Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1858-08-10
7rrTgR YRoM BERKELEY SPRINGS
Correspondence 81 the Rte's@oad E7f%'ref.j
RpREFIEy SPRINGS. Va. Auy2 lS5

L.
-.-.-t Correspondence Of tie Riatnoad E1f~rar.j
BERKELEY SPRINGS, Va, Aug. > 1858.
Messrs. Editors :-Wil you admit another CORES
pondent TO your columns i'll addition to those who
already keep your readers advised VI tue Summer
gstes al tue watering places | have run oil Tor u
season, from the heat and dust Of The town. to one vi
the most delightful OF those mountain retea.s.. III
which Virginia, 80 fortunately, abounds, anu sn',"s
at my window this pleasant August afternoon, u ta
occurred to me-, as look out upon the ot'g"l nm
across the road from the hotel, tha perhaps ~ q. @
resorts, this is the one OF when inc peUP,o VI ou
lids water section know the LEAST. 'eIi ~
how the world amuses itself here, AND 10 or'neue a.
fractions of the epo: TO the notice o your ~
bs the object of the desnltory letters Wh'cn ena''
write you from time TO time, az the huiof Se'Nes n''
during my vacation from toll. IT. a.
But before entering upon any descrip''ou vi we
Berkeley Springs, let me say a WORD cohc=lnuE 'ne
way of getting here. Indeed, think my opening
epstle may pro6tably be devoted TO Inc route WHICH
is at once easy and delightful passing oy Spots OF re-
marksbs interest, and, for greater por'on OF Tue
distance through scenery of surpassiDg beauty ana
grandeur One may leave Richmond ln 'hs morn
ing taking either tho Central the kichnond, L re-
derrick sburg aud Potomac Rail Road, ana arrive a'
Berkeley Springs III p. Nj but the piearshter inode
Of making the journey, is to take the evening .an
from Richmond. arriving at the Relay house at IN
o'clock the next morning. and 80 petloIuIus 'ne 40
miles on the Baltimore aud ONO Kali ho"u oS oay,
light. Such was my own cours-, ami having seeihI
NJ, found myself the next day, al tnis srqneet-rea
spot, time to lake bath before the regular hour ior
dinner.
We have all heard great deal OF the Baltimore
and Ohio Rail Road az line OF COMMERCIAL lrahsi'
between the Monumental City and Inc great w es,
nasmuch The struggle for the right Oi way through
the Northern counties OF our Stale YVES iough' lot
may winters in the Virginia Legislature WIN sfea'
ability both sides; but of this great n'gh"sy III
marvel OF engineering skill, aud rs moving diorsha
| nf ha DOGest landscapes,
| little. No expensive works, such as thoSe wn'ch
have illustrated and described the most ilnportShl
lines Of railway in Europe, have yet been puo'isheo
concerning it, has AIT s-z ID uponlts picturesque
dsfes with her magic pencil, and made them trlbu'a
ry to public and private galleries. Ii you desire ~
become familiar with the great Austrian roso over
| The Semmering Alp, or with the magnificent csnfe
way of granite overlad with iron grooves, when the
King of Sardinia has constructed between Genoa aud
Turin, you msy hnd volumes presenting 'ne inos
satisfactory sccouns OF them III Inc BOOKSTORES VI
our larger ctes and il notorious that all the MOT"
striking objects uf nature III the Did World, from the
Grands Chartreuse TO the Abruzzi 10 be inst with
in landscape painting in many parts oil the United
States But tho greatest triumph OF the engineer
between the waters OF the Potomac aud the ONO.
