The Republican journal., 1882-11-09
Notes by the Way.
ALL ABOARD FOR ST. JOHN" RAILROAD
JOURNEY AND A CITY OF FOG AND MUD
PRINCIPALLY THE LATTER.

"ALL ABOARD FOR ST. JOHN" A RAILROAD
JOURNEY AND A CITY OF FOG AND MUD
PRINCIPALLY THE LATTER.
Correspondence of the Journal.
ST. JOHN, n. b., Oct. "A. We had barely
time to purchase our ticket at Bangor when the
CHEEKY cry of the conductor rang out: "All
aboard for st. John.' We enter the car with
the crowd, find a seat as best we can, and soon
are hurryng over the iron road that extends
from Halifax, as terminus, to all parts of
North America. The company is lively and
sociable and the time passes quickly Passen-
gers arrive and depart from every station and
there is plenty to attract the attention. AS we
pass the villages of Bradley, Saltwater. Orono,
Ncazie, Milford and other places where the
manufacture of lumber is made Il speciality the
flames from the burning waste wood light up
the darkness and lend cheerful aspect to the
otherwise dismal prospect outside. Glancing
out at Oldtown we notice the dusky ysage of
so" who always puts in an appearance at this
place. The Indians are now accustomed to our
manners and customs and the young men are
taking up the various industries as a means of
obtaining a livelihood. We notice one as brake
man on our train, well-dressed, active and in
telligent. AS we passed along and heard the
stations Passadumkeag, Mattawomkeag and
others called out, we are again reminded that
this country was once owned and controlled by
the Red Man and that many names from the d.
aect of the aboriginees are yet retained. AS
the night advances the number of passengers
grow less, the hum of voices ceases and quiet
prevails, broken only by the shrill whistle of
the engine, the rattle of the cars. and the voice
Of the sleepy brakeman as he calls out the
names of the stations, We pass Winn and
kingman with their great tanneres and at mid
night arrive ut NanceborO, the last station in
Maine. Here the baggage is examined by Gus
tom house officials, refreshments are obtained
and we pass on into the domnions of the Queen.
The names are unfamiliar, the rain is pattering
upon the roof of the car, there is nothing to
keep awake for and we follow the example of
those around us and go to sleep. Awaking at
day break we find we are nearing the river st.
John and though a thick cloud of fog cnyelops
everything yet, as it occasionally lifts and re-
veals glimpse of our surroundings we are
read! &c believe that tic prospect must be very
fine when nature is at her best
As we near the Bay of Fundy we see what
appear to be blocks of ice several feet across
1oa ing on the water. We soon learn, how
ever A. we draw nearer. that it is only foam
that gathers in masses 4 foot thick and floats
upon the surface. 1t had been rough, stormy
night with high tide and there was probably
more than the usual amount of it. Here at the
depot we leave the cars, step on board the ferry
boat and are soon across the St. John. A hack
takes Us through the streets and we are safely
landed at the depot of the intcrcolonial line.
We have no time to view the city, and the dis
agreeable fog will not allow us so much as
decent glimpse of it. We step into the street
and the thing which most impresses us is mud.
The water in the bay is colored with mud. In
the streets it i, mud, nasty, sticky, brick coored
mud, We find mud on us. around us. beneath
us, mud everywhere. We go into a restaurant
for breakfast The coffee seems to be water
boiled with mud. The steak has evidently been
seasoned with it or dragged through it and
well! we paid our bills and departed with APP
pettes unsatistied. And as we got up and left
we did not wonder that the bu was the best
patroniZed part of the establishments for we
felt that we should be tempted to drink ua8
thug that would take the mud taste out Of our
mouth. We didnot make the experiment how
ever, for laying aside our Maine State princi-
pies, we really suspected, after the experience
we had had, that the stuff in the decanterS must
be only water coorcd with mud, and we had
had enough Of that 50 we went back to the
muddy depot and began this muddy letter, and
as the train is backing in we close with the
promise that we will try and do St. John Just
ice under more favorable circumstances.