The Princeton union. [volume] (Princeton, Minn.) 1876-1976, 1878-02-06
Top of the Brooklyn Bridge.

Before we set off across the river, stop
for a little quiet enjoyment of the mar
Vicious picture. spread out beneath our
view this pleasant summer afternoon. If
you have ever doubted the correctness of
the bird s-eye view of tiles and the like,so
common III the print shops,here at least is
an assurance that such things are possible.
Brooklyn lies displayed at our feet, with
its fringe of warehouses, docks, and slips,
perpendicularly under us. How differ
ent is the comparative newness of the
sister city, and how marked contrast
offered by its rbushy greenery marking
out the streets like colored lines on a plan
as compared with the densely packed,
dark, imposing mass Of architecture over
the river ~
The bay, sparkling silver and golden in
the sunlight, and dotted with its many is
lands, is visible. clear beyond the Mar
rows and down to Sandy Hook. Far
eastward we can almost pick out the sand
hills Of Rockaway and Coney Island, with
the blue sea-line beyond, and to the west,
under the sinking sun, the picture is
framed in with the purple Of the High
lands, Neversink, and the Jersey hills. =
Look at that ferry boat Just starting
from the Fulton-street slip, packed with
heads, (all we can see), and notice the odd
effect of the dots of white faces turned up
to watch us, interesting as we are not by
our individuality, but by our position.
We can fancy them repeating Pope's
lines on the fly. in AMBER
.Not that the thing itself is rich or rare
The wonder is, how the ID it got thereof .
AS for ourselves, proud of our momen-
tary elevation, and drunk with the keen,
sweet, salt air, and the gorgeous prospect,
one is reminded of the man who, on the
ladder ready to be hanged, when mad
bull caused dire confusion in the crowd
below, said, in Sthoughtless exultation to
his companion rogue: SLOW lucky it is
we're up! here!s :. ----i
And now down the steep slope of the
river span, digging our heels we'll into
the Stats, and checking our momentum BY
the side ropes till we stand where few
years ago no mortal ever expected to
stand--two hundred feet over the channel
ofthe East Rive, with all its varied traffic
flowing beneath us. Hurry Just here /
want to get plumb over the Bristol as she
ooiio AAn)oStlCdAtyS up 6lIcdIu, anu enjoy
the small vanity of doing what no one but
the shipbuilders ever did before--look
squarely down her smoke stack into her
fre-box.
Z Notice her exquisite, fish like lines
seen thus in plan, and the way in which
the narrow hull is marked off from the
guards by the timber work, of the cabins.
Phew! what q racket! Bristol, Massa-
chusetts, Stonington boats, all as they pass
under the bridge salute us with whistle,
while ferry boats, tugs, and all the small
fry, salute them, till the whole air is
vocal with one great treble of demenic
howl and screech, set off by the deep bass
hum Of toll and traffic, the grand diapason
Of labor supplied By the two great cities
As a noble steamers pass on up the river,
notice the beautiful, divergent lines of
waves from their paddles like 9 double
tail of alcomet! You remember tho same
effect, only more distant, feathery, and
fairy like, as we slooked down in the
early morning. from the Rgi-top on the
dark polished surface Of the Lake,of. the
-Four Cantons. $3.50
The remark of the Rev. John Newton, be.
low, deserves to be written on the tablet