Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1875-08-21
THE SUMMIT OF The BLUE RIDGE.
Trip TO Monterey Springs and Ee-
furu-A Es auf'fII C3JHtFy-A Char
ntng Ride for washing % rtaus.
tSpec,a, Correspondence Of The S.ar. ]

II having been announced in the daily pa
pers that railroad excuTs ION to this and adj
jacent attractive poin wOuld leave the Ell.
timoTe ard Potomac depot on Wednesday
morning last, quite a number OF the residents
OF " ashington, among whom was your cor
resi- ondent, determined To avail themselves
of the opportunity thus afforded to sndfT the
noun ain air.
Among the WashingtOnians assemble ut
the depot were the MeSsrs Star and families.
Mr.. John f. Thompson and family, Captain
kTeidler, Messrs II. c. Cray, Palmer. L r
Miller. aud host OF Others. At 6 O'Clock a
IN. we LEFT tht deDo5On tue northern express,
and All ter Tide Of an hour ami a half were
landed at Fulton station, near Baltimore
Here we afightci 10 await the arrival Of tue
special excursion train rom Baltimore that
was to convey us via the Western MARYLAND
railroad 10 the summit OF the Blue Ridge.
WESTERN MARYLAND RAILROAD.
This is comparatively new road, having
been in existence about four years. 1t starts
at baltimore and traverSes the counties of
Carroll Baltimore and Frederick ana ter
inmates at WillianspOrt, in Washington
county. Along the line of the route from
baltimore 10 the base Of the mountain there
lies section of country unsurpassed in the
fertility OF its soil and the beauty OF is
scerery.
But to return to our trip. About $50 O'Clock
the Baltimore train arrived. having on board
"a large number OF eNcursiOnists from that
pendent Blues Band ;" which discOursed sweet
music along the route.
AFTER taking our party on board we speeded
rapidly on our way, passing through the
thriving town of Westminster and immune
rable other pretty villages that line this
lholoUghfare. The mountain being our OBJ
Jective point. as we proceeded every eye was
strained In catch the first glance, suggesting
TO the imagination as its dim outline Dec anne
disc rnable the truth OF the line
= " by do those cliffs Of shadOwy tints sppear
Moro sweet than all the Landscape smiling near"
When about sixty miles out from BGlti-
moe, and near Mocha IiCStoWn. q sudden
curve III the road brought us upon an omen
plain, and Immediately before US, stretch
ing across our path from north to south, in
al It's beauty and grandeur, stood the Blue
Ridge. Apparently intact and 1mpeuetra-
bic, IL seemed to say to our belittled engine,
as II stood painting at its base, "FhuS far
shalt thou come but no FARTHER" But the
Skill of the engineers had overcome the OBJ
strrctionS of nature, and after moments
hesitation, as If 10 gather strength and reSO-
luton, our brave locomotive wound its way
a,ound the circultOuS route that had been
prepared for ii through the mountain gorges
and in less than half an hour landed u, safe
al It's summit on our destination.
MONTEREY STATION.
This station is situated upon the summit
of the Blue Ridge, about O. miles west OF
Baltimore. There is fine hotel and payii-
ion in the grove adjoining, and upon the peak
in the rear of the hotel lookout has been
erected, from the top OF which the observer
can Obtdln II Une view OF the country lying
east OF the mOuntains-the town and battle
neid OF Gettysburg being plainly visible
After dinner had been provided at the hotel,
our band offered tue guests VINO were SO dis
pOseI an opportunity To enjoy themselves in
the pavilion. Many availed themselves of
The chance, whilst others rOamei OF in
earch OF the celebrated mineral springs Of
Monterey. These springs are located about a
mile from the station, and are situated in
Franklin county, Pa. Two fine hotels aie
in the neighbOrhOod, and both are apparent
~ well filled with guests.
AT four CLOCK we again took passage o.
The train 3 nd were conveyed to the WeSterl
slope of the mountain about four miles dis
fant. Here scene was presented to Us thai
sCTpasSes description. Away To the west
and running parallel with the Blue Ridge
can be seen the long range of the AlIegha
melville Intervening lies the far famed
Cumberland Valley, said to be the fairest
vale in Pennsylvania. A stretch of abOut
twenty miles of this beautiful valley, tenn
ing with its evidences of cultivation and
dotted with its halnlets and beautiful villages
can ue seen with the naked eye, aud afforis
beautiful contrast To the will scenery of
lhe mountains around. ItwSs through This
valley that General Lee led the Confederate
forces to the sanguinary field of Gettsburg
ID was the COOL fortune of var cOrrespon-
dent To meet at this point Mr.. II. ID. Reiman,
resident OF the vicinity, TO whose courtesy
and thorough acquaintance with the sur
rounding country ne is indebted for much
that made mis- visit pleasant and Instructive
Having fully gratified our sight seeing pro-
penSities we returned TO the station. ami AT
$50 p. m, left for Washington, and arrived
at IL p. m, well pleased with our trip and
wondering why more of our people did not
avail themselves of its benefits. T. f. NJ.
q II Do