Gazetteer of the State of Maine With Numerous Illustrations, by Geo. J. Varney

BOSTON: PUBLISHED BY B. B. RUSSELL, 57 CORNHILL. 1882. Public domain image from

422    GAZETTEER    OF    MAINE.

Silver, gold, lead, zinc, arsenic, plumbago and iron are found in various

places, also many varieties of valuable minerals. Tokens of former

extensive action of water is shown everywhere in the excavation of

valleys and the deposit of drift, while the bed rock, when uncovered,

often exhibits glacial or drift markings. The soil in general is a

gravelly loam, resting usually upon a solid bed of coarse gravel called

“ pan.” It is generally productive. Along the streams are many broad

tracts of interval, with a soil of mingled vegetable and mineral matter,

formed by the overflow waters in spring and autumn. The great pine-    ^fc

trees, which were formerly numerous in all parts of the county, have

been largely cut off, but there still remain, especially in northern and

western parts, heavy growths of spruce, hemlock, rock-maple, beech

and birch. The scenery of Oxford County is unsurpassed of its kind.

Lofty and snowclad peaks, with almost impassable glens between, have
their peculiar and thrilling attraction ; but the peaceful verdure of
great woods, grassy valleys, rich meadows, hillsides enlivened with
flocks and herds, shining streams, and sky-repeating ponds, with occa-
sional breeze-swept eminences, affording wide views of the surrounding
beauties, hold the regard of the lover of nature for a longer time, and
are more restorative in their influences.

Oxford County contains the larger portion of the lakes which form
the source of the Androscoggin River, which also runs for nearly one-
third of its length through the midst of the county. In the central
portion of the county lie the ponds from which the Little Androscoggin
takes its rise. By numerous turnings and windings, the beautiful Saco
River confers on this county, in its southern portion, about one half its    '

length.

The Androscoggin Lakes, lying in unsettled territory in this and
adjacent divisions, can best be noticed in this connection. The aggre-
gate area of these lakes is nearly 80 square miles. They lie on the
western part of the great elevated plateau of Maine. Their altitude
above the sea is as follows :—Rangely, 1,511 feet; Mooselucmaguntic,

1,486; Richardson, 1,456 ; Umbagog, 1,256. Jataska, at the extreme
head-waters of the Mississippi River, has an elevation of only 64 feet
more than Rangely, 75 miles from the sea. Rangely Lake, the first
large body of water in this series, lies wholly in Franklin County, and
has been partially described in the article on the town of Rangely.

We may mention" here, however, that this lake is some 10 miles from
one extreme to the other, and about If miles in extreme width, with
an area of 14 square miles. Rangely has its name from an English
gentleman who for several years resided with his family in the seclu-
sion of its northern shore. The Indian name was Oquossoc, perpet-
uated in the name of an angling association, by one of their camps, a
hotel, and a steamer that plies upon these lakes. Cupsuptie Lake, at the    "*l

north-west of Rangely, and separated from it only by Bald Mountain
and a narrow isthmus at its base, has an area of 3 square miles. On
this lake where it receives the waters of Rangely Lake, is “ Indian
Rock.” Cupsuptie River, the principal feeder of this lake, has its
source in Canadian soil. Great Lake or Mooselucmaguntic, lying south
of the last, and south-west of Rangely, is the largest of this chain of
lakes. It is about 9 miles in length, and about 3£ in the broadest part
and li in the narrowest. Its area is 21 square miles. On its outlet,
the Richardson Lake Dam Company have their “Upper Dam,” the