Civilian & telegraph. [volume] (Cumberland, Md.) 1859-1875, 1859-08-18


our breath-the darling straight through
1.-THE DEVILS Nose" tunnelled projection of
rock overhanging the upper lip of the Poto-
mac, which, after being "blown" with some
trouble by the engineers, was thus express
lively pocket-handkerchiefed with name.
Soon after, we slackened our pace and gil
ded into the picturesque town so CLOTHED by
Jeffefson--to me, q most reluctant termina-
ton of luxury. To dismount from the
cow-catcher and 60 back, even into the well
Furnished drawiug-roon Of our pleasnre-car,
was an exchange for the worse-cool and
pure air relinquished for excessive heat and
dust, to say nothing of the enjoyment OF
look-ahead wholly uninterrupted, and the
thrilling sense of freedom in swift motion
when not boxed up in room. What we
had been thus enjoying, however, is too great
q luxury to remain long un.commonized.
An open car, in front Of the locomotive, 1.-THE
COWS and pigs carefully balustradsd out, Twill
soon be popular extra" on tue trains in
hot weather-rekef to delicate lungs as would
be such an escape from smoke and cinders,
to ray nothing Of its captivating sutablenes
to tho proyerbial go abeadativsness' of the
Americans.
To return once more 10 The starting point
Of my letter.
My friend Judge WARREN, whom ] was
to meet in New-York and accompany on
this guest-excuBon" over the Baltimore and
Ohio Railroad, was as punctual as became
one who was himself Railway President,
tthc boston and Providence, y and at seven
on Monday morning Of the twenty eighth
ultimo, we were dis-whstled from the Sta
ton on the Jersey side bound to Baltimore,
where the guests were to assemble on the
morning of the following day. This part of
our route is too much one of "damnable its-
ration" to form part of descriptive letter;
but must mention an agreeable incident in
our going over it, and calamitous one in
our returning.
owed to Railway improvement worth re-
cordins alongside of the substitution of con-
centrated coal for clumsy ffre-wood in the
furnace of the engine. Irefer to the employ
mcnt of educated and intellectual men in the
various most responsible offices Of trust upon
railways; in this way securing not only the
liberal and enlightened direction Of minds
made ready for emergencies by philosophy
and science, but telling the wheels" Of the
Company's intercourse with the Public by
the courtesy of refined manners. My com
panion was the leading Northern instance Of
ths-a most eminent Judge and lawyer pre-
siding over our leading road and the Incl
dent 50 pleasant to lis was the falling in with
the accomplished brother Of our friend Pro-
fessor FELTON,, Of Harvard, who is one of the
Superintendent of the Road to Philadelphia.
This is worth mentioning, for it forms a new
profession for graduates and gentlemen-schol-
airs, and shows how general is the improve
ment of the age-the march of Intellect anG
Manners keeping pace with Railway and
Telegraph On the more Southern part Of
our route we found it was the prevailing
rule--a refined and intellectual gentleman to
be met wherever there was an officer OF the
Road
The other incident was one of the usual ia
talities of The Fourth "a working man,
who was one of an uproarious crowd that
were hurrying into the car at Wilmington,
for passage to the city, falling Upon the
track and being literally cut in two. With
the backing of the train at the alarm bell,
saw the mutated corspe drawn upon the
sidewalk, a suddenness of contrast with the
merry roysterer had seen, the moment be-
FORE hurrying on to pleasure, which sent
most elective thrill to the telegraph wire of
my conscience alongside!
| TO three of our small excursion party you
have been aleady MISUNDERSTANDING WAR
rem, THOMPSON, of the Southern Literary"
and myself. The other three, KENNEDY, our
gifted ex-Secretary of the Navy, BAYAHD
TAYLOR, and Commander MAuRY, the world
famous meteorological, met us in the cars
Our trip was most instructive and enchant-
ing one, but shall describe it less circum-
stantially than | at first proposed. On re-
reading the admirable descriptions of pre-
cecding excursions over the same route, given
in the April and June numbers OF Harper's
Monthly, land so well "ilustrated,') togeth-
er with the Reports combined in PREscoTT
SMITHS volume of Railway Celebrations"
find the natural features of this magnificent
route already well recorded. So are many
of the houses, historical localities and regular
happenings upon the road. In my next let
ter therefore, will cndeavor to pick out
such points of our five days. pleas iring as
were incidental TO ourselves, trusting that
you will simply broider my stray flowers on
the well-woven woofs of Brantz Mayer and
Strother, Prescott Smith, and my brother of
the Musical World" Leaving you, mean
time, anywhere you please, on the Alegha-
ny track between Baltimore and Wheeling,
| will wipe my pen for little idleness by the
misunderstanding brook.
Yours in tho contrast male-precious Of
Idlcwld repose. NV.