The Dallas daily herald. [volume] (Dallas, Tex.) 1873-1887, 1880-08-08
THE DALLAS DAILY HERALD.
MRS. MOHL's LETTER.
Correspondence of the Herald.


General Garfield helped to run before he
went into Credit Mobilier and the paving
business. The most uncertain thing in the
world-except weather, is canal boat. 1t
has no regular days or hours Of arrival or de-
parture; it never leaves at "a certain time, but
''about' that time aud it takes "sbout" such
number of days to make the trip-some-
times more, sometimes less, but generally
moro. Well, we celebrated Mr.. Mohl advent
OF this "world famed summer resort" by
taking a trip to the Mountain Lock-" six
miles from the ferry. We VOTED three
hours for q boat, and when we reached the
Lock we found we would have to walk back.
The canal boatmen were on strike at Cum
berland, and no boat would pass down the
river before night, if then.
Mr.. Mohl is great on facts, and he elected
the following items from various lock-
keepers, boatmen, and incipient radical presi-
dental nominees along the canal. | hate to
write "facts" myself, but as they
interest great many people | will
try to give what Mr.. Mohl gathered as well
as can. To begin at the beginning, there
are several wealthy boat.builders on this
route who sell boats for twice their COST
some per cent" As Houston merchant once
told father, "If buy calico at ten cents
yard and sell it for twenty cents, that's one
per cent, amt III" Well, it cost from seven
to eight hundred dollars to build a canal.
boat, and the builder charges $1,000 for one.
He waits long time tor his money, however,
as he gets S25 per month only until paid
The mules are sold at proportionate rates,
and as the captain" has to keep his boat in
repair at his own cost, and bear all the other
expenses, his boat is pretty we'll worn out
before he pays. for it. The chief freight of
this canal ia coal; for this they have been
getting 81 10 per ton freight from Cumber.
land TO Georgetown, and a boat carries never
over II tons. Now the coal companies re.
fuse to pay more than ST per ton, and the
result is strike all along the line. A few
boats still make their trips, picking up ocoa.
sonal freight, but no coal. Pm
sure l don't see why the compa-
MES should DO stubborn about it.
know very well who will have to pay for it
all in the end, and it won't be either compa.
MES or dealers, but the unfortunate con-
sumner.
l really forgot two other facts. A lock is
one hundred feet long, and canal boat from
eghty-seven to ninety feet and this canal
10 deep, with rise of eight feet to the lock.
Does this interest you y There is no prettier
trip than ride up this canal from George
town to Columbia. Il suppose the rle
down is equally pretty, but l havn't til it
YETI 1t follows the course of the Potomac
through most romantic region, and you
travel slowly enough to see everything
as you 90. The whole trip takes
three days and nights with horse. power, or
five days fyou "tie up" at night. There
are some very comfortable little steamers on
the route which can be chartered very rea-
sonably at Georgetown, for the round trip.
With pleasant company and well filed
larder this would be most ENJOYABLE trip
There are numerous "ore beds" being
worked along the route, a few "plumbago
mines" several places made famous during
the war, and a constant succession of lovely
views and charming bits of scenery all along
the route
DR.. Tanner is still alive. Since be hes
s"hOh W suOu HOui lsullS anu utllHUlIu ulet
as carbolic acid he feels little better
Three days more, believe, decides the ques-
ton OF his ability to fast forty days, so that
before this letter shall have reached It's read,
ers they will know all about it.
The Washington Post puts my handsome
young friend, Seth Shepherd, in the list o
congressional nominees as a Greenbacker
Pistols for two" are in order.
20 A.. Al. I
to re-read that portion of my letter in thu
HERALD of July 25th relating to DR.. Ham
mond, and will read "disallusonation, in
stead of "hsllucination," they may find somC
sense in what follows that word, otherwise Il
is irrelevant nonsense.
The publication of General Hancock's lot.
ter to General Sherman is a wise move for tn,
Democrats. Now, if Garfield will only b,
as just to his party and give that ..famou
"brief' to the public, it would be well. 4
brief which, locked up in its writer's deal
at home, had influence enough with the cour
to be worth $4,000, must be fine document
think the letters of acceptance Of our can
didates compare very favorably with those o
the opposition in every respect. General Han
cocks is about. four times as long ash expected
but it is remarkably clear and forcibe. A
for English, he expresses himself with free
dom and candor delightful to read, and il
terse and graphic English not often met will
In these many syllabled days
Ramsdelps Washington letter in Satur
days Philadelphia Times has very humor
Gus description of summer cabinet meet
ing. 1t Is about as clever bit of satire upor
our junketing executive officers as | hav,
ever read. The idea that the president o
these United States, with a salary of $50, O0(
ayear, should be furnished with summe
residence by voluntary (?) contributions from
the private soldiers of128 cents'per month. h
beyond credence, and yet it is absolutel,
true. Senators and representatives with one
tenth the salary, have to pay for all they get
while the president has two houses, rent free
all his fruits and vegetables, and a dozel
other things which poor people have l.
pay for, furnished him free. Verify "to hin
that hath shall be given"
wonder II any Of my readers have eve
seen Jefferson rock. 1t Is one of the lion.
indeed the greatest lion of Harper's Ferry
1t is the topmost one of the very singula
pile of gigantic slate rocks on the south sid
Of Camp Hill, and commands fine view M
the Shenandoah and down the Potomac
MIR. Jefferson is said to have expressed tn
opinion that the view from this rock is "un
surpassed in the world for beauty and sub
Unity" But l do not agree th the prea
statesman In this, as have seen views frop
quite near this, rock which are aner I
my thinking. Mr.. Jefferson is also said /
have drafted the constitution of the Unite,