Rutland weekly herald. [volume] (Rutland, Vt.) 1859-1877, 1873-07-03
Portland and ogdensburg RAIL
road.
VERMONT. nlvIsIoN-sTowE- MANS.
FIELD.

By invitation of W. Fl. BRYAN :, sn-
perintendent, and Sherman w. Park
hurst, both well known to the pee pie of
this section, the re as general ticket
agent, ana the OF ner as conductor on the
hutlaha raLlr' ,ad, took the 4. As p. M.
s HTanaF WIN .hem for Hydepark and Mt.
Mansnel6 with Mr.. Bryant L had the
pieasu' e of riding on the locomotive,
Ian ollie, which was under the guidance
o. that skillful engineer, Wright.
''Sherm." gave the signal and we were
off, creeping up a seventy feet grade, to
Fairbanks. After leaving this station,
we shot through a rock cut, across a
trestle work, six hundred feet long, sew
enty-six feet high, and on curve. To
look downward was rather startling to
ones nerves, but | was told that it was
one of the most substantial works of the
kindin existence At Danville, my at
tention was called to the magnificent
view which is had here of the White
Mountains and the Franconian range;
but one attraction after another present
| ing itself, until at Walden, Mansfield,
| Elmore and Sterling mountains in the
foreground, with Cancels Hump and
| jaw Peake in the distance, came to view,
while at Hardwick the famous LamOille
valley was presented in all its sunset
beauty, the river, overhung by willows,
winding in all its magnificent quietness
In and around the mountains. We ar
rived at Hydepark at 7:15, a distance of
fiftY-one miles from st. Johnsbury,
where 'tSherm" announced thirty min
utes for refreshments, Bryant and my
self partaking of one of Sawyer's-of
the Hydepark Hotel-richest repasts.
After tea, we took Stwo-pony team,
with '.Sherm" at the helm, who seemed
to understand the ropes as well (but
not the road as if it had been his bust
ness instead of conducting a train. We
arrived at the Mt. Mansfield house about
| 1920 D. m, where we were met by the
Hon. w. II. II. Bingham, president of
the Mt Mansfield hotel company, and
Messrs. Bruce and Ladd, stage prOprie-
tors After short chat and completing
arrangements for the ascent of the noun
tain IN the morning, we all retired for
the night. We were up early in the
morning, and after breakfast, took a
six-horse stage for the mountain, the
party consisting of w. II. Fl. Bing-
ham. Fl. M. Bruce, Daniel Ladd, George
Beals, a veteran stage driver, ''Sherm, y
ID. anu bllfllS 41NC 4lllICo
a pleasant valley, we reached the foot of
the mountain and commenced the ascent
by a first-class carriage road, a distance
Of four miles, to the Summit House,
which is located under the chose, which
towers two hundred and fifty feet above
it. and from the top of which the
country south is visible for nearly a
hundred miles.
After visiting the ''Nose, " we returned
to the house and partoOk of a most ex-
cellent dinner, with all the delicacies of
the season, including lettuce and radishes
that were raised on the mountain. We
could understand how they could raise
lettuce, but it vas beyond us, to under
stand how twelve inch radishes could be
raised in two-inCh soil, but whatever
doubts we might have had were dispelled
on Mr. Binghams assuring us that it
was fact, for he drilled the holes in the
rocks himself, and knew whereof he
spoke. After dinner the party visited
the ''Chin," which is some three hundred
feet higher than the 'ENose," and 1880
feet above the level of the sea. From
this point, it being very clear day we
could distinctly see, to the north, the st.
Lawrence river and Montreal Mountain :;
in the west, the Adirondacks and Lake
Champlain and, even, the bridge leading
from the mainland to Grand Isle, which
is at least twenty miles distant. The
limit to the view on the east, is the
White Mountain range looking to the
south, all the principal peaks of the
Green Mountains are visible, even, to
Ascutney Mountain. Within the above
limits are to be seen, also, numberless
hamlets, villages and towns, giving a
most perfect landscape view, and one
which we all regretted to leave.
Returning to the house, and bidding
Manager Hayes and wife adieu, the par
| ty started down the mountain to the
snow-banks, where we enjoyed snow
balling to our hearts content. The prin-
cipal snow-bank is located on the north
east side of the Nose, and is five or six
hundred feet long by fifty or sixty feet
| wide and, perhaps, eight or ten feet