Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1923-08-30

Recently the writer was invited to
accompany Fish and Game Commits
sioner Willis f. Parsons and party OF
State Officials and game wardens on
their annual inspection tour of the
Katahdin Park Game Preserve. The
writer had climbed I\atahdin several
times from the south side, by way of
the Abol and Hunt trails. but never
from the north side by way of the
South Basin. Accounts of trips up
this side by members of the Appala-
chan Mountain Club, and Arthur
G. Staples interesting story, had
aroused a keen desire to sometime
make the trip from the Chimney side,
so Commissioner Parsons invitation
was eagerly accepted. Also the trip
promised to be still more interesting
because the party were to be guests
OF the Great Northern Paper Com
pany, thru the generous invitation of
r. A. Gilbert, Manager, who wished
Commissioner Parsons and party to
inspect the Great Northern's new
road and trail in to Chimney Pond.
Our party which assembled at
Nilinocket on Monday morning,
August goth, was composed of the
following: Fish and Game Commits
sioner w. E. Parsons. of Dover Fox
croft; Frank W. Ball of Augusta,
Secretary of State; T. A. James of
Augusta, Curator of the State Mus
cum; Howard Wood of Patten, Chief
Game Warden of Northern Penobscot
and. Southern Aroostook Counties;
JOHN r. Flint of Monsoon. Chief Ward
en- of Piscataquis County; Adelbert
G.. Rogers of Greenville, Deputy
Game Warden and Deputy Sheriff of
Piseataquis County; John C. Smart
OF Weston, Deputy Came Warden of
Aroostook County; Carl r. Bailey of
Dover FoXcroft. special photograph
er;,Leigh d. Flynt of Augusta, News
paper Manager of the kennebec
journal and Thomas Walker of Pat
ten,. cook.
We were cordially welcomed by P.
z. Whalen Of the Great Northern,
who had made all arrangements for
our transportation to the Company S
camp at Basin Pond. Promptly at
ten o'clock we and our impedimenta,
mounted on faithful Lizzies, left Mil
linocket in a cloud of dust and in a
few moments were speeding along
amid the scenic charms and frag-
rance of the forest. Eight miles in a
stop was made at Spencer's Camps
for lunch, but soon we were speeding
on r,;, a and
enjoying to the full the novelty of
forest vistas, the sparkle of woodland
ponds, and ever and anon a brief
glimpse of Mt. Katahdin towering
above leafy treetops-always ahead,
always leading US on:
Our enjoyment of this ride suffered
but one interruption, a stretch OF
rough and rocky going-truly He'll
Own Mile-where Lizzie reared and
pitched, side lurched, rolled and slid,
until her iron sides were all atremble
and steam spurted from her nostrils;
but she never faltered or baked,
straight on she climbed over boulders.
through mud holes. around tree roots,
clIWing and scratching lfer way until
She again gained the smooth road
and. it was on this agitated stretch
that Tom James performed the SEEM
ingly unperformable feat of connect
inesup his camera tripod. Three legs
had that tripod, and every leg had
movement all it's own, and so did
Lizzie, and likewise Tom. To seize
the opportune moment when all three
bodies We're moving on the same
plane and in the same direction was
no easy stunt, for such moments were
exceedingly rare and of short dura-
ton. Yet Tom wrastled with each
leg in turn and vanquished all three.