The independent-reporter. [volume] (Skowhegan, Me.) 1909-1955, 1924-12-04
PROF. A. |. GROVER
LECTURER
Woman's Club Enter
tains High School Pupils
Topic was Names Own katahdin.
High School Orchestra

At the regular meeting ot the Wo-
mans Club held last evening
at the Municipal Court Room, Prof.
/ A. L. Grover of University of Maine
| delivered a lecture on "Katahdin and
Its Surroundings" which was listened
TO with much interest The students
OF Skowhegan high school were guests
OH this occasion and the High School
Orchestra furnished music. Those
receiving were Mrs. Alice p. Cover,
Mrs Ethel NJ. Hight, Mrs. Alice f.
Mitchell and Miss Dorothy NJ Elliot.
who are all or have been teachers is
the high and public schools Young
ladies from the high school served as
ushers.
Prof Growers lecture was illustra-
ted by large number of lantern
slides. made from pictures most of
whicn were taken by himself on or
near katahdin His subject was of
deep interest to the ladies and high
school Studests. since it gave them an
intimate understanding of almost d
local condition, yet not within the
reach of many of those present. Prof
Grover spoke particularly OF Maine
and its attraction for the citizens of
Somerset County, especially during the
summer months. A majority of these
people have found combination of
scenery and climate satisfying to their
taste. somewhere along the sea coast.
Many prefer fresh water to salt wat
! er and spend their vacations on some
of the numerous ponds. streams or
lakes Of which Maine has many. In
fact, it is claimed according To Prof.
Grover, that the central and northern
parts of our own state is the best
watered' section OF the country in
the world, with the one exception of
southern Finland. This network of
waterways makes possible hundreds OF
canoe trips taking one through not
only the wilderness of the state but
through the more settled parts as well.
Mr.. Grover claims that if mans coun
try is preferred to God country that
! one vacation should be taken at Re-
we're Beach or Coney Island. He re-
fered to that portion of Gods big
out-of- doors known as the Katahdin
country and suggested that, there
might he learned something of the
beauty gradeur and natural re-
sources, with which the creator has so
! bDuntifnIy blessed our native state
Is According TO Prof Grover. who
4 takes his authority from the histor
4 Williamson, the first ascent of the
mountain WAS i'll August 1904 and was
I made by seven gentlemen from Ban
gor and Orono, with two Indians for
guides. This reference was undouht-
edly the excursion made by Charles
Turner Jr. as in 1902 he was sur
reyor and in this capacity engaged in
locating the grants and sales OF what
are known as the eastern lands OF
Massachusetts.
The most impressive feature OF ka
tahdn. when traveller makes his
first ascent. is lis immensity. 1t con
sists of great irregular plateau or
table land, four to five miles long
fnorth and soulh1 varying greatly in
width The area OF this table-land
is probably 1000 to 1900 acres. The
mountains toughest and most spec
lacular feature is the SOuthermoSt OF
three big spurs extending eastward
from this plateau. This is a curved,
serrated ridge OF vertically fractured
granite called the "SaW-Teeth' or
Knife Edge. which terminates in the
most eastern peak called Pamela,
named after the Indian ayenging spir-
il of the mountain. The top of this
ridge is very narrow, in places not
more than two feet wide. In trayers-
ing it, one looks down on the north
ern side into a two thousand foot
abyss al the bottom of which is Chin
ney Pond, the beauty spot OF the
mountain. These walls are 50 steep
on either side that one has to travel
the crest OF the ridge rather than
attemp to crawl along the sides.
The view from the northern shore
Of Chimney Pond furnishes Il com
bnation of beauty and Titanic grand
eur seldom surpassed. The precipi-
tous mountain wall from Pamela to
West Peak. SCARED by hundreds Of
ayalanches OF rocks and ice encircles
the pond on the south, the foot OF the
wall. in some places, coming to the
very edge OF tho water
Standing on the summit OF Katahdin
and looking to the west. one sees the
silver simmer of Moosehead Lake
sixty miles away, flashing between the
intervening peaks Of the Lily Bay
Mountains and the Spencer Noun
tains; while in the middle distance
and immediate foreground are scores
OF lakes and ponds. each one "a silver
gem i'm an emerald setting To thu
southwest and south. the landscape
rs streWn thicker with these bodies
of water each one heliographing the
message of its own, individual beauty
to the mountain traveller who hap
pens to be fortunate enough 10 be
standing "on top OF the state
There is not an equal area IN the
Western Hemisphere that is SO well
watered" as the panorama here
stretched before the Observers eye.
This may seem like an eNtrayagant
statement. but any doubter can easily
verify it by looking at the maps show
ing the details OF our hemisphere II
each resident OF Maine could behold
the lovely grandeur OF Katahdin as
seen from the mouth OF katahdin
Stream; could gaze across Chimney
pond upon its two thousand foot be-
ground of mountain wall, or could look
out upon his state from the summit OF