The Columbian. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1866-1910, 1883-08-31
Letter from Kane. Pa.

information is always greater than the
pleasure Of receiving it, because in the re-
cipient it is confession of ignorance
admission of some superiority. And it is
well that 1t is so, for were it otherwise,
many persons would leave to chance the
acquisition of knowledge, or remain in
ignorance, because unwilling to admit
their lack of knowledge. 1t therefore hap
pens well and wisely that writing gives to
the one less direct importance in commu-
nicating, and offers to the other more free
dom in acquiring, and both are happy.
This place is said to be 2OOe feet above
tide-water, and is therefore more than
1900 feet higher than Bloomsbury and is
the highest point on the Phila. Il Erie rail-
road. 1t is sort Of knoll on the noun
tain, comprising about a hundred acres,
and beyond which the ground falls off,
but subsequently rises again though not to
the same altitude. The town, when built,
will therefore he a conspicuous one, en-
phatically city set upon hill, whose
cannot be hid 1t contains, say one hun.
dred houses, ten or dozen of them being
shops for the sale of dry goods and grocer
les, five or six Of them hotels, and on the
northwestern declivity quite extensive
stone railroad repair-shops. We are told
here of new roads which will be completed
this fall and which will make this quite
railroad centre; which, considering we
are on the top of the Allegheny mountains,
seems rather queer. But we are just be-
ginning to see the day of queer things.
We are about 100 miles from Northum-
berland, and about 95 from Erie. On the
line of the road are the important towns of
Milton, Muncy, Williamsport, Jersey Shore,
Lock Haven, Renova, Driftwood, Empori-
um, st. Mary's, &C., besides long list of
smaller ones.
To reach here you leave Bloomsbury at
11:45 a. m, by the Lackawahna & Blooms
burg, to Northumberland, and thence at
1:15 by the Phila. & Erie, without change
of cars, reaching here by 0:15 p. m. Be-
tween Northumberland and here there is a
rise of 1888 feet and long before we get
the last glimpse of the West Branch it has
dwindled to very small stream indeed.
was not surprised to observe that all
the employees on the train behaved in the
usual manner of employees calling out
the names OF stations while the train was
in motion and making so much noise that
the name could not be heard, or If the
train was quiet, mumbling the word in
such a manner that it could not be under
stood. This was the observation of more
persons than myself. wish it could be,
as it ought to be, reformed altogether
/ observed also that the fruit fiend was
in full force on the train, and that he sue
ceeded in emptying his basket of sour
apples and sickly peaches into the stom-
achs of the unhappy passengers, several
times during the trip He even succeeded
in inveigling my own particular distribu-
tive share of the daughters OF Eve into
buying some worthless apples, and was
fool enough to take one sour one from her
bewitching hand and eat it. 1t was the
old, old story-the woman whom thou CAV
est to be with me- she gave me and | did
eat-and / was mighty sorry for 1.-THE
eating, mean.
The "Thomson House" includes within
its grounds about three acres, mostly COW
cred with native forest trees, and lighted
with half dozen jets of natural gas, shoot.
ing fifteen feet into the air. The grounds
could be greatly improved, and should be.
The cooking and baking, &C., for the hotel
is done with this supply of gas from the
oil wells free of expense, and the house il
heated in the same manner.
Water is not plentiful here, and it mus
be confessed that the want of creek, riv
er or lake is a great drawback to the situa
| tion otherwise everything you could wish
1t is true there is beautiful spring few
| rods from the house, the water of which i
as clear and soft as II it flowed from tn,
eye of Pity but If, instead of losing itsel
amongst the rocks and MOSES, it expande,
into q lake or roaring mountain torrent
it would add hundred per cent. to tn
attractiveness of this pleasant resort.
From the last remark 1t may be inferred
that am fond of water, and so l am.
know of nothing which has done so m,icl
for navigation as water and In that rcgar
Eaglesmere has great advantages over thi
place, in its most beautiful lake, II ther
were hotel there equal or nearly so t
this, in its appointments and accessories
the lake on which the eye ever rests wit
pleasure would carry the tourist, the lour
ger and the health-seeker to Lewis LAX
at Eaglesmefe. But until some moder
hotel, with large rooms, high ceilings, sui
stantial partitions, wide and eXtensiN
porches, and above all clean, roomy az
cessible and yet private offices for gues
of different sexes is erected, the natur
! attractions cannot and win not oyercon
4 .