Essex County herald. [volume] (Guildhall, Vt.) 1873-1964, 1874-08-01
For the Essex County Herald.
Letter Prem the West.

StOHly run over IN the MIMI OF tue
new goer from home. One route
takes one through Montreal, and the
British possession, one more direct
through Western New York by the
shore of Lake Erie, &C., others 90
still fartherSouth. This was the way
l took my journey, via Hartford,
Conn.,, New York city, Baltimore,
Washington and Cincinnati to st.
Louis. This ride to New York is to
common for Vermont people to be
much interested in an account Of
We left New York at nine in the
evening therefore not seeing much till
we arrived at Baltimore in the morn
ing at four o'clock. We went through
the tunnel under the city, a distance
of three miles the dark and noise,
wind and dust, made it in some res
poets disagreeable, and ON some &C
counts l enjoyed it. 1t is exciting to
be riding to your own knowledge un-
der the busy streets of city. Then
the dark and the damp air, and other
things connected with being under
ground, makes it strange feeling.
Though in haste to get to my
journeys end, l could not make up
my mind to pass Washington and not
see it, so stopping there 1T six in the
morning 1 spent the day looking over
the many interesting things to be
seen there. The first place was the
Capitol Building, and to go up in the
J dome, huge mass built almost en-
tirely of solid iron. Such a magni-
ficent view of the city, the Treasury
Building, Smithsonian Institute. Pa
tentoffice, all in sight from one point.
Going around half way we can see the
other part of the city, near the river,
the forts built on the points and the
Navy Yard. After looking all these
points and many other places over
l went down, which was harder than
Ginning up, but not forgetting to get
good look of the top of the Capitol
Building, which covers over three and
one half acres and the beautiful park
around it.
From the Patent Office as we'll as
from the dome Of the Capitol, we had
a fine view of Georgetown. We
found models of all kind of things one
could imagine, and the relics of the
Revolutionary War, consisting Of
muskets, cannons, tents and old pa
pers, also George Washington's old
surveying tools, his saddles and
brides used when in war, and even
his clothes which show he was large
and powerful man. His tents and
the wooden plate he used to eat on
when out surveying in his younger
days, as we'll as presents be had re.
ceived from important parties during
his life, all here in glass cases eacl
marked what it was.
At the Agricultural building are
plants of all kinds, from all countries
in houses so hot we could stay but
short time. The grounds around
this building are beautiful, having
trees and flowers which show care il
their looks also some specimen o
birds and beasts stuffed, but the grea
l ter part Of these are in the Smith
sonian Building just few step.
; away and across the most beautiful
= of grounds. Here can be seen nearl,
|
: every specimen of animals and bird
, and fishes.
Going out through the same mag
nifcent grounds where we went in
D and around the grounds, the mex
, place we concluded to go to, was TIL
a Navy Yard. The first thing one see
f after passing the gate are two NIGEL
: furnished and polished rifle cannon
/ taken from Rebel gun about durin
4 the rebellion. Then going dow
e further into the Yard we pass a gaur,
e walking his beat, looking over th
e harbor; little further we come to tn
r shops where the irons for ships ar
d made and all the other work possibl
n d)ne. Our time forbid going throug
e these so we passed by barely lookin
;, in each apartment. Going up on til
h other side after going to the wharf W
d passed the repair house where ship
v and gun boats are drawn up into
T. building out of the water for repairs
It there we found night overtaking L
n so we had to leave this interestin
d place. On reaching the house W
lie found a good supper waiting whic