Perrysburg journal. (Perrysburg, Wood Co., O. [Ohio]) 186?-1965, 1884-09-12
WASHINGTON LETTER.
[From Our Regular Correspondent ]

tFrom Our Regular Correspondent
WASHINGTON, ID. g., Sept. Sth, 1884.
Finding the Capital very dull, with the
government distributed around amongs.
the various watering places, your cores
pondent took flying vacation last week
aud saw more sights than are to be seen IN
Washington just now. Everybody has
heard, late years. of Watkins Glen, but
everybody has not yet seen it, thongh
judging from the stream Of travel in that
direction NJ tins season of the year, every
body will have seen il some Of these days
Having had my interest aroused by the
enthusiastic accounts Of friends who have
been there, concluded could take just
time enough ito make trip to the new
journey which proved more enjoyable and
more replete with interesting features
not even excepting my first trip To Niagara.
Watkins Glen is one of the greatest nat.
ural wonders on this continent. have
spoken of it rs "new" wonder because its
fame has but recently gone forth, but that
great crevise in those vast ledges Of rocks
with its wonderful caverns and beautiful
cascades was probably there when Colum-
bus discovered America. There is no tell
ing how many centuries OF time the element.
have been employed in working out the
grand aggregation of wonders and beauties
which are here presented. Fifty years
ago, only on the more complete maps OF
New York could be found the lille town
OF Jefferson at the head of Seneca Lake.
Later the name was changed to Watkins,
and the Northern Central Railway pushed
it's line down the Chemung Valley, touch
ing the town on its route to Canandaigua.
Soon after this the Glen began to attract
attention, and now palalial steamers pluw
through the lake where, within the memo
ry Vf man, bark canoes tossed ON the
waves or darted into the shadows of droop.
ing trees. Groves, until lately the dark
retreat of night birds, unvisiied save by
the hunter, are thronging with daily pic
MICS, willie every Jutting point, where once
the timid deer stole 10 the waters edge, is
now the site Of summer cotlage or gay
with the tents and banners Of camping
parties.
| The space of this letter is insufficient for
II detailed description of the Glen
or its surroundings, and can indulge in
only few generallies. This canon, rs il
may properly he called, is one Of the most
remarkable yet explored by man. Ii is u
vertical rift or gorge in n mountainous
bluff, with walls varying in height from
200 to nearly 400 feet. through which
rlshes n mountain brook OF puresi wnler !;
now roaring and lumbling over rocks in
fouming cascades, again plunging over
| leGges in beautiful falls, and anon e,llying
about in quiet little lakelets in the deep
ravlne, dawn upon which from high rng
ged crags or rustic little bridges the tourist
may look and meet his or her face in the
water. The Glen is divided inio sections,
each Of which is given II distinctive name
in accord with some one OF its many beau-
iiful or strange and wonderful features.
fhe division at the entrance is called Glen
Alpha, and the seclion al the terminus,
about three miles above, Glen Omegn.
Near the latter point the Glen il crossed
by the Syracuse, Geneva & Corning Rail
way, over AN iron bridge at u height of l65
feet aud ten Inches above the waier, one Of
the han,lsomesl in the State. A short dis
tunce above the entrance to Glen Alpha,
at height Of nearly 100 feet, reached by
a beautiful stairway broken by platforms
for resting places, is u broad, sale bridge
view of Minnel,ah, Falls il oh,ained
which is one Of the preIties, case. 1es in
the Glen. Further up, the rocks assume
all SORTS of frnciful shapes, impending
depending, and qnile perpendicular, until
Mt n point the high and rugged waiIs
draw clOse together, forming Cascade Cav
ern, whrre The water falls over the rork'
nearly 100 feet Into u caveinuus poe
below.
Not the least OF the attractions Of So
, journ here, is the elegant Glen Monntal,
House, pictnresquely situated IN il'
mountain top and surrounded by l"vel,
graves. IL is u delightful retreat, c'rnl n
all times. and provided with every facilil,
for comfort ami nmnsement. The ,inin.
E room and culinary department il lOcaiet
, IN a unique "Swis- cottage" ON the olno-
, site side of the chasm and connected viii
the main hotel by handsome, covered
, iron bridge. Mr.. Michener, The prolrie'
tor, IL Il landlord whose kindly attention
every guest will have reasun TO remember
Since his ownership of the Glen, much ha
, been done 10 improve and beanliiy the en-
, lire property, adding 10 The attraction
, which nature originally created. Alread,
: nearly 25 600 tourists have visited the Gle
this season, and the daily tide is only jns
l...a.. IL IL