The aegis & intelligencer. [volume] (Bel Air, Md.) 1864-1923, 1870-07-15

meeting, al wv lltOn Grove, Darlington
Station, Philadelphia, Wilmington and
Baltimore Railroad, was inaugurated. De-
sirous of furnishing our readers with some
account of the commencement of the larg-
est camp meeting ever held in this county
or State, as well as gratifying our own Gu
riosity, we left this place on the day above
named, and at about the hour of 11.3O A..
M, found ourselves entering the grounds,
upon which had been erected, the 'city of
tents"
THE GROUNDS.
These grounds were leased from Jacob
Hoke, Esq, by the National Camp Meet
ing Association, and are naturally and
beautifully adapted to the purposes of a
camp meeting. Large forest trees of oak,
hickory, &c, afford protection from the
suns rays, and the sloping character of
the ground gives every facility for thorough
drainage, so that comfort to pedestrians is
secured in a short time after rain has
ceased to fall. The tents are erected at a
distance of about 400 yards south of the
railroad depot, which is a new building,
tastetully designed. There are also two
platforms, each GAO feet long, besides she'd
ding for shelter to persons waiting at this
point for the trains. These run with a
view to the accommodation of visitors to
the camp, and at reduced fare for round
trip tickets, Leaving the depot building,
a broad avenue conducts the visitor to the
camp ground The tents are erected south
of rayine, on the nearer side of which
accommodations for horses have been pro-
vided, with view to prevent inconvenience
from dust, by their nearer proximity to
the tents. An entrance fee is demanded
for horses and carriages.
THE TENTS AND AVENUES.
Up to Tuesday morning G25 tents had
been erected on either side of avenues
twenty feet wide, and in the centre of the
whole large square, on the northern side
OF which an immense stand for the accom-
mediation of ministers of the Gospel in con-
Quoting religious exercises is erected. The
only furniture here is a plain pulpit, with
benches as seats for the occupants. This
stand is covered, and is ornamented in front
with texts of scripture in large sized let
tiers. An awning of canvass is also stretch
ed from it little distance to the rows of
seats provided for the congregations
There are seven of these, intersected by
convenient spaces as aisles- atfording am
pie sitting room for an immense crowd of
people Thete tents which are ofcanvass, are
located around this square, parallel to the
different sides of which the avenues rum
The grove is entered by Hoke and Wilton
Avenues. The avenues running North and
South, are: Waugh, Hamlin, Emory, Rob-
erts, Hedding, McKendree, George, What
coat, Asbury, Coke, Embury and Heck
Those running East and West arc; Gar
retson, Strawbridge, Fisk, Olin, Bangs,
Wesley, Fletcher, Boehm, Clark, Bramwell
Carvosso and Lybrand.
THE WATER SUPPLY.
The water is supplied from reservoir
with capacity ofabout 10, 0OOg allons, from
which steam pump forces constant
stream into tank built on trestle work
on the high ground above it, and capable
of holding 5000 gallons. This is sufi-
GENTLY elevated to cause it to flow by pipes
to all parts of the ground, where it is re-
ceived at different points in large casks of
200 hundred gallons capacity. At one
point it flows from the trunk of knotted
oak tree, into which pipe has been intro
duced, making very pretty rustic foun-
tain. The steam pump is capable of fore
ing 240 gallons per minute into the tank,
so that an abundant supply can at all times
be secured. Messrs. Basshor & Co., of
Baltimore, furnish and run this handsome
apparatus.
OTHER CoNvENIENCEs.
Visitors will be able to supply them
selves with almost every thing they may
desire in the way of conveniences. In one
tent are bookstore, postofiice and tele-
graph office. Adams Express Company
have also an office on the grounds The
tent holders appear principally to take
their meals at the different boarding tents,
of which there are quite number. OF
Messrs. Carver & Bakers, of Havre de
Grace, we can speak knowingly of the bill
of fare furnished, which is excellent
Butcher shops, grocery and provision stores,
&C., &c, are all conducted on scale of
considerable magnitude.
| REFRESHMENTS.
Our friend James S. Lyle has prepared
large and convenient stand for supplying
ice cream, confectionery, mineral water, &C..
&C., of the best kinds to visitors, on the left
of the camp ground as you enter by the