The aegis & intelligencer. [volume] (Bel Air, Md.) 1864-1923, 1882-06-02
Nliscrll anenns.
A Letter from the West.

SPRINGFIELD, ILLINOIS, May goth, 1882.
To the Editor Of the 1Egis:
Mr. EDITOR: | hope it will not be bur
densome to you or your readers if l write you
few words about how came to Ego west"
and of what l have seen since | started The
Presbytery of Baltimore in April appointed
me delegate to the General Assembly of
the Presbyterian church in the United States,
which was to meet on May 18th, in Spring
field, Illinois. Accordingly, on Monday, 10Th
inst, | started in both sections of my per.
sonality-the one section, "the better half"
tarrying by the way, while the other on
Tuesday at Harrisburg boarded the limited
express for Chicago. Once on that train we
had to go for it rattles along at the rate of
from 30 to 40 miles an hour, and it makes no
pauses except at the larger cities The ride
develops no interest beyond that which has
been written and read about dozens oftimes
before.
The trip over the Allegheny Mountains
by daylight is full of interest to the stranger.
The famous Horse Shoe Bend gives the ira
Weller rich material for enjoyment. He whose
soul is SO stupid as not to admire the gran
deur Of the scenery there spread out before
him should be compelled to cross the noun
tains by night. Two stout engines caught
hold of our long train of Pullman cars at AL
toona and started up the mountain with that
determined energy which becomes those who
would overcome the difficulties of life. 1t
may seem a step from the sublime to the ri
diculous, and yet the sharpness of the curves
at the Bend seems, as you sit in the rear car
of long train and watch the engines, sug-
gestiye OF a dog trying to catch his tail The
one end seems to be about TO double up on
the other yet never does.
..l,t 81.
we left there the elegant car was turned into
n comfortable bedroom. All hands turned
in, some to sleep and some not. The rattle
of the cars continued and when the sun had
in the morning reached few hours height
we were near Fort Wayne, Indiana.
All of Ohio which we passed through by
daylight and all of Indiana traversed by the
railroad is very tame. Much of it is swampy
the land being so level that it cannot be
drained. There was more evidence of an
abundance of"chills" in that region than of
any other thing visible or invisible. An alb
solutely level country seen for the first
time, strikes the eye of one accustomed to
hills none too pleasantly Finally we landed
at Chicago at l040 A. NJ Wednesday, In
quiry showed us that we could not go to
Springfield before night This gave us
half day to look around this great city of
the Northwest. Strolling along the streets
with acompanion from Asbury Park, | fell in
with some ministerial friends from Maryland
and Delaware Together we did, Chicago as
best we knew how. 1t is wonderful city
busy as q bee hive full of fine buildings, and
bustling with large industries. Its hotels are
| particularly imposing and inviting. An oh.
| ect of intense interest to us was the cable
| line of street cars, which is run by an endless
cable, operated ty steam. 1t is very inge-
NOUS device and seems TO work well 1t looks
| odd to see train of three street cars move
| without any visible sign of motive power
| The Court House and Chamber of Commerce
| were also visited, along with other places of
| interest, which cannot here be noticed. A
citizen of Chicago was overheard saying Yes
| sir, there is no doubt that the incoming cen.
tury-19OO-wi find Chicago with popula.
ton of one million people" Its growth is
marvellous, and it is growing faster as its
years increase. Some of its streets which
| contain the private residences of the veal
thier class are grand. An old married man
| of our party, from whose lips had oft escaped
the remark, Wonderful city this, isn't it ?"
said after the days review, swell, there's one
thing Chicago can't boast of, any how, and
that's pretty acomen." Ofthe correctness ofhis
criticism I cannot affirm, as my eyes were
|
Alto P. NJ. we boarded our sleeper for
| Springfield, on the Chicago and Alton rail
road, along with several hundred other minis.
terial and lay delegates to the assembly, Thurs
| day morning found us here in the enjoyment
of health and happiness. 1t is safe to assert
that rarely, if ever before, has this city been
visited by such an avalanche of clergymen
as on the present occasion. There are now
between five and six hundred delegates in at.
tendance. The Assembly sessions are held
| in the State capitol to which they were for.
mally and cordially welcomed by Gov. Gull
lum in very neat address. This new State
building is fine affair, or will be when it is
finished. Our Maryland capitol looks quite
ragged in contrast. Well, it ought to be fine
for three and one-hdt millions have already
been expended on 1t and it is for from COM
pletlon. The people originally appropriated
the above sum for it and now they refuse to
vote any more, feeling that the funds have not
been honestly used
Springfield, as city, has few things Of
public interest in it. After the pattern OF
many western towns its streets are wide, its
houses have cosy yards around, them and
| comfort seems to be the aim of householders
Just around the corner Is the house of Abra
ham Lincoln, and the strangers visit it in
groups as though it were the Mecca of Ameri
an liberty. Like the man himself, the house
| is plain. Lncoln's monument / have not YET
visited. The streets of Springfield bring me
an unpleasant reminder of those dreadful
Hartford roads, which was so glad to gel
away from. The country is so level that i,
cannot be drained. Hence every rain stays
where it falls, and when vehicles pass ovel
the road mud becomes the order of the day
The morning Of my arrival the novel sight
was witnessed of four young ladies in a phae
ton sticking fast in the mud In one ofthe mair
streets of the town. They had to get out il
the mud while passing colored boy led thei
horse out of the hole. 1t savored so strongly
of that ugly hole at Chesney's corner, below
Churchville, that almost felt like flying henc