The daily exchange. [volume] (Baltimore, Md.) 1858-1861, 1859-10-20

A.-Engine-house.
B.-Paymaster's Department.
CCC.-Iron Gates
DDD.-Armory Buildings.
EEE.-Rihe Works.
F.-Wager's Hotel.
G.-Ticket-ofice Baltimore and Ohio Railroad.
H.-Post- office
I.-Telegraph- h-office.
baltimore and Ohio Railroad Bridge
l, 2 3.-United States Marines.
7.-yirginia Soldiers.
Door which was battered down.
THE TOWN OF HARPER's FERRY
The town of Harper's Ferry, which obtained its
name in the ancient days when ferry here afforded
the only means of crossing the streams is built up
on the narrow declivitous tongue of land lying di
recty IN the confluence of two rivers. AS the
tain sleeps converge precptousy at all points above
the gap, but small space is left for building with
accessible cow venience. With the exception of She
pandoah street and Armory street, which the Gov
ernment works are built, all the streets are narrow
and difficult to travel account of their steepness
High street is the principal road used in reaching
what is called the Ferry proper. From its ntersec-
tion with Shenandoah street to point 400 yards
further up the rise is over 400 feet This point is
called Camp Hill, and quite village is built on it.
The powder magazine of the Government is stu
ated on the north side of this HILL overlooking the
Potomac. The view from this point is beautiful
beyond description, and particularly so at this sea-
son of the year, when the forests on the mountain
sides present their hues, varying from the livid
green of the spruce and pine to that of the nut
brown of the oak. The waters of the Potomac and
the Shenandoah, for two miles up, be seen leap
ing their rocky beds, and hurrying to the
iuncture, where they kiss each other, mingle and
become one. After reaching the top of
Camp Hill the land descends slightly, and
after passing over short distance of unimproved
ground, the town of Bolivar is reached, in which
most of the en- employed in the armory live. 1t
contained population, in 1850, of 1,054 of which
number LOG were negroes, GO free and 46 slaves.
Harper's Ferry in the same year contained III
of which l96 were negroes, l09 slaves and 81 free.
The population has not increased much, if any,
since the last census was taken. The turnpike
road, which leads from Charlestown to the Ferry,
turns to the south at the west end of Bolivar and
by rapid descent of several hundred feet reaches
the north banks of the Shenandoah, and runs along
the bank until it enters Shenandoah street. The
Winchester and Potomac road also runs along the
bank of the Shenandoah, and for mile
and half above the Ferry, the track is
laid on tresse work. Therefore there are but
two roads by which the Ferry can be reached from
the west, either by passing through Bolivar,
over Camp Hill, and down the sleeps of High street
into Shenandoah street, by the turnpike rail-
road passing along the north bankof the Shenandoah
river. The Baltimore and Ohio Railroad passes
along the south bank of the Potomac, and there is
also a narrow road, very difficult to travel running
along the south bank of the Potomac, and consider
ably below the tressle work over which the Bati-
more and Ohio Railroad passes, and which ends at
the outskirts of the town, the hills being two rugged
and steep to admit of anything except foot path.
Altogether, the Ferry is of the most inaccessi-
DIE towns In tnlS country, ana garrlsoned by two
three thousand men, would be most difficult to
take.
On the north side of the Potomac river there is
a narrow road, running east and west lying be-
tween the river and the mountain. 1t was this
road over which Cook with the wagons containing
the rifles and other articles passed Monday morn
ing, and by it the Independent Greys returned with
the wagons after capturing them at the school
house.
Stevens, the insurgent who was wounded by being
shot, on Monday afternoon, and who was taken pri-
sOner stated that he had been led to the belief by
Brown, that arrangements had been made with the
negroes for general uprising, land he( Stevens) had
expected, in less than "a hours, to have seen
the entire slave population in arms.
BRIDGE ACROSS THE POTOMAC
The bridge so constantly referred to is somewhat
in the shape of the letter Y dividing as we approach
its western end, the left hand branch connecting
with the Winchester and Potomac Railroad pass
ing up the Shenandoah, and the right hand carry
ing the main road, by bold curve up the Poto-
mac. The bridge is about 900 feet in length, and
consists of arches of 130 feet and one arch of rs
feet span over the river and an arch of 100 feet
span over the canal. These arches are all of tim
Der and iron, and covered in, except the western
arch connecting with the Winchester Road which is
constructed entirely of iron, on Boman's plan. 1t
is remarkable, not much for its length as for its
peculiar form, the end being curved in opposite di-
rections, and the structure bfurcated towards the
western extremity.
STATISTICS OF SLAVE POPULATION.
The following table shows the population,
white and slaves, in jefferson and adjoining Vir-
ginia counties, together with that of Washington