The independent-reporter. [volume] (Skowhegan, Me.) 1909-1955, 1911-10-19
AROUND B|GELO
IN AN AUTO
Somerset Officials Take
Trip Recently
They Found Maine's Best Roads, the
'COunty's Wealth, and Saw Some of
the COuntry's Beauty Spots.

Three of Somerset County's officials
Sheriff John A. Mooers, Clerk of
Courts William T. Seekins, and Regis
ter of Probate Nathan Fowler, who
made an automobile trip around Bige-
low Mountain last week, taking in
North Anson, North New Portland
Highland, Dead River, Flagstaff, Eus-
tis, Carrabassett and Kingfield have
the satisfaction of having gone over
seyenty-fve to a hundred miles of
the best road that can be found in
this State. The automobile driver
also claims that these roads far eX
ceed any road in any organized town
through the heart of the State.
Now these men admit that these
roads were never introduced to a
road destroyer, or we should say
road machine; and yet they have a
large amount of travel of heavy
teams but they are smooth and free
of hollows. If the commissioners
have had occasion to fix a culvert
they haven't piled a lot of dirt on
top of it that would make one feel
that he was going over a newly made
grave or left it so that he felt SO he
was going into one, when he passed
over the culvert.
This jolly party saw something
else that was beautiful besides the
roads. After leaving North New
Portland, Bigelow mountain could
readily be seen in the distance, and
soon it was quite near, and as we
rode over to Lexington Flats the sur
rounding country presented a most
gorgeous view. Hills loomed on all
sides and the two peaks on Mount
Bigelow looked majestic. We were
sides. We arrived at Sam Parson's s
famous resorting place to the
hunters and fishermen, about noon
This place appears to set under the
mountain, yet it is four miles from
| the base of it. We were told there
that people, in attempting to clint
| it, have taken two days to do 1t
going up one day and back the next
| Almost with the naked eye from
Mr.. Parsons place one can see a
large boulder which is said to be a
mammoth one. Parties have gone to
this boulder with dynamite, attempt
ing to blow the rock off for the pur-
pose of seeing it fall down the noun
tain, but they have not yet succeed
ed in moving it from its foundation
1t is a pretty ride the distance OF
nine miles from Mr.. Parsons to
Flagstaff Here the people are cor
dial and volunteered information
about the surrounding country We
| found there a pretty little settlement
where the people live a peaceful and
simple life. They have recently
built a church there. 1t is a union
society and Rev. Howard Gilpatrick
is pastor We found there a novelty
in the form of labor saving device
gate on wheels. A shaft is put on
the end of the gate that opens and
on this is placed an old wagon wheel
so that when the gate is opened II
rolls back on the wheel, saving the
trouble of lifting it.
The most interesting part of the
ride was from Eustis to West New
Portland. In leaving Eustis We
struck a piece of road that was equal
to any found in the United States
1t was as smooth as a floor, so to
speak. It ran through acres and
acres of large growth of Norway
pine which represent millions of
dollars. After we left Stratton two
of the men in the party, Sheriff
Mooers and Mr.. Fowler, got their
guns to shoot all game that came in
range. Mr.. Fowler was to shoot
the partridges, and Mr.. Mooers, well