The Baltimore County union. [volume] (Towsontown, Md.) 1865-1909, 1872-06-01
Correspondence.
To the Eastern Shore and Back.

BALTIMORE COUNTY, May 25th, 1872
MeSSrS. Editors Business having called your
correspondent to the Eastern Shore of Maryland,
/ thought that it might prove interesting to your
readers to know how things are looking in that
region. So imagine US on board the fne steam
er Highland Light, waiting the signal to start.
The dock at Baltimore at this time is iu most
horrible condition, and one naturally wonders
as he is compelled to endure the sickening stencil
that arises from the almost putrid water, that
contagious disease is not more prevalent in Bal
timore than it is. But at last the wished for sig
nal came, the gang paaks 49, AS. off the pad
die wheels turned, and we were backing out
from the wharf. Once out the steamer slowly
turned and we were off Ii being beautiful
moon ight night we took chair on the upper
deck and from that point ha6 an opportunity to
witness one OF the most beautiful scenes have
ever beheld. The receeding city with its tens Of
thousands of lights made up the back ground,
where on the right and left the twinkling lamps
of the countless small craft-green lights AT the
stern and red lights at the bow-made up pam
arama OF beauty, 'once beheld to be never for
gotten But now we are fairly on our way
the lights glimmer smaller and smaller in the
distance and we are almost Oh Fort Mctlenry.
The Fort seemed notwithstanding its warlike
character TO be perfect representation of peace,
as laying in the soft moonlight, its pretty white
buildings showing plainly against the dark back
ground, and, deeply impressed with the scene,
my mind reverted back to The history of the past
the night when in the confusion of battle
1.-THE rockets red glare bombs bursting in air;
Gave proof through the night that our flag was still
there"
and as we watched from the d,ck and saw the
national ensign fntterug Alf.SSy from the flag
staff, we could not help exciaimsng with the poet
'Tis the star spanged ba nner, or long may wave,
Ger the land of the free and the hcme of the brave
After passing Fort Mcf1enry The next promi-
nent object that strikes our eyes Fort Carroll
This is II huge, unfinished Pi+e-eN<ss entrance OF
the narbor and has cost an immense amount of
money, but for several years work has been sus-
pended on it, and when one calls 10 mind the
experience OF the last war, showing the utter in
ability OF stone forts to cope with steel clad boats,
ii seems 10 have been q very sensible thing in
The Government to suspend work uponit. There
has been some talk OF converting il into hospl-
tai for contagious diseases, but | don't know
what action has been taken in reference 10 it,
But Fort Carroll is rapidly passing to the rear
and we are now abreast of queer looking iron
house, perched above the water on iron rods.
This, informed was the Seven Foot
Knoll Light House II seemed 10 be a lonesome
place 10 live, ii being miles from land, the peo-
Pile living there going to and coming from shore
ny means OF neat looking oOat mat was sOS-
pended under the house My companion re-
marked that one of the Disadvantages Of tina:
house was that il had too much water in the Gel
lar. As it was too sublime to give way to our
feelings on deck, we were compelled to go down
into the bar-rGom and smile, after which weagaiu
stroiled Gu deck We are now in the Bay, but
on both sides can be seen in the distance the long,
low, lines OF coast, and the bright moonlight
making the water glitter like millions of stars,
combined with The broad ioam-like wake of our
steamer, made the scene still very beautiful =
But one soon tires Of monotony and with the
exception OF passing at intervals the white wing.
ed sailing craft, some laige, souies small, some
bound 10 and some bound from Baltimore, and
occasionally steamboat whose shril whistle
sounds es she comes abreas, of US, there is moth
ing to break the sameness Of the scenery, and
after smoking awhile we 20 below and examine
with some curiosity the mighty engines that are
driving US through the waves 10 our destination.
After an hour spent in contemplating the beau
tifnl and regular working of the polished steel
machinery, and noticing the glowing face OF the
colored brennan as be fed the mighty fires that
generated the steam to supply the engine, we
soughi our sate.room, and as we lay in the
narrow BERTH the rumtug sound OF the machi-
merry soon grew more and more distant aud be-
tore we knew it, we were in the land OF dreams.
We must have slept several hours when we
were aroused by the shril whistle OF the boat and
one OF the walters informed us we had arrived at
Easton Point, where at present we will stop.
In your next issue will give you a descrlp'