The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1871-06-19

gas-Iit lamps bilard-rooms, ten-pin alleys,
bathrooms pleasant walks and a tame
bear, has been constructed here-cultivated
hillsides skirting the southern exposure,
while a broad expanse Of forest extends along the
northern side OF the railway. The special attraction,
aside fsom those named, and aside from the clear
mountain air, is the Minnequa Spring, whose waters,
without containing enough Of sulphur to be repulsve
to the taste, possess some OF its healing virtues as
well as medicinal qualities derived from other mine
rails duly set forth In an analysis. The MiRnequa
House Is an unusually large and 1ne hotel
to spring up suddenly in q comparatively
remote region and its existence is due
to the enterprise of that locomotive and
enigma of the central portion OF Northern Pennsylva-
nia-Peter Herdic All important advance steps
are credited chiefly to him. Born and bred in the
lumber regions surrounding Wiamsport he went,
not many years ago, to that CITY, poor in purse,
gifted only with the rudiments of a rudmentary
education, but possessing indomitable energy,
daring enterprise, unnagging industry, and coura-
geous resolution. AS new necessities developed
he either takes leading part in supplying them or
sets the ball in motion solitary and alone, and
times amid the plaudts Of his townsmen, and some-
times amid storm OF obloquy, he advances Will
Transport rapidly on the road to progress, according
to one version, and on the road to financial ruin
according to another. The Mnnequa House is but
one OF his structures. The Herdic house at
Willamsport-a solid brick building, comparing
favoraby in size and accommodations with the
although Herdc had Influential associates in fighting
the long local. financial and legislative battle Tor the
boom, ne was the inspiring spirit OF the struggle.
He carried a proposition to pave more than three
miles OF the streets OF Wiamsport with Nicholson
pavement, got the contract for constructing it,
laid down the pavement and took his pay In city
bonds aggregating amount which runs up into
very respectable figures for inland city, He has
also constructed at Williamsport a fine trottng
course, with stand capable OF accommodating
thousands OF spectators; pond In which trout
cultivated and he has taken an active part IN so
many other movements that have fastened the
growth and enhanced the prosperity of Williams
port, That he Is an object OF nearly universal CON-
ment in this region, and the great wonder is what
Peter Herdc will or will not do next.
The extreme northern point reached by the edito-
rial excursionsts was the pleasant town OF Watkins,
beautifully situated at the head of Seneca Lake, on
the line OF the Northern Central, three hundred
miles from Philadelphia. The lake itself ION which
the party had a fine steamboat excursion yesterday
evening", combined with the invigoratng mountain
and mountain lake air, is no slight attraction but
Watkins Glen, leading from the southern end of the
town far up the mountain side, is a never-failing
source Of delight to every tourist who possesses a
spark Of love for unique, impressive, and grand
natural scenery.
The name Of this wonderful curiosity is deceptive,
and conveys no idea OF its character 1t is a canon
or canyon, rather than glen; or series Of canons
rather than a series Of glens. Webster defines a
glen to be "a secluded and valley; depres-
sion or space between hills" and this defn-
ton is much less applicable to the success
sion OF wonderful, beautiful, and impressive
sights at Watkins Glen, than the definition of canon
or canyon, viz. ga deep gorge, ravine or gulch
between high and steep banks, worn by water
courses"
Twenty or thirty thousand years ago. according
to the geologsts, the solid masses OF rock the
side OF the mountain bordering On the valley below
the head OF Seneca Lake were rudely torn asunder
leaving aperture of various widths from ten or
twenty feet to as many yards OF height at various
localities from one hundred to three hundred feet
stretching back for several miles from the valley
and gradually attaining over this dis
tance an elevation Of about one
thousand feet above the waters of Seneca Lake.
Through this aperture, which is formed Of a series
OF layers OF rocks, chiefly shale small stream has
been winding its devious way, now expanding into
peaceful little rivuet, anon converting itself into
picturesque waterfall and frequently carving out
OF the solid rocks pools varying In depth from forty
| feet to depths that plummet has never sounded.
The opening to the socalled glen is a cear-cut
canyon, consisting Of walls of rock, regular,
the southern side, as piece OF artificial asonry,
about seventy-fve yards long, and from one to two
| hundred feet in height After the glen proper
| series OF stairways, cut sometimes out OF the
| solid rock, and consisting sometimes
| OF ladder-like wooden steps, furnish
track over which the tourist presses onward, up
|
every turn and at every winding some picturesque
and beautiful new combination OF towering rock,
tumbling waterfall, placid pool, and silver
thread streamlet scenery. There is no
| real danger In passing these
footpaths, but as they occasionally overhang yawn-
ing precipices they afford to the bold opportunity
| for congratuating themselves upon the possession
OF stout nerves, and to the tmid so far excuse
for tmidity that, IL fainting had not become un-
fashionable, some OF the passages in Watkins Glen
would be capital place for indulging in that old
time luxury. As at present arranged, the tourist
passes from glen to glen, until about ave or six
visited in succession-all being, In fact, mere
tinuatons of each other, and forming, as whole,
as unmistakable canyon as was ever
formed in mountain side. While each OF innumer-
able has its special admirers lover OF the
Sublime and beautiful can fail to ind much here
adapted to his special tastes. The rainbow
of Watkins Glen was one OF the most
bewitchingly beautiful things ever beheld, and
If nothing else was to be seen there, this alone
would be well worth a visit. At one OF the most
charming and picturesque portions OF the gorge,
where titanic OF rock rise up in grand confu-
sion, and where mirror-ike pools renct back bright
gems OF mountain scenery, thin spray-lke stream,
which might well be called bridal veil, tumbles
over the side of the rocks in such minute particles OF
water that 1t forms at this particular locality per-
petual miniature shower the drops being appa-
rently converted into a thousand minute crystals,
through which, when the sun shines, a charmlngy
bright and resplendent miniature rainbow is seen.
To the eye 1t appears scarcely ten feet distant; its
arc is scarcely twenty feet IN length, and
In altitude 1t is beneath, rather than above, the
spectator-ss that he literally looks down upon the
brightest loVeliest and most enduring OF little rain
boWs-and II there is a spark OF poetry or romance
in his composition, his feelings are wrought up to
exaltation by this irresistible combination OF the