VANDALS DAMAGE TILTING ROCK - REWARD OFFERED

Sept. 13, 1922
Old Newspaper Clipping

$100 REWARD FOR FINDING CULPRITS

Top of Tilting rock Forcibly Removed by Knaves or Fools - Is Object of Great Scientific Interest.

The following letter from the Chairman of the Bar Harbor Path Committee, offers a reward of $100 for the detection and punishment of the persons guilty of forcibly removing the top from Tilting rock, one of the most interesting of Mt. Desert Island's features.

TILTING ROCK - DAY MOUNTAIN
ACADIA NATIONAL PARK

To the editor of the Bar Harbor Times;
May attention be directed to the most unfortunate and wanton injury of an interesting feature of Mount Desert Island in the recent forcible removal of the top of Tilting Rock.  This showed the action of the sea-waves during that remote period of time connected with the gradual and partial submersion of the island and for many years has been an object of study and scientific observation on the part of those who find so much in this vicinity to indicate the wonderful changes of nature not only during that mysterious period of the ice age, but when the island was almost entirely under water and the ocean in this far distant period of the past dashed against the mountain sides at an elevation of some 1300 feet above its present level.  Tilting or Chimney Rock is located at the entrance to the trail leading to the summit of Day Mountain and its description and photograph were inserted in the interesting article on the geology of Mount Desert Island written by Professor Bascom of Bryn Mawr College and lately reprinted and distributed by the joint path Committee.  Sp it is not possible to prevent the thoughtless and deplorable injury to these various objects of interest and study on our Island and also maintain the signs and pointers to guide those using the trails and paths that at least in the Bar Harbor District are so continually removed and destroyed.  Not long since Pulpit Rock was displaced from its position in Green Mountain Gorge where it had been left by the mighty glacier that passed over the island many thousands of years ago and it doubtless took much time and labor to move this relic of the past from the spot it had for so long occupied.  The top of Tilting Rock that now lies prostrate at its base could not have been forced from its position without careful preparation and several must have been engaged in this nefarious and utterly contemptible act.  Steps have already been taken to restore this impressive and interesting feature connected with our beautiful Island's past in that far off age of mystery and wonder and although the displaced portion may weigh some ten tons it is believed it can be replaced and so secured that any further attempt to remove it will be defeated.
It is certainly a source of profound regret that some action must be recommended for the future to prevent, if possible, some willful and utter disregard of what so concerns the interests and pleasure of the general public and the Bar Harbor Path Committee offers a reward of $100.00 for the detection and punishment of those who were engaged in the work of destruction at Tilting Rock and guilty of the damage and desecration to it.
Frederic Delano Weekes
September 12, 1922
Chairman