Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1882-09-16
LETTER FROM WATKINS GLEN.
One OF Natures Gems-The Free Thinkers in |
Council-Nnrriage of ''Artists."

One OF Natures Gems-The Free Thinkers in
COuncil-NInrriage of ''Artists."
Special Correspondence of THE EVENING STAR.
WATKINS GLEN, N. Y, Sept. g, 1852.
EN- ROUTE.
Leaving Washington last week at 4:20 p. m,
on the Baltimore & Potomac railroad your cor
respondent rushed along with lightning speed till
he arrived in New York city after 10 o'clock that
evening. Taking the Pavonia ferry boat at 9 a.
m. the next morning, our party were soon seated
in a comfortable car Of the Erie express bound
for Niagara Falls. A few moments after, and
jersey City was left behind, and on we went
through northern New Jersey, passing by Pas
sale, Paterson, and scores Of villas and towns
till we reached our stopping place just as the
evening sun had SET At Port Jervis we reached
the Delaware river, which is about so miles from
New York, and for about 100 miles afterwards
our train ran along the banks of the Upper
Delaware. The scenery all the way was very
fine, and much of it even grand, with high hills
and lofty mountains equal to anything we have
seen on the Baltimore Il Ohio railway. The
country is beautiful and in high state of cult
walton, with every spot OF land utilized. Our
eyes Toasted for hours on the everchangng piano.
ramic scenes Of this beautiful landscape. which
is in Its richest and lOveliest dress at this sea-
son. The river is as crooked as Jordan itself,
and our long train of cars often assumed the
shape OF snake, the engine and the last cars
often coming into close proximity Leaving
the Delaware. we next entered the lovely Wy
Oming valley with its many bewitching spots
along the north branch OF the Susquehanna 80
well known in history and to the artists pencil
After travelling distance OF nearly 300 miles
we reached Elmira, changed cars and in an hour
we were in this place.
THE BEAUTIFUL GLEN.
Watkins is the chief town OF Schuyler county,
with population of about 5000. 1t is located
at the head of Seneca lake, which runs to &C.
neva, forty miles north. The chief attraction of
the place is the celebrated Glen, which lies
south of the town and runs east and west for
about three miles. This is one of natures
most remarkable freaks, with weird wildness
and grandeur scarcely surpassed. 1t is impos-
sible to give, in letter Of this kind, correct
idea OF this awful gorge, with its grOttoes, cas-
cades. caverns, and hundreds of scenes so
diverse from each other. And yet, celebrated
as this place is, it is not twenty years since it
began to attract public notice. Up to 1863 it
was q sealed mystery and unknown to the
world. But since then it has been opened to
the public gaze, and at a great expense. 1t can
be travelled in perfect safety from Glen Alpha to
Glen Omega. Every year witnesses large in
crease In travel and this year is the most sue
cessful in its history thus far. On one day the
week before last over $500 passed through the
Glen. Until this season the premises were run
upon the most rigid Purtanical principles by
well-meaning Friends from Philadelphia. Your
correspondent was here only few years ago.
when the Glen was sealed up on Sundays, and
the sound of piano was never heard in the
hotel. Not so now, whether for the better or
worse. People pass through this temple of
nature on all days. The guests are entertained
each night In the week in the music hail. and
In keeping with the sacredness Of the day. A
lovely spot is
'sUMMTr LOOK OFT"
800 feet above the lake. Here the eye gazes
Tor twenty miles up Seneca lake, and on each
side Of it are to be seen fields and farms in the
highest state Of improvement, with orchards
and vineyards in great abundance. The excur-
sion season will not close here for nearly two
months The travel is large at present. and
Washington, Baltimore and the south are well
represented at all times. Watkins is on the
way to Niagara Falls and very few ever pass
without remaining over day or more. Hence,
able, and the place is full of life and social en-
joyment: But there was fresh impulse given
to the life OF the place over week ago, when
the
NATIONAL FREE THINKERS CONVENTION
met in annual council at the opera house. Not
being here until after it closed. your correspon-
dent has received his impressions of that gather
ing from what he has heard from those who
were present, and what he has read in the Wat
kins Express and Democrat, two excellent
weeklies, and the Elmra papers. From all
these sources the inference is the convention was
an utter failure, and pronounced to be ''weak
uncuitured and Improbable" without the SYM
pathy of a man or woman in town, and repul-
sive to the feelings of ALL Every allusion made
to God or His Christ. the Bible. or ANYTHING
sacred, was held up to ridicule and scoffed at
The Christian religion was the sum Of all that
was Infamous, and its ministers the vilest i'm
posters and hypoerites, paid hirelings who
feeced the dock. And yet none were admitted
to these gatherings without paving fee Of ad-
mission, and on Sunday it was to be raised to a
dollar admission, only that nature (rain) OPP
gatherings were small, the delegates were
shown no sympathy or hospitality.
Nearly all the noted speakers advertised to be
present were ''cOnspicuOusly absent" Mr.. In
gersoll being among them. George Chainey. of
Boston, and George C. Min, of Chicago, were
rather moderate in tone in his remarks upon
the Christian church, and was frequently Kissed
at when his tongue lacked poison. The women
always brought in the subject Of ''woman's
their ',orongs." The most prominent of these
female orators closed her address by saying:
"Woman is to be the engine which will over
throw the church" A small engine then, for
very few were present. 'The songs Of the con-
vention," says the Express editorialIy, 'were in
the main execrable and disgraceful. being paro-
dies on low and riDald productions with such
disgusting titles as The Devil Is Dead Jesus
Will Pay the Bill,'" &c. The secular papers
are all severe upon the works and words of
these Free Thinkers here and as to religious
papers, the writer has seen none of them since
leaving Washington. The convention is to
meet next year in Saratoga The Watkins
papers tell the good people Of that fashionable
place not to be the least worried, and for the
press there to keep COOL as the meeting there
will be perfectly harmless.
BARNUM ON DECK.
The other event Of additional interest here
was the arrival of the Prince of Showmen.
Barnum on last Saturday. and his prince of
elephants, Jumbo. Thousands of people came
from all parts, some distance of hun
dred miles, it is said, and the town was crowded
and packed all the day. The circus left that
night for Pen Yam. but all of the party did not.
We had very fashionable wedding here on
yesterday Of two connected with the circus,
They spent all the day here and were married
by minister who is guest of the place. The
groom 10 MIR. ThOs. King, native of Melbourne,
Australia. who six years ago joined the English
mart of the circnS in London Tho bride 10 mono