The Columbian. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1866-1910, 1882-06-23
Nuauch Chunk.
a RIDE OVER THE swITCH-BACK.

Mauch Chunk is well named the 'Switz-
erland of America" 1t is nestled down in
u ialley and on all sides high peaks lift
their heads in the air, wanting nothing but
snow caps on their crowns to make one be-
licve he is really among the Alps. 1t is
hard to see why town should have been
laid out in such location, but when we
remember that this was one of the first
points where coal was discovered, and that
there is no place near, that offered any
better location we can better understand it.
Every body who goes to Mauch Chunk
takes ride over the famous "Swtch Back"
railroad. Starting from the hotel in a
coach drawn by four horses you are carried
up to East Mauch Chunk, distance of
only half mile, and there wait for the
train. Soon it appears in sight running at
Il rapid rate, and as it approaches the sta
ton it halts suddenly. The train" consists
of one car, with seats extending across the
whole width, and a roof overhead, the sides
and ends being open. The engineer is Il
young man who sits by the brake, and
starts and stops the car, There is no en-
gine, no motive power, not even II mule,
no smoke, no dust no heat. The car runs
entirely by gravity. Leaving the station
we move off, gradually increasing the
speed, until we have reached IL velocity of
twenty-five miles an hour. Soon we turn
sharp curve and find ourselves looking
al; ,Nln t,v. ntN n
feet long, and as we were told fifteen hum
drcd feet high. Up this plane the car is
drawn by truck which is provided with
numerous arrangements to prevent acci-
dents. At the top of the plane we are on
Mount Pisgah. Here magnificent view
is afforded. On both sides we look down
on the valleys beneath, where towns are
scattered here and there, the river winds in
and out among the hills, and the railroads
intcrscct each other in all directions.
Starting from this point we begin the de-
scent, and running for nine miles, we come
to the foot of another plane and are again
hoistcd to the top of II mountain, and find
ourselves in little village called Summit
Hill. Here we stop for twenty minutes,
and are conducted by small boys who offer
themselves as guides, II short distance to
the burning mine. Smoke issued from the
surface of the ground, and we were told
that the fire had been burning for forty
years, and every effort to cNtinguish it has
failed. Coal was first discovered at this
p oint in 1897 but nothing much was done
with it until about 1912, when they bcgal
to quarry it, In 1927 the railroad ovel
which we came back to Mauch Chunk, was
laid out, being one of the first in tho
country. 4 nine mile run, and Il mos
delightful ride. brought us to the starting
point, where the coach awaited us and W.
returned to the hotel. The Episcopa
Church of Mauch Chunk is one of the
handsomcst in the State. The widow o
| Asa Packer has just presented the parisl
Sunday school room, library &c. There il
Il fine new town hall, and several eXccllen
hotels. The Mauch Chunk Democrat owned
by Judge Harry T. Packer, and edited by
X. W. Brodhead, an able journalist, is the
leading paper of the county. Court was il
session last week, and on Wednesday
morning we dropped IN for II few moments
Judge Drehcr was on the Bench. He il
one of the prominent Common Pleas judge
of the State.
Mauch Chunk is summer resort that i
visited by large numbers of city people
and We know Of no more pleasant place tc
spend few weeks than ia this town anon!
| the mountains.