Daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, Va. [W. Va.]) 1859-1865, 1862-09-24
FROM OAKLAND.
OAxLAsD, ND, Sept. %, 1862

with three out of the five senses unimpair-
ed, is supposed to have made the discovery.
allude to it for the benefit of the few who
have never been here, especially of those
of them who have more money than health,
and who would like to exchange little of
the one for a good deal of the other
We are here 1000 or 1900 feet higher
above the ocean level than you at Wheel
ing, in the "glades,' toIerabIy open and
by no means rough region, sort of eleEa-
ted plain lying between two ranges of
mountains, with the backbone ridge divi-
ding the tributaries ofthe Cheat and north
branch of the Potomac, in full view on the
east from the rising ground around town.
The scenery around the place is not wild or
picturesque, indeed rather the contrary
but by ascending the elevations you catch
a view of distant mountains that is pleas
ing to the eye and imagination. But the
great charm Of :his mountain region is not
in its scenery, though that is charming
to auy one with the eye of an artist or the
soul of a poet. 1t is something that affects
the physical no less than the ideal man.
1t is the mountnin air-the bEeezes that
blow from the lofty SUBMITS, and
s.Humbly and s~eetly recommend themselves
Unto our gentle senses
the clear, inspiriting, collaborating atmos-
phere, whose oxygen sends current of
fresh vitality tiuglug through every artery,
and reddening afresh the drops that paint
the cheek and swell the heart. When the
body is thus invigorated the mind is better
fitted to receive impressions of beauty and
snblimity. Thus it is that both mind and
body are pleased and proftedi tor whatev-
er is pleasing is profitable mot perhaps in
Il strictly utilitarian seuse) and whatever
is profitable we all know is pleasing.
But, in reference to the scenery in the
Alleghepies through which the B. & O. r.
T.. winds its devious way feel like dis
.enting from much that has been written
and said 1t does not fill my conception
of mountain scenery. There is enough of
it; the mountains are high enough, bat in
the Allegheny range proper there is not
that wildness and ruggedness Of summit
and side which inspire the feeling of awe
The peaks are too few, and the ranges toe
uniform in shape, and too smooth in con.
tour They are covered universally, too,
with thick growth OF trees, which rem
ders them still less striking.
came over to-day from Piedmont here,
and thanks to the gentlemanly superiu'
teudeut of the road, Mr., Porter, had every
facility for viewing all the scenery along
the eastern land highest) range over which
we passed. From Piedmont up to Alta
mont (he highest point on the rOad) there
is a constant up grade for seventeen miles
Coming up this grade there is an exceiIen
view of the surrounding mountains. Fol
an hour it was pleasing and the eye dwell
upon it with avidity, drinking in the grea
sea of brilliant green whose pillows ros'
in every direction, and whose beauties o
verdure were all developed by brigh
morning sun in an unclouded sky. Blu
it was not such mountain scenery as haC
always even in pictures inspired feeling
of sublimity. There were no great rocky
heights-no jutting crags-no sheer preci-
pieces falling into abysses of thousand
| feet-no bold and frowning masses impen'
ding above torrents hundreds of feet be-
meath, threatening TO come down like an
avalanche and crush everything below
Those who have gone through over
this road and seen both the Alleghe.
| -, I'd ,bo pi,a P;51a az u,rnar's Earrr
have felt the difference am vainly trying
to describe Even the gorge of Wills Greek
| where the National road turns mp from
| Cumberland has spice moro of grandeur
in it than anything this side, unless it be
the jutting mountains along the Potomac
between Cumberland and New Greek. Per.
haps my impression of the mountains be.
tween here and Piedmont may be summed
up in the expression that they are only hill
| of much larger size than those which
abound all over Western Virginia. They
have not many Of the features we naturally
associate with mountains, magnificent dis.
tances are always charming and these may
be seen at every turn.
have said so much on topic about
which 1 expected to say so little, that
it leaves bat little opportunity to say much
else. This is by no means unfortunate
though as said 1 have not much else tc
say.
But to return to Oakland. The place is
we'll known as a summer resort for the
wealthy and invalids from Baltimore and
other eastern cities. At this time there
are but few visitors here. 1t is too near
the border-line of danger. Numbers who
were here went home about the time the
rebels began invading Maryland. I am
assured that deer and wild turkey abound