Show SCENIC playgrounds OF AMERICA by G hil KILBOURN the highest house houe in in the united states state ERY few americans probably VERT V have ever heard that the roof of the united states slates Is really a roof that it is in fact the roof of a house every schoolboy has heard that the highest point in the united states proper Is mount blount whitney calif which reaches rei iches an elevation of feet put but only a few scientists mules and mountain climbers have taken the trouble to see it if there Is anything on tip tcp of the mountain those few haie been rewarded however lio wever with the information that on top of the mountain Is a three room stone house and ou on top of the house a steel roof with a bit of galvanized iron stovepipe protruding which lly Is the top of the united states the scientists inspired and dedicated the house the mules lifted the ten tons of material and apparatus used in its construction nearly three miles into the sky and such mountain climbers as have been able to walk grin or ka 0 3 looking up lone pine valley to mount Y moan after surmounting tile the last ledge have been doing their summit grinning and grunting in or near the cabin in the twenty one years past the idea of building an observation and shelter house on mount blount whitney was advanced by director W W campbell of the lick observatory mho wished to observe the spectrum of mars from a point where interference by the water vapor in the air would be least doping to make the observation in september 1900 when mars would be near the earth and high above the horizon director campbell climbed the peak in august 1008 to determine what size instruments could be carried up on pack animals with him went director C Q G abbot of the smithsonian institution observatory who was interested in high altitude studies of solar radiation they agreed that the proposed study of mars in would be fruitless unless protection from storms on the peak were provided its as the party would want nant to stay a week or more the house was built during the month of 0 august 1000 1009 under auspices of the smithsonian Smiths onlan institution by G F marsh of lone pine ballf and four workmen the old trail up the east side of the mountain from lone pine to whitney pass Is in places only a temporary zigzag on a precipitous rockslide rork slide arid and mr marsh mars and ills his friends had to give a benefit bull ball in lone pine to get the trail repaired before his mules could begin the foot climb once the workmen were panic stricken in an electrical storm on the peak once the packers went on strike once birsh and others were snow enow blinded marsh worked at all kinds of jobs himself related director abbots official report later cooking breaking stone carrying stone carrying snow for water riveting and cementing ns as well BS as general bossing lie he will never got get paid in this world for the work lie did on that house director camphell campbell and live other arrived at the shelter house on saturday august 23 in a sleet storm which did not clear away until the following wednesday on thursday and friday however beautiful weather continued and doctor camphell and las his friends obtained evidence evid enca that there Is very little it if any water vapor on mars mount blount whitnea Is now a part of sequoia national park and the park service Is constructing a trail up tile the west side of the penk already completed to within 2000 yards of the summit it will enable horse parties as well as hikers to reach the top a 1930 western Ns newspaper apayer union I 1 |