The Jeffersonian. [volume] (Stroudsburg, Pa.) 1853-1911, 1858-07-15


Scranton.
Correspondence of the N. Y. Express.
SCRANTON. Pa, July 6.
A more delightful retreat for warm
weather can hardly be selected than this
place surrounded by peaks of the Moosac
range, and visited by cooling breezes that
make the evenings deliciously refreshing
after the heat of the day. The railway
trip from Stroudsburg hi:her, presents
some new features of scenery. Four or
five miles northwest of Stroudsburg, the
ascent of the PoOono Ridge as you go
west is commenced. Whites Bridge and
Paradise Bridge, are structures worth the
traveller S attention; and the railroad pass
es through a succession Of cuts and em-
bapkments, which must have cost an i'm.
mense SUN. On the left extend beautiful
views, embracing a sweep of mountains
with valley and cultivated fields at their
base; while on the other side, the priUi
tive forest covers the hillside. On the
SUNNI of Pocono Mountain you enter
the Tunnel, on emerging from which a
picture is presented unrivalled in the
whole country. and hardly surpassed in
the world. The eye takes in an arena
hundreds of miles in extent-to the north
east and south. The Blue Ridge, seen in
relief against the sky, forms misty
frame work for vast landscape. embrac-
ing hill and vale, woods aud fields, rivers
and villages. That deep cleft in the blue
rampant is the Delaware Water Cap
eighteen miles distant by aD air line
You stand on an elevation twelve hun
dred feet higher than the sublime locai-
ty, on which the eye rests as the most
prominent object in tho superb picture.
One might spend hours with delight in
gazing on this view-whicb is finer and
more extensive than that from the Cats
XII Mountain hou-e. and would well re
ward the enterprise of building an hotel.
The height, the pure air, the splendid
lookout, and the easiness of access, could
hardly fail to attract residents of the city:
especially as five hours or so, would
bring them from New York.
Leaving this scene of enchaDtment,
you enter the dense primitive forest, the
tangled, sunless, imperViouS labarynth Of
these woods is becoming rare curiosity
where the hand Of improvement had been
busy. The large tresS grow so closely
that they lean against and intertwino with
each other; their roots being choked b.
a rank growth OF undcrbru,h. Here and
there heavy trunks decayed by age, re-
cline upon their vigorous descend ants,
covered with thick moss, OF afford soil
for shoots of vegetation. Close to the
track, belt of these woods has been de-
stroyed by fire, or BY ponds of standing
water; and their denuded, gray, crisp
boughs, look like what poets mig ht imag-
Inc Of the groves in Pluto's dominions-
Every bougb, every delicate sprg is there
but blancbed by the destroyer Ere
queDtly on the right the mountains were
seen stripped of their primeval forost. but
covered with a half growth of younger
woods.
The station called "Tobybauna, stand,
in the roughest parts Of these forests 4
pond on the right is strewn with dead
branches and logs, and on the left msy
be seen several rude boarded buildings,
some of which offer shelter to the travel
er. A little further off are houses of
better class, but still rough and uusightly
in which are entertained visitors from
the city during the warm weather. 10
one OF these, Miss Laura Keene, Mr.. and
Mrs. Jefferson, and other members of her
company have taken up their summer a
bode. She was In a Quaker family last
summer living about two miles from the
Water Gap; but the number of fashona-
bic visitors made it necessary to dress for
dinner, and she preferred this year a.
mose complete seclusion. 1t is said that
her partner in the theatre has purchased
a place at "Paradi,e,' a notch in the
mountains few miles from Stroud burg.
A splendid agricultural country opens
to the north, as you draw nearer to Scran-
ton. The works of the Pennsylvania Coal
Company are also frequently seen. Then
you enter "Roaring Brook Tunnel" the
comiug out of which is directly opposite
to the Falls. A description of this |
must reserve for another letter. The
road here crosses a fine stone viaduct
thirty five feet above the stream This
same Roaring Brook plays a distinguish
ed part, not only in the woods, but as
feeding the famous Rolling Mill, the great
maDufactory for railroad iron. The town
itself has basy aspect. On the slope of
a hillside is village of miners huts,
clustering like a swarm Of bees in the
sunshine. The various objects Of inter
est here, | will describe in my next.