are unrecorded for the examination OF the stndenf;
and the old mountains at Harpets Ferry wait ior tHe
painter who shall transfer them 10 canvass
The moment the train turns The rocky corner al Inc
81. Thomas Vaduct, nns miles from Baltimore Inc
scenery becomes romantic. Following the Drawing
scribes curves OF many ordes and different radil'
now bending round a waerni IN the arc OF circle
and tortuously entering lie pretty village Such
for example az Elilcotts MILF ntl reaching higher
level it strikes the ope country Tor the blue
RIDGE whose wavy outline Sc acomes in view. tV-
erywhere the observant pSs' ger WIN nave REASON
to admire the genius OF tho :.sn whose mental eye
first saw possible road level through this broken re-
gion, aud the admirable manner In which ms piah'
have been carried out. The Numerous bridges, the
tunnels, the embsnkments-all attest The skill oil the
engineer and the fidelity Of the workman Inc ap
proach TO the Blue Ridge is through rich and smii.
iog country, where the crystal Potomac runs in and
out OF vision the train whlrs you onward; and
now, having been prepared for fine exhibition OF
natures handwork at the Point OF Rocks, You in
stany partake Of Mr. Jetferson's enthusiasm rs the
locomotive comes TO rest under the deep shadows OF
Harper's Ferry. Let US thank MIR. Latrooe and the
energetic who gave his talent employment in car.
ryng forward the Baltimore and Ohio Railroad that,
every day, hundreds Ut persons are permitted To see
this magnificent river and mountain copfiic who wou:u
otherwise have never gone 10 the confluence OF the
Potomac and the Shenandoah. The poets, and among
them MIR. Wordsworth, have described the railway be.
cause il invsdes the hauns OF the bryads and makes
fairy land prossic they should rather rejoice that the
iron horse carries Us into very many recesses, when
the muses. love, where We should never have ponetra
ted without it; that every spot remarkable Tor lie
syva1 beauty or lie wild magniiiceuce, Is made &C.
ceasible by means OF the Express daily, at ..3o Il.
M and that the slold and the apa,be,ic among The
class of travellers reused into genuine admiration
of nature, and made 10 feel sympathy with liza
moods by being brought lace To lace with tbs grandest
exhibition OF lie power.
Leaving the Potomac for awhile at Harper's Ferry,
the line of the Rail Road soon enters the thriving
town OF Narnsburg and strikes the river agRn lew
miles beyond but does not cross il a. yet. Here We
have succession OF peaceful, pastoral views, IN
striking cou,ras; with the legends OF lndsu seud and
revolutionary warfare which belong to the region
The sweet. pure gld.s through smooth aud Ter
tile 6edsdolted with small bat slightly dwellings, and
bounded Oh the horizon by wild ranges Of mountains;
and in the midst of this pleasing scene, where Mary
land and Virginia look with grateful satisfaction INTO
the bright mirror that divides themw descend from
the train. wish freud, the conductor bon royose
for the Ohio aud mount the stage coach which ~ 10
convey US TO Berkeley Springs
From the station at Sir Johns Run 10 Strother's
Hotel is but Two miles and a bait, but the road IL
rough and the time required tor performing the drive
il not lers than all hour Were il not tor the excel.
ence of the coaches and teams. aud the care OF the
drivers, danger might be unprecedented Al this part oi
the juuruey-especially alter ngh!iali-yet no acct
dents have ever occurred here, 80 far ss l sm in
formed.
ave said 40 much of the route that must reserve
any remarks c"ncernng this watering pac- until my
next letter. There ia most agreeable company al
our hotel at present and every day gres us scces-
sions. Among the distinguished visitors are Gov.
Henry 5. Foote, OF Tennessee; Hon. Anthony Ken
nedy, of Maryland; Mr.. Rice. United States Senator
from MiuueeOis; Hon. MIR. Singleton oi Misslssippi
Hon. Chss L. Scott, of California; the Baron Osten
Sscken, OF the Russian legation Mr.. DeBow, Editor
OF "DeBVw's Review aud others.
A sad event occurred here this evening, in the
death of Gen. Gather, OF Maryland, Speaker of the
Senate of that State. He o; the victims OF
the National Hotel poisoning aud came 10 the Springs
only ten days ago, ia very feeble condition.
You shall hear from ms again ere long Ak.
--ses----