Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1853-01-25


lowing interesting sketch OF delightful trip from The pen
Of our excellent friend Senator Tabb Of Norfolk city The
excursion 10 Wheeling will be regarded BY those who
took mart in il, as green spot in their ves-and wa do not
beurudue The large space occupied by Mr. Tabs letter. in
recording his pleasant and graphic picture:
For the Enquirer.
To William Z. Cunninghnin, Esq"
Editor If the American Beacon, Norfolk cay
Dear Sr-l send you the following simple har1t's ~
the incidents and events of trip TO "heclns on .ne @
timOre and ONO HALL hoau loplh" II may i'''S'''' " 800
srs of your paper. .- = . s;,,
lure and do his because made the Trip IN my olca
L.r,,r of Virginia Senator and whatever Information
OF an instructive or Interesting nature consider
belongs 10 my constituents
The opening of the great rail road IRON Baltimore ="
Wbceirr was arranged the Uth inst, and the
virginia Legislature coarlcously invited To be present
on the occasion / debated in my mind the ptoprIsy %,
abandoning the public business Tor grathcacn ol any h
whatever und only decided avail myself OF The INV,
ta,on by the assurance that quorum Tor business ~onu
remain in Richmond and BY the knowledge mat no qucs-
ton of inheritance 10 my constituents could ase IN my
absence The Maryland Legislature also invited guests OF
the Baltimore and Ohio Rail Road Company adjourned inr
week, 10 make the excursion me ne ;s',a ;car
left Richmond Saturday night, the 9Th inst, al COCK
on tbs Richmond, Fredericksburg and Potomac Kan hoao
the facilities Of which they politely invited 10 use II
reaching city Of Baltimore hey h'vea n na o
inst at o'clock the excursion party estimated 10 be COM
posed of 600 persons "a splendid set out from raft
scene animated and exciting as was presented IN inc
np Thousands upon thousands assemble. al inc depot
TO witness the departure The train was divided INTO Two sec
tons-cnch section drawn by two powerful locomotive Gu,
pines Cars assigned for the Governors oi iar!ann
and Virginia and their suites for the sgnltares and eminent
men of MARYLAND; for the Maryland Legislature; Tor l,
Vrg,n, LEGISLATURE &C. sc. splendid band o. music,
composed OF gentlemen amateurs, VINO mao Voiua'"''en '
The OCCASION occupied One very long Car was h"
mrahy fitted I'D and adapted for dining car spacious
car was burthencd with prov sions and refreshments
large number of accomplished servants were cnsa2eh o'
he occaso and indeed thing was so arranged as "
secure the creutes degree Of comfort enjoyment confe
nience and security AT the hour appointed the Tram "vea
nd 10 the sounds Of thrilling music with banners hvng
from every car and umds, the cheering OF the thou'1s
,nec,a al the depot and along the way Tor miles IL
had been predicted that accident would surely happen
in the course the hazardous Journey aud, Qnaeisooa
many had been frightened from the IMP
AS we pass through mountainous country, no
yer before penetrated by The tickl!sh cnnirvancc OF rail
road some party elt mat we were 'ehhtihS anu "
ling our precious lives; bHt that,
h Ijr. Something ventured far from shore.
We should be valued Tor tho dangerssaiu tue more.
The distance from Baltimore the Ohio is 375 miles and
the rail road Allegheny OF mountain mist
through portion Maryland and through Jefferson Berse
lev Morgan Hampshire, Taylor, Monongahea, Mation'
Wszel Marshall and Ohio counties Virginia
This wonderful rail road was commenced IN 1875 twenty
for year. sro and has already seventeen millions OF
dollars Cumberland Allegheny county, Mary land is i'o
miles from gilmore This place we rearhen 10 smppe''
Monday Might, passing Flicutts Mills Har2cr's Ferry,
through Doe Cuey Tunnel along the hanks OF the mesa
prakc and OHIO Canal snd amds tic richest ana most
beautifully uhdulane country over wss
neIy about Hsrprrs Fery-sad 10 be worth trip across
The Atlantic 10 bchold-lo tell about dining bUu persons
sumptnously IN ran ROAD car cong AZ ',s ~ :"
10 20 miles m hour: and hia repeated Tor several days
about the various comforts and pleasures and couTtees we
enjoyed; and these all that heart coulh "sh app,e
tusdiousness demand thought when passing the
lovely hills gracefully sloping into romantic valleys along TIE
banks Of Potomac for many miles uhe Potomac
the dividing line between Mary land and virginia. The ran
road runs nr many miles, first side of the river and
then on the uther,) thought when oehonns LOT inc mr.
