The daily Cairo bulletin. (Cairo, Ill.) 1878-1???, 1881-06-23
LETTER FROM THE EAST.

ENCED.
One of the most delightful and interest
ing summer trips any lover of beautiful
scenery, historical associations, and good
company can take is that AIN about to
describe. Those of my readers who have
been fortunate enough to pass over the
ground will recognize many of the objects
mentioned, and like myself imagine them.
selves again amid the scenes long to be re-
membered. Those who have failed to visit
the many places of interest and beauty on
this route will do themselves a great favor
by doing so at once. There Is a mania
among our people to visit foreign shores,
see the classic scenery of other lands, while
almost at their very doors lies panorama
Of beautiful landscape, sparkling lakes,
towering mountains, mysterious valleys,
broad, tree.fringed rivers, busting towns
and villages, and historic ground, as beau
titul and interesting as any that meets
their gaze in the old world.
Early in the morning of beautiful
summer day, we, four long housed up,
hard worked fellows, eager for fresh air,
and new sights, took the train on the Le-
high Valley railroad, connecting at Bethle.
hem with the North Penn. railroad from
Philadelphia and the New Jersey Central
from New York, and were whlrled at
rapid rate up through the beautiful Lehlgh
Valley, with the Lehigh river on one side
and towering, thickly-wooded mountains to
our right and left, hemming in the clear
stream, vending its way to the Delware
In about two hours we reached the "Switz-
erland, of America" mot Captain Billy
Williams) hidden from the sight of the
visitor, between mountains a thousand feet
high. The town is located in "cut" or
narrow gorge between three mountains, en-
tlrely obscured from your sight until you
come opposite the mouth or opening of the
narrow valley, when you see long line of
houses, on either side of the street, nesting
| beneath the shadow of the hills, so close,
that the gardens of yards flank the noun
tain's side, and in some cases extend up.
ward on the mountains themselves. This
is Mauch Chunck. It has population of
| about five thousand and is in the great
anthracite coal region, first discovered and
worked in America, and quite a busting
business place" 1t is favorite summer
ing place" Many persons from Philadel-
phia and New York, as well as other cities,
come there to enjoy the cool mountain air,
and fine wild mountain scenery,
One of its principal attractions is q ride
over or around the Switch. back"
This railroad was built for the purpose
of conveying the coal from the interior
fields smong the long mountain ranges
1t is built very ingeniously and skillfully,
trains moving in all directions without o
locomotive. Huge engines on the hill tops
draw the cars from one summit to the 9TH
or, and let them run down the inclined
plane. Pleasure parties from all parts of
Pennsylvania and from more distant parts,
visit the place, and make excursions over
this mountain road, almost daily during
the summer months
Finding that wo have sorlc time on our
hands, and never having passed over the
road before, we concluded to take a run
cover the switch back
Quite large excursion party from Phila'
dcphia and different points in New Jersey
visited this place and passed over tho Sum-
nit Hill roads; so VIC followed the crowd
and slowly wendell our way up the hill from
the valley of Chunk to the foot OF the long
ascent mountain, Mt. pisgah. II was per-
fectly grand, with the high, towering hills
on all sides, back and front, right and left,
and the hamlets and towns nesting at our
feet. We reached the depot, about three
hundred of us, lat and lean, young and old,
rich and poor, homely and pretty, male and
shemale. Group after group. Troop after
troop. jolly, COY, putting, blowing,