The Cecil Whig. [volume] (Elkton, Md.) 1841-current, 1869-09-11
Letter from the West,
SouTH BEND, Ind, Sept. 4, 1876.

| write now to say that reached this place
81 miles from Chicago, last evening, at !
O'Clock, having left that city at 80 PM,
Ivy the Michigan & North indiana Railroad
My trip from Philadelphia to Chicago
was the most rapid travelling ever partici-
pated in. Leaving Philadelphia at PM,
on Wednesday, the list inst, we reached
Pittsburgh, 356 miles, by $40 PM. the next
morning, making over 90 miles an hour,
including all stoppages, the ascent and de-
scent of the mountains, and considerable
loss Of time, after our start, at several sta
tions near the city. Aftera hurried break
fast, of 90 minutes, we left Pittsburgh by
the Pittsburgh, Fort Wayne & Chicago
Railway, ut AM, and reached Chicago,
46S miles, by 11.45 PM, an average of 80
miles an hour including all stoppagcs, the
loss of half an hour on the road, between
Fort Wayne and Chicago by the breaking
of one of the axcs of the sleeping car, and
taking 90 minutes for dinner at "Crest-
line, and an equal time at Fort Wayne for
supper. On large portions of the road the
speed was from 40 to 80 miles per hour,
and between several points, as l timed it
with my watch in my hand, we actually
moved at the rate Of mile each minute.
The breaking of an axle, at such speed
as this, might well be deemed Il very seri-
Gus accident. Fortunately, however, in
this instance, it was the reer axle of the
i.
arrest the progress of the train before any
one was injured, although some of the oc-
cupants Of the sleeping car were very much
alarmed.
Taking a sleeping car at Philadelphia, l
retired early, and found the berth very
pleasant and comfortable to lag in but
sleep, wiM me, was wholly out of the ques-
ton. The rumbling of the wheels beneath
me; the unearthly scream of the steam
whistle, ever and anon bursting forth fierce
as the yell of Hyena and the frequent
! ding dong of the car bell as we passed diff
ferent stations ; and other trains, passen-
ger and freight, of which there seemed to
be Aforementioned every effort to COM
pose myself and forget my surroundings,
abortive. Daylight at last came, and re-
vealed the fact that we were ascending the
mountain at a fearfully rapid rate, whirling
along by the edge of a precipice, on one
side, and rocky wall on the other where
| a very ordinary accident or mishap might
I have landed us in eternity in few mo-
ments and yet, l confess | felt not the
/ slightest dread. Why? l scarcely know ;
unless it be that the nonchalance which al
most daily exposure to danger in railroad
rides naturally inspires, relieves us o. that
distressing apprehension of evil that would
make travelling in these days anything but
] pleasure. The mountain scenery on this
road SO far as l had the opportunity of
seeing it. falls below that on the Baltimore
! & Ohio Road, in grandeur and sublimity.-
/ \ very intelligent young lady, who sat
near me, however. informed me that the
| finest part of the road in this respect, was
passed before daylight.
/ AS we approached Pittsburgh, the dark
| cloud of smoke that hung over its chimneys.
towers and roofs, revealed the character of
| it's industry and the source of its wealth.
Our stay was too short to admit of any OBJ
/ servation of this busy city, the Birming-
! ham of America,-eyery moment allowed
us being necessarily occupied in supplying
! the inner man for the hard days travel be-
fore us. Leaving the city, we crossed the
Ohio and found the river very low, the
ground dry, and the corn in the fields on
the margin of the river, much parchcd and
exceedingly short in growth. The only
boats that were able to approach the city
were little market tugs, apparently about
40 or 45 feet long, propelled by a large
wheel in the rear, called 4 stern Wheel
drawing about Is or IS inches of water,
and pushing before them from two to four
boats or barges, laden with fruits and vege-
tables. The country between Pittsburgh
and Chicago, l. will not attempt to describe.
/ Three things, however, arrested my atten-
ton, to wit the scattered condition of the
| houses in many of the towns on the route
| the almost entire absence of valuable farm
| buildings within view; and the low. swaml,y
and unhealthy appearance of the country,
as we approached the great Bable of the
West-Chicago.
! What l have to say of that city must be
left for another letter. expect to return
to it on Monday, as the brethren of the Or
der there contemplate extending some cour-
tesies to the members of the Grand Lodge,
on that day, and on Tuesday we leave for
| Omaha.
South Bend, where l am now soourning,
! at the residence of my sister, is the county
seat of st. Joseph county, Indiana, and has
at this time population estimated at / O. 0G0,
a large number of whom are Germans
The substantial citizens of the place are
thorough business men, of great enterprise,
energy and thrift. When l visited it, in
| 1860, its population was below G, 900: since
| which time, not only has the population
nearly doubled ITSELF but its business has
increased beyond the anticipatons of its
most sanguine citizens. The st. Joseph
River, which runs through the city, sup
plies an almost unlimited amount of water
power, which is appropriated to manufac-
turing purposes of various kinds Here
are to be found planning mills, sash factories,
manufactures of furniture in the rough
one large establishment devoted entirely to
the making of extension tables-another
to bureaux and fancy tables-another to
chairs and sofa frames-anotler to the
construction of wagons, turning out from
- to 100 wagons every week. The South
Bend Iron Works employ from IS to 100
men i'll the foundry and finishing depart
| mcntS, manufacturing thousands of wagon
skcins, turning lathes, mill wheels, plows,
&c, and large quantity of iron frames
for Singers sewing machines. The Singer
Sewing Machine Company has its western
mandatory located at this place, where
they already have an immense brick struc-
ture, and contemplate erecting this and the
next year, two large wings to it. Here.
! also, is Il large paper mill for converting