Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1873-06-04
Gge freemaa
MONTPELIER, VT,
WEDNESDAY, JUNE 4, 1873.
For the Freeman.
Notes of Travel.
NEW YORK BAY.

Being at Perth Amboy, New Jersey, an an,
cient city that boasts OF being incorporated
the day before New York, and just across Sta
ten Island Sound from the southern extremity
Of the Island, | thought | would take trip
to see the famous bay. The distance to New
the island by ferry, we take the Staten Island
railroad for fourteen miles, and reaching
VanderbIlt'5 landing on the east side of the
island, take boat again across the bay to New
York Perth Amboy looks beautiful, lem
bowered as it is in old trees, just putting
forth their foliage. Seen from the opposite
shore, do not know prettier place to look
at: but ii is a prosy, quiet old town that
never warmed into very active life. The
ride across the island was pleasant, for scat
tered all the way along are the suburban
residences of the dwellers and the workers
in the great city, who seek the more quiet
and cooler airs of this retired spot for sum-
mer life After reaching the summit of the
yard we often catch glimpses of the water
and shipping but the beauty of the splendid
homes and grounds take the attention most
as we near the eastern shore. We are soon
a. the landing. Stepping on the ferry boat,
which is the unfortunate Westfeld, we pre-
pare ourselves for survey of the far-famed
beauties of New York bay. Up stairs, and
out on the promenade deck Looking first
to the right and south through the Narrows,
guarded on the right by Fort Lafayette. and
on the opposite shore by Fort Hamilton,
away through in the distance we see the low
sandy reach, known as Sandy Hook. We
soon leave the shore, and as We leave it.,
bgin to appreciate the beauty of the island.
We stop at three points before we finally
nut off for the city. Looking first to the
east, we see the beautiful bay and harbOr
with all manner Of craft, from the noisy and
bustllng little sseam-tug up to the four
masted steamship, just arrived from across
the seas, and anchored here to be examined
bv the health officers to see whether she
shall 20 into quarantine or not. Her decks
are swarming with humanity, who have for
tunatey escaped the greater perils of the
deep Across, stretching from Fort Hamil
Island crowned with beautiful buildings.
residences, hospitals, schools, and public
charities, and now Greenwood, that loveliest
city Of dead, with the gleam of its monu
ments and tombs among the budding trees
beyond it we see the high grounds of Pros
pect Park and the Brooklyn water-works;
and now stretching on towards the great
city until they both blend, is the magnificent
city of churches, with the water shores lined
with immense warehouses, where the indus
try of all nations seeks storage, as we'll as in
New York. Looking to the lett we see
Elzab.thport, E,st Newark, and Newark,
Bergen Heights and Jersey city, and the
palisades that grt the Hudson, ending the
view IN the far distance. Between Newark
niJ-rsey city are the reclaimed lands, or salt
water marshes, snatched from old oceans
clutches by building an embankment of
VII ti ttii oGJnE tN lOH Uh6Ci u1dl
enough to keep back the great waters. Then
draining has been done the drains closed
by gates, acted upon by the rising tides.
Tho Pennsylvania railroad is building shops
upon this land, and other buildings. Some
of it is utilized for gardening. Many thou
sand acres have thus been secured. We
n)y pass between Bedloe's and Governor
islands, both bristling with fortiieations
Hghover Governors island we see the towers
Of the East river bridge, rising one hundred
and fifty feet in air, massive and grand. We
can but wonder if it won't be windy up there
such day as this, but in a quiet day the
outlook will be wonderful. And now we
are nearing the Battery. When | last saw
it, it was a disgrace to the city. Tumble
down old wharves, swimming places, and
the beautiful old battery decayed and neg
lected; its walks dirty and taken up by all
the filth of shpload after shipIoad of emf
grants; now Il sea-wall of granite from
Castle Garden round to the Ferry, and walks
all tagged with composition resembling
stone. as smooth and hard as marble
the grass between as green and thick as in
Central Park, and all the old trees properly
trimmed and cared for; in short. everything
to be proud Of. The beautiful English spar
lows make all the air vocal
vINEL.ND.
When going down to Cape May, stopped
at Fineland, New jersey, and having trans
acted the business for which l went 7 be-
thought myself Of an old acquaintance, and
one, too who was we'll known in the vicinity
OF Montpelier, and having two or three hours
to spare made him call-William Mitchell,
whose farming in Berlin was an acknowl-
edged success, and who five years ago left it
Tor the more genial airs of Jersey. had a
delightful call, and was SO kindly and gener
ously urged to stay over night, that COM
Promised the matter, by consenting to sto
on my return from the cape and spend day
with him, and ~ l did. On my arrival we
spent the remainder of che day in seeing the
beauties Of Vineland.
Not eleven years ago this charming place
was apparently a worthless wilderness, over
grown with oaks aud underbrush; it had
during all these years of activity and lie
escaped the observation of the New England
1anaee, and now {" it blossoms as the ross,'
bf by judlcious advertising, few of those
VINO were extraordinarily drawn towards
'ne great West, set their faces this way.
As result, city of seven or eight thou
S'hd Inhabitants of the neatest, cleanest,
and Flettlest homes in all Jersey No man
IL 'he whole township is obliged to build a
l'hce either on the street, or elsewhere
Many set cut hedges of arbor vitar. Fruit
the dependence here. Peaches and pears