Delaware Republican. (Wilmington, Del.) 1843-1874, 1873-08-18

MAucm CnuNK, CANON Co, Pa.

! MAucH CHuAK, CARBON Co., PA. \
, August 8, 1873.
readers a serious question: eWerc you ever NJ
Mauch Chunk?" II you have mot been to this
"Switzerland of America" as IL is so called, my
advice would be to go, II II Is possible. All the
| season long the fences and newspapers OF Phila-
delphia have been filled with pacards, advertise
ments and correspondence In reference TO Mauch
Chunk and the Swichback, but, rs advertise
ments are so often untrue in blating the beau.
ties and excellence ofthis or that summer re-
sort, and the correspondence is often the product
Of powerful Imagination, and paid for, especially
as regards seaside resorts, the reader generally |
hesitates to believe the same, and gets the opin-
ion OF some uninterested person before he VEN
lures, as did the writer. Too much can hardly be |
said of Mauch Chunk, and the valley Of the lie.
high, for verify nature has done much that is
beautiful and grand around this curious town |
the situation Of which, according to the traveIl-
ed, Is unlike any other In the Union.
The route from Philadelphia to Mauch Chunk |
lies through beautiful and highly cultivated |
country. On every hand well titled fields and
line mansions abound, verifying all that has
ever been said Of the thrift, comfort and wealth
Of the pennsylvania farmer.
Everything denotes the wel-to do state Of the
eople, and traveller notices, as he rushes by,
the evidences Of their thrift, and their true
knowledge OF farming, which is shown in their
fences aud farm buildings The fencing of the
e Railroad is of the very best. cannot recollect
having seen better aud you know good fencing
J. ID a very good sign that the owner of the land
l. has the "lucfe.' As matter of course there
are exceptions, but they are rare. Fine barns,
. large and well built, are another one Of the no.
: liceable features of Pennsylvania farming, aud
a from the car window yon see plenty Of them all
=, along the road. Truly it is region smiling
q with peace and plenty.
a Sometimes the route lay along the side of
I.sh
great banks of rock, far above the top Of the car,
;, showing what undertaking ii must have
II been To build the North Pennsy yanfa railroad,
e the cutting In some places being very deep
" The road passes through very populous region,
!, one village succeeding another in rapid success
- sion. The principal ones being Fort Washing
"a ton, Gerkiugtown. Abingdon, Penllyn, Gwnedd
u North Wales, Llns'lale, Soadcrs, Quakertowu,
!" Centre Valley, llelleltown, and many others OF
lesser magnitude. Some of the above named,
e North Wales, Quakertown and Centre Valley
y are quite large towns, and most of them have u
&c paper published in them.
III The scenery in Centre Valley is beautiful in
Is the extreme. Emerging from deep cut the
er cars run along tie side Of hill, giving the ex-
p culsonist widespread view on the West,
~ down in the valley and away beyond OH the
i'll distant hills. IL is indeed a beautiful sight
there may be grandcr luilicr scenery, but there
F. Is none more enchanting, at least so near home.
10 Farm houses dot the valley, aud the blue hills
~ opposite fields of corn, of deep green color
gh and meadow land of light green, and Plough
nd ed fields, heck the landscape from the track as
dy far as the eye can distinguish them, making
- til, valley and hills look like great mosai,
ID made By giants here and there, amongst til,
ed trees you see church stceple, spre Of whit,
cir and forest of green. This Is one of the gar
den spots of Pennsylvania, cultivated and ma d.
tor doubly beautiful by the excellent farming of thu
ned Pennsylvania Dutch, the ruling element al
mi through this section.
he The merchants Of Philadelphia, in thei
,pt search for summer homes, have not overlooke,
inc tie beautiful locations to be found OH the Nortl
ami Pennsylvania railroad, which are male conye
ore hienl 10 tne Guy by numerous trains, cut hav
of built many fine residences along the route, be
ir.t tween Philadelphia and Bethlehem, and ad
much to the scenes Of the excursion.
p, Puff, puff, puff, the blue hills OF Centre Vale
u" ~, aie brought nearer; we skirt the foot OF then
y ~ we whrl past large blast furnace; ding don;
m ding, dong and we are In Bethlehem a eli
~. among The hills.
