Worcester daily spy. [volume] (Worcester [Mass.]) 1850-1888, 1871-08-17
[coRRRsPoNDnNoE OF THE DAILY sPY.l
NIAGARA FALLS, August, !

NIAGARA FALLS, August 1871.
Rapid journeying in dog-day heat delayed my
writing here, where the falls dash and roar as
cheerily and loudly as ever. 1t seems as if they
always had precisely that deep, heavy, monoto-
nous baritone, ever in an unvarying key. The
breezes and the spray, the quiet retreat and the
genial company of Niagara are q relief after
the heat and dust of stifed cities and railway
cars. No marvel that its visitors come again
and again. Its charms and wonders are ever
| fresh and new-do not weary and satiate.
From St. Louis we journeyed by way of In
dianapolis, having an excellent view of the
| Egypt Of Illinois, the chief corn section of the
west, where there are many fields so extensive
that the corn tops and the horizon meet as far
as the vision sweeps. Scarcely an acre of wheat
or other grain on the whole line; little else of
crops but the luxuriant maize, excepting apples
| and peaches, of which there is an abundance
We found in Chicago the handsomest, most lus-
cious peaches which it seems possible to grow,
coming from this region. They make the Jer-
Sey fruit we get in New England seem like crab
apples. Whether the difference comes from
species or from soil, we are not aware, but prob
ably from both and the peculiar ripening quail
tiles in the atmosphere. Sea air is no benefit to
them.
We have made the fastest average time on
this Vandalia route of any since starting, in a
round trip of about 1000 miles. This is COM
peting line with the Ohio and Mississippi, be-
tween the two great cities, and p miles
longer, but they seek to make the same through
time, and generally do, with entire safety, Civ
ing passengers glimpse of one of the prettiest
cities in the west-Indianapolis. 1t is owing in
part to the factthat one of the leading officials
was formerly connected with the Boston and
Albany railroad-that "training school, for
railroad men, which has sent many a graduate
into this vast prairie country, where road is of
small account unless it is 300 miles in length.
A forty or fifty mile line is merely side track
in their estimation-a to switch on to.
Easy to see that westeners have cause for being
"free and easy" and indulging in little good
natured swagger, (harmless and agreeable
withal in contrast to eastern frigidity and con-
ventionalism) because they have plenty of sea
and elbow room on these ocean plains. Lincoln
would have seemed little inappropriate in
cramped, mOuntain-ribbed, and valley cut New
England. His tall form and easy manner was
in perfect keeping with this boundless country,
where thousand acres is no more than po-
tato patch in England or Holland; or "com-
mon" in the northeastern states.
Cincinnati has picturesque location, on the
banks of this brownish-yellow, turbid, muddy
Ohio. Along the edge of the shore is a narrow
strip Of land, rising in an easy incline, which
serves as place for wharves and the chief
business portions. Beyond this it ascends into
sleeps and bluffs-eligible places for residence
after jewellers get there; but the journey,
though short, is tedious and hard. A company
has been formed for building q sort of Mount
Washington railway to reach portions of them,
the cars to be propelled by stationary engines.
1t is intended to be ready for use in October;
and, instead of its taking an hour to get to
ones residence only short distance away, it
will be reached in a few minutes. At present
one may as well live twenty-five miles off on a
steam line as to reside on the almost oyerhang-
ing bluffs. The Mount Washington expert
ment, made to subserve the interests of pleasure
tourists, will prove in this as in numerous other
instances, an inestinable convenience and bene-
fit.
On the opposite bank lies Covington, with its
$4,000 people, Cincinnati having 100000;
the two are virtually one, connected
by the new suspension bridge over
the broad Ohio. The span is larger than Mag
ara, and instead of the perpendicular banks at
the falls, these slope back so that the structure
caaTno hi0har aud mara o;ru Il ho~o.
entity, as long, narrow foot walk, and yet capa-
BILE of sustaining the heaviest trains. 1t ex-
ceeds in interest the two at the falls looking so
web-like, and yet the vast traffic of trunk lines
hourly passes over tia marvel of engineering
skill and mechanical ingenuity-worth going to
see. Our American bridge builders have
taught those of Europe valuable lessons.
Cincinnati looks more like Boston than
any city in this section. Its streets
run irregularly, many are paved with
the detestable hoof and carriage-tear-
ing cobbe payements; the buildings are
mostly of brick, and have little of the time
worn look of the older places Excepting the
dingy surfaces coming from the bituminous
coal, one can easily imagine himself at the
Hub" But the new paving is entirely of
wood; as it is quite universally through this re-
gion. Scarcely any other material is used 1t
is comparatively noiseless. Walking along
crowded carriage way, you can hear
yourself think, which is almost impossible on
stone pavement, to say nothing about hearing
your companion speak Unless it is too ex-
pensiye in the east, owing to the comparative
scarcity of lumber, it ought to be introduced
hoeraly there. Rest assured that the people
would want nothing else after they had tried
Tue comfort and advantages of this. Easy for
Iiuiiig' working no injury to horses or vehicles ;
just NOISY enough to enlven, but not stun with
the granite din and rattle 1t is sort of city
luxury. If Pleasant street had this. Il would
be rightly named.
Just now the inhabitants are alive with in
terest on the Sunday question. This is chronic
here. First the mooted point was whether tho
Catholics should send the English Bible in ais.
honor out of the public schools After a warn,
contest, the government and large majority az
the citizens said ''no"-emphatisally-and with