The Cambria freeman. [volume] (Ebensburg, Pa.) 1867-1938, 1873-07-18


oah-thence down gentle grade "glode
we smoothly into the neat and prosperous
mining town of Summit Hill, where some
time was pleasantly spent in quenchiug
our burning thirst and watching the small
lets of sII oke as they escaped from burn
ING coal mine beneath the earth and curled
gracefully heavenward. This mine, it is
said. has been on fire for forty years, and
all attempts at eXtinguishing it, which
have been many, varied and extensive, seem
+bus far to- have only added fuel to the
flame All that Is visible to satisfy the Gu
i-iositv seeker are the small putfs of smoke
which find their way through creyices in
the earth. and an immense depression of
the around. caused by the surface sinking
and filling up the vacuum occasioned by
The consumption Of the coal beneath.
From Summit Hin, in company with a
few chosen spirits, we went off at a tan
gent. I'VE will call it a tangent because we
are in honor bound not to divulge the real
state of the case. for fear others mi ght wish
to ..go off, in like manner,) and after en-
loving n most eXhilerating and exciting
ride down grade of ninety-siX feet to the
mile. landed safely aud snugly at the base
of Mt. Pisgah, having made the passage of
nine miles from Summit Hill in not many
( more minutes than it has taken us to tell
about it.
| And this, as succinctly as space and abil-
~ enables us TO give IT. Is an account Ol
/ our trip round the 'Switchback trip
/ the recollection of which will ever linger
pleasantly in our memory, and for the en-
ioyrnent of which the eXcurSiOniStS are or
ought to be greatly obliged to J. T. Stock
! ett ESD. superintendent of the road, and
to his efficient and gentlemanly young as
sistant, Mr.. T. IL. Reed. To the last named
We individually, feel under special Obliga-
tiuns, for having been admitted to the Gin
/ .i,.clart Of
afforded abundant opportunity for testing
aud appreciating his kindly nature and ge-
NAL disposition. The Company owning
! the ''Switchback'' could not, to our think
. ing, Socket with more gentlemenly officers
than those named, who are certainly as
[ clever and accommodating as any one could
wish to know or ReGd about.
On re-entering the Mansion House, after
/ the return of the party from this delightful
. excursion. the Joy of all was changed to
. utmost sadness in the presence OF the great
Z cOnqueror. Death, who summoned trom our
midst one of the most prominent gentle
I men of whom our State could boast, Hon.
| NJ. c. Trout, whose sudden demise has al
ready been noted in these columns. This
! sad dispensati"n of course dispelled all an
ticipation of further pleasures at Mauch
/ Chunk, which embraced among other de
lights a grand hop in the pavilion on the
. summit Of Mt. Pjsgah. Instead, a special
meeting of coincidence was held in the
evening, the doings of which were referred
to in our issue of two weeks ago.
On Thursday morning the cXcUTsonists
, we're conveyed by special train on the Le-
high Valley railroad, first to the hish wood
en- bridge over the little Schuylllill, an i'm
/ mense piece Of trussel work rising from
/ the bottom of a deep rayine to an altitude
of 159 feet, upon the top of which the rail-
road track is laid; afterwards to Cnoko
/ Glen, some three miles above Mauch Chunk
a wonderful piece of natures haudiwOrk,
executed no doubt in one OF her most er-
ratio moments. We did the Glen thorough
ly, laboriously climbed Up its precipitous
| sleeps, gazed upon its foaming cascades
and beautiful waterfalls, leaned our back
revereutly against - The Pulpit Rocks, =
| pair of immense square bOuldcrS. or more
properly perhaps one huge rock split in
| twain, standing on end and towering high
above ourheads-a gigantic object, or rath-
er pair of objects. which some unSanctiticd
cuSs, for reasons best, if not worst. known
TO himself, proposed to re-christen - The
Lovers Delight''-aud came away impress
ed with the belief that Glen Onoco would
IN our estimation be a grand success had
we never paid a visit to Watkins Glen,
made woTld-Tenowned by the editorial ex-
cUrsion Of two years ago.
On the afternoon of the same day the ed
itors bade farewell to Mauch Chunk, from
| which gOodly town the party was conveyed
by special train on the Lehigh Valley road
to Wilkes Barre, a most enjoyable ride OF
fifty-five miles between majestic mountains
and along winding water courses. While
eJs route, we were met at Fairview by the
/ W llkeS-Barre reception committee, headed
by Mayor kirkendall and accompanied 10y
one of the finest, if not the very finest,
bands of music we have ever had the plea
cure of listening to. Several hats 1T points
commanding magnificent views of the his
toric Wyoming Valley were made along
the route, and it was not until about -four
o'clock, p. IN, that the eXcursiOnists com.
mcnced their grand triumPhal march from
the railroad depot to the Wyoming Valley
hotel, where all were cordially welcomed
and sumptuOusly diued and wincd, and
finally if not firstly consigned 70 pleasant,
airy quarters. The same evening a hor
was inaugurated in the commodious dining
room of the hotel, but as it didn't amount
pine. com Iarin. il with the ever
to be remembered event of like character
at Iitusville last year, we shall hop over
that part of the programme without fur
ther ceremony.
On Friday morning several handsome
private and public equipages were in wait
ing to convey the excursiouists to various
points of interest in the vicinity. Some
chose to visit the Wyoming Monument, 3
huge grey-stone structure erected to com
memordte the daring deeds of those who
on the Sd day of July, 1878, sought to re-
pei the combined forces of British Tories
and Iroquois Indians. but were forced to
succumb to overpOwering numbers, and on
the day following, after surrendering their
fortltications to the enemy, were, in com
mon with all others who failed to make
good their escape, put to death in the
most horrible manner that savage barbar-
/ ity could conceive of some extended the
ride to Pittston, others repaired to the sew
eral coal works surrounding the city, while
still others, in separate parties, visited Pros
pect Rock, Bloody Rocks, Indian Hill, In
mans Hill, Ross Hill, Queen Esther
Stone, and other historic spots almost innu-
merable. The party with which we had
united our fortunes for the time being were
first driven to the monument, from whence
L.. L.. l... ! !