Virginia free press. (Charlestown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1832-1916, 1865-08-24


almost as quickly as those points one and two hun
dred miles above it.
Since the end of the war, the track and bridges
along the whole line of the road have been put IN
perfect order, and the equipmenthas been increased
by the addition of a large number of new locomo-
tives and passenger cars. The latter are superb
specimens of railway carriages, and are h'tee up
with every modern convenience and luxury. Inc
company anticipates very large travel over the
road this summer Indeed it has already common
ced), and has made every preparation for the COM
Portable Accommodations of the public Two trains
leave Wheeling and Parkersburg daily, namely
from Wheeling at II A. NJ. and 10 +. NJ, ana Rom
Parkersburg at $50 A. NJ.
The rout from this city is nearly an airline, by
the Ohio and Mississippi Railrcadto Cincinnati and
THENCE bv the Marietta and Cincinnati Railroad to
Petersburg. or by the Central Ohio Railroad to
Wheeling or Bellaire. To say nothing of the his
torc interest of such trip those OF uTreaders VINO
have never taken this route to the East VIII be sur
prsed and delighted at thesuperb scenery along the
line of the Baltimore and Ohio Railroad and at the
marvels of engineering skill displayed IN the CON
suction of the road ITSELF its bridges ITS tunles'
and its viaduets. Twelve miles south OF Wheeling,
the traveller passes the great Indian mound "lose
origin. purposes and history are yet involved IN
mystery The Broad Tree tunnel, 40 miles from
Wheeling; passes under greathlll, when was orig
inollv crossed by the railroad on a zlg-zag Track
with seven angles, thus: YVNNF. At paramount
II miles from Wheeling, the railroad crosses 'ne
Monongahela River on abeautifulsuspenslonpr iage'
one thousand feet long; and, one mile lur'ler on
tberei an iron bridge 600 feet long, which was 'e
times DESTROYED and as often rebuilt during the war;
AT Grafton. lO4 miles east of Parkersburg, there Is
another handsome iron bridge, over the TygartS
valley river, and also an excellent hotel. mere Tue
mountain scenery begins to assume those views Oh
alternate loveliness and grandeur, which commune
until the traveller reaches Baltimore. ElgAteeh
miles east of Grafton the traveller reaches thegreat
Kingwood tunnel, nearly mile long, and sphdly
arched with iron and stone Nearly five years were
occupied in the construction of this great Toik' ana
IL cost amounted to million OF dollars.
At Tunnelton, 10 miles east of Grafton, the grand
scenery of the Cheat river region begins ami tls at
this part of the road also that some OF the greatest
feats of railway engineering have been achiiyed'-
Those who desire to uhderstand thepower otseience
in eonoueringn by means Of iron and STAN VIII
do well to observe carefully the features OF The ROAD
between the great tunnel and Piedmont, andsee how
it has been made to pass over, under ana ar'uhu 'e
rugged Allegany Mountains. Tothe unsciertihc eye
twould appear impossible that railroad puid DC
built so as to cross the mountains in thisregloa But
not 50 thought the engineer O. tho road, Bnpmln
Latrobe The great Kingwood tunnel Is only one oil
the monuments Of his genius. Between Tunneiton
and Rowlesburg there is space OF five miles hilea
with a constant succession Of marvels in railway
work. The Tray run yiaduct is one of these-alight
and graceful structure, yet so firm IN It's Neiueu-
strength that thousands Of tons OF merchandise pass
over it daily without causing the least oscillation oil
its airy arches This viaductis built entirely iron.
II is 500 feet longs it rests upon massive base OF ma
sonry as firm as the mountain ITSELF and s5O feet
above the water in the little run beneath For sew
era miles, on part of the line theroad runs along
the steep mountain side, presenting successiono OF
the most delightful landscapes.
At Cranberry Summit, 1917 miles east ofWheeling
our travellers will nearly have reached the top Of fac
Allegheny Mountains. Here, looking back to he
westward, can be seen the grand panorama of the
long, gradual sweep of the Alleghenies towardsthe
Ohio river, up which, to the presentsurprising st-
tude the traveller has climbed effort anda
most unconscious ofthe ascent At Oakland, l47mles
east of Wheeling, our travellers will probably sop
for a short time at the Glades Hotel. The Glates
are the mountain meadows, region on the high a
BILE land at the summit of the Alleghenies At this
height the air is extremely raried and cool during
the heats Of summer. The landscape abounds in
groves of the beautiful white oak, and in copious
streams of the purcst and clearest water, kept full
and fresh by the clouds that condense around the
SUBMITS and Astounding with delicious trout. Itpas-
lures innumerabe herds of sheep, whose tenderness
and favor rival that of the deer which abound in
the woods wild turkeys and pheasants hide among
its oaks beeches waluuts and magnolias the groves
of sugar maple trees resound with the songs of lark
thrushes and hooking birds, while profusion ofwd
flowers completes the attractions of this mountain
paradise 1t is no wonder that many families froa
Baltimore come to the "Glades HOTEL to spend a
few weeks in the hot summer months
At Atamont 100 miles east of Parkersburg. tie
traveller finds himself at the surprising altitude Of
300 feet above the city of Baltimore, and upon the
extreme summit of the Alleghcnies. 1t is here that
the mountain streams divide flowing in one drec-
ton towards the Ohio river, the Mississippi and the
Gulf of Mexico, and in the other towards the Poto-
mac river, the Chesapeake Bay and the Atlantic
Ocean. Mr.. Prescott Smith, the Master of Trans
portation of the railroad who is as poetcal as he
practical, has made the beautiful suggestion that
these waters, thus divided the summit of the Ale
ghenies, unite again in the broad Atlantic amid the
turbid waves of the gulEstream Nor is this beau
tful theory at all improbable for the vast volume
of water which the Mississippi pours into the gulf
stream is, as is well known, carried with all the
velocity of that mysterious ocean current north
wards past the mouth of Chesapeake Bay, where it
receives the waters from the eastward flowing
streams.
From Altamont the grade of the road begins to
descend, and at Piedmont, 2O6 miles west of Balti-
more, the traveller reaches, as the name implies,
the foot of the Allegheny Mountains. At Cumber-
land, us miles west of Baltimore and between that
point and HarpersFerry, the traveller passes that