Martinsburg independent. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1875-1900, 1876-06-24

Especial Cor. Of the hdependent.l
MARTINsBURG, June Is, 1876

The excursion party of the M.
& l.. Society of start
ed from the depot of the G. v. r.
r., as previouly arranged for Mt.
Alto Park, Pa, at $40 this A.. NJ.
in charge of Capt. G. w. Scott,
who conducted the train to Hagers-
town, and who showed the party
every possible courtesy.
At Hagerstown we stopped for a
short time. Starting from there
we found ourselves in charge of
that prince of good fellows" our
jolly, good natured friend Capt.
John Miller, the popular conduc-
tor of the G. v. Railroad. The
valley along the route from Ha-
| gerstown to Mt. Alto junction
| presents to even the casual obser-
yer of the beauties of nature many
scenes and views both pleasing
and interesting but Mt. Alto be-
ing the objective point, little in
terest was manifested in the scene
ry along the line.
Arriving at Mt. Alto Junction
we parted company with Captain
Miller, who bid us adieu, and
wished u a merry, happy, pleas
ant day. Here we were coupled to
a miniature engine of the M. & p.
Railroad, and hauled a distance of
eleven miles at a rate ofspeed sur
prising to all or board. Hera we
take occasion to return thanks to
Capt. Fanestock and the obliging
brakeman 0 fthis short line for spe-
cial favors. Arriving at Mt. Alto
the party at once repaired to the
park, where they were met by the
proprietor of the grounds, Col.
Wrestling (which gentleman your
correspondent is sorry to say he
had not the pleasure of meeting)
who rendered to the party the use
of the park free of cost, and beside
done all in his power to make our
visit pleasant, for which the en-
tire party feels very grateful, and
return him many, many thanks.
Your correspondent desires espe-
cially to tender him the thanks of
the party he accompanied for a
/ CpCLl0i loNOl III NllC way vi dCCOIll-
modations near the Parsonage"
A description of the grounds and
the manner in which we spent
the day, perhaps will be of~interest
to some of your readers. To briefly
state ii the timew as spent in hav-
ing a good time--that is to say,
in rambling, dancing, croquet
playing and eating the good things
our fair friends had prepared for
the occasion, and of which there
was an abundance. The grounds
comprise several thousand acres.
On arriving at the entrance or
main grounds the first thing that
attracts the attention of the visitor
is a large rustic fountain, which is
circular in form and sheltered
around and under which are we'll
arranged and comfortable seats
next the splendid pavilion, capa-
bic of sheltering several hundred
persons-tables, benches, seats and
swings are conveniently arranged
and ample. At once your admira-
ton seems unbounded, and you
involuntarily exclaim grand,
grand But how insignificant ali
this seems when you venture out
into the romantic part of the
grounds. Our first step in this di-
rection and at sight seeing was the
ascent of Mt. Alto to the lookout
on the summit, an elevation of
1900 feet above high tide. This
vas gained by traversing a wind
ing, rocky and at times an almost
perpendicular pass. This difficult
feat was the more easily perform
ed by being cheered at every step
by the romantic views and the
novelty of the occasion. AT last
the summit was gained and though
much fatigued and tired we felt
amply repaid for the exertion.
Mounting the lookout, what a
grand panoramic view met the
gaze of those who had braved
the mountain sleeps! AT our feet,
away down beneath us, stretch for
miles to the great North Mountain
Opsthe West and extending from
North to South as far as the eye
could reach lay the beautiful Cum
berland Valley, so prettily located
and in such a high state of cultiva.
ton dotted with its towns and viii
lagos, its farm houses, it's fields of
waving grain almost ready for the
sickle, its groves and wood lands,
its serpentine streams winding in
and out around its little hillocks
along and through its meadows its
roads leading across and over the plain,
so c~omposedly in the lap and nes-
tied in the great arms of the noun
tain, covered with inexhaustable
forests. Thus as we stood there,
with naked eye looking down on
| the towns of GreencaStle. Cham