Martinsburg herald. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1881-1920, 1881-11-26
VOTES BY THE WAY.

rs MI. Editor 1t must be admitted
THAT the American people have be-
leone travelling nation. Go where
YOU will, travel where You may, by
rail, steamboat or stage-coach-ali
/ are filed. Yet, Notwithstanding,
thousands remain at home. And III
/ this section, it is not uncommon to
hear persons say, 81 have never
slept out Of the county in which |
was born.' Consequently, ! thought
an account of short trip westward
would not be without interest to
your readers generally, and to this
class particularly.
On a fine morning in October, /
took the early train on the +. q O..
to visit some of the magical cities
and towns of the West, and get a
view of some Of her magnificent
prairies. We soon found ourselves
at Cumberland. where we partook OF
an excellent breakfast, and soon
after entered the mountains but not
until after leaving Piedmont does
| the real grandeur of the scenery
burst upon our view-plunging into
mountains, climbing up their rugged
sides, dashing through tunnels, rush
ing over trestle-worl that spans
chasms hundreds of feet deep. We
got frequent enchanting views of
the Cheat River scenery, which l
think cannot be excelled on this con-
tinent. Jefferson said it was worth
a trip across the Atlantic to view
the scenery of Harper's Ferry. Sure
ly, it is much more worth the trip to
view the Cheat River scenery, par
ticularly when it is taken in the mel
low tints of autumn; then the sight
is perfectly enchanting, and to low
ers Of Nature | say, visit Cheat Riv-
er in autumn.
At Grafton Junction we take the
Wheeling branch and cross the Ohio
River at Benwood, OH the magniii-
cent iron structure spanning the rly-
er at this place. The bridge is on a
level with the tops Of the highest
houses, and affords splendid view
Of the town and river. We are now
in the Buckeye State, of which the
inhabitants have reason to be proud.
| We pass through thriving cities
and towns and well improved farms,
besides some of her coal fields, ar
irving at Chicago, the great metrop-
Oils of the West. But a short time
was spent here. To give a descrip-
ton OF this city would require more
space than you perhaps would wish
to give; to predict what Chicago
may or may not become, is more
than | am equal to. There is no de-
nying that it is the most wonderful
city Of the age, and Judging from
the extent Of country that naturally
must do business there, it will con
tinue to grow for many years. After
leaving Chicago, we soon get into
the prairie country. No person can
pass over these extensive prailies
and not feel his ideas of our country
expanding-nothing to impede cur
progress-nothing to obstruct our
view. Westward we roll, and finally
come in view of the Father of waters
the Mississippi. We cross over
at Rock Island and Davenport,
Iowa, both furnishing young cities.
Continuing in Iowa for over 200
miles, the Hannibal and ST. Joe r.
r. is intersected at Cameron. Thence
we pass over the route made so IA
nous by the James Brothers and,
glad to say, were denied the pleas
ure of making their acquaintance.
The next place Of Importance is
Kansas City, the inhabitants of which
say it is second only to New York;
to us it seems much over valued
more noise than business. A day
was spent here, and the next point
was Topeka, the capital of Kansas,
which we found to be quite flour
ishing young city, with a population
Of 10000. Being the capital Of the
State, it has many advantages over
its competitors. There are founded
here many institutions of learning.
The leading business interest of the
city appears to be the Atchison, To
peka & Santa Fe Railroad, which by
it's charter, we understand, is bound
to keep its principal manufacture
and repair shops at this place. They
now employ 600 hands, and the
shops are being enlarged to employ
1900. The various religious demon
nations are fully represented here,
and they have mostly fine churches
and good congregations. As much
of Kansas City as we have seen, APP
pears to be i'll flourishing condition.
Land is in good demand, at fair
prices; produce of all kinds brings
prices equal to our markets: wheat,
@1.30; corn, 50; potatoes, S1,25; APP
pies, S1.00; beef and pork, 5000 per
hundred; butter and eggs, 90 cents.
No place in the West do you meet
with more intelligent and enter
prising people-all awake to the in
terests Of the State generally, and of
their different towns in PARTICULAR
The only thing they do not appear
susceptible of, is the prohibitory
liquor law. The liquor traffic appears
to be running in full force in opposi-
ton to all law.
We returned through Atchison
and st. Joe, Missouri, stopping at
the latter place several days. 1t is
a solid, substantial young city of
1000 inhabitants, doing large
trade in all branches of business
We find here number of Virginia's
enterprising sons, many of whom
have become wealthy. Our atten-
ton was called here to a branch of
business which we think will make
quite a market for corn. Glucose