The Baltimore County union. [volume] (Towsontown, Md.) 1865-1909, 1871-01-07
: WOnderS of america.

1t is not for Americans to speak of the an
tiquity of their nation, or of cities laden with
the art and lore of centuries. We can not point
to the grand accomplishments of ancestors
hundreds of years agone we can not lay
finger on the historic page and say, "Thus did
we centuries ago." "No; but we can proudly
exhibit our unparalleled progress, and we can
challenge the countries of the Old World to
produce the like of some results which few
decades have served to develop upon our soil.
We have some wonders, natural, and the con-
summatons Of our peculiar energy, which COM
mand attention as the greatest of their kind on
the face of the earth. Among these wonders
are the following:
The Falls of Niagara, which form the great
est cataract in the world. A river three quar-
ters of a mile in width, fed by the waters Of
three great lakes, is suddenly contracted in its
course and plunged over vast rocky cliffs in
two columns, to the depth ofnearly two hundred
feet
There are other waterfalls on our soil which
exhibit most striking characteristics, although
far exceeded by Niagara in the volume of
water discharged. In the Yosemite Valley
there are several falls, one of which has total
depth, made by three leaps, of 1854 feet The
Bridal Vail fall, in the same remarkable valley,
has a depth of $40 feet, and the Royal Arch
fall, 1,S00 feet Besides, the Yosemite Valley
affords the finest scenery of a varied character,
in region Of limited extent, known to man. 1t
is only accessible at the lower end by two trails
that abruptly descend 1000 feet. The walls
for six miles are nearly vertical, ana IN some
places are mile in height, and are composed
of pure white granite. The valley is only
mile and half wide at the broadest part, and
in most places is less than half mile. This
adds to the apparent height of the perpendi-
cular walls on either side.
The New York Croton Aqueduct the largest
nd of tho bind in ba xvnrId Ttc
length is over forty miles, and it cost twelve
and half millions of dollars. In its course it
passes over bridge 1,46e feet long and ia feet
highSs%Aieh is splendid triumph Of architec-
tural skill.
The Mammoth Cave of Kentucky, the larg-
est and most interesting cave in the world,
wherein one may make voyage on q subter-
ranean lake and catch fish without eyes.
The Philadelphia City Park, the most
tensive public garden under the control of
municipal government in the world. It's area
comprises twenty y-nine hundred acres.
The largest river in the world is the Mis-
sissipp, four thousand one hundred miles long,
irrigating a valley of the richest fertility,
whose extent is four hundred thousand square
miles.
| The Pacific Railroad, over three thousand
miles in length and spanning whole conti-
| nent, from ocean to ocean.
| The Iron Mountain of Missouri, which is re-
garded the greatest mass OF solid iron in the
world. tbs three hundred and fifty feet high
| and two miles in circuit.
Chicago, the leading grain port of The world,
and, so far as we know, the most rapidly de-
veloped city in wealth and population the
world has known. In 1881 there were twelve
families settled on its site. In 1910 the census
returns showed population of4,4 ,470. In 1860
! 1l0,973, and in 1857 the number of in b abitants
exec led 100000
Be.ides these "wonders," there are other in
teresting features which might be cited, were
we disposed to compare our national resources
with those of other countries such, for in
stance, are the apparently exhaustless deposits
| of gold and silver in California and the Rocky
Mountain territory; of anthracite and bitumi-
nous coal, especially the former, in Pennsyl
vania of copper in the Lake Superior region
and of petroleum in many parts of the Union
When one calmly reflects upon the past
history of our nation, and contemplates the
wonderful progress made within few brie
years, his Imagination can scarcely span the
possible advancement of the next hundred
chronological Journal.