;s'IN bethlehem is fiourishing place; situated
Nv the junction OF the North Pennsylvania, Lehle
u and SusquehannaI, ana the Central railroad
W New Jersey; it cannot help but b, otherw Use =
.nm The amount of railroad traffic done here. to Il
'op' passing visitor, seems 10 be enormous, and
really is, seemingly endless trains of coal are /
pai most constantly passing through, bound for Ne
oht York or the n. j. Central, and for Philadelphia
red On the North Pennsylvania Rolling Mills, blu
= Il furnaces and founders, are also located hel
De- some of them of immense size. Bethlehem
nag the centre of the Moravian church in this cou
but try who have located here n COLLEGE and sny,
shop churches ';hey are an industrious God-sr,
osed ing people, and TO them Bethlehem undoubtc
took ~ owes much of her prosneritv Tho NOM,
Tie ton Is about 10000. II contains hotels banl
nag and many fine residences. There is also ia
paper, "The morning Progress" publish
mat here, which shows quite an enterprsing spir
dis From bethlehem to Mauch Chunk the ror
-hitc lay along the Lehish river and canal III qui
ming succession we pass numerous towns and I
Dyed city of Allentown. AT Allentown we pass
rops numerous blast furnaces and fouadries, fill
lrtn- the sky with their black smoke. Allentown
yeen larger than Bethlehem, anu equally thrivi
lsur- in every way. Several newspapers are publ.
con- ell here both in English and German. Churcl
iuin- also abound, and an Opera House adds TO
enjoyment Of the people.
AT Catasauqua, also, are located blast Il
d his Inc un,nerous Others IN tho roi,o a., Up
pas port We pass through the Lehioh Cap and
"o'1 then in the heart of the Blue Mountains. III
How ,he fnnt If n monn,ain tower;ns savsraI u,
if We dreJ f..t ,bovn ne and onnosite ano,ha. w ~
pro- cnuaIlv ne hioh. This is n hoan,iT,l Mac.
me every respect.
, anu AT Parryville We passed another blast flrna
ueut situated right on the edge of the track, win
:. ". the worknen were so busy they did not stop
nsid MIRO The IAN sionnoJ nj Mel, Chuni, q
to its wa we're at our innrnev,s enJ hoyinH ,,s
through section of country rich in mines
Aug coal and iron, the great source of much of {
aovs country's wealth
mcr Mauch Chunk! This is the place that v
'ma5 intended to be the whole subject of this co
80 nunication, but, as there are many interest
was points to be noticed before getting here, it v
'ou5' necessary to notice them, which has been dc
END in desultory sort of manner. Now, what 81
esses be said of this picturesque little town, of
and situation and appearance?
Win. Mauch Chunk is situated in lhe very heart
went the coal region Of Pennsylvania, and enj,
IS to great distinction from this fact The nan
ight' l"Maucl Chunk" is derived from the orig
the Indian language, meaning "Bear Mountain
" of and the mountain directly opposite the town
sated so named, so we have "Bear Mountain" In /
gllsh, for the mountain, and "Mauch Chun
in Indian, for the town. The town Is stua
horse IN a narrow gorge, with the Lehgh river at
King foot, and It's body, it were stretching up
noon, clefs of the mountain. There is very little
ok - no space for gardening, only as the owner II
the TO till the side of the mountain back of
.loon house. 1t is odd TO see a cabbage patch ain
y EN- directly over house, and pig pen elevated
only such manner than II would seem possible
I'd es- pig with moderate amount ofenergy to ju
little down the chimney. A goat, have no dou
face, could easily do 1t; and speaking OF goats til
at i'll are plenty OIL them wandering among the MOI
} the talns, ana canberlng along the sides OF
with hills, over loose rocks anu stonee where no
AIMED er animal coulu nnd toothold. Those OF
took inhabitants who have gardens, and several ha
fines where the houses are built back against the |
making the yard all in front, seem to hav
mania for flowers, which, added to the gene
Pa, ensemble of the surroundings, have a pleas