The new dominion. [volume] (Morgantown, W. Va.) 1876-1904, 1881-07-16
a RAMBLING CORRESPOND
ENT
OF the"Ncw Domfnion" Penn
sylvnnia.
SOMERSET, PA. June F..


ers would be pleased to hear from
this part of Gods creation, and to
know what the people do here in or.
der to kill time.
1t was our pleasure to arrive here
on the evening of the 21st inst, and
by this time we are well enough &C
quainted with the inhabitants to send
You a few items-not "funny items "
though.
OF all the towns we have seen in
our day and generation none can
compare with Somerset, for all that
goes to make town a pleasant place
in which to live. In the first place,
Somerset is said to be the most beau
tiful and healthy place in this State.
The town is built on an elevated
plain and is surrounded, on all sides
with mountains; although the noun t.
ain ranges do not come nearer than
from three to five miles of the town.
The land for this distance is almost
perfectly level, and therefore the fin
est farmingdistrict in The county can
be found here.
The population of this "burg" is
about 1,S00 and is composed of the
most intelligent and unpretentious
people Except the fair damsels that
can be found in all Western Pennsyl-
vania. While on this subject we will
further say that this is a good place
to come in order to get "high toned"
wife, rs there are five girls here to
one boy, and they are anxious, it
seems, to marry. In this respect they
are like the Morgantown girls. In
fact Somerset contains the handsom-
est ladies we ever saw in town and
the biggest 2irts that can be found
in America.
If l should tell you that no other
town in this State has more beautiful
and costly buildings for it's size than
can he found here, and especially to
state that it has been burnt down
three times in its history, the first
fire occurring in 1888, second in 1872
and the last, but not the least, in
1876, you would hardly believe me.
A few years ago about dozen
buildings could be seen standing in
the town. To-day magnificent build
ings stand on the ruins as monu-
ments OF mans progressive nature.
1t has taken one hundred years for
Morgantown to reach her present
size, and | ask you this question in
all candor as | am an "Athenian"
myself), whether there is enough en-
tcrprise among our people to rebuild
Athens on a grander scale if she
should be destroyed once by fire?
But you may say that Somerset is
manufacturing town, &C., and can
therefore afford to rebuild again.
Such is not the case, for there is nei-
tler manufactures nor mineral
wealth hcfe. The only mandatory
that was in the town was $4,000
planning mill, which only employed
about four men, and it was burnt
down last week with $1,000 worth of
lumber. No insurance either. This
is great summer. resort though, and
many hundred visitors are here dur
ing the warm season. There are
three first-class hotels here and they
reap rich harvest during that sea
son of the year. The somerset
House" is the largest and most beau
tiful in the place and was built at
cost of some $4,000, and they only
charge from $50 to 500 per week for
board. This town is so nicely locat-
ed that it affords great pleasure to
the tourist. The nights are always
cool. Most too much so for Vir-
ginian and "black republican" No
sickness Of any kind has been among
the people here for some time, (only
two physicians herc), owing some
what to the fact that the streets are
kept very neat and clean and every
where the town is free of that sick
ening odor which is prevalent in
most towns.
We now come to the sad history of
nearly every town; that is,grog shops.
Most towns contain these nuisances,
and, of course, this place is not be-
hind.
The Republican primary election
came off last Saturday and it was the
most exciting election we ever wit
messed. There were As Candidates in
the field for the various county office
All but about 10 of them were sick
Sunday night. The town was crowd |
ed with people and | am sorry to say
the grug shops did an immense bust
ness on that day. One bar took in
over 5000. They know how to drink |
up here.
The b. & 0. r. r. runs through |
this city and it is the principal Sc
cret why the people here are so pros
porous. Nothing else but railroad
can make any town prosperous and
give her people something else to do
than find fault and pry into each
others business. This town is the
home of Gen. Koontz and the old |
home of Judge Black.
As it is now time for us to pick up !
our grips" and depart for Berlin, and
from thence to Cumberland, Nd, so |
we will bid you adieu for the present.
PoKANoKET.
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