The Cecil Whig. [volume] (Elkton, Md.) 1841-current, 1873-05-03
LETTER FROM THE WEST.
AKRON, Ohio,

HtoiS III llCCSy w iheSl COFcIluRy lily
. thoughts have all the live-long day been
turning to " Maryland, my Maryland, and
wondering if his frosty majesty has fully
released his hold of that part of the "Sun-
, ny South Last week found three pale
violets peeping out from their protecting
leaves; but now, alas poor violets! even
the snow has deserted them and the air is
almost icy cold the wind due north and
hail and rain falling by turns.
One would think it were the middle of
January instead of nearly the first of May
This morning this pretty city of Akron
looked even prettier than usual every
shrub and tree held its share of the Beau
tiful Snow" some covered thickly with
the shining crystals, weighed down, SEEM
ingly shrinking from the burden; others
bravely brunting the storm their pale deli.
cate leaflets forming cups in which to hold
the beautiful gift whose rare loneliness
scarce one, out of TIE thousands that pass
by, has eyes to see.
This little Western city, busy and pros
porous land very dirty is well worth see
ing. The dirt is from the bituminous coal
we burn, natural cleanliness reigns supreme
but there is but little gained, apparently by
fighting King Coal. Akron boasts of near
ly fifteen thousand inhabitants, about a
dozen Churches of different denominations,
two paper mills, two reaper and mower
works, a rail factory, a chain factory,
rubber works, candy mandatory, hame
factory, knife works for reapers and now
ers) rolling mill, forge; railroad ma
chine shops, where both engines and cars
are made, a wooden mill, several planning
mills--I hope I've come to the end of
the list; if l hear of any more I'll tell you
some other time.
There are some very handsome buildings
| with lovely grounds about them, indeed
| there are sites, very beautiful naturally, on
which a fortune has been spent by the
owners. The Churches are some of them,
plain, rather ancient looking edifces, but
! three are of brick and Of rather singular
architecture. The Methodist, tho by no
means Of the grand exterior which more
| than one Church of that denomination can
now boast, is most unique structure.
description of it would be entirely beyond
my powers. The Sunday School alone is
worth a trip of hundreds of miles to see.-
| The arrangement is very beautiful and the
utmost order prevails, tho visitors are
constantly coming and going. Any one is
admitted to the gallery. from which alcoyes
open for the use of the different classes;
only the smaller children use the school
room proper, tho all can be thrown togeth-
er in moment by opening the glass doors
of the alcoves. The frescoing is very fine
There is fountain in the centre Of the
room, behind it stands a piano, back of
this again is the Speakers stand: l be-
lieve there are beside two rooms or alcoves
for the infant class, one of which contains
an organ, the other melodeon, 1t is said
the school numbers seven hundred teachers
and scholars; it may be SO but should not
have thought there were SO many. Every |
thing is in perfect order and all looked SO
happy, and withal so proud of their beauti-
full school and its belongings that it could |
but give pleasure and hopeful thoughts to
the sourest old anchorite that ever scowled |
upon "pomps and vanities." The other
parts Of the building have not yet seen.-
| am told there are numerous rooms, beau
tifully furnished throughout, one of tho
finest organs in the West, an engine Of two
hundred pounds pressure for heating the
whole cdifice. The Rev. Mr.. Ramsey is
the fortunate individual who ministers to
this extravigant people who have built a
Church that takes twenty-one hundred
yards Of carpetng Brussels) to cover it,
nearly two hundred jets of gas to light it,
big engine to warm it and a fountain to
cool it. The architecture, am told by one
of our amiable Professors, is a mixture of
Gothic and Romanesaue. think the Epis-
copal Church, as to architecture, and may
be in other ways, is squaresque for such
collection of square towers, capped with
what ladies call "Walls of Troy never
saw. They are going to build, however,
when hope their angles will be less
numerous and moro graceful.
1 must not forget the chief ornament, in
appearance of the town; Buchtel College.
1t is a most imposing building, ON an emil
nence on the south side, apparently on the
edge of the city, but found after ascend
ing numberless stairs-the elevators are
out of order at present-that Akron ex-
tends far beyond the College grounds
From the top, on a clear day, Lake Erie,
forty miles distant, can be seen. The
building is very large and commands
lovely views of the surrounding country;
all its interior arrangements seem very
good. There is large refectory, the many
small tables set dainty enough. The stud
ent's rooms are Of good size and prettily
furnished, we'll heated and lighted, and
above all well ventilated; each room has a
small bath closet attached and there is be-
side a wash room and bath room for gener-
al use. The water is obtained from we'll
in the rear of the building. The well is
106 feet deep; most of it sunk through the
solid rock; the water is forced into tanks
in the attic by means of pump propelled
by 10 horse power engine. The laundry
is beautifully arranged, as labor saving as
possible, and the display of snowy clothing
we saw on passing this, the ironing room,
was very creditable. The Chapel is very
pretty room in the centre of the building
and in the third story; prettily fresceed
and we'll filled with intelligent people every
Sunday. Over the stand is painting of
Shakespeare; opposite, one of Humbolt;
on the right fresco representing the arts
and sciences; on the left one of commerce.
TIE college is attended both by young men
and women. There are two literary socie-
ties one called the Carey, after the two
noble sisters so recently passed away; the
other the Greeley. The motto the young
ladies have chosen is "Students of Woman's
Book, The World.'' The motto of the
other could not make out. Each society
has fine room for it's meetings. room
is ore day to he fitted nm far n rnuxann,