Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1860-12-26
For THE STAR
EXCURSION FROM WASHINGTON.
EAST Rrv<

nylly all the ener des of tho great Empire
.:y, ,.s IS doors, generating its cleo.
III, III anu ESQ" forces, and preparing all hu-
d.r. dcH s.rs ZEE within It's limits for another
dgsies-the poor to live, and the rich
R;Es ;s'' nore-ws were steaming along the East
nav Or, beaelding the whole city bathed in the
-EorutEs light We could bat enjoy the scene,
although srs had not been refreshed by balmy
sleep.
Bsll-6ate, that place dreaded by all mar.
liners few years since, admitting only a small
boat, now Is hardly noticeable. The q. s. Gov
ernment employed Mons. Mallifert to blast
away an island Of rock, and so successful was
he, that not q vestige Of IL is to be found for
fourteen feet below low water. This improve
ment in navigation has allowed first class boats
TO be placed on the various routes to Boston.
shsrt distance from this place is Black
wells Island, owned by the city of New York,
and containing its prison, almshouse, and in
sane hospital. 1t is beautifully located, being
long and narrow, and in the middle of the
stream. 1t is almost an island of palaces and
the work Of Improvement seems to be still GO
ing On, there being several large steam build
iDgs in process Of erection. The grounds are
also being Improved. do not remember Of
having seer a more suitabie place for a prison
whether considered with reference to security,
health OF reform.
We did net visit Brooklyn, or make a long
stay in New Tork-our object being rather to
enjoy the country than city life. We however
OOOA l--1S 10 NlS-t INC bIcdl WOnSsI CI the Gay,
the
GREAT EASTERN.
We visited this "Epic Of Iron" az IT ha.
been called, not so much to see Is various
saloons aud internal arrangement "a to ace IL
as whole, to get some idea Of the gigantic
conception OF the origina.sr, Mr. Brunei. 1t
cannot be said 10 hs- % orieina.ed entirsIv
with him, yet he m; at have the credit of It's
giganio dlmens'. .Jns. It Is most rsmarkab
tnst the cuiU. mating efforts of both son and
iatner o'1Id be perfsct failures in a prac-
ncai poiLnt of viov. His father, Marx Isam-
% eart -'runel, frenchnsn by birth, construct
eo I'm boyheOd, while sailor, q piano forte,
md developing great capacities as an engi-
reez, devoted himself to the profession. He
resided for some time in New York, and while
there sent to the Government plans for the
Houses Of Congress. lie invented and put in
successful operation many very useful ma
chimes, but his crOwning work vas the Thames
Tunnel This was designed to be great thor.
Oughfare. but although completed as ne he'd
projected, proved failure, being used only as
a show shsp, the income of which hardly pays
the annual expense. This son, Isamburt King
dom Brunei, was resident engineer Of this
work, and was afterward occupied in perfect
ing his fathers carbonic acid engine; but on
account If the expense of working it. il was
worthless. His engineering skill has placed
him at the head of the engineering corps in
England, his native lard. The world owes
almost all It's great improvements in bridges
20 bis skill, hut the crUWning work of his life
was the Great Eastern Iron Steamship. This,
Ike his fathers great work, was completed as
he designed, and Is also a failure for practica al
purposes. We could but think "a we sur
yeyed its hugo form, that il wouid ultime tely
be put to the same use that the Tunnel il,
namely, shO'r shop, but we doubt if il pays
expenses even at that Use Several hundred
years hence. when chs whole Atlantic coast
becomes as denselY populated as England, and
London becomes but one Of a great many like
cities. II may DO to have a limo of such mon
ster ships. brit Mt present the villages Of New
York, Philadelphia, Baltimore, Boston. anG
Porisnd, hardly furnish sufficient commerce
or travel.
HARLEM VALLEY
Glad were We once more to be in tho cORn
try air, and more especially to be out of th'
way Of the great routes Of summer travel
and oEsT SEStsd. The lower part Of this val
ley is not remarkable-there are a few vii
lagos, but much low land for fifty or sixt,
miles. The scenery then changes as we strik
tae mountain ranges that cross the Hudson a
West Point. There is also n range from Con
neetieut crOTding the eastern eide Of tn
valley, bringing il to the narrow limit of no
more than half a mile in width The sides o
the hills are covered with wood, aud are no
cultivsted-in many places they are bold an
PERCEPTIONS. Il this valley, about eighty mile
from New York, is the small village of Anne
MIA, noted for the Amenia Seminary, unde
the patronage Of the New York Conference {
the NJ. z. Church. The buildings, as we passed
appeared commOdious and well situated, bu
the grounds were not very thickly shaded.
few miles north Of this place, at Miller
ten, we left the train, and with bag and bag
gage packed il a country coach, tried ths
mode Of travelling for four or FIVE miles, whe
We came to oUr stopping place. We are CT
OF from the world, almost, being sSout foU
miles from the post office; but we are in II
garden Of country lu1uries-milk yes, mill
ti1s hes cream, butter, currants, fruits, ar
fresh vegetables, Of all kinds, load our table
What. Paradise for the individual who b.
Hyed the past year on vegetables forced in
market before they are half grown, on bee
killed after journey Of q thousand mile
and on butter that has tested a temperatu
Of 20 degrees.
This valley literally lows with milk Al
honey-more milk IL brought to New Yoi
from this valley than from all other source
There is . special night milk train. How 4
people can make money by this process sect
almost unaecountable, for the average price
milk for the past year has been but from u
90 three cents per quart. Yet am satisf
that the richness Of the valley, even at Il
price Of milk, makes the dairy business hig
- 1y profitable. Could Washington Nrices,
eight and ten cents be secured, or even I
half Of that price, every farmer would so
Z become q millionaire.
= This locality also furnishes sport fer t,
angler and hunter. The mountain streau
one Of which passes our door, are full Of tro-
and the mountains are travsrsed by vario
kinds Of game. We essayed, for the frst iii
in twenty years, TO act the part Of the hun
man, and though almost exhausted with
days tramp through swamps, over rocks, a
up the hills. had the pleasure Of killing 6
times In six. Robins and various kinds
small game were not included in our bag
were however guilty Of taking q beauti
Baltimore 0riole, the only one / saw in d
regien. Our success gave 90 much pieasl
that we spent many days Afterwards hunti
These hills are covered with the vari
kinds Of vhortleberries, and this season
crop was abundant, but IL was suffered %
main almost wholly ungathered-t
bushels must have decayed. With two &C
paniOns l went several times, and in alb
three hours We gathered half a bushel e
time. There does not seem to be any spe'
pains taken with the fruit trees, but this