Virginia free press. (Charlestown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1832-1916, 1839-07-18
GsmrraI sntslIlasnsr.

gcncer, OF recent tour OF inspection made by
Committee Of the Stockholders of the Chesapeake
and Ohio Canal, we take the follow * extracts
fhe account was written by cue vi the gentlemen.
who composed the committee:
HARPERs GERRY.
A couple Of hours bring you into the region Of
the sublime and magnificent scenery OF. Hair
psrS Ferry. What name lur Si,ch n place,
how unromaniic and unpoeiical, no power OF
description can convey correct image Of its
siupendousness and grandeur. The theory of
JEIIsRsos, ihN n,e Potomac and Shenandoah
river had, BY the forec u their united wstSrS,
burst n passage through the Blue Ridge, and
thus blended, pnrSncsitheir ncanjcriHg course
20 the Chesapeake bay, ~ not satisfactory. IL
would rather appeal 10 have been produced by
some eonSaSi0a ofNaIuIe, which had rcni The
mountain IN IN ain and bniied IT. debris in the
boxcis OF the earth, for scarcely any of these are
now visible. Ga The MaIylaed side, the Blue
Ridge terminates abruptly, and towers al,oyc
the aver IA an almost peipcn,iicular eievsiioD,
va ihs height OF ~ vcrsl hundred Ieet. On the
Virginia safe, The mountain c,IutinueS ats course
Tar loshc South, and rises from both MYERS IRE
cipIou>ly. On both sides OF the Shenandoah
the mountains are Of srea, cievauon, steep. rug
ged. and covered with uecs Hnd shrubs, which
conceal. la some dcgrre, thc rocks--rray, moss
coyegcd, aud Vcncrsbic--;hai form their body
The io's-n, ~tica LA, greatly Inrnycd " .dl,n a
few years, ~ situated AZ the bailoun 90 one of
these mountains. HJuScS OF diaSfriI sis.-,
and foims dot the mouRi1in-sidc. siong which
the fval - zen ~ WilF, ili itdi.a feats "a lis
distance. Jefferson sfanonsr rock siilIhar,s IN
the air. considerably below The mountsin.iop,
hut from which moSi sricnfid aud magnificent
proSpect Is presented 20 The eye. Hc,aN vOr
aSc the Potomac ami Shcn gndnaiI, btlkcn hy
NOISY rapids, PROJECTING rocks, and Studded with
hitle islands diminished to specs ty Tie Dis
= a a
two rivers unfoids a variei and heauusul pros
Tect q. the country In the foreground inIerspers-
al with farms. verlant slopes, ana eaarIning
landscape; white The Ca,ociin,
"Blue, fading into mist"
the silveTy lIne OF the over, and the deep ceru-
lean sky, form scene OF no ordinary beauty.
night sSene nj lIarpcrs Ferry is, however, more
grand and imposing, II not more magnificent
than one By day. The silvcry light OF the NOON
the deep shahows Of the mountains and rocks
The murmur OF the rivers over their rocky beds,
the stiffness and silence that reign, The Wild and
siuPendous shapes produced by the shadows Of
The mountains, the immense elevation of these
mountains, between which you seem 10 ls huri-
cd, the splendid orb OF night moving in silent
majesty IA the deep blue vau,t Of heaven, and
casting It's mellow light the rppIed surface Of
the water, which Sparkles and gliiicTs like the
stars ia the armament, compnae a scene that no
one can behold without feelings of admiration
and delight
We wer- joined here By the President Of The
Annapolis Railroad Company, who aecompAni-
cd the committee as far as Hancock, where he
and the Governor Of Maryland, and one Of the
members OF The committee who was unft,rtu-
natcly laboTiIg under "A sudden inliSp.sition,
took leave OF US, much To ourl regret; ior they
posse=si an the social qualities fitted To render
their society delightful. The public works nj
liarpcr's Ferry, the Canal aud the Winchester
Railroad, which passes through the town, were
examined 10y tie Company in The morning prior
10 their departure. Along the base IT The Blue
Ridge, at Harper's Ferry. MASSEY wall and
cnbankmcni Of rock, 80 feet wide and % fee,
above the bottom Of the Canal, has been con-
siTuctcd "a serve public road instcad II IN
old enc, which Is now oec,ipied by the CansI--
The mountain here presents It's bald, naked and
lngged front, some 100 feeI IN perpendicular
height, on the top Of which an eagle had built It's
eyry, and was sailing al an almost sighfsess dis
lance over the peak OF The mOnniaia. We nov
passed through lock No. %. aud proceeded on
our tour, the scenco becoming more and more
Wild, picturesque, and beautiful as we advanc-
cd.
