The Harrison times. (Harrison, Boone Co., Ark) 1876-1938, 1882-09-30
Correspondence,
In PHILADELPHIA.

oHo VI NY uulb IL lho NIuhhef
city had to be devoted to a trip to
Richmond, the great coal shipping
point and The terminus of one branch
Of the Reading Railroad. Here |
had expected to see great changes
aud was not disappointed TO notice
them. Ny first point to visit there
was the old round.house, where
had put in many day when en-
ployed by that company, Here
found that the old style "Baldwins,"
"Kirks," Camel. backs and "Paw-
nee" locomotives lad given place to
what W now called tho "Dirtburn.
ers, made by M. W, Baldwin & Co,
on tho Wooten Patent, and noble
looking pieces of machinery they
were, and In oonvOrFation with one
of the engineers waSinformed that
they made the usual ten miles an
hour with $50 cars with all ease,
and could readily imagine it 50 as
the engines STOOD before mo. Thh
ears of day wero after the<sams
pattern OF twenty five years ago,
and looked as the long lines stood
before me like old friends. Down
between the long black rows |
wended my way and ont on to tho
monster wharves that extended
hundreds of feet into the Delaware
river, on each side OF which were
ships of all classes loading the bright
black diamonds for different parts
OF tho country, or | may say tho
world. The magnitude of these
wharves can only be understood by
inspection, and to see large ocean
steamers receiving their coal, the
little showers and 'pushers' NOV
ing the cars up to the different
schutes, the hundreds of mon tlund-
ling wheelbarrows, and the rattle of
the coal as Ii passed into the holds
of the vessels made a picture of ae-
tive, busy life seen no where else,
and | stood thore long time almost
forgetting myself, went on one
of the VIII ives to its very end, and
as | looked in front of me and away
of to the right down the river, in
front of the noble old city, the scene
was one grand panorama and one
| never again expect to behold.
After looking at the scene to my
satisfaction | wandered back to the
street, took the cars and was soon
safe at the old Exchange on Dock
Street. which looked as natural as
an old shoe, from thence went to
visit my old t'Rnsl." Mr.. i f. Moot.
ten, now the General Manager of
the Reading Railroad, and received
from him an hearty welcome after
an absence OF SO many long years.
Ago had been kind 10 him, and save
the "silvory locks" he was,tho somo
kind, affable friend, and IA we part
cd wishing each other "God speed, 4"
it made me sad for he time beng.
My tip this time was through
Washington Square which is tho
same beautiful spot it always was,
only moro handsome in my estlma-
ton, by no longer having the iron
tcace around it.
Another Of my days spent by
making visit TO League Island,
now the U. s. navy yard. This at
present IS not much OF n curiosity as
there is but little dong there, but
through the kindness Of the com
mandant ! went aboard and was
kindly shown the "Monitors," four
OF which we. g moorcd TO the wharf.
As | stepped aboard | could but re.
member the old saying that they
looked like cheese box on a plat
form, for IN fact it is u good Sntiie,
and as | looked at the ponderous
tultets and entered one Of the port
holes TO see the interior, o sort of
awe took possession OF me. There
| was surrounded with over foot
OF solid wrought iron, the turrots
being made Of eleven plates some.
thing oyer an inch thick each, all
riveted together with huge rivets,
and rs | examined the sides could
SEQ whore that large amount OF iron
had been indented by the heavy
balls which had struck It during the
late war Each OF the turrets con.
tanned two largo Columbads, the
SIZE have forgotten, but am salts
fed | could have crawled into them
without any trouble. On top of
each turret WAS small box which