The evening Argus. [volume] (Rock Island, Ill.) 1861-1871, 1869-08-17
Daily argus.
YTICYAL PAP Il Il.
LETTER FROM THE WHITE MOUNTAINS
WHITE MOUNTAINS, Aug. II, 1863.

Since writing you, from New ! ork, have
visited my parents, in Vermont aud theil
friends in and about Rock Island will prob
ably be glad to know that since they re
turned TO their old home they have been
happy and we'll. My visit there was a very
pleasant one, AS also at Montpelier, where
for six years previous to my residence in
Rock Island, was one Of the publishers oi
the Vermont Patriot.
On Monday last left Vermont for this
the highest point IN the "Grsnite State
and, think, the highest point cast of the
Rocky Mountains. The heighth usually
given is G.2sj feet above the sea but u.
S. Engineer makes it some 500 feet higher.
The cars arrived at Littleton, n. II about
8 p. NJ, where stages were in readiness 10
convey us to any of the numerous and ex.
ceIlent hotels which abound in all the region
about the base Of Mt. Washington / chose
the Twin Mountain House, situated in CIR.
roll. The drive was pleasant, and through
an excellent farming region. We passed
through the village of Bethlehem-a charm.
ing country place, supplied with excellent
hotels and boarding houses, and all crowded
with visitors. At in the evening our coach
stopped at the Twin Mountain House, &
miles from Bethlehem and Is from Littleton.
The house is kept by a. T. aud o f. Ban.
SON. II has been open only three weeks, is
well filled with guests, and is, in ever re.
spect, model hotel. At o'clock Tuesday
morning, the splendid q passenger Twin
Mountain House coach was htched up be.
hind fine six horse team, and, with 20
passengers on board, we started for the
Mount Washington railroad depot, distance
of II miles, over an excellent road and
through most picturesque and interesting
country. We arrived at the depot at Il
o'clock, and at p. NJ. were on the Tip Top
of Mt Washington. This railroad is such q
curiosity that your readers may not be unin.
terested in a brief description Of it, The
road is ? miles in length-or, TO be more
accurate, anG IL. l6ths-and in that dis.
tance rises 1896 feet. In some places the
rise is little over foot in 3, and the aver
age is n trihe more than | in 4. Or to
make the matter palmer, it is grade Of
! ,320 feet to the mile. What would the first
railroad builders say to that ? 1t is a most
wonderful triumph Of civil engineering, and
astonishes all behoders. 1t astonished and
even frightened me to ride up tt haven't
got down yet
The road is constructed after ne manner
Of ordinary railroads, with centre rail
made Of two pieces of strong wrought iron
placed about inches apart, and then fast,
ened together with heavy cross.bars of round
iron, about II inches thick, which are riveted
securely to each rail, and placed inches
apart. This middle rail, which some one
has, not inaptly, named Jacobs Ladder
is of immense strength, and is securely
fastened to the ties and bed of the road /;
and into TIE openings in this rail play the
cogs of powerful wheels under tho engines
and the cars, and thus the train is moved
up or down the mountain. The engines are
powerful machines, geared down very low,
and when standing on level ground, at the
depot, have the appearance of being about
to tip forward upon the smoke stack, but
when on the road the smoke stack is perpen.
dicular. There are engines, two passen.
ger cars, and one fiat car for baggage. The
cars are light and open, with cur
tains to roll down from the top in case of
storm. Only one car is permitted to an en-
CINE, and all are supplied with powerful
machinery, cog-wbeels, etc, for stopping the
train instantly in case of accident. The
road is regarded as absolutely safe. The
other day, | am told that an axle broke and
the train was stopped without moving Is
inches The engines and cars arc kept on
the track by their weight alone, and move
at about the speed OF very slow walking
horse, both up and down. Though the trip
up filed me with fear, over many portions
Of the route, the machinery worked so well
that, after the trip, it seems quite safe. But
in q heavy wind should fear that either
the top of the cars, when the curtains are
down. would be carried away, or that the
cars would be blown from the track. The
cars seat about so persons each. Yesterday
over hundred persons came up by the cars,
and as many more, either through the birdie
paths on horseback or on foot, or by wagons
from the Glen House on the east side. The
railroad is on the west side. All but about
25 went down the mountain before dark
the balance remaining at the lip Top House
over night Where, few years ago, only
the adventurous traveller, on foot, was seen,
we now see and horse teams on the very
TOP of Mt. Washington, and the screaming
locomotive also--fare, by rail, IS for the
trip up and back.
The approach to the White Mountains,
from the various hotels in the region, is
vsrv enchanting. The eye is fascinated by
the coIors of these rugged monarchs-the
varied yerdure Of their lower forests, their
,awney shoulders, the purple grey Of t1eir
bare lodges, and the dim green of their
peaks. The lines which torrents have torn
upon their sides are plainly to be seen, and
AZ we look across great CULTS from little
distance below, upon steep mountain side,
these gashes, torn by the wrath of storms,
give them their finest lines Of expression
and character. And if tho day is blessed
with clouds drifting over the mountains, the
eve will find unspesksble pleasure in watch
ing the shadows that will droop swiftly from
cone to base, in following the incesssn
Aushes and frolics of light and shade ths
robe them with eyer-changing charm. The
views to be had as we rise, BY rail, increase
in beauty and grandeur--and frightfulnes'
too, as we look upon the giants around Us
and the yawning CULTS below u.
On arriving at the summit of Mt. Washing
ton, and enjoying one grand stare at the en-
chanting picture of mountains, valleys, lakes
ponds. rivers and farms scattered all aroun'
us, and wondering at the presumption
man in climbing TO such dangerous heights
and still more at building carriage and RAJ
roads TO this point-and houses and stable
away up on bare rocks in the clouds, "
turned our faces towards the Tip-Top Hous'
| for dinner. This house, aud its twin in al
pearance, were built as rivals, but are no
owned and run by one man, the Summ
House being only used for lodging purpose
when the Tip.Top overFows with people,
Thousands of acres around the top Of N
Washington are bare rock, loosely and We,