THE CANAL.
So far, the examination Of the canal had been
entirely satisfactory 20 the. committee. II is i
work which, from the diff, ul,irs encountered,
aud The character Of The county through winch
- pae1frs ftlt lNt dftiittItlNn OF Vt
81 81. by those who had seen the toute tie ennai
takes. before Il vas projected, II would rndonb,-
cdly have been Pronounced Wild and impTacuea-
bic. But The most formidable ohstacl es Of Ma
ture, aud difficulties ~ pceuaiary character,
almost equally Formidable, have Lces SrifEhounl-
81, aud the eaBai, fgE l35 niles, has MT only
beeh completed, but compic;ed az q manner thai
Ieneetsfhe highest reputation aud cTe,h, upon
Tie talent, s!ill, cntefpIise, and peIseVesaHre ol
allwbo have been coHHeoied with ihis stupessdous
undertaking. No one can 1cffn any conception
81 rs magnitude, the dtfchiics which u was ne
ocssaFy 10 overcome, aud tie c9stlness, duralll-
". and execliencs Of the work which itas been
done, who has oversees t. The portion which
Is not yet completed, dough n pIoeress, has
trcn equally difficult, expensive, aud wonderful,
but hieSe diiucgltt,s have been, IA a great de-
gree, acvrTceme. auI two years wilfsee the canal
finished, and uayigakle up 10 Cumberland when
ihe most SanguiDf nnticsrattous Of is friends
sI.lac mere lhan realized.
The oommiiieo stopped AZ sesSFai poisis on
The line Of he csnal, where Tie work was IN
progress witifin The - MITES yct TO be completed
from dan No. Q % cu,DlsIiaud Mr.. Fsk snd
hi' able assistants Werc vesY attentive, AMI the
,pnimiiiec fccrivcl Ffs3t kaifsf4cfi1p ffoa the
lights ihcy furnished AMI tho inforInafioo they
eoiam asicaiel As % De eofk SOW gb.ng en-. n
81 tcenfun- ii wa asalnd that iilr canhi ieli the
fir,T 20 Miichelis Neck, fl.rody Il winch it pass-
-. saving d. distance 81 ono mis. The deep
cu' - Od r0wn has bcsn effected sith great la
Ia add cxpcnsc.
TIE TUSEEL.
The Tasnal - ihe Pawrsw Bend y si6r-n.
work thc n.Fc tielF ufuhics Is tsoifh q
Unev rom Washineion. u 10 cat out 10 q
"II rosk 81 adepib ofhcany 500 feet fun Sc
tp ol To- taohnfain, ant va b. Ills fsei
-"sii. 20 fet heh. anl IS fcrt vide. Tie
iaieuI through WhIci ii.s tunnci s % pass, s
~ slate 81 ciip'icai 1ran wiih httlc or ~
nittufe Of eanh. 4 deep cpf lbs been made
'.f'u.,it a suullsr maternal 90 tls uprcf and ioa-
20 cutrfnce, aisieh. li.i tbc tuahei ven msIe "a
t,stancs 90 a mile, and save a dleauce q Eve in
fl enEfh &C The canal Tic work at this iuf-
hsi BIAS ben carried GA 40 both euii, srd, with
tnw % Facilitate DE- operations ani afurl ~
"iYofisuitY iof au aivaniageouf division of la-
i'f. iNgsitlfts have been iei inio ne mou1iain
o. az o. ccaire, thus enabling fhgm 10 work az
"a. .|