabin, logs and all, is scrubbed
until it shines. Many wealthy people,
even millionaires, spend the season here,
or portion of it, so that the Birches IS
known as the Newport of camp life.
And why should not those most favored
in this worlds wealth delight to spend
their summer here? With cool breezes
from the lake sweeping the island shore
and the wide verandas, with magnifi'
cent view in all directions, with all the
surroundings of the wilderness and all
its suggestiveness in the 'log cabins,
and at The same time with an unsurpass-
ed cuisine, pure spring water, and all
the comforts of home and hotel demand.
ed by the modern lover of luxury, what
more could be desired? The newest OF
the cabins, while in architecture they
carry out the rustic idea consistently to
the last detail, are finely furnished, and
supplied with bath rooms and up-to,,
date plumbing. Thus do the woods and
the city meet, and unite their treasures
for mans pleasure.
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