The Wilmingtonian., 1884-07-12
TO CHICAGO by THE IL. g. O.

whole volumes of advertising pamphlets
have been published concerning the beaute.
of the scenery on the Pennsylvania Com
pany's route to Chicago and the West, but
if the traveller desires to see the beauties Of
Nature with the pages of our too eventful
history stamped on them he will not hesitate
to cast his preference for the d. & o..
1t was in the wee sma' hours that a repre-
sentative Of THE WILMINGToNIAN saw the
many and far-shining lights of the Monu-
mental city vanish into the gloom, as the
train of palace cars vept out on its long
run and headed right away for Washington.
One short hour suffced for the forty mile
stage OF the journey. Over level grade the
iron horse swiftly dragged its load past the
Relay House, dear to tho signing swain and
the gudgeou fisher, and the historic battle
field of Bladensburg, within sight of the
white columns Of the Capitol. No long stay
was made at Washington, though most tour
lists by the d. & o. avail themselves of the
privilege of stopping off for tour of inspec-
tion in the city Of Magnificent Distances, as
some enthusiast has not inappropriately
| termed it. On again swept the cars, rushing
through the night at a speed that could
be measured only by the swift succession of
way-side stations, for the excellent construc-
tion of rails, couplings and springs removed all
sense Of humping and joltng. Next the
blue waters of the Potomac came in sight
and the train drew up for moment at Point
| of Rocks chosen resort Of the bass fisher
men of Maryland aid Virginia, and forming
| the outlier of the Tremendous masses OF the
Blue Ridge Mountains. Then came Har.
| per's Ferry-beautiful as dream-with its
| memories Of John Brown, the ruined arse
nal, Stonewall Jackson and .Surrender''
Miles. On the right the Maryland Heights
lowered up for thousand feet, on the left
the ruined hamlet with the battle scars of 90
years ago, fresh on its crumbling tonements,
lay yet sleeping in the gray dawn. On again
past Bolivar Heights and the mouth of the
ever memorable Shenandoah valley till the
bridge at Shepherdstown apprised the passer-
by of the vicinity of another and greater
battle tlcld-Antietam. Here, at this very
point, A. T. Hill crossed to render timely
assistance to his chief, six miles away, and
here too few days later the same A. P. Hill,
from the Virg inia side, ,ambushed and drove
into the river the pursuing Union troops.
Every yard of this river bank is historical
hereabouts. West Virginia on one side and
my Maryland" OH the other fit into each
other for miles like the pieces Of a puzzle,
and the farmers, between the visits of the
contending parties, had a severe time OF it in
those days. The railroad mostly follows
the river, and above Failing Waters (where
Lee crossed after Gettysburg) it turns for
short space into West Virginia, till it strikes
Martnsburg. This was another debatable
post in the War and many skirmish took
place in the neighborhood during the weeks
before and after the three invasions. The
B. &. o; have extensive car shops here, and
Martinsburg promises one day to be large
and thriving town. 1t was over this narrow
strip that jenkins and McCausland crossed
i'll the historic raid of 1864 which cul-
minated in the burning of Chambersburg,
the second and last appearance of rebel SOL
derS on Pennsylvania soil.
In the run from Point of Rocks to Mar
tinsburg the cars pass right through the
natural gap in the South Mountain cut by
the waters Of the Potomac in ages gone by.
High up on the rocks at eeva ions of hun
dreds of feet shells are found similar to those
on the bed of the river to-day, leaving the
traveller but one conclusion to draw Even
the bridge at Harper's Ferry has history
and an eventful one 1t was four times
| purleu uuIibS bhe wal, anu It's quickly
rebuilt by the untirng energy of John W.
Garrett. On this same bridge the principal
part of the fighting between John Browns
men and the Virginia militia took place.
Even as far up as Hancock, beyond Mar
tinsburg, the tide of war has left its traces,
| for the B. s. o. rails were torn up as far as
Cumberland during the Gettysburg cam
paign to prevent the arrival of Union troops
from the West. Ruined bridges and shat
tered farm buildings still attest the sevcri y
of the strife that ranged along the b. & o.
twenty years ago.
At nine O'clock Cumberland is reached,
the 1sSth milestone on the long journey.
Here the magic word "breakfast'' awaIens
the sleepers and galvanzes the drJwsy into
a new life. At the Queens City Hotel,
which is run by the L. & o. Company, an
excellent repast is provided at moderate
charge, and soon call aboard" is the cry.
The iron horse pufls and snorts, as the cars
climb the Aleghauy Mountains hour after
hour. From a comparatively level track
beside the shining but ever narrowing
Potomac, with valleys and hills smiling in
the distance, the scene is now changed to q
purely savage type. The course curves