The Norfolk post. [volume] (Norfolk, Va.) 1865-1866, 1865-08-01
LETTER OF A TOURIST.
Correspondence Of the Norfolk Postl
SYRACUSE, NEW YORK., July 2s, Isl

| SYhAcusE, NEW YORK, July 20, looo
Albany is a good old Knickerbocke
town. To this day it has an air of SC
lidity and quiet content, which ha
come down to it through the years, from
the fat old mynheers and dumpy frows
who first trod its hills and dales. UP
steep hill, one tolls to the Capitol, ant
If it be winter time, as when last W.
were there, one needs firm feet ant
heart of oak: for the hill is slippery, as
well as steep. 1t is well, when the dan
gers are past, and one stops to take
breath in the stately Senate Chamber o.
the Empire State, if one hears anything
brilliant or profound, to repay his trou'
BILE. Such has never been our fate, and
we have willingly left the deliberations
of the wise men of Gotham, for the
pleasures of a skate on the frozen
+, Hudson.
ALBANY is comparatively quiet at this
season, though the hotels are crowded
with transient visitors from day to
dav. People on their way to Sara
toga, on their way to Niagara, on
their way everywhere, stop here
for rest and refreshment. The schools
are closed for the summer holidays,
and the antique town wears a holt
day look of repose. We looked for
"Miss Mackenzie Trollope'slast novel,
in the bookstores; but the lady was out,
so we contented ourselves with other vol
umes, and at noon, seated ourselves in
the cars of the New York Central Rail
road. IL
A ride of five hours, through charm
ing hill country, brought usto Syracuse,
in the very heart of the State. Syracuse
is great resort of politicians, who come
from near and far, to this central spot
to draw up their plans and initiate theil
campaigns. 1t is surrounded by hills
and to the Northwest lies Lake Oman
daga, a beautiful sheet of water, smooth
and CLASSY, in the midst of verdan
meadows. Its streets are remarkably
wide and smoothly paved, and the city
Is laid out with regularity and taste.
There are numbers of handsomely fitted
up stores, replete with articles of ele-
gance and vertu, hotels, banks, school
houses, &C., and many private residences
with tasteful gardens, speaking well TO,
the love of beauty and comfort which
,>orxyoIoc ~, n Il u,o1 within
Syracuse contains nearly 10000 in
habitants. Seventy trains pass through
it every day, and at times, SO many al
one hundred have passed. There is al
incessant clang of bells from morning
to night, and from night to morning
and the rush and whirl of one locomo-
tive hardly dies away, before another
shrill shrek of the whistle heralds the
approach of a successor. The Erie
Canal also passes through the city, and
Its boats ply their trade without cessa-
ton. 1t has lately been widened at this
place some sixteen feet.
The salt works are, however. the fea-
ture, for which Syracuse is most widely
noted. Lake Onondaga is completely
surrounded by salt factories, hundreds
of tall chimneys, in which coal is burnt,
and as many low ones which burn wood,
rise upon the beach. These are salt
boilers. The salt springs are wells 6OC
feet deep, from which the water is
pumped, and drawn through channels,
which lead to the condensers. These
buildings cover three hundred acres.
They are supplied with portable roofs,
which are removed in clear weather, and
replaced when it rains.
The surrounding country is beauti-
fully undulating, and in high state of
cultivation. The farms, with their neat
fences and trim out-houses, and general
appearance Of thrift and prosperity, pre-
sent great contrast to those of poor
Virginia, trodden under the iron foot of
war. There is joy in many of these
homes now, for "Johnny's come
home againv' The war is
past, and the mother dares to look
on her son, and the wife feels
her husband her own, once more.
There is not mosquito in Syracuse
Just think of that! NJ. E. NJ