Middletown transcript., 1881-10-21
Correspondence orthe Transcript.
Letter from Yorktown.


YORKTOWN, VA, Oct. 19.-It does
not take one long to see Yorktown. 1t
is nothing but dilapidated village,
which has nothing to boast of save its
historical associations. At the time of
the seige it contained about sixty
houses, but a considerable portion of
the village was destroyed by fire in 1914
and the inhabitants have not yet de-
cided to rebuild. The Centennial As
sociation organized the present celebra-
tion and has done everything in its
power to make the affair success. 1t
purchased the Temple farm, which
covers the battle ground reftted the
Moore House, where the capitulation
was signed, and built hall for the
ceremonies. The Moore farm lies a
mile away from the village and is the
camping and parade ground of the
troops. The site of the Centennial
monument is on the bluff, near the
village, and is conspicuous from the
water for long distance.
The Delaware troops arrived here
Tuesday morning and went into camp.
They had pleasant trip down, reach
ing Crisfeld at 7.45 of Monday. The
steamer Maggie" brought them across
the bay and landed them here about
o'clock Tuesday morning.
The town is full Of thieves and gam
blers. A young man of polished address
with pious look in his off eye intro
duced himself to your correspondent
Yesterday. He said he was a member
Of the Young Mems Christian Associa-
tion and he wanted some nice moral
young man to go around with. l felt
extremely fattered and | went around
with him for a while until he intro
duced me to two more members of the
Young Mems Christian Association,
as he called them, at their headquarters.
After a while one of them, who said he
was preparing himself for high and
noble walk of life, took out pack OF
cards and asked me if ever played for
amusement. Then | began to have my
suspicious about these pious-appearing
young men and said, 'Sir, do youknow
that | am an honorary member of the
Woman's Foreign Missionary Society ?
You cannot tempt me. | am an or
phan. far away from home, but you
cannot deceive me. l cannot amuse
YOU at ten dollars an amuse. =" Then |
rose up and went away from there.
There are about 10000 people here
and all who have come ashore seem
pretty much disgusted with the show.
The dust is ankle deep and everything
and everybody is covered with it.
Clouds Of it float in the air, it gets into
ones ears, eyes and mouth, and Sits
down ones back, making one feel as mis-
cradle as man on a railroad excursion
in charge Of a pair Of twins.
President Arthur arrived yesterday
and was greeted by an outburst of ar
tillery. Governor Holiday received
the national visitors, including Senators
Bayard. Davis, Mcdonald and Hawley.
Everybody recognizes the grand soldier
Hancock, and his appearance often
brings round of cheers.
The corner stone for the monument
was laid in the afternoon with Masonic
ceremonies, amid an immense, perspir-
ing and dust-cOveredt throng. Addresses
were made by Governor Holiday and
Senators johnson and Randolph. The
French visitors were not present.
Nothing is free here but dust. |
went down to the river front to-day and
found that man had fenced it off and
was charging people twenty-five cents
to look at it, and no cOmplimentarles
to the press. I wanted to see the spot
where Rochambeau's brass band put
the flower Of Corvallis army to fight
and man charged me fifty cents to
come into the field Last night | Sc
cured ground-foor, front room lodging
in a fence corner, and the owner of the
fence came along and charged me two
dollars. but said he would make a re-
duction if I would stay till Saturday.
There is no moon just now or some
enterprising fellow would have claimed
to have rented it, and then would have
curtained it off and charged ten cents
a square foot for moonlight.
The exercises to-day consisted Of
prayer by Bishop Harris addresses by
President Arthur, NJ. Outrey, the
Marquis de Rochambeau and Baron
Steuben an orationby R. G. Winthrop,
and the reading of a Centennial poem
by James Barron Hope, of Virginia.
Rochambeau spoke in French and the
Baron Steuben in German. l was par
ticularly pleased with these two adj
dresses and was a deep listener. I
didn't understand word Of either of
them, but l liked the way they sounded.
met one of the French guests this
morning, and wanting to be polite and
friendly, / said, " Pdrle rous F4an-
cais ?'' He must have thought l didn't
mean it, for he passed on without re-
plying. 1 always thought these French
people were more civil. PILGRIM.