The Baltimore County union. [volume] (Towsontown, Md.) 1865-1909, 1884-08-02
Correspondence Baltimore County Union.
LETTER FROM THOUSAND ISLAND
PARK, N. Y.
THOUSAND ISLAND PARK, N. Y,

July goth, 1884. J
Messrs Lonqnecker Bros On Saturday last
took the train at Clifton Springs and rode Ga
miles to Syracuse. On the road is Geneva, at the
head of Seneca Lake, Auburn, the home of the late
VIM. H. Seward and the seat of one of New York's
penitentiaries. Along the way is fine farming
country. Some wheat uncut much in the field
barely ripening, oats green, potatoes growing in
large fields, all look fourishing. Syracuse is on
Saline Lake, contains about 10000 people and
has the most extensive salt works in the United
States, over 5000 acres being covered with their
operations.
From Syracuse L took the train and rode 100
miles to Cape Vincent, at the junction of Lake
Ontario with St. Lawrence River. All the way
this is a dairy country, marked by fine herds of
CATTLE excellent barley and grass, while in many
places can be seen large fields of hops. The evil
dences of good land, good farming thrift and
prosperity mark the whole way. Cape Vincent
is 40 miles from Thousand Island Park.
Taking the steamer St. Lawrence at Cape Vim
cent ut $50 p. m, we start down the st. Lawrence
River. The first object of interest is Carleton
Island, at the head of which there is an encamp-
ment of soldiers, who CT what your humble SER
want could not learn. A few rods back of the en-
campment is an eminence resembling Federal
Hill, in Baltimore. On this are to be seen the re-
mains of six towers chimneys some distance
from each other. These and the other remains OF
the fertilization constitute what is left of fort so
ancient that no one has been able to find any his
torcal account of it. There are the remains OF
but one other fort in America-one at st. Angus
tine, Florida-that bears similarity to these. 1t
is supposed that this was fort built by Lasalle
about 1875.
The New York shore stretches away in grad
uar rise and presents fine landscape dotted with
farm houses and villages. The green islands in
the river, with their pine bluffs and rocky lodges,
enliven the scenery with great variety of views.
And as the golden orb of day descends the west
ern horizon, shading and tinting with indescriba-
and sinking slowIy-eeor.;.sIy into the Losou. vi
the broad river-the scene becomes one wonder
full to behold. Then the twilight of evening
spreads its soft wings over the view of the travel
err. Here, there, on right and left before and be-
hind, are green isles, varying in Size from quar-
ter of an acre to hundreds Of acres, almost every
one containing residence-some of them many.
Some are fiat while others rise high out of the
water, rounding off in every direction to the waters
edge. Many of these are owned by wealthy resi-
dents of New York's many wealthy cities, on
which they have erected handsome summer resi-
dences, surrounding them with all the adornments
that wealth and taste can bestow
On one of these, containing about two acres,
rising gently from the waters edge till it cumi
mates in a cone on which is erected stately man
sion. The lawn running down to the river is
adorned on both sides the walk with red, white
and blue electric lights, while these lights seem to
cover almost every portion of the island. Really
this island looked as if every bush and shrub on
it, together with the cupalo and verandahs of the
mansion, was covered with Chinese lanterns and
electric lights, the whole touched with the marvel
Gus beauties of a charming twilight in the last
quarter of its existence. 1 have seen nothing to
equal this picture except that presented on Round
Island little further down. The house and
island is the property of Mr.. George Alvers, a
wealthy gentleman of Syracuse, N. Y.
Tho picture at Round Island is enhanced by the
fact that it contains perhaps fifty acres of land
and is covered by large number of stately resi-
dences, unique villas and large hotel. These
villas are perched upon high bluffs, surrounded
by shade trees, neat stairways running to the
water, and cozy bath houses, hammocks, flags and
electric lights adorn them. In the midst of this
picture stands the stately Round Island Park
Hotel, with red, white and blue electric lights in
its tower on every verandah, and four long strings
of them with SO lights on EACH Two of these
strings reach from the top of its tower to pointn
the park and one each of the others reaching from
the top of the tower to the extremity of each wing
One grand blaze of electric lights from tree and
shrub in the park greets the vision. Round
Island looked like collection of so islands like
that of Mr.. Alver's. And then you look around
you and the river seems to be all islands and the
islands seem to be all electric lights. Far off is
seen the tall tower of the Thousand Island Park
Hotel. The tower is over hundred feet high
The building is five stories and one broad porch
rs feet wide runs around it. For each succeeding
story q narrower one projects out but not so wide,
and these are handsomely ornamented. In tower,
on porch and park are displayed tri-colored cleo.
trio lights. Then this hotel stands in the midst OF
village of three hundred cottages, villas and
tents These and their surroundings hand
some grove-are wearing similar adornments, and
under the shadow of the departing twilight holds
one enchanted with the charm of the scene that
deies description while the behoder fancies he is
sailing through fairy land. I have only one
scenery without seeing it. S. B.