lime the picturesque aud sublime scenery about HaPc
FAIRY thai WAS already rewarded Tor my tp ana shoac
,ya materials on nv return for interesting narratives
but SUBSEQUENT observation and experience introduced NE 10
such srupenduus works Of nature such wonderful achieve
m, n,s of human enterprise that on The way BACK me elf
cume,snca, nd scenery OF the Potomac were nnheeded
was familiar with mountain scenery, having, at one
time spent months rambling among inc mountains lhu
cutloscs and wonders OF Virginia, ana al various heS
travelled in the neiehbehood Of mountains out must con
css the difficulties overcome, The barriers surnouhieo ny
tho Baltimore und Ohio Rail Road, greatly enhanced inc
lively effect my mind, in contemplating the suoillS an"
wonders of The Allegheny.
From Cumberland to Fairmont in Mononeaheln county
orc hundred and twentyfou miles, 'he ran roma - cun
structed around and the Allegheny mountain NC
Jeff Cumberland 10 o'clock al night and conseacel our
perous mountain journey. II being night, and the ca
moving with great rapidity could only catch glimpse OF
the gay Being wide awake however and constantly on the
q pre for the sights and scenes ASSISTED BY The beacon
fires kndcd al halt mile distance along Tho ran toau 'acs
,rouph The mountains certainly saw enough 10 satisfy
me that no barrier has raised can arrest The progress
of any anxious indonilahle Only think OF mario"
X,
down from It's summit yet hundreds OF feet from lis BASE
from the valley beow-iookng out Of ono window OF The
car you nothing but tie rugged mountain se; rom le
Thor Won look down the full dcCvity almost cricndi-
ular al one place told, 700 feet down TO the Cheat
river This ia mysterious stream, which has It's use no
body knows where, aud nshes through ts range VI inc ~.
,bany to pnt il. waters the Potomac derives its
name from the dscpous character .! its bottom, or hrd
When the hos allued into an attempt 10 lord ms
river a, the apparently ordabe places, he soon nd5 MS
horses feet slipping and around the boaers piled
one on the other forming the bed Of the river and frequent
the horses legs broken and the rider plunged me
water You form some idea of what is meant by At
tempting 10 walk over heap OF rouha BoeS pisu o' ="
another.
nernendcuar height Only think Of lS6 icct
in the a-lhc occupying the track entirely SO mat you
can see nothing either side but the shiiI abyss bc"w
m which shattered und broken, must inevitably be
pon the happening Of tho slightest accident Some
of my friends begged not to be told when crossing ms te
ul place desired 10 know the moment OF time We should
sing. The ground wac white win snow,
and this with the Iud glare OF the beacon hres winch
slreaned and spaklcd high the mountain sides lighting
up the raw nea and g1rges enabled me 70 apeco Jul
heart swecd my BOSOM and my respiration was almost
suspended ,,,,,
ING chasn on our simple trcse work structure, and now
praise the bridge which brought me safe over ms point
on the road called the mile OF ~ because ~ miles from
Cumberland and when the contract for It's construction
was advertised there not found contractor, with
nerve enoSuh undertake II. Inc company was unuef
the necessity of executing the WORK
committed nv life and body and limbs under the su2erlnten
dence OF n:cycul Providence, 10 the sons OF Vulcan who
were managing the machines, und regulating motion,
snd IN III, wi,cy Of night, penetrated the gloomy
soudes of Old Allegheny and the Wild snort OF Inc rusnng
IRON horse rcvelberaed from valley TO valley IN solemn
gloomy echoes We dashed around and over the huge
mountain across the roaring mountain torrents and through
the black and dismal tunnel and BY the morning We had
crossed the range and were fast approaching tairmont
beautiful mountain town the Monongahsa with grace
f wire suspension bridge spanning The river Alter par
tukns Of glorious breakfast at Famon as free as the
mountain air beahed continued our journey TO the
West all in high elee and ul Of hope and anslcpaons ex
meeting 10 arrive at Wheeling BY night After proceeding
seventeen miles from Famont, when turning long
curve, on the bank of Buffalo creek ono of tho ten
ders broke down locomotive of tho UacS, ADD but
for merciul Providence, would have plunged US down
The ba nix into the river below Here dllcmma-hls
was taking the wind of our sails with rengeance-
some enid would require half the day 10 get the wreck
a and the engine The track and there we were TO wall
and regretug seated ON old logs by the way
,r imnaen and fdgey in the cars, or wandering along
The muddy banks of the Butflo, ior hours together
climbed up the muddy bank 10 new turnpike and joined
group Of cherry checked boys just let out from neigh
boring school and standing and looking with wonder aud
on lhe scene below They dressed in red
loza coats presented very picturesque appear