The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1866-05-09
PENNSYLVANIA.
THE WYOMING VALLEY.


he approaches Wilkesbarre and the romantic Incl.
dents connected with its history, have made that
region famous throughout the world Poets in
every land and historians Of all nations, have de-
serhed its IoyeliDess and narrated the sorrows of
its people.
Impressed with desire to experience in person
the pleasure of visit to the Valley of Wyoming, 1
started, in company with a friend who enjoyed
equally with M self the novelty OF the trip, the
morning of the 1st OF May, by the most direct route
10 Wilkesbarre, the North Pennsylvania Railroad, to
Bethlehem thence on the Lehigh Valley Railroad
trains to Mauch Chunk and White Haven. From
the latter point the cars of the Lohgh and Susque-
hanna Company, belonging to the Lehigh Coal and
Navigation Company, conducted over the Five
Mile Mountain to Wilkesbarre The total distance
accomplished was one hundred and forty miles and
the time occupied seven hours. From Philadelphia
TO Bethlehem the route is through undula.
ting country, abounding with eLcultivated farms,
rich in soil and products. There are many beauu.
fu villas visible as whrled along especially
in the vicinity of Chelten Hills JenkintOwn, and
Penn Lynn. Beyond Abingdon there is little of
interest to note save the long tunnel Sellers
Ville) until the SaucOn Valley unexpectedly reveals
its beauties to the eve. The Moravian town OF Beth
Iehem need not be described with citizens 1t
is q tavorite resort during the summer heats, 1t is,
perhaps, not generally known that the eloquent
George whitfield laid out the town of Nazareth,
about eight miles beyond this poinr, intending to
establish Methodist settle ement but afterwards dis
poGed Of 1t to Count ZlnzendoTf.
CHANGE OF SCENE.
Between Bethlehem and Mauch Chunk the scene
changes. Instead of hundred-acre farms iron-tOrgos
and manu- actOries the largest scale cOntinu-
ally met with. At Allentown and Catasauqua some
Of these establishments are located. Among them
may be named the Hochendauqua and Crane Iron
Works. There is every evidence of industrial activity
in the Lehigh coal REGION. Mauch Chunk is situated
in q narrow pass, where the Lehigh flows between
two almost palisada heights.
Mount Pisgah, object Of much attraction, is
surmounted by means Of an inclined plane, appa.
Yently on an angle OF go degrees. On an eminenoe
near the town may be the sp endd mansion OF
= most enterprisnR and Dubic-spirted gentleman,
Judge Asa Packer He is the father of the railway sYs
TEN in this region, having projected nearly all the
outlets from the coal district His interests very
large in the roads connecting Easton with White
haven, and he is building road from the latter
point to WIkesbarTe, in opposition to the LehIgh
and Su quehanna Company 1t is said that he pro-
poses extending his lines to the New York border,
and thus connect with Lakes Erie and Ontario, by
tapping the great trunks at Elmira. The new road,
RAINING almost parallel with the Lehigh and Sus.
quehanna, has not been laid without many OBJ
etacles.
THE RAILROAD CONTROVERSY.
When the Valley Company commenced their
road beyond White Haven, great opposition was
made by the LehiRh Navigation Company, who, as
before stated, own the Lehigh and Susquehanna
road, and contest took place between the employees
at the White Haven bridge, which resulted in one
or TWO cars being thrown into the river. The Le
high Valley Company applied for an injunction
to prevent the Navigation Company from inter tering
with their extension from the northern end of the
bridge across the Lehigh at White Haven, to
wikesbarre. That distinguished jurst, Chief
Justice Woodward In an able, clear, and elabo-
rate opinion, has decided that the intention of the
Legislature was to grant the new company
right of way to the Wyoming Coal Field, and
the building of road from the Susquehanna to
the Lehigh, although it had been vaguely
pressed in the supplement of 1860, extending
the privileges of an act passed in 1857 for
road to the Beaver Meadow region. He says
that compensation, however must be agreed upon
for the of the land which the railroad is built
as prescribed in the charter. The plaintiffs must also
raise their bridge so that the crossing shall be at
least nine teet above the level OF the defendants
track The clause in the act interpreted by counsel
that plaintiffs road shall not approach nearer than
within ten feet OF the Navigation CompanYs rails,
s construed by the Judge that the canal only
are meant. The Lehigh Valley Company, in asking
for an injunction insisted that the Navigation Com
pany had no right TO construct a DAD from White
Haven to Mauch Chunk, but the Chief Justice de.
eides, upon the principles applied TO the first
case, that they have the right
Formerly the only road from Mauch Chunk to
White Haven was that of the Lehigh Valley Com.
pany, and there was but single route from White
Haven to wikesbaIre, which was owned by the Navi.
CATION Company. By this decision 10th corporations
are permitted to build roads nearly parallel with each
other, from Mauch Chunk to Wilkesbarre.
AN INTERESTING RIDE.
The ride from the summit of the Five Mile Noun
tain, towards Wilkesbarre Is rendered deeply in
teresting by the lovely prospect in the valley be-
meath. The town and its surroundings form beau
tiful picture-essentlally miniature from the height
at which 1t is viewed The Allegheny mountains
loom up IN the far distance, and add their grandeur
to the scene. We reached the depot, about
one mile from town, and were convey ed in coaches
to the Wyoming Valley Hotel, River street. which
was opened on that Gay by Mr. Frank Ward, the
lessee, formerly connected with the La Pierre, in
Philadel phia.
This house has lately been built by some of the
eadng citizens OF the borough, 1t so happened that
the new railroad around the mountain, just com.
Dleted by the Lehigh and Susquehauna Company,
was also opened on the LIST of May and an excursion
party IRON WilkesbarTe met the train at White Haven
and returned 10 the town with us. Many pleasant
moments were spentm the society of these excursion.
lists, who were nearly ali interested in mining rail-
road, OF canal operations Among these may be men,
uOled Colonel Bowman, the talented author of "The
Lille Of General Sherman" Robert f. Taylor, Pres'
dent o. the Wyoming Canal, which extends some
|s1ty'iour niles down the Susquehanna to Northum