Beaufort Republican. [volume] (Beaufort, S.C.) 1871-1873, 1872-09-19
AMONG THE MOUNTAINS OF PENN.
SYLVANIA.
Correspondence Of the Beaufort Republican,
SEPTEMBER /, 1872.

We, who have long dWelt on the
islands, and whose eyes have become
familiar with the unbroken level of the
low-lands of Beaufort, are strangely
moved, and thrill of emotion excites
US, as we reach the top of even a small
ler spur Of these eastern Pennsylvania
mountains, elevated two thousand feet
from tide water, and look out upon the
sea of crags and peaks, some lower and
others towering far higher. still, that
make up this Switzerland of Amer
ica,n - as it has been termed. 1t is easy
to conceive as we gaze in all directions
at the wooded SUBMITS of the lower
hills, or the sharpen outlines Of the
highest elevations. thrusting their bare
rocky points above the general level,
and thus forming isolated mountains,
that Alpine regions may present similar
features to the eyes of the tourist,
though it is hardly possible that these
mountains can give one the same feel
ing of awe, because of their vastness
and unapproachable grandeur, that is
felt IN visiting the Alps. On the con-
trary our emotions were rather Of the
pleasurable kind; the sense of the beau
tiful, the harmonious in outline and
graceful in form, was appealed to in
us. and we spent the hours with con.
tinually growing delight, and went
down as day declined, satisfied.
The ascent to these elevated regions
from the sea level, on the eastern coast
of New Jersey, is so gradual that
travellers hardly notice the fact that
the inclination Of the railway is con-
tinually upward, until they fiad them
selves looking down on hills that an
hour before had appeared to rise far
above the track. Crossing the Della
ware from Phillipsburg on the Jersey
side; to Easton in Pennsylvania, on
parallel bridges, the Lehigh Valley,
and the Lehigh and Susquehana rail
roads run up on either bank of the lie.
high River, following its many curva-
lures from the point of junction with
the Delaware, to its springs and feed,
ers on the divide between the two riv-
ers with the pleasant Indian names
Susquehanna, Delaware. In various
places as the roads wind along on
narrow shelves that the engineers were
compelled to cut into the rocky walls
which hem in the river, the trains
seem to run as it were upon nothing,
clipging to mere line for foot-hold
but the rock that towers 80 high above,
gives the hot train the benefit of its
dark cool shadow. Aud no traveller
up this valley can fail to be impressed
with the wonderful beauty and rugged
picturesqueness Of the scenery which is
continually unfolding before him. Al.
though it is the birth place Of coal ard
iron, and the sooty cyclops Of the fur
mace and mine are ottener seen than
any other residents, neither the yapoIs
of molten iron, nor the black dust from
mountains Of coal can hide, or to any
great extent obscure the loylintsS Of
the outlines, that nature has here pro-
Jected, to which no description can do
Justice, and which a dweller in Glow
countries" must sec before he can ap.
preciate.
4 few miles above the-coniluencc Cf
the Delaware and Lehigh rivers, the
Quaint old town .ef Rsthlehem is built
or strictly speaking the old and new
Bethlehem, for while the M0rayian se:-
tlement on the right bank is very anc :
ent, las we count time in this new
world, the manufactures on the left,
and the fine college and prettily locat-
ed dwellings clustering about the ter
races, and covering some Of the emf.
nences at q little distance back from
the river, ale as strlkingly new aid
recent in their origin. The old town
has sLaid, quiet, quaker like aspt CT,
the very grave stones in the cemetery
reposing in straight lines, and giving
one the sense Of q tranquility which
not even the roar of manufacturing, or
railroad trains, or.the activities Of the
other side and below can break, or dis
turb.
Three or four miles beyond Bethlc-
hem, the city Of Allentown-the great
railroad centre-is located. From
hence radiate many lines of road, and
the traffic in which they bear a part is
immense; and the totals Of mere trans
portation in round figure would appear
to be but fable if given. 1t is busy
place, with large manufactures ofiron
in all its varieties, pig, bar, railroad,
castings and extensive car and ma
chine works; all of which have sprung
up and grown to vigorous and large
proportions III very few years, 4 Thrift
ty example Of well directed enterprise,
which makes US enyiOus rs We COM
pare the unthriit and want Of energy
and absolute dearlh Of enterprise when
are the rule in South Carolina. We do
not stop to moralize upon the reasons
for such a difference, but they are none
the less apparent or disastrous to us.