The Carbon advocate. [volume] (Lehighton, Pa.) 1872-1924, 1884-07-05
The Reauties ef Glen onoko.

Mauch Chunk. says correspondent.
would be hard place to find If it had no
canal or railway connections with the out
side world. 1t looks as if it had been drop
ped careessly amid a confused mass oI
mountains, and had rolled down some
steep slope Until it lodged in creyice at
the base Of half dozen hills. Ittook root
in rich soil. and ,tertiizpd hv the coal trade.
it grew and prospered. until now it. is the
county seat ami place Of considerable i'm
rnrtancn. It narrowly escanei being allied
Packprtown. after old Judge Asa PacKer Of
the Lehigh Valley Railroad and was fnrtu-
nate in being called Mauch Chunk which
name is pronounced in almost as many
waits as there are inhabitants Of the place
A fter leaving the town. the railway travel
Ter sees steep motIntains looming up on
every side. and does not suspect that be
meath the dense growth Of primeval woods
lie elens and grottos which cannot he sur
uassel for natural beauty. Two miles west
nt the Chunk, rs it is called for short, is
cleared spot called Glen Onoko, at the base
Of one Of the tallest mountains. The rail
wav company has cut away the trees for
considerable space and erected summer
NnlSrS, llNlnH sWlhEsi anu ullef hCCultliIlu~
dations for pI:nic parties.
To the lover Of nature these artificial
means of amusement give no pleasure, and
wearyine Of the shouts of picnickers he
may turn his steps into the path which
leads back in the mountain. This Path
ascends very gradually at first, aud to the
left is n brawling stream dashing through Il
gully thirty feet below. a little further
the stream ascends to the level Of he IA tn .
and now the beauties of the glen hrgin tn
display themselves. The smooth walk gives
wav 10 rough stone steps and the rugged
path twists in aud out amid great houlders.
but sti ! ever leading upward. Up and mp
it goes, following the stream, and repeated
~ crossing il. on rude bridges of cedar
wood. upnu indian ladders, on long logs
set at an incline, with steps on thSr side !;
uu stairs alter stairs that seem H. ascend IN
endless snrcassiou. At 'ast there ia an IN
vilin Q resting !, ce on lench at the fnut
oi the FIRST cascade, the Chamele"n Fails.
seventy ive leet high. Far ab0vp,thc water
begins its sheet descent from square edged
rocks, and falling in silvur sheet strikes
the projecting rucks lower dowH,and louIds
oil in spray,
Is the sunlight plays on the water il
reflects thousand brilliant hues, eyer
changing and ever rearpeariug, The air is
dplightiuuy cnnl ami the water is like
crystal aud cold ta the taste.
onward the path still leads, climbing a
circular stors ladder aud crossing the top
nj the tails near their brink, on u pictures
que bridge. There is great rock on the
side q the tall at their top and this over
looks the surrounding country. Tie hlaro
IS called the Lovers Leap, and, lonking
down, one sees the water in its descent over
The falls and then traces it through the
glen until host in a rocky curve. Beyond
one sees the vista Of mountains stretching
away and away in the distance. A tail
one, nn the summit Of which is the Switch
uack Railroad station, hides Mauch Chunk,
but ,st Maurh Chunk lies ia the valley
like a white cloth spread M green field
More climbing follows until the Cave
Falls are reached. There is a deep indenta.
tion in the side Of the mountain, and lhe
water hangs in front Of it like a curtain.
The visitor passes into the cave at the side
and looks out through the sheet Of rushing
water. The ascent is now nearly at an end
and the summit soon reachsii aud here
| agern are picnlc buildings and a dancing
floor. A walk across the summit Of Mount
| Cummings brings the yisitnr 10 Packers
Point, where staging has been built out
from Tue uFnw ol the hloun'dln'
This is the highest point in the neighbor-
hood. and overlooks the mountains. The
Delaware Water Gap is visible far in the
distance. The yerdure on the hills near by
/ seems like green turf, across which runs the
sharp shadow cast by the mountain. where
on is the staging, Gilmpsss Of the Su'qrs
| hanna are caught here aud there as IL w,uds
among the hills, add the passing trains on
/ the railroad seem ludicrously small cuni-
| pared to the great noise they send up. The
/ return path down tile mnuntain leads
/ straight away, and IS apt Ia be made at
/ breakurek speed. IL IS "a mile and a quar-
| ter long, ana ends where the journey began,
/ The beauties Of Glen Onnkn have hing been
/ a tradition in Carbon county, but the place
WAS almost inaccessible until paths were
! cleared two or three years ago. Now the
! general aim of the visitors is to see how
| quickly they can make tho clrcIit Of the
glen, aud they neither obserys nor care Il
enjoy its wonderful beauty.