Muscatine weekly journal. [volume] (Muscatine, Iowa) 185?-1890, 1863-10-02
lC0rrsspondence of the Muscatino Daily Journal I
FROM WASHINGTON.
Muscatine to Warrington Cify-Dauenpart
Gen. Baksr-Al;oona-The Pennsylva-
nit Centra!-H0me Aoain.


Muscatine to Warrington Cfy-Dauenpart
Gen. B0ksr-Ai;oona-Th Pennsylva-
nit Centra!-Home Aaain.
WASHINGTON, Sept. 25, 1868.
twas difficult job to make up my mind to
leave your fine and hospitable city. What with
the gorgeous living at the Eichelberger Hotel,
the Island watermelons, the luscious fruit at
Suel Fosters, at Mr.. Weeds, and other pla-
ces, was getting beautifully fat at the rate
o. two pounds averdopois per diem. And no
1l0-pounder throws himself away from such
opportunities without great regret. Moreover,
Muscatine was always favorite place with
me. 1t can trot out more men of talent, more
women of beauty and accomplishments than
most places Of its size, cast or west. But
time and tide wait for no man, and off had
to come to this most detestablc of Cities In
company with W. F. Davis, Esq, 1 got
aboard the train ono evening list week, and
mentally bidding your city and its hospitable
inhabitants hearty good bye, steamed on to
Davenport.
There remained twenty four hours--a
cold clustering, rainy, disagreeable day, the
only kind ever Experienced at the
good city. l was pleased to notice it was
picking up" somewhat, but was pretty tol-
erably mad at being compelled to walk
through dark streets at night. AS Davis and
l came down kerchunk at some stepping off
place or other, we sailed in heavy on "Tn.
junction Grant" There was one consola.
tion-we didn't break any bones. Barring
the want of gas on the streets, Davenport is a
good place TO 60 to. Adjutant General Ba.
ker was the busiest man have seen for
many day. No head Of bureau here, t
the heads Of majority of the Departments.
begin to do as much hard work, brain work
at that, as does MAT. Baker" The differ
ence is, head Of bureau here gets 81, 900
a year, the head OF a department 50, 900, and
Baker, | believe, 81 800. l had chance
while at Davenport to look over his Report,
md upon arriving here, discovered that some
kind friend had sent me copy. 1t was by
all odds the b st document OF the kind which
the country has produced. The great States
of the East, the great State of illinois, can
show nothing equal to Gen. Bakers report.
1t is an honor to Baker, to the State and to
the country. If prop rly contil ued, it will
be an enduring monument, more valuable,
mere honorable to Iowa, than any monument
of brass or of marble though it should be tall
enough to pierce the clouds.
From Davenport steamed on to Chicago,
thence to Pittsburgh and thence to Altoona,
without any incident of note except that we
made firstrate time and good connections, all
the time in fine, new-fashioned cars. At AL,
tona stopped over da to visit my old
friend S. P. Darling on, Esq, formerly of
Iowa City, now connected with the Pennsyl-
vania Central Railway. There had fine
time. Darlington is President of the Noun.
tain Baseball club. They had game out or
plateau of the mountains, and was glad to
see that my old Iowa friend could at least hold
his own with the best of 'em.
At Altoona there are extensive machine
shops belonging to the railway company
which visited in company with Mr.. Gwin.
ner, of the road, and who is a jolly good fel.
low all around. About eight hundred hands
are at work here, earning on an average
about 81 day, each. They repair locomo
t'ves, build cars, make boilers, trucks and a
hundred 9th things, big and little, using
wood, iron, brass, copper, and composition
The machine shops in Altoona are, in short
big things. 1t never occurred to me before
how much money great railway costs. Here
is the item Of locomotives alone on this road
They number more than 500, and cost al
least $4,000 apiece on the average. Here
are more than four millions of money Just fol
engines! Then there are the cars Of all sorts
the depots, the fuel, etc., etc. ] made 9
rough calculation, and think this company
does not pay out a cent less than two millions
annually for labor on repairs to the rolling
stock and on new cars. know nothing
about the cost of the material. These item.
are suggestive. Railroads may have no souls
but you observe they keep great many bod
les alive. MIR. Enoch Lewis, the Superintend
ent, keeps all this vast concern running likt
clock work, and without ever getting fidgetty
himself. He plays base ball well, sung fin'
Saturday afternoon, and seems to be wei
liked by everybody at Altoona. where, by tn,
way, friend Darlington is immensely popular
| always did like the Pennsylvania Contra
better than any in the country, and my vis
to Altoona made that preference stronger still
1t is fine little city, beautifully situated
and supports one Of the best hotels (the Lo
gan House, in the whole country. 1 wonder
our Washington cool weather seekers have
not found out Altoona long ago.
left on the train for Philadelphia, wher,
spent last Sunday, stopping at the Cont
nental-the best hotel by all odds, in these
United States. Leaving there at midnight,
got home again for breakfast Monday morn
ing, finding Mrs. Linkensale and all the little
Linkensales very we'll thank you. And 81
much for the trip here.
The city has been much excited with thu
news from Gen. Rosecrans, but confess tina
l have not vet got settled down enough t.
study the dispatches. You will know al
about it anyhow, before this can he printed
Gen. Fitz Henry Warren was in the &c
day or two ago. Ten days hence. III; ny =,
port to Gen. Banks at New o. AZ WIN !.
| oonnot olosa ~ active service.
~ c ~na."s,, '''' Ills letter without express
s soga sts'e'' Acknowledgements for the hand
~ to"'' .ea'ment received during my late vis
lowa-in your good city, at my home il
Iowa City, at Davenport, and elsewhere
Even the State Press didn't throw as nue.
Dirt at me as might have been expected fror
that quarter, during the old regime. 1t wa
not l, however, who iran the Reporter int
the ground I had been here for month
before that institution went up the spout
| LlNKENSALE.
Southern Notes for Northern Stud,
| The following extracts are recommended t
the reflection Of the Northern masses, whor
treacherous Copperhead lecturers are endeav
oring to make believe that it is the Abolition
lists that caused the war. They show tina
the object of Southern traitors is to establis
monarchy, with all the labor in state of vas
salagc: