Middletown transcript., 1870-04-09
Original Sketthes,
For the IMddletown Transcript.
View from the Town Hall Steeple.
by PORTE CRAYoN.

Travellers who have clambered up to
mountain SUBMITS, have spoken of pc
culiar sense of elevation which they have
experienced. They have felt themselves
above the grovelling things beneath them,
and have gazed up at the blue heavens
above them, and down upon all below,
with sense of superiority attributable
alone to their altitude. This is the expe-
rence of all persons, whether standing
upon mountain-heights or upon pnnacles
reared by the hand of man. Why it is so,
I cannot explain. l do not attempt to
give the philosophy of this feeling-I only
state the fact of its existence.
just that same kind of feeling came
over me, on recent occasion, when /
assembled the stecple of the Town Hall,
and gazed abroad upon the lovely land
scape spread out before me like vast
panorama, gladdening the eyes and filling
the mind with rapture and delight. At
ones feet lies the town, with its hive-like
activity, its industrious citizens with me-
tropolitan air, hurrying scurrying along
the pavements, intent on business, and
the wheels of passing vehicles continually
rumbling upon ones ears.
Looking eastward the observer sees the
pretty town of Odessa, and the modest
spire of Drawyer's Presbyterian Church,
pointing toward the heavens. Its orderly
and dignifed inhabitants are at ease in
their possessions, and an air of comfort
and competence pervades the place. South
of the town winds the tortuous Appoquin-
mink, with its long poetic name and
beyond are the rising grounds around
McDonough, the field of vision stretching
towards St. Georges, and away to the
broad bosom of the Delaware. One may
count the white sails of the rich argosies
afoat upon its ripping waves, bearing the
commodities of commerce, from port to
port, to meet the ever active demands of
trade.
The eye, sweeping northward, is next
arrested by Iron Mountain, or Iron Hill,
as it is more Familiarity known, just beyond
the little village of Glasgow. This is the
highest point upon the peninsula, and is
computed to be from three to five hundred
feet above tide This elevation is remark
able for the quantity and the quality of its
iron ORE It is tunneled for considera-
BILE distance, and tho ore is brought out
in little iron cars on q railway, conveyed
to Newark in mule wagons, and sent by
railroad to Principle Furnace, where it is
smelted and prepared for use. Three
miles distant is another elevation known
as Gray's Hill, upon the summit of which
is farm house distinctly visible to the
naked eye. A mile and half west of this
last named bill, lies the town of Elkton,
hidden from view by intervening forest,
but the vision ranges beyond, to the blue
hills of the Susquehanna, sixteen miles
distant, and northwest to the irregular
outline of the elevations which constitute
the chief geological features of the region
known as Elk Neck, lying between the
North East and Elk rivers. These hills
bound the vision in that direction.
Circumscribing the view, and looking
northeast by north, northwest, in nautical
parlance, the eye falls upon many we'll
cultivated fields, neat and commodious
farm-houses. closely trimmed hedge-rows
of Usage Orange, and expansive Peach
Orchards, which constitute the leading
features of the landscape in all this region.
At this season of the year, before the
trees have donned their foliage, many res
licences can be seen which in summer are
hid from view. Looking east northeast,
the dwellings of Serick Il. Shallcross, R.
T. Cochran, Thomas Cochran, and Au-
gustus Nowland, Eos. are distinctly seen.
And, nearer still, the beautiful farms and
farm houses of Messrs. VIM. A. Cochran,
r. W. Cochran, Samuel Pennington, and
Messrs. Vail, Allston, Willis, Merritt,
and others. North, lie the beautiful resi-
dences of Mr.. VIM. Brady, Mr.. Vanhikle
and Messrs. r. r. Cochran, Hayes, Bur-
roughs and others. Northwest and west
the view is bounded by the forests of Mid
die Neck, Sassafras Neck, and the region
around Warwick. Within those points
lie the fertile lands of thd Messrs. Der
rickson, Murphey, Hoffecker, Polk, and
others, which cannot be so we'll discerned
from this point of view. Within nearer
range stands the fine mansion of John P.
Cochran, Esq. and around him are planted
his four sons, all conveniently and pleas
antly located, on good farms, with COM
modious dwellings, and ornate grounds
and shrubbery. Beyond are the beautiful
residences of Messrs. Amos W. Lynch,
| Is. Il. hanson, JameS haneiy, ooSeph
Roberts, and james Kanely, Jr. and in
their vicinity the fine farms of Mrs. NJ. E.
McCrone, Messrs. Price, Reynolds, Crock
EFT, and others.
Southwest and south, are the fine estates
of VIM. Wilson, DIR. Crawford, Henry
Davis, Joseph West, Benjamin Gibbs,
Robert A. Cochran, R. 7. Lockwood, L,
| CHM. Robert A. Cochran Jr. A. s, Nau-
dain, John Drummond, Ed. r. Cochran,
and VIM. Green, Esqs. all conveniently
located. highly improved, and very pro-
ductive. Truly may the inhabitants of
this region say-''the lines have fallen to
US in pleasant places gentlemen who
have travelled extensively, both in Europe
and America, have declared that they have
never seen region that could surpass it
| In beauty and fertility, Not the Gcnesee