Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1881-11-30
mountain stands in rock and tree-clad silent
majesty in the foreground; the Point of Rocks

i"ooii.oan Sednus III TUCK ana tree-cia0 silent
majesty in the foreground; the Point of Rocks
rises az rocky bluff upon which to rest the
eyes; the opposite shores wave away In vast.
rounded swells of upland; the mighty river rolls
in siIvery brightness, losing itself in the mist
softened verdue Of the far-of landscape, while
all the features of hill, valley woodland and
plain blend into the tender blue Of the scarce
bounded distance. Still gradually widening as
it runs. and preserving a southeast direction
the river receives the MonOcacy at the outlet of
the delightful Frederick valley wide open
tract enlarges the view of a luxuriant and pic
turesque region. The splendid viaduct for the
canal over the MOnocacy, the highly cultivated
the triple-crOwn scuIptured in the white
sandstone OF the Sugar-lOaf mountain
stand out as monumental objects in
the midst OF the sOft-toned landscape.
The river now makes a wide bend in
passing the hard slate rocks. and then enters
the brown hills Of the new red sandstone forma-
ton. From this point the slopes gradually in
crease in steepness and for distance of eight
cen miles rise and fall i'm long serpentine waves.
About four miles from the beginning of this
sandstone its extreme altitude is reached i'm
rocks which rise abruptly to an altitude of more
than one hundred feet above the river A new
surprise now bursts upon the senses. The SUM-
mlts OF the ridge are made of uplifted crags and
chimney rocks reaching far above the tops of the
tallest trees, resting upon long lines of natural
brownstOne masonry, and decorated at every
turn by tufts, plumes, and festOOns of lovely
plants, ferns, and creepers. Long, wal-like
ridges OF this picturesque rock, set in back
ground of far-reaching foliage, appear at fire.
quent intervals along both shores of the river.
And here its waters are interrupted at three
or four stages by islands which have settled in
its path After passing the new red sandstone
a region in strong contrast with the former is
reached. The uniform, wall-like structure
of the hills give place to the bent, twisted,
nj ci1v
blackish rock. Tremendous forces have been at
work here on grand scale. For distance of
two miles the whole bed and surface of the
country have been pressed together with such
violent force that the former body of a huge
mountain has been shattered into jOinted frag-
ments, in part carried away, and only it's broken
base left in the trough of the river. Through
out this distance rapids succeed each other in
such quick succession that the bed of the stream
Is gradually lowered to depth of eighty feet.
THE GREAT FALLS OF THE POTOMAC
now appear at the lower end Of this scene of
ruin. fall thirty five feet in height, now pre-
cpitates an enormous volume of water; this
is divided into three principal cascades of I'M
common grandeur. which, after boiling and
chahng amidst the terrible rocks of the deep
basin below, dash with uncomfortable violence
through canyons of their own digging and
sweep out In a broad torrent through the chan
mel below. On either shore of this great scene
OF desolatiOn piles of shining rock thrown on
end project high into the sky and send off
ing peak: The jOinted rock fills the
whole region as far as the eye can
reach. and the prospect is rendered still more
wild and impressive by the thinlv spread out
forests which straggle over the broken lodges
Nowhere else in the state, if indeed anywhere
on the eastern side of the continent can more
sublime and awe-inspiring spectacle be seen. It
is OF such an unusual type in this part of the
United Stated and so remarkable that the mind
is directed first to the region of the Rocky noun
tains to find its counterpart in structure and
sublimlty. The remainder of this division of the
river keeps on for fourteen miles, which take it
to Georgetown. In this part Of it's course it has
steadily forced its way through the granite
rocks, spread out into q deep channel nearly
three quarters OF mile wide, until, after gath
ering into series Of cascades at its lower falls
and gliding along over bolders and broken
stones, it finally becomes lost in the waters of
the alluvial basin at the head of tide-water
THE MOST CHARACTERISTIC EXPRESSIONS OF THIS
RIVER
are IN the freshness, vigOr and variety which it
everywhere displays. 1t crosses the Appalachian
region in direction which brings it in direct
contact with every geological formation that
belongs to the eastern slope of the continent.
1t winds its way through them all. OF only Yields
where harmony is Indispensable. in conformity
with unalterable physical conditions As a
continental force its career seems but of yester-
day. The ages had been steadily preparing for
It's advent. Cool morn, of a long geological
day succeeded by the glowing heat of an
equally protracted noontide. had been fol-
lowed by the long evening twilight of
the carbOnferOus era. HOary mists and long
periods OF rainfall had saturated the low hills
and set rivulets running in the ravines and bot
toms. But now the mighty mountains are up
folded. an Xis separating the basins of the east
from those of the west is built high into the air.
and cracks have opened in its TANKS to let loose
the imprisoned waters OF the subterranean cav
tiles. From the end of one of these the Young
giant arose and burst forth with all the energy
of a new life. Pushing aside the deep soil
which rested around, and forcing apart
the bits of rock that stood in the way, it
soon worked deep path out and along the
dark mountain side. Plunging, but
ting and leaping against the ridges standing i'm
its path. a narrow trough was cut away up in
the midst of the highest uplands, and then,
gradually working. forced its way down to the
lower levels, until the sea was reached beyOnd
the lower hills. As the ages have rolled on it
has pursued its onward course in nearly the
same direction ever deepening it's channel and
spreading so wide that it has been at one time
roaring flood Of more than two miles in
breadth.
From the time of Washington to the present.
1T has been recognized as the great avenue
leading to the west, and its great usefulness in
the future will depend upon the skill and judg-
ment with which it is employed to facilitate
commercial relations between the two sides of a
continent.