Ashtabula weekly telegraph. [volume] (Ashtabula, Ohio) 1853-1873, 1873-09-06
A TRIP TO THE RED SULPHUR
SPRINGS.

soon reached Tue head Of the Kahayha, nj |
the junciionp Gaulya and New Rivers. These |
two rivers unite here 10 Iorm The Kanawba
Close 20 this junction stand the ruins Of Gadly
Bridge. Some OF the men Of Ashtalnla Co. |
have vivid recoll ciions of this place--they |
remember their encounter with the rebels here
during the war. The railroad continues its
line along the bank of New river.
AT the first sight Of this river l was filled
with wild enthusiasm and wonder. AS the
scene of the indescribable displacement and
confusion Of The rocks burst hpon me,
thought the Furies had done their best TO pro-
duce as wild a looking scene as possible.
While the cars in their serpentine course, bore
us rapidly along, every bend of the river dis
closed increasing Mildnessand confusion. This
is said to be the roughest river in the world
Mountains, with their rick, craggy sides, tow
cred higher and higher, and increased in
rocky roughness, until finally we came in sight
of Hawks Nes.," upwards of nine hundred
feet above tthe river btd. Not far from this is
"Lover's Lenp''-a craepy mountain top from
which distracted maiden leaped, in disap-
pointed love. fLi..A ~ ~ tt %
The rivtr-bed is.filled with rocks of every
| form and size-sOme OF them will weigh a
good many thousand tons they form little
mountains Of thtnlselyesi These were opce
The occupants of the mountain sides and tops,
but losing their hold, they came tumblng
down TO where they now lie. asked myself,
What, will become, OF them nextT Coming
ages must answer Doubtless, God has some
use for them in the future.
| The cars cross the river 10 sight of Hawks
Nest" and run down on the opposite side, and
the scenery begins to lose some of its extreme
roughness. But as the intense interest in the
river scenery abated,'ft only gave place to in
terest in the railroad itself
The construction of this railroad is a Won
derful achievement of mind over matter. Hun
tingion, who projected the road, has made
good his right TO place in the front rank of
great, practical engineers. For many mil, its
course is laid through solid rock. In going
from Kanawha Falls TO Tacoit the cars pass
through four tunnels, one OF which is mile
and quarter long. These tunnels are cut
through solid rock, in the base of the moun-
tains.
We reached Talcoit about half-past O'clock
in the evening. Here is a depot, and small
settlement, with two stores, but no hotel. We
stayed at a private house until morning, then
started at halfpast9 o'clock, in the stage Tor
The Red Sulphur Springs, u distance of thir
teen miles across the mountains. There were
seven passengers beside myself and Mr. ChGf
fer. Four of them were from Philadelphia,
one from South Carolina, one resident Of
these parts and the other one did notslearn
where he was from. The South Carolinian
was emphatically Southern in sentiment and
feeling, ami disiked very much 10 hear any
thing said about the war and the emapcpa
lion of the slaves Ijudge he has been rich
slave holder. He said the white people were
now ruled by .niggers'-of course, we know
what he means. This turning OF the tables
appears TO be very disagreeable 10 him 1t
may be this condition of things has something
to do with his poor state of health If so, l
think sulphur water will not do much towards
removing the cause of his suffering
This stage ride is very rough passage in
life for a sick person. The roads are not only
hilIy, bu, seriously rough, and in some places,
enough to jolt the bottom of mans stomach
out. In the present condition of the road,
. | tntIt are pldCco WElCu ICdll1
e No,hing but great care andwatchfuinessr on
y the bart of the driver prevents the stuge from
upsetting and tumbling down into Il fearful
mountain gorge. The scenery along this
rJute is pleasant, and the road is closrly flank
ed with great variety of trees and shrubs.
We reached the Red Sulphur Springs about
2 o'clock in the afternoon. These springs, o
which there are two-Srot more than ten lee
apart-nre situated in very deep, small val
/, ley, surrounded with, mountains, ranging from
six to nine hundred feet High, tllickiy covered
with pine and oak. This valley, sheltered as
, il is in this -amphitheatre Of towering ridges
+. the only real opening of which lies to the
/; norih-is unapproachable by the suns rays
! until about 0 O'Clock in the forenoon, and is
deprived of them again about half-past 3 IN
: the atrinopu.lo 20 This isa serious disadvantage
and makes this location very poor place fol
an invalid. The fog COMMENCES 10 show il
I. Eself qaite early II Tire evening, and SOON NJ
comes very dense, and this little vale is literal
! ly packed with Il all night, aud until the SUI
. has time TO scale the mou ntain tops again il
I the morning.
I The Red Sulphur Springs are in The south
. WeStcih pVfiOh vi BAOuIOe Cohuiyi USS' w
ginia, ne II tie LEFT bank ,oi Indian Creek
some i've miles from lis conHux with the New
river They are distant AZ miles souihwes
: from the Greenbrier White. Sulphur Springs
ON the Chesapeake & Ohio railroad; 80 mile
northwest from ihe Old Sweet, and 40 from
: the Red Sweet; 32 miles southwest from thu
Blue sulphur and ~ miles southwest from tn
Salt Sulphur Springs. For good many mile
7 around. the scenery. for thrilling interest. l
probably not surpassed by any on the face q
n the continent -. a. -
" itis pPgssdsl o. forty yeas 4aef ths Re
% Sulphur Springs first attracted attention 10
= their medicipM qualities Since then the
~ have been visited more or less, every summel
n4 by people in search of health. Many marve
Gus cures by their use, are reported, but lik
sitoiher medicihss. ih the majority Of chse
: they fail. Probably their location forms
!. strong barrier 10 their success 10 many case
of consumption - ohlEAfA fhNdt'I
q About fifteen years ago, company improy
ed these springs and ierrcted5 buildings for IL
accommodation Of one hundred guests, at
- cost Of 100000 The. buildings. aggregate
fsontage of 600 feet with mn avef,ye den,