The post. [volume] (Middleburg, Snyder County, Pa.) 1864-1883, 1881-03-31
A TRIP ONO.


Pittsburg soon after midnight.
All went well on the Panhandle
until reaching Durgettstown, twenty
seven miles west Of Pittsburg, where
we were delayed till nearly ten o'clock
the next forenoon. Aher many im-
patient inquiries we at length learned
that a landslide just at the entrance
10 the tunnel two miles farther west
was doing the mischief. IL took over
eight hours to clear the track of the
obstruction. 'rhe Burgettstowners"
seemed totally indifferent to the inner
wants of through passengers, SO break.
fastless we pulled out, only to be de-
layed another half hour at the mouth
Of tho tunnel. A part of the rocks
and dirt had fallen back again and OBJ
structed the track. After this new de-
lay, each passenger felt safer rs his
car passed the almost overhanging
rocks and entered tunnel, but equili-
brium was fully restored only as the
train emerged into daylight from the
western end. Travel on the pan-han-
die with its single track and frequent
land-slidos is certainly not entirely
safe at this time of year. A freer use
ofthe pick would surely lesson much
Of the inconvenience of travel OH this
route.
Through Central Ohio the fields
were already almost entirely bare of
snow and mud was abundant every
where. At Xenia occurred the only
change CT cars on our route-from
this point we ran north east to Dayton
which we reached about seven o'clock
on the evening Of the tenth. Dayton
lies on the east side of the Miami Riv-
er and is city of about forty thous-
and inhabitants. II is not only one of
the most handsome, but for its size,
one Of the most entcrprising cities of
the near west. The National Soldiers
Home, the finest Institution of the
kind in the world, lies within one and
half miles of the city limits. II
covers over six hundred acres of
ground mostly level, in some places
slightly rolling. There are twenty
eight barracks for disabled soldiers.
These are reg ularly laid out and in
tersected with wide shaded streets, so
as in appearance, to form q town larg-
er in size than Lewisburg. The sick
and totally disabled are we'll cared for
in the hospital. While in this build.
ing many ofthc soldiers earn pittance
Ly the manufacture of bead-work, fans
cy wood work, &c. An inmate inform
ed me that II death occurred almost
daily in the hospital, but Oh this
day the flag had not yet been seen at
half mast. Nevertheless the pincheJ
and pallid face aud the omnous rattle
in the throat Of one of the inmates of
the third ward" told too plainly That
not many hours would elapse until
another of the Nations Defenders
would sleep the long sleep in the
beautiful cemetery on the grounds, al.
ready dotted with hundreds of graves.
More recently separate hospital
for the insane has been erected, There
is II large library building on the
grounds, containing reading matter
suited to all tastes-a large building
with kitchen and dining-hall, the lat.
ter with tables for seating eleven-hun,
dred persons-an elegant and well
kept restaurant where cup of the
best Java coffee can be had-a general
store-a residence of the chaplain
and handsome chapel or church Ca
pable of seating about four hundred.
A fine theatre Of pressed brick is also
in process OF erection, the old frame
theatre having been burned by an in-
cendiary fire. There are two large
natural lakes on the grounds and sew
eral fine springs, one of them strongly
impregnated with iron. In some Of
these springs are to be seen thousands
OF gold fishes tame aud of large size.
There is deer-park with q herd of
about twenty fine deer, tame as sheep.
Elk, buffalo, bear and other ANIMALS
are also kept within the park. On
the grounds near the lakes, are four or
five elegantly kept greenhouses,
where may bo seen plants and flowers
from every latitude. Pot plants, Aow-
ers and seeds of the best quality may
be purchased here or can be had by
writing to the Home. There are
about four thousand six hundred SOL
diers, at present entitled to the privi-
leges of the Home, about eight hun
dred Of whome are absent on furloughs
the privileges of the Home are free to
the inmates, and those not drawing
pensions receive in addition, their
clothing and tobacco. All the work
within the grounds is done by the
inmates who receive thirty cents per
day in compensation-Leaving Dayton
at 11:50 p. III, on the G. o. and p r..