Vernon County censor. [volume] (Viroqua, Wis.) 1865-1955, 1912-07-24

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known and most infrequently
visited of the natural wonders
- Of the White mountains, will
soon become accessible to the
multitude of tourists who visit year
ly that picturesque playground of the
east, the New England Alps. Already
the river and wild and rugged tract
Of woodland about it have been ac-
quired as public park by the So
ciety for the Protection OF New
Hampshire Forests. Plans are on foot
for clearing away the tangled trails
and opening up good. practicable
roads through the region. BY this
means Lost River will be found
again by hundreds of people to whom
il has been only a name.
The problems which have arisen
through the acquisition of the new re-
serve will come under consideration
at the 18th annual meeting of the So
ciety at the Mt. Pleasant house.
Breton Woods, July IS and 10.
There will be a preliminary day, the
18th, which viii be spent in the Lost
River territory. to enable members to
familiarize themselves with the To-
cality
In cooperation with the society
the state forestry commission will be
represented. The meetings will have
az presiding officers, former Govern
or Rollins, president of the society,
and W. r. Brown, chairman of the
commission 1t is expected that
many OF those Interested in forestry
in other states will be in attendance,
including the directors OF the Ameri-
can Forestry association, state for
esters and teachers of forestry, and
possibly the national forest reserva-
ton commission
Among the topics which are to be
discussed are fire protection, forest
taxation, the relation of forests tc the
flow of streams. the management Of
forest reservations by the society and
by the state, state ownership of for
est lands and the national forest in
The White mountains.
Long Time Lost.
Situated somewhat off the beaten
track and II the heart If the forest.
the Lost River territory, in spite OF
its attractiveness, has drawn COM
paratively few of those to whom the
Old Man of the Mountains. the Fiume
and the numherless other bits of
natures handiwork have long been
familiar. II is only within the last
few years that Lost River, its mar
velous series of caves and caverns.
its shady pools and silvery waterfalls
have become AT all we'll known even
to the more ambitious travellers. 1t
Is expected that increasing numbers
OF raincoated. rubberbooted dcyotees
will soon make the fascinating under
ground journey along this strange
stream as it dips and winds its way
far beneath the surface.
Seven miles west Of the village OF
North Woodstock. the widest portion
OF Kinsman's Notch. lie the deep
gorge. the virgin forest and the over
shadowing mountains which give the
river its setting. The little stream
takes its rise on the steep slopes of
Mount Moosilauke Darling downward
I'm its rush to the waters of the Pemi-
gewasset In the valley below. IL
plunges into great vaulted cayerns Of
limestone, now and then losing itself
in subterranean passages SO far In
the heart of the earth that even the
murmur of it's waters fades from the
ear
Just little mountain brook at the
outset. it courses along until Il
reaches Point Lookoff Before it be-
gins its descent into the underworld
Il glimpses a view which is second to
none in the whole region To the
south Mount Waterhouse and Moosi-
lauk tut abruptly skvward To the
north Mount Kinsman and the Gordon
rang lower in the distance. Stretched
out below lies the green length of the
Pemigewasset valley.
Leaving Point Lookoff the brook
tunbles down between two gigantic
powders into the first of the cayerns.
the Hall Of ships The walls about
seem TO be made of a number OF pet
rifed keels as II the distant sea had
hidden there the relics OF some for
gotten feet,
Great Masses OF Rock.
For a mile or more the bed twists
between and beneath great masses OF
rock through strange passages and
widening chambers. one succeeding
the other in bewildering series,
Some are as big as good-sized rooms.
capable of holding as many as SO peo-
pie. Others are Just big enough 10
crawl through Here and there the
light sits from crevices above. Else
where the the road is black as night.
At times the stream is more than l25
feet below the TOP of the gorge
Dipping downward still through the
ravine. the river enters the Cave OF
Shadows. a place Of weird beauty.
TIE light filters in from assure in
the rocks. casting soft reflections in
little pool below Past the Guiilo-
tine. keen-edged rock poised threat
ening above a fat bowlder. the
Block, It flows on through massive
halls OF an architecture the Ike OF
which msn has never devised.