The Toledo chronicle. [volume] (Toledo, Tama County, Iowa) 1873-1924, 1876-10-05

BuZZlng o ef the Vale
Bless me! this is pleasant,
Riding ON the rail"
I think that SAKE, the author of the
above lines, must certainly have had eX-
pcricncc In riding over the Baltimore x
Ohio r. r. from Chicago TO Washington,
for they are certainly more expressive
Ahan anything of which | can think
There are, however, some items of inter
est which I have enjoyed previous tc
ills which are worthy of mention, the
first of which is the great Interstate Elk
position now in progress in Chicago. AL
manner of Agricultural implements are
displayed in an almost unlimited guam
titv; all the various Reapers were in mo
tion, a large engine furnishing the motive
power for this and other machinery
About twenty-five Crisplns. in red jack
cts, were hard at work making shoes, and
about the same number dressed in blue
Jackets working on toots, each person
making speciality of some particular
part of the work. Rogers Groups OF
.Statuary were amusing and instructive
OF the various pieces will mention Go
ing for the Cows" THE Favorite Schol
ar" and Checkers at the Farm" 'The
Council of War" representing Lincoln,
Stanton and Grant in consultation, inter
rsted me very much. A French Glove
Factory was also in full operation. The
manufacture of Woven Wire Mattresses
and Barbed Fence Wire were well IL
Illustrated. A span of gray horses, Lie
size. carved out of wood, were har
ncssed to an open barouche with the lines
living over the dash, and all so perfectly
natural and lifelike that the deception
was complete until close proximity was
reached.
The Art Gallery was well filled by 59'
S,aintings by eminent foreign and Amer
lean artists. As neither time nor space
will permit will not attempt descrlp'
ton of any. I regret very much that
could not devote at least a full day to the
study of the Beautiful in Art as it was
deere displayed. The show in the Horti'
cultural department was finely represent
ed by many beautiful plants from oui
own and other lands. l only have time
to hint at the large Fountain surrounded
by statuary, of the music and the splen
did appearance of many parts of the Hal
by gas light, for passed two pleasant
hours in the various departments in the
evening while awaiting the departure OF
.thc train for the East.
! am unable to give your readers an in
tellisent idea of the wild and rugged seem
cry along the line of the B. %. route. The
mountains are filled with inexhaustablc
wealth in the shape of hard or anthracite
coal ef the best quality, while their rough
.cracgv sides are covered with all the va.
riegated tints and colors so peculiar to
an American Autumn.
The contrast in the growth of corn be-
tween Iowa and Ohio is about the same
as that between our small early corn and
the large growth to which our field corn
:attans-Iowa corn being the larger.
Much 3scumotion is accomplished in
West Virginia by horse back riding. A
German from Milwaukee, who sat beside
sne said "Ha! ha! ha! drei madchen ritten
on zwei pfcrde," which being interpreted
means three ladies9id.ng on two horses,
.tfhiGh WAS fact.
This morning Sept. 24th) commenced
docking over Harpers Ferry and its sur
roundings, the first object Of interest be-
ing the Engine House where John Brown
WAS captured, and next the ruins of the
Government Buildings. next Chamber
up the rocky east face of Bolivar Heights,
on whose sides are growing clumps of pine
and cedar, whose fragrance more than
ausllt else, bring to my mind VIVID re-
meptbrances of the old days of bivouac,
camp and field. There are yet remaining
ruins of old forts and earihworks, some
,pf which / saw when passed through
mere with my regiment IN 1868. ! am
now writing this part OF my letter Whiie
perched on "Jefferson's Rock" 50 named
in honor of that great statesman aor re-
marking that it was well worth crossing
the Atlantic to witness this grand scenery
,and this time great minds run in the
same channel, for am of like opinion.
This rock is On the eastern dccliyity of
Bolivar Heights, about 300 feet directly
above the wagon road and the Winchcs-
aer branch of the B. & o. X. X. lam
facing east and flowing towards and past
me from the south and uniting with the
Potomac at my left is the Shenandoah
river, ard both rivers are now very much
swollen by the recent heavy rains; fur
ther east and just across the Shenandoah
are Louden Heights, while back OF me
and at my left arc the famous Maryland
Heights.
Harper's Ferry, itself. is dilapidated
and dead, exhibiting the least enterprise