The independent press. (Abbeville C.H., S.C.) 1853-1860, 1858-10-22
FOR TIE ISDEPENpENr rKEss.
Notes of a Tourist-No. 3.
BOURBON CnUNTY, KY, Sept. 25, !!

way Of Cincinnati and Buffalo, has afforded me
the opportunity Of taking some observations on
the north of Mason and Dixon's line. az
proaclicd Cincinnati over the Kentucky Cen
trail Rail Road, passing through the city of G..
v'ngt"n on the opposite bank Of the river
which was here crossed steam ferry boat.
Some progress has been male in the erection
OF a suspension bridge at this point. The at
trntion of stranger in Cincinnati is at once
drawn to the generally dirty may say filthy
appearance Of its streets. Unpleasant odors
meet him on all sides This may bc owing at
the present time. to the fact that they have
had no heavy washing rain for long time.
What Il boon. thought |. would heavy shower
be to wash off tins filth. to cleanse the sewers
AMI purify the atmosphere. However,, sup.
pose the people of Cincinnati think their city
one OF the most clearly places in the wcst--as
read the following extract from the special cor.
respondent of the Cincinnati ITmrs written
from st. Louis, Mo, Il should Judge st. Iouis
t" toe badly governed city. Its streets ar.
wrctchc,!ly iil,hy-such streets in Cincinnati
would cause the creation of II score ofhnards of
health. Surely these people have need to wish
! that "some power would the gifte gle them, to
sell themselves rs ithcrs see them''
The Fair of the Ohio Mechanical Inst itute
was open during my stay and afforded me plea
SAINT occupation for an hour two. had nj
:" an opportunity of inspecting the steam ire
engine. The horses by which it is drawn nr,.
kept in the same building. md ifI recollcc,
Alright. were all harnrsscd ready to be attach.
cl at II moments notice.
! some beautiful hedges large fields Of broom,
corn and vineyards of considerable extent. The
vines appeared to be planted very closely to.
grther and attached to posts about six feet
high
This State, as well as Kentucky, is suffering
from severe drought. Much of the corn
looked as if it. would not make > bushels an
acle. ] was rather surprised to find the coun.
try so very lev"l-in some parts too much So
to be drained to alvan,ag.-thc scenery uuin
! teresting, flat, monoton"us-ihe houses of IN.
farmers. small, mean rdiccs of one or one and
! "hnIt st"r'rs-aif"riing no evidences of wealth
ar refincmcn,-thrir small towns made III, of
houses OF the same sor,--anI the Dutch climate
10 prevail SO extensively, judging Lv the mum.
Der OF signs in this language Tn. land alonu
The line OF roads Is said to be worth aLou, So
an acre. and did not to my eye exhibit many
signs OF Il very improved system of culture.
Much Of the northern part of the State is still
heavily tiinhercd with thick underground.
As the pine does not grow with them, the dried
wood Of the maple, beech hickory and oak is
used on the locomotives.
Railroads traverse his State in all directions
The very little grading required, would ac
count for this. Two improvements beinr in
tr"dnctd on this road at the present time, are
worthy of notice The one consists in connect
ing the ends OF The rails together by piece OF
scantlInS some three or four feet long. tightly
screwed on the outside hy two bolts through
each end Of the rail. AS only tesp.rate mr.
tlons of the road are finished in this way, it EN-
aoies the traveller to test its advanta gcs fully.
Instead Of the ratling, jarring. olting which he
has been experiencing for some miles, nll ut
once he is sliding Oh smoothly, with no noise
but The IN form roar Of the wheels, which hus
heretofore been disguised by other sounds. 1t
is said that this Improvement enables them To
make ten miles an hour with less wear Of ma.
chinery and certainly with greater comfort to
the other improvement-the Sleeping ear. This
Is such all arrangement that the comfortably
cushioned seats of the day, nrc converted into
comfortable bcrlhs for the night, with curtain
blanket aud pillow and t" prevent your be.
ing disturbed by the conductor, wishing to OK.
anime your tickets. they are held by n srrin,
near your head. 1t is private speculation
and i, additional charge.
Cleveland is pleasantly situated on hiph
b!uif Immediately on Lake Erie. The streets
running towards the water, afford uniuue and
cheerful prospect of the lake extending to the
horizon, as seen between two rows Of houses.
with an occasional sail passing ilippantly across
the range of visiun.
The Lake shore and Erie Rail Road afford
some prctsy views Of the lake rs it skirts its
shore for l>3 miles. Reaching Buffalo in the
evening. l went directly on bv railroad to Mia
gnra, where arrived about J.. NJ
Here. rs n matter of course, | expected that !
my wonl be salutcl with the laundering
roar OF the falls. But was doomed to disap.
p"Intment. took up my quarters at the Inter
national Hotel not more than two or three hun
dred yards from them. and still they were 81.
lent. After supper walked down and had
my first view of the Comet!
great pest of Niagara are the guides and
hnckmen. You cannot STIR out, hut they are
after you. and will not be satisfied with a re.
fusal but will follow you up pertin"couslv, Of.
fering their services 1t is to sny the least of
it very vexntions One fellow stuck to me rs
soon rs got out after supper, handed me his
| card and offered to take me round for So CO.
! which he snd wns below his usual charge. |
told him would about it the next day.
The next fellow offered to do it for 81 90. |
got rid OF him the same way. / found out the
| next day To my sorrow that the competition
was very brisk and the offers very low Twas
determined to see for myself and by myself
fhnn hoV noft fall
guile book furnished all the information
needed. and had no difficulty Ill finding every
thing that wished to sce
Now for it-what of Niagara I must con.
fess Mr. Editor that could not get up my en-
thusiasm, notwithstanding tried it in differ
cnt ways l went above and looked down.
went down md looked up-I went under the
water-1 went above the water-I viewed it
from distanre-I viewed it near. 1t was nil
the same-bm great fall of water. Niagara
was henceforth to be remembered only as such.
and to be divested of the charms with which nv
imag inings, founded upon the highly wrourL.
descriptions Of Others, had clothed it.
should characterizejt as wild scene-the