The national era. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1847-1860, 1851-12-04
WASHINGTON, ID. c.
For the National Era.
ALONG THE LINE NORTHWEST

ohio- Pleasant ride TO Nena-The Little Miami
valley.
Nh. EDITOR A pleasant day spent IN
Cleveland gave me an opportunity of making
a more thorough exploration of this beautiful
city of the Western Lakes than had ever be-
fore been able to execute, and candor compels
me to say that for once eulogy has not sur
PASSED the truth With every indication Of
rapid growth and great prosperity with many
instances of cultivated taste and high refine
ment. this beautiful young city sits upon the
lakc-shore like a Queen. commanding unYer-
sal admiration
With the excellent harbor she has. (nOw
showing evidences of Governmental neglect
with fine canal pouring into her lap the va
rious productions of large part of the noble
State of Ohio, with one railroad entering her
borders from the West and another from the
East and with coal of excellent quality near
at hand and easy Of access, Cleveland could
hardly do otherwise than present many and
decided evidences Of commercial thrift and
manufacturing industry. But this is not all
she does. In her private residences she affords
examples Of very superior architectural skill
the ample grounds by which many of them
are surrounded fully yindicate her rural taste
her churches and school-houses attest her re
spect for the institutions Of religion and hel
devotion to the cause Of popular education
while the interior of her dwellings and the de-
pertinent of her citizens. alike in their homes
and at their places of business speak emphat-
ically of the courteSies and refncments Of life.
One of the pleasant characteristics of Cleye-
land is its freedom from mud The soil here
- l. Il Itrht
10 be very Troublesome on account of dust in dry
weather it is 50 rapid an absorbent Of water
that two or three hours after a hard rain
lady NAV walk out without selling her slippers,
if She use ordinary care. The winter winds
sSeep oYar the Lake here With great violence
49, "a = then bleak E}l.9 Dds 30
7P,-s-. 81 r. II
this. as tn, bilI- of mortality show. end q hrief
visit in the warm season will speedily make
apparent
Architecturally the great charm of Cleve-
land is a long and wide avenue entirely away
from the business and hustle of the city. called
Euclid street IL is more than mile in length.
built up entirely of costly private residences,
many Of them of large size and great beauty.
and all of them surrounded by grounds of from
one to three or four acres in extent tastefully
fenced in, handsomely laid out and filled with
choice shrubbery | know of no other street
in the United States, that has in combination
the rural and city beauties of this The pop
ulation of Cleveland is ascertained by the pres
ent census to be 2l,14O. Last year, it was
1904. That of Ohio city is now about 5000
The two places are really but one city, divided
by the unmpOrtant CuyahOga river, and will
soon, doubtless, be united under one municipal
government. Their united population now
amounts to an aggregate of not less than
26,OOO! Five years ago, Mr.. Editor when
you left the State of Ohio, Cleveland was only
a respectable little town, on the southern shore
OF Lake Erie, deriving most of its Importance
from the single fact that it was the chief north
ern outlet for the agricultural products of this
State, the point at which transportation on the
great Ohio canal, in and out. connected with
transportation on Lake Erie east and west.
In the course of five years more, (by which time
| hope you will have accomplished your mis-
son in the National Metropolis, and be on
your return homer it will be an active and i'm
DOrtant commercial manufacturing. and poti- |
'al city, with population of little, if any short
)f hiry-fCe thousand souls This is the way |
n which things are going on Along the Line
Northwest
The opening Of the railroad from Columbus
% Cleveland. Il few months ago, was marked
by good deal of cxultaton, and started the
newspapers at either terminus, and along the
inc, into loud chime Of magniloquent praises
but the truth is, the road is Il poor one, and
passes most Of the way through wild and
country. Making the road may
nave been very easy, but riding upon it is hard
work
| was in Columbus too short time to give
you anything like detailed account of this
'ty, interesting AZ the capital of great and
growing State, and as the seat Of Il number of
humane Institutions the foundation and sue
;essful management of which reflect undyinr
lonors upon the people of this young Common
wealth
These public charities embrace n mnatic
lsylum, an institution for the education of the
leaf and dumb and II school for the blind-al
furnished with large and handsome buildings
we'll organized, and supplied with superior
uperlntendcntS, teachers, &c Among these
Institutions, the penitcntiary may Justly be
,lassed. This rs you know, is n very large
and very strong stone structure, and is con
iucted throughout on the most improved plan
II such prisons. The new State House makes
taste slowly but it is on gigantic scale
md when completed will be great and beau
iful edifcc.
do not remember TO have seen the recent
census Of Columbus but believe the population
II the city is now about 1900. The place
has grown rapidly within few years, and
some handsome new private residences and
public buildings indicate an increasing taste
Tor architectural proprietics The commence
nent and completion of the two railroads that
now have their termini in Columbus have
given an impulse to business which makes the
'ity put on airs that a very few years ago she
was an entire stranger to-
know OF no easier or pleasanter. ride any
where, than that from Columbus to Xenia, on
the railway bearing the names of these two
towns. This road is one of the best in the
country. and travel over it is made very inter. |
estng, by the fact that it passes through por-
ton OF the hnc grazing and wheat lands of |
+ rankin, Madison, Clarke and Greene coun- |
ties
Aenla is beautiful town, and growing rap
ldly' And here may be found the hest ar. |
ranged travellers Station, and the best ac. |
commodations for eating that exist ON any |
railroad in the United States. such il tho
almost universal testimony, and it accords with
my own observation
The ride from Xcnia to Cincinnati ON the
Little Miami railroad, is far peasanter than
It used TO be, since many of the old curves
have been Strengthened, and substantial ri
rails put down, instead of the fiat rail that
was used mt first
Were you 10 pass over this road now, You
would be astonished at the changes that have
been made IN the face of the country during
he five years that you have been absent. But
have not time, nor have you room, for par
ticulars. Suffice it to say rs sip my tea and
,at my toast with mine host of the Burnet
House that this same Little Miami Valley is
one of the garden spots of the world.
And rs | have in this letter travelled clear
across the great State of OHIO, and diagonally
at that we will cen part here. with a simple
- Good night! Yours. &c.
(InuENrp G.Y..,o