The Ottawa free trader., 1876-11-18

ineTC Is Illlc VI HutHlli- W w SNN' '''' \"
tire distance from Chicago to Bellaire, where the
road crosses the Ohio river For number OF
miles along the southern shore Of Lake Michigan
the road follows the course of tho others-the
Ft Wayne and the VI. sand an excellent OPP
portunity is afforded for a railway race, but We
were denied the pleasure. From the juGction TO
Garret the road is laid through great sand piles
as picturesque as q stone wall; and also through
great swamps and timber land, reminding one
Of the country through some parts OF Kentucky
via the n. o., st. l.. & G.. Il. r., and the people
minus the negroes in Ky. are much alike as to
appearance. It is certainly a Godforsakcn look.
ing land, unimproved in greater part; covered
with thick forests of white-wood and stavc-tm
Der, the earth hidden by underbrush and fallen
and half rotten trees, often the more inaccessible
on account Of the water which covers the
ground, necessitating the building Of corduroy
roads to force an entrance far into the depths
| Fine houses on well cultivated farms there are
but as scarce as honest republican politicians in
Louisiana; the real homes of the inhabitants be.
ing the old log cabins, and what Howell calls
"amphibious houses, which stand on the low
lands along the railroad sides, and which you
half expect to see plunge into the mud of the
neigL borhood with series of hOarsc croaks as
the train approaches" At Garrett there is a
splendid eating house where trains tske dinner,
and where an excellent meal is furnished for the
usual 75cts. Beyond, to Newark, We are out Of
the mud on dry land but the timber is there,
full Of saw mills, miserable little villages, and no
end to blue Jeans clothed natives in slouChcd
hats au1 libn bpptS-H Np honest son. of
toll" suffering from hard times, no doubt, but
very commonplace after 3 or hours aCquant-
ancc.
II their is a railroad in the country that has Il
greater number Of curves for the distance than
the b. Il o. has, in lodging the Ohio hills, from
Newark to the Ohio river, and any shorter ones,
we ready to immediately and forever, on be.
ing informed of it, "put up and shut up" on the
shaking up We had during that three hours run.
The road was not rough but If there il per-
fectly straight rail on the route it has been laid
since we we're there, A swing around sharp
bend over 70, heels up, frantically endeay.
oring to grasp anything that is solid, hnallyl
landing on the iOor, mscellaneously mixed upI
with our neghbors, both with heads in danger
fiom the heels Of the passengers opposite; the
next time it was their turn, and we did the kick |
ing; and shortly after both would make an ef
fort to kick the wind from the aisle, but conclud
ed to su6side without an exhibition. Then the
pdteT tdmil,as who got into the car at Newark
with his wife and daughters and accompanying
baggage, thnkng "as how he would 20 to the
centennial as he probably would never see an.
other" as he originally remarked, amused him.
against everybody and nearly banging the brains
out OF everybody else with the inseparable car.
pctsack. 1t really was "fun that ride The
only happy man on board was the youth who
sat down in the midst of the farmers half dozen
buXom daughters, and swallowed with a relish
all the gush, and who always had an armful af-
ter each lunch OF the car. The latter part Of
the programme seemed to be especially uspir.
ing-it ought to have been, certainly
Bellaire is situated on the Ohio side of the
river, under the shadow Of the hills. We rode
into the town on high trest.c and had birds
eye view OF the entire cIty-a miniature Pitts
burg full OF furnaces and iron works. us dirty as
Plttsburg if not SO large. Here is a pretty view
OF the Ohio for short distance, and here is the
beginning OF :he mountains, for on both sides of
the river the hills begin to assume the character
Of mountains. \ short run and we are at Ben.
wood which probably had Leen(a ),cood once, bu,
Is not anything much at present. But as here
We found an eating house all criticisms on the
" town are indefinitely postponed, for after the
shaking of the last three hours all other earthly
considerations sink into nothingness in com.
parison with grub"
Thus far we have seen nothing. We nave hur
ried through sand piles, swamps, timber, miles
OF barrel slaves, villages whose only corspicu.
Gus concomitant was the Tlden d Hendricks
pole, past the back doors Of the back houses of
cities, and amon,: hills crowned with pictur.
esque little Lighthouses or cheap frames, sur.
rounded by farms on the hillside But all is bar.
ren--the crop is gathered
The naples rcddcn in the sun;
In autumn gold the bceches stand.
Rest, faithful plough, thy work is done J
Upon the tccming land
Autumn is more beautiful than summer but
only upon the mountains, not among the hills of
Ohio. PExCu