The Saline County journal. [volume] (Salina, Kan.) 1871-1893, 1883-10-11
THE PICNIC GROUNDS or WYOMING
VALLEY AND THE Legend or
The HERMlT'S DEN.
WILKES BARRE, Penn.,(
October !. 1888.

Z
beautiful coal fields. Times have been
80 good during the past year that the
working classes hEve been I'm far bet.
Ter condition to bear the expenses in
cident 10 these enjoymenis than they
have teen for a number Of years past.
From the Oldest to the youngest person
In tiIis sseiiOn-ail have seemingly
attended many = picnic, judging frUl
the great crowds seeh daily vending
their way 10 the various depots. Pic
mics Unttr ile direction 81 various
socieii'r from every point within q
radius Of one hundred miles Of this
city, have been conducted 10 the pic
ME grounds OF the Wyoming region.
Last year the Lehigh Valley rail-
rOad company cleared away the rock
and rubbish from q fine place ON the
west side Of the Wilkes-Barre Noun
tain, about midway up 10 the apex,
nine miles from this city, and named
Il LuzeFne Grove. Many attractions
were placed therein and during the
summer II was filled daily with pie
nicers from all sect ms. The invest
nent proved n large thing for the
railroad company, and they received a
big revenue irOni the passenger traffic
thereto. Early this year the Central
Railroad Of New Jersey purchased q
large tract Of land on the mountain
about ten miles above this city, aud
expended about twelve thousand dol
lars in cleaning, fitting and beautifylng
the grounds, adding many attractive
aInusements. With the exception Of
q few DAYS this summer il has been
occupied by monster crowds, often
times a. many as forty carloads Of
passengers being transported TO the
grounds In one excursion. The great
beauty OF the view, and the exhiler-
Hting air that could be secured at this
point, proved an attractive card, and
Mountain Park, as it was named, has
been the favOrite mountain resort this
year, although Luzerne Grove has
been occupied almost continuously.
The fact that the Central Railroad
OF New jersey were successful In pro-
viding the most attractive and beauti-
ful GROUND, has aroused the pride Of
the Lehigh Valley railroad and a short
time ago new grounds were selected
in "A most enchanting section Of the
Wilkes Barre mountain, where q view
can be secured Of both sides Of the
mountain for many miles, and the
Valley company will expend So, 900
I'm beautifying and making the place
exceedingly attractive. or course this
will greatly benefit the valley in vari-
Gus ways. The major part Of the
money will be spent among the work
ing men and stores Of this section and
with each picnic party from abroad
will come a considerable amount Of
money that eventually will find its
way into the Golfers Of the valley. It
Is estimated that three hundred thou
sand persons have visited the picnic
grounds and the eOneOmitant envi-
rOnmefits this season.
A short time ago / made a visit to
Mountain Park. The forenoon and
portion Of the afternoon had been very
cloudy but later the sun broke through
the clouds and bathed the valley in q
sheen Of gold, and reigned supreme
until the drawing on of evening.
Vending our way TO the depot we
met a repOrtOrial friend and upon our
arrival found the train all ready to
start. Soon the train rushed through
tie afternoon sunshine at lightning's
speed, turning sharp curves with a
lunge mOmentarily perceptible, and
following quick upon the sentatiUns
made by the detection were those
created by an onward movement Of the
ears. The train parted the atmosphere
like the prOjectile from the mouth of
mortar. A short stop was made at
Ashley, but scarcely did we appreciate
Il before the train was again whiZzing
along its iron pathway. The train
labOred on up the mountain with q
roar, and q shrek, and a rattle, as
though endeavOring to free itself from
its heavy load Of passenger cars The
trip TO the Park was successfully made
and / found a large crowd associated
together and enjoying the freedom Of
this grandest picnic ground Of north
eastern Pennsylvania. The portion Of
the grounds Improved occupies q ter
raee-like tract Of land on the steep
ascent Of the mountain. Away to the
rear and above II are the fOrest-clad
hills rising In primitive beauty, while
at its summit bold ridge OF naked
rocks breaks through the soil, with q
Ragged descent Of thirty feet. These
moss grown bOulders are piled in
NUlAAnElNAAs anu NN0lA NlAG
creviees grow massive trees and heavy
shrubbeFy.
A large platform for a lookout in q
monster tree LAYS Wyoming Vallay at
ones feet like beautiful panorama,
while aidistant view Of Lackawanna
Valley far off to the east l. secured. /
\ lovely fountain sends high it, eOnl-
ing spray. The active crowd were en-
joying the swings, flying Jimmy.
pavilion, trapeze, jumping boards,
roll overs, dancing platform, drinking
fountain and other attractions The
rocks on the slOping cliff were full OF
fatigued visitors, and the rustic tables
we're all In use by lunch parties. Tue
road leading To the cars was swarmed
with visitors, aud many were the in
teFestlng utteranees Ia It's favor. The
legend Ofthe Hermit's Den is very in-
teresting. Il once being the abode OF a |
recluse about whose mysterious pres |
enee and manner OF life many roman
tic stories were current half century |
ago. A companion visited the Her |
mitis Cave with me and related its /
history. Fred Q. johnson, the person /
alluded to, read q paper before the |
Wyoming Historical Society some |
years ago, and the following Is the |
substance ofthe legend: At the close
Of the last century there lived alone ia /
the Den" a man known 70 all the |
people of the valley as the Hermit"
He was a man Of good address and ap-
parently well educated for that day. /
fhere was an air Of mystery about all
his movements; he at all tunes avoided
rather than sought the society Of his
fellOw-men when he came down into
village about every two weeks 10
make purchases, and was civil though
reserved In his intercourse with those
with whom he came la contact. He
was never known 10 be engaged at any
kind Of work, and the few visitors
who climbed the mountain 10 crafty
their curiosity as to his surroundings
always found him on the lookout, on
the high rock west Of his singular
abode, and at their approach would
greet them with a loud aud shrill
whistle; and even at night he kept q
light or a watehfire burning on this
pinn6cle, which could be seen from
the valley below like a star i'm the east
erD horizon. IL was thought that the
hermit was working q rich silver
mine somewhere In the mountains and
that he had companions and assumed
the pretended character Of a reeluse,
clad In mOnkish garb and bearing a
palmeris staff, TO mystify ilte people Of