Sunbury American. [volume] (Sunbury, Pa.) 1848-1879, 1851-07-12
EXTRACT OF & SETxEu FROM THH Eor-
ron DATED
MrRvpss, CosN-,
Julu 2, issL.


80 warm that feel relieved in escaping toom
the crowd and turmoil Of the city OF New
York. 70 the land Of steady habits, or as ii is
Sometimes called, she land Of notions, wood
en- nu;uegs, and pumpkin pies. Meriden rs
on the line Of rail road connecting New York
and Boston "a road ihai is now doing an i'm
mense business and has greatly added 10
the wealth and prosperity of nearly every
place through wliich il passes. The connec-
tion is made by the New York and New Ha-
ven road, &c miles, New Haven 10 Hartford
sc miles, aud from thence TO Springfield 26
miles, where the road iniersects the West
ern road from Albany TO Boston-whole dis
tance 236 intestine of running about nine
hours-and the fare five dollars. Meriden
is half way between New Haven and Hart
ford The location Of the village OF rather
villages, as there are two Of them, is beauti-
fol and romantic. There is not, If is true
noble river. like our own Susquehanna, 10
,raze rrou. but nature ard art has done much
60 tender the place pleasant and attractive
Meriden proper, or the old town, is situated
mostly on the hill. The lots are large, and
the houses are nearly all set back with
handsome yards and flower gardens in front.
The buildings are all painted white, with
green shutters and blinds, and all wear eX-
ternally neat, clcaniy and comfortable ap-
pearance. In this respect the Yankees are
greatly ahead of the Pennsylvauians, al
al ,bof in sDhcf1ptial
comforts, cleanliness aw social qualities,
they might, generally speaking, take useful
lessons from US. Every house and almost
every shop, and other building here, seems
to have its portico and columns. The style
of building is not exactly severely classical
or confined 10 one or more Of the ancient or
ders, but seems 10 be composition made
up of the Cornthian, the Gothic, the Doric,
Sc, with a considerable sprinkle of the
Yankee, but on the whole it is ornamental
and looks well. One Of the most prominent
features of The upper town is, the Tour
Churches, with their tall spires, In one clus-
ter. The Congregalonaist, the Baptist and
the Methodist, white frame buildings, are on
one side of the street, and the Episcopal
Church on the other. The last named
church is handsome edifce, built Of Con-
neciicut brown cut stone, well finished n-
side and out, and cost fourteen thousand dol
lars, liberal outlay for a small village
The Yankees, though close and economical
in their habits, are nevertheless lavish in
their expenditures upon churches and other
public buildings. They are emphatically a
church going people, strictly moral in their
habits, kind and courteous 10 each other, as
we'll as to strangers. The patriotism of their
ancestors has not been without its influence
on their descendants. West Meriden is OF
more recent origin, and has been built up
since the construction Of the rail road II
lies at The foot of the hill, and is in fact but
an extension of the Meriden proper. The
scenery of the surrounding country is pictur.
esque and handsome. The farm houses are
of the same character as those Of The village,
with handsome green yards and flower gar
dens, and seems 10 be but an extension Of
the village into a more sparsely settled dis
trict. A good hotel or boarding house,
would think, be of great advantage 10 the
place. There is but one hotel in each Of the
places, and that in the upper village is moi
calculated TO make a favorable impression
with strangers. ! was, however, fortunate,
in having letters from New York, 10 H. w
Saltens,all, an enterprising and respectable
business man of the place, through whose
kind hospitality, and that of his family, my
visit was made most agreeable. was in
debled TO him, during my stay, for some
pleasant rides to "liemock Grove" ant
"lce Cave Cold Spring Retreat" and othe
places of interest. | shall never forget ,ht
refreshing draughts of exceedingly cold ant
pure water, from the springs of the abov'
named places, which are but several mile
out, and much frequented by the citizens o
the town, and others. The revolving swint
at Hemlock Grove, was 10 me great curl
osty. 1t has the appearance OF an mmens
wheel, suspended in the air. There ar
four pair Of arms sixteen feet in length, eX
tending at right angles from the shaft A
the end Of each pair of arms is seat 10
two, swung upon pivois The shaft revolve
on its journals, fixed between two larg
trees. Thus the eight persons in the iou
seats, are made 10 describe a circle of thir
two feet in diameter, either backwards q
forwards The soil here is no, like The iei
tile lands of our farmers. They can rails
but little or no wheat, but the rye and gras
though light looked tolerably well. Barie
is also one of their crops. The New Ems
iandcrs are generally moral, sober and indut
trons, and Notwithstanding nature has don
but little for them, their thrift and prospcril
is every where apparent. Meriden, npp'
and lower, contains about 1000 inhab,an;
and like nost Of the nourishing towns in Ne
England, is manufacturing place, and
said to be the greatest place for the man
facture Of tin ware in the states. One Of Il
most extensive and enterprsing manufactu
ers in the place, is Mr.. Charles Parker, vi