New-York tribune., 1875-07-01
THE MOOSIO HIGHLANDS.

A JOURNEY ON THE GRAVITY RAILROAD.
TIE SCENERY FROM SCRANTON TO HAwLEY-BEAUrf
or THE FoEEsT-PAUPACK FALLs-MoUNTAIN
FIRES
frRoM An OCCASIONAL CORRESPONDENT or THE TRIBUSEl
SCRANTON, Penn, June 17.-Much pleasure
can hc oninrd in exploring route freshly opened To
seekers after beautywherc much that IA Deauui Is
a. be found-among the mountain businesses oi fein
s,lyania. Mhile for quarter Of century gra'ly
railroad has been in existence, passing through scehey
iin,t may well become famed for picturesque ana
rouantic beauty the romance and the charm have be-
come known to beside such engineers or brakeuch
on the PENNSYLVANIA Coal Compaays cars as might have
an eve for natures lOvtlncss Occasionally some niue
favored party has been taken across the ROAD IN the
directors car and has returned full OF excitement ana
enthu,i And With The last summer or two certain
sunday-school and other excursion parties have
been permitted to go over the route taxing the
comfort or discomfort of such cars as could he
hastily provided But by this means the charm
OF the Moooc Highlands which the road Is carried
from to its termination at Hawley began 10 DC
noised abroad and the voice of the Summer tourist Is
heard as the sound of gathering waters demanding tha
he he no longer shut out from this particular Eden In
RESPONSE TO this demand the Company week ago placed
upon their road handsome open cars for the use OF
pcasnre.seckers and all who will come So, stirred
hy the enthusiasm OF two three friends who had tray
erscd the than once, went to spy OUT the
land myself Reaching Dunmorc suburb OF scran-
ton at 7:3O found the light pcasure-car aircady
awaiting u.s. and very brief space of time we were
ascending plane " No g., leaving the City or Scranton
outspread like panorama below us. The road begins
nine miles below at Ptston in the Wyoming Valley, but
from its starting point To Dunm0rc IL Is sun
used only for tho passage Of coai-trans our
trip carried over 1G planes, seven III
crossing the mountains to Iiawley ana hihe
In returning each plane having an elevation OF 2oo eet
and being about 1000 feet long Each one presented 10
lis daerent view all OF picturesque and romantic in
ters none OF them inferior to that from the steep
incline which dominates tho Lehigh Valley a Niauch
Chunk and more than cXcclling 1t in beauty. In
going out we passed what is known as the LOADED
track" that which the laden coal cars run to dis
charge their burden at Hawey whence tho Eric Railway
carries IL to New-York. A few miles before reaching
Uawlcy which IL 80 miles from Dunmore. we passed
under the "lght track" over which returned and
which pursues entirely different route presenting
features OF diversified and in some places OF much
greater interest than those which meet the eye while
outward bound The carly morning had threatened rai
but hy time party ready to start the sea OF
gray mist had lghtcnod its bllows rising up the noun
tain sides and leaving the valleys clear in sight. But all
day long it clung the tops of the fahest range soften
Ing but never wholly hiding their outlines leaving be-
hind 1t faint slvery haze through all the atmosphere
and gathering here and there in rayines ana SorSes INTO
dark gray which oh~curcd the view just enough
to add the charm of partially revealed beauty to the
landscape -
BEAUTIFUL LANDSCAPES.
There il n peculiar exhiaratiOn and delight in thus
rushing steadily through space for so long tiine Win
no apparent for the cqnabe, INCREASING progress
After leaving plane 4" No. ~" behind us on the way to
uawlcy, ard again after ascending no 81 on our re
turn the car on which rode was detached from the
others composing the tiny train; and so with naght III
front TO obstruct the view. our little party gathered on
the platform nd drank in to the full the delight Of the
arrowy notion untrOublcd by the dust or cincrs that
are the annoying accessories of ride behind locomo-
tive Leaving "No 9" behind us in brief time after be-
ginning our journey and huryns down the steep decline
to the foot OF the next plane, we presently found our
selves riding through sheer cut III the rocks where the
hill had cleft IN twain as If to allow the road to pass
through. Beside and above us 80 close that an arm
thrust ont could have enabled Us to touch on either
side rose the straight solid wall OF granite At the base Of
tho cliffs and every iissure hollow whore little earth
could gather green vines and delicate ferns were way
the Summer breeze and the trees that grew on the
SUBMITS leaned over and interaced their branches FORM
ing an arch overhead beau as those OF the famous
elm avenues Of New-lIavcn. Above mo 81 We passed
through second cut Of the character Al the hedd
of "No 7" onr train halted for Willie to enable us to
cnoy to the full the view of the Pocono range to the
southeast Far across the quiet valley sleeping in tho
sunshine below lis. hill rises beyond hi not In abrupt
succession hut folding another In so that the outline
of one Il half hidden by the we graceful sweep of s
neghbor and the effect of tc whole Is like that which
have carried in memory for years rs TIE characteristic
beauty OF the Cheat River hills in Virginia. The nearer
sIopcs stood out distinct clothed in dark green foliage
that here and there almost black under the heavy
clou,I-shadows while the intrrspaces brilliant by
contrast in the food Of golden light that was poured
across them. The entire range thrown into bold
| lief against the silvery gray OF the hills beyond
the farthes line OF which from peculiar effect OF
]
| pinnacles Beyond "No. 10" rush through short
| tunnel the only the route, and near " No. H.
come in sight of Cobbs Pond Lake MoOsc, the source
of the Paupack, whose picturesque succession Of falls
near IIawley intending to At the head OF
No. l." the road atans It's greatest elevation, 200
feet above the level Of starting point at Dunm0re
the entire distance the road passes through almost
unbroken stretch OF wilderness. Here and there were
labtaons scattered far apart and Ia the valleys below
we caught sight OF an occasional hamlet group of
houses. At place our route, apparently ont Of
sight sound Of civilization looking up steep aecliyy
to left, surprised by the sight OF yeritablt
schoolhouse standing in the midst OF clearing" away
from tie shade OF single sheltcring tree. The rural
American idea that bgrencss and unattracyeness are
necessary acjuncts institution learning ev
! dently In iu force In this solitude.
| PAUPACK FALLS.
Wherever the ground WAS free from timber tho soi
show itself strong and hard nt only for pastuage and
the stlnled grass Wild flowers grew In abundance and
ferns OF every variety found evidently congen home
In the forest and by the mountain streams The forest
Itself where is not OF pne Is composed almost wholly