The Republican journal., 1876-05-18


class who hold that the groves Gods first tenn
pies. and are appropriate places of worship always
1t is the frame of mind, aud not place OF associa
| tons, that make true devotion.
The pride and boast of Philadelphia is Paramount
Park. And well it may be, for if remember Alright
such magnificent domain is dedicated to tie free
use of the people anywhere in the civilized world
This magnificent tract commences below the dam on
the Schuylkil, and extends along both banks Of tie
river for seven miles, and on both sides Of Wissa-
| hcken beech six miles ttTJher, making fourteen
miles of the most beautifully diversified land in tie
world. The original purchase Of the city has been
| added to by magnificent gifts Of the benevolent anu
public spirited, until The Park contains three thou
sand acres, upon which have been Iavished all
the embellishments Of art and nature = the gates
are never closed, and all the privileges are to
| the free use of the people forever. One thing
which impresses tie visitor to Philadelphia is
the lavish use of water. Faucets left running.
public and private fountains play water courses
along the streets, and drinking places for horses
placed abundantly. 1t is cold-water city, if rot a
| temperate one. This abundance never understood
until | visited Paramount to-day. Just above the
Caowhill street bridget magnificent granite struc
ture that spans the Schuyk at a cost of 6 200 600
| is the Paramount dam, substantial structure,
| 1900 feet long, which was built in 1919. The stone
abutments and piers, perforated by galleries which
contain the enormous wheels and ponderous machin-
cry for raising the water, all worked by the power
| Of the dam, excite the wonder ard admiration Of
visitors. They deliver forty million gallons DAT
| ly So great has been the gratitude Of succeeding
generations that monument has been erected on
the spot to Frederick Graf who designed and exe-
| cuted the woYks,-flom out the marble dome of
which his statue looks the Of the city
great blessing. Such has been the influence Of tls
abundant supply of pure water, that Philadelphia is
now the most healthy Of the large cities Of the world
| The beauties Of Fairmount commence at the water
works, and abound over its whole extent. smooth
and well kept drives that wind around hills through
groves, under the arches Of bridges, and along the
banks Of the river beautiful green lawns and tracts
| of wild beauty Here and there summer houses,
for the use OF tired pede strians there equent
refreshment rooms; while statues and splashiEg
fountains abound. A line of small steamers make
constant trips to the Falls of tile sc.uylki about
six miles for fifteen cents fare. Upon one Of these
| took passage.
Some writer has said that to cure \ lit Of ambition
you should 60 into the graveyard. | was told that
the celebrated Laurel Hill Cemetery could be entered
| OAiS u
| that, after week devoted to mans pride and boast
OF achievement at the Exposition, it would be well to
hulniIiate pride little by contemplating the end Of
earthly power and achievement, in the narrow house
to which we all come at last. At best, it is but
| perishing monument with handful Of dust henea h.
Gone event happeneth 10 them all But was not
! permitted to uoraze in Laurel Hill, where lie so
| many who have istnguished themselves in the va
riOuS paths of human achievement "
| did mansoeums make it place of rare beauty. The
| gates were barred and a sign announced that they
were not open to the public on sundays. l wonder
| ed if there arstocracv in DEATH which did
not care for callers more than six days i'll the week
| There came to mind the story Of Charlcmagne
whose followers attempted 10 keep up for him Il
kngly state in his marble tomb after death By seat
ing him in his regal chair, sceptre In hand, and n
crown on his head; but when the tomb was opened
centuries after the sceptre had fallen to the floor
and his II, head and all lay in his lap. But this
Laurel Hill regulation afterwards learned, was Il;
new one, in consequence Of the flowers having been
frequently disturbed by thoughtcss Sunday strolcrs
just beyond there was less prcteutious cemetery,
Mount Reposc, the gates Of which open. and I
entered in. 1t was remarkably well kept, with
| abundant trees and shrubbery; but there were no
distinctive characteristics in the adorninents. The
dead appeared TO be buried and the grief of the liz
ing expressed by regulation patterns. But there
was one curious thing. A ine Old country mansion,
to which the grounds probably originally belonged,
still stood and was Inhabited by family, in the
midst OF this city of the dead The neichb0rs were
peaceful enough no doubt, but Of the kind to be
desired by nervous people. 1t fine place for
thoughtful stroll. The day was a perfect one-the
bright turf srangled with danCelions and yioets,
bees droned in the air, leaves rused, tile young tas-
sss OF the evergreen were out and birds fitted by.
| a few minutes on a steamer takes the visitor to
TIE Falls of the Schuylkil, Il pretty little place,
where | sought restaurant and called for lunch
Some fried fish, biscuit and glass of milk seemed
TO ill the aching void In response to my inquiry
concerning the particular variety Of the inny tribe
that had constituted the meal the landlord sAi,i they
were catiish,the Shiny denominations that in Maine
! fling away. was astUuished, and lie was sur
prised at my stonishmcnt. And | returned 10 the
pier, rejecting the funny incongruity OF coming
here TO celebrate the Advancement OF Il century and
being RECALLED on catfish. Every locality has its gas
| ronomic specially, and probably that of tho Falls
is fried catfish. But Should have preferred Il cut
Of salmon from Durhams market.
| There is Il fine Geological Museum in Paramount
Park at which there is steamer landing. The SHOW
of wild animals is very fine and attracts crowds of
visitors But the traditions of Il New England train
ing had too strong hold to permit visit. hiding
on the cars, visiting the water works, sailing on the
river and even eating catfish might be allowed but
stirring up the monkeys and seeing the elephant
would be too much
The question OF opening the Centennial grounds
on Sunday is still agtaed. Last night a very large
meeting in favor Of the Ian was held in the city, at
which Rev. DR.. Furness, Unitarian, presided, and
at which earnest speeches were made by many emf
nent men OF the city. Col. Forncy in the course Of
some very torcible remarks on the subject said
| Who would now desire to close Fairmount Park
on Sunday, to withdraw from the streets on
sunday, TO nal up our magnificent Mercantile Libra
ry on Sunday, to bar out the multitude from the
Geological Garden Sunday, or to seal that mag
nllcent temple, the Pennsylvania Academy Of the
Fine Arts Oh Broad street, sunday? | most re-
Specttully ask whether religion has been injured be
cause OF these concessions the interests and rights
OF me community? IL is simple justice then, in its
largest sense, to throw open the international
Grounds and Buildings on the first day OF tile week,
either without charge or at reduced rates.
The result of this agitation and argument Will be
| that the grounds will be opened in a few weeks |
notice curious fact in the decoration Of the Main
Building, that has bearing this question Of re-
| H8fon i'll reference to the Exposition Conspicuous
y painted IN the great central arch are the names Of
Washington, Franklin, Mahomet, Conlucius, Ralne-
SIS, sesosrls The supporters OF anti Christ appear
to be i'll the majority here, and means. if II means
anything, that the obseryances of the Christian re
ligion are not to lie enforced upon their followers
". Ii. s.
rxSxzzHa