The Portland daily press., 1866-05-15
Notes Of Travel.
FROM PORTLAND TO PITTsBURG.

Correspondence Of the Press.
We started from your city Monday evening,
23d of April, on the steamer Montreal for Dos
ton. 1t was stormy that night, so we did not
reach the "Hub" till past one in the afternoon
of the next day. We took the Stoughton
steamboat train at five, and seven o'clock the
next morning saw us alongside the wharf in
New York; thence across to Jersey City and
aboard the cars for the Quaker City, where,
heartily tired of travelling, we arrived We'd
neseday noon. a@
Here we stopped for week or more, pre-
pairing for our western journey, and seeing
what we could. Among other things we went
to see the Fairmount Water Works; the most
famous in the country. The day was fine,
and a great number of carriages and pleasure
seekers were in the park and surrounding
grounds.
Nature presented quite different aspect
in Philadelphia and in Portland. Fruit trees
were in blossom, ard in the finely arranged
markets all the spring vegetables were to be
found. 1 saw some strawberries for sale but
they were very high The Star proclaimed
one night that two cases of cholera had occur
red, but as nothing more was heard from it, it
was set down for mere rumor
The next point we proposed to visit being
Pittsburg, we made inquiries into the train
arrangements, and found that the best way
was to take the evening train, starting at
II O'Clock, and reaching Pittsburg at halfpast
two the next afternoon, as it gave time to
look around and find the best chance to put
up and see the town before night. So at lit
tie past ten Friday evening, the 4th of May,
my companion and I were at the depot with
our overcoats on our arms, for the nights are
cool yet, for travelling.
After looking to see the baggage checked
and knocked end over end into the depot,
we looked into the sleeping arrangements,
and found one sleeping car attached to the
train, and they wanted dollar and a half for
the privilege of riding in it. This was ex-
tortion; for the advertisements had flaring
accounts of the Accommodations, sleeping cars
and every convenience, while the facts were
the opposite. No New England road would
live long if so inattentive to the wants of pas
sengers as we found this one to be. However,
we made the best of it, and as there were So
few travelling that each could have seat to
himself, we made out to snooze pretty COM
fortably, by putting our carpet bags under our
heads, till dawn. .l...r;f
~ At seven in the morning we began to ap-
proach the Allegheny mountains, and found
employment in looking at the country Very
unlike New England villages were those we
passed; shabby little affairs-they lacked the
neat, thrifty, home look of the Eastern farm
houses. afAsa1
At Altoona we halted twenty minutes for
refreshments. After comforting the inner
man, we refreshed ourselves with smoke and
started off again. After leaving Altoona, the
road ascends to get through the mountain
pass. We were going along the side of high
hill, and looking across the ravine saw steep
track laid around the side of mountain OBJ
posite. Conjectures were hazarded by our
fellow travellers as to where that led to, and
whether a train could go up so steep grade
Pretty soon we found ourselves turning
round towards it, and car windows were
thrown up and heads thrust out to see what
it meant. Two powerful engines were tug
ging away ahead and steadily we rounded
"Horse Shoe" curve, so called, and began the
ascent. 1t was hard pull, and we nearly
halted once, but our iron horses snorted as
though impatient, and succeeded. Trains
often have to go back and try the curve over
again, but we did not. Round and round we
went for five miles, and then fine view open
ou through the valley. The track below us,
icooha and the towns we had passed an hour
.eivie' Were distinctly seen, and high hills
iA 'lis Instance looked below us. On we went.
up anc up, and presently we nl,nred into
'anneI II leads through spur OF mountain
NV " y. so' round. A double track passes
through it, a distance of seven eigbtbs 81 !.
mile. 1t was great work, layi,e ont 49,
road, and felt proud of Ave.:
skill and perseverance. This tunnel il ~
highest elevation, ard is one tho,,sand g.,
above Pittsburg. Near by is the Summit
House, pleasure resort. One need not fear
cholera up among the mountains, and no
doubt the Summit House will have a good
supply of visitors this season.
The slope is more gradual along the hun
bred miles to Pittsburg, and we dashed down
right swiftly. We were now in the coal re-
gion, and passed numberless side tracks lead
ing to the mines. Many could be seen. Little
holes in the hill sides with the loaded trains
drawn by mules coming out, some with the
track running up the steep side of a hill and
into shaft These are let down by machin-
cry. On the Pittsburg side of the mountains