Daily Republican., 1884-04-16
RAMBLING SKETCHES.
A REPURlICAN REPORTER On
THE WING THROUGH PENN.
6YLVANlA.

ant travelling now, but will be more
pleasant week hence. The orchards
and trees that are only budding now
will be in full bloom. Still the wealth
er is warm enough to bring out the
hyacjnths and crocnses in the front
yards. All the way from Wilmington
to Lancaster by Philadelphia there
were evidences of the genial influences
OF Spring. Only on Wednesday last,
what stormy day it was. You in
Wilmington know how 1t rained, and
blowed, and hailed and showed. Now
Even the hail, snow and rain seem to
have started Spring vegetation into
new life. How beautiful and proInis.
ing the wheat fields look.
Everybody Is astonished after such q
severe winter as we have had. 1t Is
not surprising that crop fifteen per
cent. in advance of last years crop is
promised, if wheat looks as we'll every
where as it does along the line of the
Pennsylvania Railroad from Philadel-
phia TO Lancaster. This section of the
country is rightly named the garden of
Pennsylvania. Thrift and comfort are
observable on every side. The beauti-
full villas that are springing up as If by
magic along the route of this great
N ational thorougbfare astonishes US.
A few old time buildings remain, as If
to show how ridiculous the comparison
must be between the old and new style
of architecture. In this great march in
archi, ectural improvement the Penn
sylvania Railroad Company takes the
lead. Ingenuity would seem to have
become exhausted in new and unique
plans and inventions for building beau
tiful new railroad stations. As the
eailroad commences, people retiring
from business life take up and carry
on the erection of artistic homes, beau
tifully surrounded with lawns and
drives, and Ornamented with statuary
and flowers.
What's a beautiful sight strikes the
eye as we reach Malvern and Frazer
stations. We have been running along
on high ridge and, ..all at once we get
a view of Chester County valley away
down there below US. Far as the eye
can carry us to the blue hills beyond
we see a labyrinth of railroads, public
roads, telegraphs and meandering
streams, along which lie the finest farms
in Chester County. The healthy spring
green form a most pleasing contrast
with the eatly whitewashed and paint.
cd buildings dotted all over this wide
landscape. This valley is the crown.
ing glory of Chester County. By degrees
we descend the slopiDg declivity mile by
mile until we reach the valley ,and soon
we find ourselves in Downingtown.
Here the familiar shout of the newsboy
strikes out ears as he hurries along
West Chester Daily Record and the
West ChesterLocal News, only one cent.
Being newspaper man of course we
inves', if for no other purpose than to
encourage the newsboys.
After leaving Downingtown another
sight greets us. We are reminded of
the snow storm OF last Wednesday ty
the long white lines of snowbanks that
streak the hill sides. The farther up or
rather down the valley we 60 the snow
banks increase. Passing across the
grand valley we strike Coatesville on
the Brandy ywine and the w. & N. Rail
road. Thirty.tive years ago when we
ventured by railroad to Philadelphia
it was but village, and the small
clump of houses on the other bank of
the Braniwine was called Midway, be-
cause it was half way between Ian
caster and Philadelphia Nov it is
striving for the second place on the list
of Chester County towns. West Chester
occupy ing first place. Crossing the |
great high bridge, but not so high as our !.
Baltimore and Philadelphia bridge
across the Brandywine will be, we as
cend the hill slope on the eastern side
Of Chester valley, the snow banks in
creasing all the while.
Passing Pomeroy, Parkesburg and
Atglen, we enter Lancaster County at
Chrstiana, then up the grade until We
reach the Gap. Here another of those
beautiful landscape sights bursts sud-
denly upon the view. Right here in
these Gap hills old Amos Clemson and
his gang became terror to the farmers,
and here is where many valued horse
was hid away safe from prying detec-
tives until it was safe to venture out
and turn their booty into money. Right
over yonder are the Welsh Mountains,
where the bold free booter, Abe Buzzard
and his associates in crime, have their
headquarters. Between these places is
the beautiful and fertile Piqua valley,
the coming glory of Lancaster County.
There are snow banks over here, too,
md all the way to Lancaster city,
which we reached in the evening. s
This old city we cannot fully describe
n short rambling letter. 1t is very
,retty city, and there was time, about E
% years ago, when it ran side by side
With Reading and Wilmington in
but it has fallen behind
low and the race Is between the two
after, with Wilmington leading. Ian
aster Is a substantial, wealthy city and
ot without enterprise. Being an in
and city she cannot engage in ship
uilding like Wilmington, but she is
,ading off as a tobacco centre, aud the =
rst mandatory to which a stranger is q
,ferred is her noted watch manufac-
,ry, which employs over 500 hands,
lostly girls and boys. We found Lam
lister in the midst of the excitement
lndidates for county officers The re-
lrns show that A. Herr Smith, who so
ng and ably represented Lancaster
Ounty, has been defeated by John A.
eistond, editor of the Examiner and
Xpress.
Lancaster now claimsa population of ",
:, 900, and we have no doubt she is en- J
tied to her claim. The city is spread b
lg in all directions, and new streets
70 constantly opened. The era for the D.
nproved architecture of the age has r.
lily set in, and many of the wealthy ~ ~
ermans who occupied one-story brick ID
buses have fallen in with the march
improvement and are building homes
hich are decided ornaments to the
ty. Lancaster is generally a Demo-
attic city, but there was a general up
laval a few weeks ago, and the Lau- T.
sterians awoke one morning to find III
at the Republicans had made a clean r.
'eep Of everything. Better things -
i'll are promised next November, and
County may be set down for
200 majority for the Republican tick IA
But my letter is already too long, V
d will close and write next from