Daily Ohio statesman. [volume] (Columbus, Ohio) 1855-1870, 1867-05-17
: A Letter from Guernsey.
loorrespondenoo ,sde, Of the Ohio Statesman.

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iIGorespondence of the Ohio Statesmanla
This is written from Eastern Ohio-a
region whose people are characterized by
economy, industry and steady habits. The
scenes of the nativity of most of our fore
fathers, were New England and Old Ire.
land. We are Yankee enough to be ener-
getic, and Irish enough to be honest; but
we wish it to be distinctly understood that
the offensive impudence of the former and
the natal 6ldrney of the latter, are traits
which time and circumstances have elm
mated from our character, SO that we houe
we possess the virtues of each, with the
evils of neither, although we are all very
fond of both potatoes and cheese.
We have a peculiar attachment to this
part of the State, and seldom think of ex-
changing it with all its rolling and rocky
ruggedness for those wide-extended, tim
berless and monotonous plains of the West
where interminable marshes ring with
frogs, swarm with mosquitoes, and are
pregnant with the seeds of the ghost-pro-
Gucing ague, and whose vapors are about as
ia tai to lie as is breath from the mouth of
Death. .-.......... '...1. - 81 z
What contrast between these malarian
lands and ours, whose sweet fountains ever
flow from messy rocks through shady dells:
where forest, field and garden stand dress
thousand flowers, whose oders laden the
air with health and delight, giving prom
ise of fruit in the richest profusion In au-
tumn, and making one half fancy that
surely here was once the original paradise of
man, and that the Ohio is the ancient Hid
dekel and the Muskingum the Gihon of
Genesis. The Pisgean prospects from the
summit ofour hill, are really transporting to
the mind that loves to look upon the beau
titul the grand or the sublime. Blooming
orchards, well-fenced farms, suopR-wnIte
houses, innumerable fiocks of sheep, wav-
ing forest and green hills. lovely as Leba-
on, and as dewy as Hermon, form a land
scape of beauty that no prairie of the West,
however extended, can begin to equal.
tell you, Guernsey Is another Mesopo-
tamia or sshiIl country of Judea,n in which
cluster natural and artistic advantages
thick as stars in Via LGctid. If you do not
believe this, just come and see us and wei
will prove it to you by ocular tests. Come
and see us, l say, for both you and your
paper are popular with us, and when YOU
come to view our social and religious bless
ings as added to the above, am sure you
will exclaim: "What a highly favored
people; truly the lines have fallen to them
in pleasant places; they have good her
itage why should they ever wish to re-
move West 2" Be content for content
ment - s.,-- - b =. -.eag -
Where fortune hath denied it; r
In it alone 1908 s-
But excuse this gush of eulogy on my
native land, where have lived nearly half
a century, and where could wish to live
as long again-eXcuse this, and read an ac-
countof a recent fishingexcursion made by
few of our citizens to the Reservoir on
the Ohio canal, near Hebron.
In hor xuo iohk s,x
sion and business much mixed, as fol-
lows: A doctor, dentist, druggist, two
merchants, very worthy private gentle
man, postmaster, and parson. A nigh
train took us to Newark, and there we
found most excellent accommodations at
the Preston-a house well kept by its pro-
prietorS, MeSsrs. Starr & Howell, and as
great blessing to the weary and hungry
travellers that reach it, as iG is ornamental
to the city that surrounds it. 1t is. indeed,
a house of the '.first-class," centrally locat-
ed, and easy of access to the travelling COM
munity. - .-. .-..
In the morning we strolled in groups
about the city, and were all much pleased
with its straight, wide and shady streets,
its beautiful central park, its neat private
residences mostly surrounded by shrub
planted grounds, the appearance of its citi-
zens, and the evidence OF thrift and i'm
provement everywhere. But we wondered
at its canal-or rather at the carelessness
of the city authorities in not having it
fenced to prevent pedestrians, especially
in the night season, from walking into it,
as most of the principal streets cross it on a
very narrow bridge, and unless one keeps
a good look out he will walk directly into
it from the side walks. What a sober,
me-staying-at-night people these New
arkians must be, or surely some nocturnal,
tipsy pcrambulator would fall the victim OF
Neptune. Thus thought we; and SO the
temperance OF the place renders unnecessa-
ry the apparently needed barracks. Happy
people
Our explorations ended, we per prior
arrangement met with special friend from
"Jacktown," who took us in carriages to
the Reservoir. But we 90 first to one of
their elegant and hospitable homes on our
way and partake OF a feast of fat things,
well cooked and prepared, on our arrival.
Such dinneri We are no epicures-we
won't eulogize such thiOgs as pander to the
palate-and, yet dear reader, we felt it
s'good to be there" So would you had you
been along. Even the remembrance sail
udtes-for
"a thing (that is good is a joy forever"
Well, our post prandial exercises were a
view of the premises and surroundings.
How cheering to see such manifest evil
dence on all hands of abundant wheat and
fruit of all kinds. We never remember of
seeing the like before. Be hopeful, reader.
Flour must soon fall iii price and increase
in the excellence of its quality. We who
have been fed all our lives upon the ''finest
of the wheat" at a cheap rate, regard ZIG per
barrel for spring wheat flour as enormous.
And so it is. But, from present indications
in Guernsey, Licking and Muskingum
counties, the days of high prices and bad
material for the staff of life, are almost
ended. And the truit-O, the fruit! But
Jack Frost is evidently too near US this day
to allow a too sanguine indulgence of the
illusions of hope. .--s ,--
Leaving Jacktown and Jack Frost, let us
90 on to the Reservoir. It is an artificial
lake made to feed the canal, and located
about twelve miles southwest from New
ark-or two and half miles directly south
of Hebron on the National Road Some
say it is about as full of fish as forest is of
leaves, or a city pavement of bricks. This
is a mistake, as most who visit this place
will attest. That there are fish there, and
plenty of them, too, and good big ones at
that, admits of no doubt. But how can
they be. caught? Well, that depends on