The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1869-06-25
AMONG THE MOUNTAINS.
The Second Day of the New Jersey
Editorial Excursion-From Beth
lehem to Scranton-A Ride
Over the "Switch- Back
Railroad at Mauch
Chunk.
From Our Olon Correspondent.

At O'Clock this morning the New jersey Editorial
Excursion party left Bethlehem in special train
provided by the Lehigh Valley Railroad Mauch
Chunk being designated as the next stopping-pace.
Between these two points, however, two brief pauses
were made, the first at Hokendaugua, nine miles
from Bethlehem, at which place located the
Thomas Iron Works for the manufacture OF pigiron,
on larger scale, 1t is said than at any other estab
lishment in the country. The business is certainly
conducted on gigantic scale, the two engines
which mpel the air into the blasting furnace being
each of one thousand horsepower. The excursion
lists were conducted over the entire establishment
and then, after resuming their journey for twelve
miles, made another pause to inspect the operations
of the Lebgh Slate Works, in Slatington, in which
large numbers of Weshmen are engaged in unearth-
ing the material from the most extensive quarries in
the world -s -
AT O'Clock Mauch Chunk was reached The Pc
culiar coD1guration Of the land in this vicinity has
rendered It impossible to build town after the or
dinary modern style. At the base of the lofty hills
which skirt the Lehigh river, few tortuous
streets have been laid out and crowded with build
ngs, principally devoted to business purposes. The
town has also crept up the soping hill sides, the
SUBMITS Of which attain an elevation of about 800
feet, and on small plateau at an elevation of 2l5
feet large number OF buildings are grouped
together with the designation Of Upper Mauch
Chunk. The most noticeable structure in the town
is the private residence Of the Hon. Asa Packer
which projects from the hillside and overlooks the
lower portion Of the town. On this steep and rugged
spot large and handsome dwelling has been
erected, surrounded by extensive grounds in which
the choicest trees and rarest flowers are found in
abundance.
The chief attraction for the stranger in the vicinity
and the one on seeing which the excurslonsts were
especially bent is the "Swich- Back" Railroad, which
is identified with the interests Of the place. Previous
to 1s17 the rich stores of anthracite coal whose
presence in the neghborhood was far from being
secret, were unavailable because Of CIe apparent i'm
Of no m tn ms rkat in
that year Josiah White and s. f. Hanto made re-
cohnoissance of the Lehgh river and the surround
ing territory and the result OF their visit was the
construction OF roads from the mines to the river
These roads were ordinary turnpikes, which the
coal hauled in wagons each drawn by two horses
A series OF dams constructed to assist in the
navigation OF the river, and in this way the Lehigh
Coal and Navigation Company had its
origin. AS early 1882, this COM
pany gave employment to about four
hundred miners, and at the present day
its operations have been extended such scale
that when the mines worked by it are under full
headway about fifteen hundred men and five hun
dred boys employed these laborers representing
a population OF nearly ten thousand souls. 1t WIS
in the year 1927 that the beginnings of the road
known the "Switch-Back" were made, but not
until 1s45 was the device of steep inclined planes
resorted to. At first the loaded coal cars reached
the river by the force Of heir own gravity over
stretch of road having easy desc ent, the empty
Cars being pulled back to the mines by mules. BY
gradual steps the road at last assumed its present
character as one of the greatest feats OF railroad
engineering ever accomplished
The excursion party reached the base of Mount
Psgah, where the road commences, at about half
past nine O'Clock and viewed many of them with
feelings approaching CONSERVATION, the formidable
task before them. We stand upon a small plateau
elevated 240 feet above the level OF the river and be-
fore rises Mount Plsgah to the height OF 664 feet
the entire prospect OF which, from our standpoint,
is covered with verdure excepting a narrow strip
from base to summit, along which rum double
railroad track. The ascent measures 2340 feet hav-
ing grade OF one foot in four or at an angle OF about
IS deg. These are the actual figures, but as we
glance at the ascent 1t appears far formidable,
and a shiver thrills our frame at the thought of
creeping up 1t in an open car with swift and absolute
ruin the sole result of mishap Yet not passen-
ger who has ever be en- drawn to the summit has
been killed Among the cars placed at service to-
day three four small covered vehicles, which
gallanty allotted to the ladies' the greater por
tion OF the party, separated into three divisions,
being accommodated with seats on open trucks,
temporarily arranged for the occasion. At the top
OF the ascent is an engine Of $40 horsepower, by
which two enormous wheels are revolved. Around
each OF these passed two iron bands about five
inches in width, and by simple winding process the
empty coal cars and as on the present occasion, the
trains OF living beings dragged up the ascent at
rattling pace, about five minutes being occupied in
gaining the summit. Between the two tracks is a
stout iron bar, presenting a series Of projecting
notches, along which slides a framework OF the
same material fastened securely to heavily-bal-
lasted truck which brings up the OF each train,
and to which the iron bands are attached. II any
accident to the machinery, or any fracture OF the
bands should chance TO occur, the framework men,
toned would be instantly caught upon the notehes
and the reckless and disastrous descent OF the train
prevented. So admirable is this arrangement that,
as soon as we fairly underway, the first train
having started at quarter before 10 O'Clock, feel
ing OF absolute security replaced all our first misgiv
ngs, and the novelty OF the ascent to those who had
never made it before, impaired to the adventure a
rare and unanticipated attraction.
| At the top Of Mount Pisgah pause OF about ten
minutes is made to give us glimpse at the marvel
| lous view OF the country roundabout. The Lehigh
river, like thread OF silver, winds its tortuous way
anon the hills which spring up as every point ana
| we can trace its course to the Lehigh water gap,
twelve miles distant where 1t enters the gate of the
Blue Ridge, and is lost to our present view. Camped
| together on the ledge which is interposed
| between the base OF Bear Mountain and the river
lies Mauch Chunk which, it must be confessed, looks
far more attractive from This lofty standpoint than
| when we stand In its very midst. The distance
/ and the elevation rob the town OF its
| rongh:and angular features and lend enchantment
10 the view. The constant succession OF barren and
| verd ure-covered cones imparts 10 the scenery so
many striking contrasts the lights and shadows play
with such fantastic grace upon the projecting cliffs
and the strips OF Verdure, the whole prospect pre-
| sents such a view OF wild and imposing grandeur
that TO behold 1t is to dwell upon II often IN
after times as OF the fondest memories OF the
/ past I A ll- N
sttrti 'g on the second stage in the journey from