Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1860-09-03
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Cersspesdsses Of Tia Star,
PARKERsBuRe, Va, August 49, 1850
On THE BALTIMORE ASB OHIO RAILRoAp-THR
4 JOHN Bnofvr RAfp-CAPIrAL RAILROAD OfTI-
cIALsLTatATMEs7 OF EMleRAN1s-A srRoSc
SxKLL OF TAxsv-A RIDE ON TIE EselSx-I
The NoRrHwBsrSRN RoAD-A PrfvafseuE
Counfns-"skEErxRsn ~ "a
Dess Ssss: Following in the track a the editor
Of the Sta, In his recent trip over the Baltimore
and Ohio road, soon abandoned the fruitlsss
sttempt to glenn an additional desert ptive Item 10
add to the interesting stock furnished by his let
tiers, and Pocketing my note book settled back in
one of the comfortable seats they have here. and
abandoned myself to the idle enjoyment of the
glorious scenery.
The last time ! was over this road was upon
the memorable occasion Of the execution Of John
Brown, and when, in accordance with the edict
Of Gov. Wise, our 'spsssports" Were subjected to
| sharp scrutiny at the Relay House by Presi-
| dent Garrett and Prescott Smith, who, however
| managed the affair with bland courtesy that
smoothed down the ire OF such testy travellers an
were disgrunted by such surveillance. I wish
to say here that consider the Baltimore and
Ohio Railroad the best differed road of its length
| In the country. From our own station at
Washington, where Superintendent Parsons and
the Messrs. Gilbert oficiate so acceptably, over
the whole line of the road, main stem and
branches, the company seems to be capitally
served. On our train to-day We have some two
hundred German emigrants, just landed, and
who, in peck Of trouble in strange country,
have button-hOled the conductors at fearful
rate; but have failed to note the instance in
| which prompt, courteous, and intelligent answer
| has not been returned to the mutitudinous in
quiries-a marked contrast to the curt treatment
have seen emigrants receive other roads
Staid over night at Oakland, the cuimnat ng
point upon the line, mainly to go over the remain
der Of the road by daylight, but incidentally to
tssse the rarifed air they brag about up here in
the Glades. Looked about for the plump nous
centennarian natives who thrive on pure air.
Couldn't see 'em. The healthiest looking people
| in the place were visitors who came here to get
well. =.
Getting upon the Cumberland and Wheeling
accommodation train next morning, there was an
al-Pervading smell Of tansy in the cars. A worn.
out, slckly-looking woman was mostenng and
readjusting tansy bag apiece upon the bosoms
OF her three children, as vsrmifuge, or, size
expressed II, to keep the worms from coming
up their throais and choking them" What an
idea.
Seduced by your glowing description, Mr..
Editor. ! took cow-catcher ride through the
Cheat-river region, and think on the whole pre-
fer the tail end Of the train. l sharpened nv
pencil, preparatory to taking some glowing notes
about the up grades and the down grades and the
twelve-hundred feet abysses but the wind blew,
and 1t took one hand to keep my hat on, and |
thought it judicious to grasp the railing with the
other Moreover it rained moreover found my
self in Tophet of coal smoke moreover I WIS
getting all the snorting, whis.ling and bell ring
ing of the concern at first hands moreover was
afraid might be in the way Of the engineer, and
30 slid from my g bad eminencen at the first
| convenient stopping place. -.-
What an astonishing work is this road carried
over Alpine heights or piercing their granite
| bulks, and what consummate ability and indom-
liable energy must have been brough to the task
| Of achieving it! But think the travellers great
surprise is not so much that 1t was done at all but
that everything has been done well in the face
| Of such apparently insurmountable material OBJ
sfecles, and that Its management since has been
such that though climbing and descending these
heights many times daily (passing through two
| zones of temperature In the uansit not life has
been lost nor an accident, worth dignifying by
the name, has occurred on the road In eight wears
| time
| Dverging from the main stem at Grafton. took
| the Northwestern road for Parkersburg, encoun-
tering as entered the the genial face of Con.
ductor John II Scott who has hosts of friends in
| Washington who will be glad to know that he 10
| looking " as fine as silk.''
But for the wonders Of the road Just gone over,
the Parkersburg branch would have seemed
prodigy Of engineering, with its TWENTY-FIVE
| tunnels, bold bridge-spans, and difficult grades
Few roads in the country pass through more
picturesque region. The land, though abound NC
In Inequalities, 10 heavily timbered, and cloth I'd
| to the SUBMITS Of the hills with rich vegetat on
which tells well fer the quality Of the soil Some
OF the finest corn have seen this we passed
on this road. We crossed, or coursed along, 80
many sparkling streams that soon got tired of
| asking their names, and in fact they seemed SO
abundant that names were not forthcoming In
| many instances. The houses, for some distance
after leaving Grafton, were Of wonderfully primI-
tive aPpearance-small log cabins, with stick
chimnevs chinked with clay; but on s.ri king that
| beautiful stream, the Little Kanawha, we came
| upon buildings that told of comfort and even
elegance. asa.
Pafkersburg seems to be growing moderately,
but might perhaps increase more rep!dly but for
the speculative price at which real estate is held
within her lims-a short lighted policy which
has checked the growth of other sites on Western
rivers The river view (bend) at Parkersburg 10
exquisite, especially as seen clothed in the Iustre
OF a golden sunset. But beautiful rivers have
their drawbacks! On going to my room at the
swan House, found the air intolerably close
and catechised my darkey pioneer a. to the where.
fore. "Well, masser, - said he, 'I'n jess tell
you de trute It's the skeeters. Deys awful, no
| mistake, on dis ere river. We Jess has ter keep
der winders shet But you jist hist EN- when
yuse ready to git under the skeeter bar, and yu.e
all tight. - CSN
IMPORTANT TO OWNERS OF HOR Sc